Surround Sound Systems

[The Reverend]

Having just upgraded my TV, this is something i'm looking at now.

I know nothing about it though - wether you need to get specific brands for a certain TV or what reall. So I need some expertise.

The TV I have is a Hitachi L42VP01U, so if anyone could point me in the right direction, brilliant.

[Hitesh]

Not sure about anything specific to that TV (although most surround will be OK as they are SCART connections!) but I have a Sony at home and its imense. It's 5.1 so thats 5 speakers plus the sub and the noise that comes out of the speakers which are quite small is quality! And when watching a film you can really feel the surround effect!

[The Reverend]

Not sure about anything specific to that TV (although most surround will be OK as they are SCART connections!) but I have a Sony at home and its imense. It's 5.1 so thats 5 speakers plus the sub and the noise that comes out of the speakers which are quite small is quality! And when watching a film you can really feel the surround effect!

Thanks for that Hitesh.

So is your surround sound SONY aswel? I didnt realise it was done through SCART. 5.1 is definitely what i'm looking for.

Any recommendations?

[Legend_in_blue]

Get this...

Pioneer system

You won't do much better for that money.

Alternatively, go for Bose if you've a grand or two to spare!

[Hitesh]

Thanks for that Hitesh.

So is your surround sound SONY aswel? I didnt realise it was done through SCART. 5.1 is definitely what i'm looking for.

Any recommendations?

Yeah, the surround sound came with a DVD player which is all Sony. I have it connected up to a Samsung TV atm and works well. But you can use the surround system without the TV on as it all runs through the DVD. (Hope that makes sense!)

That Pioneer looks really good, plus its HDMI (So no need for scart!) and with USB so you can probably get videos from your comp onto the USB and plug and play. Basically, the connection between the Surround System and TV will be HDMI. The 5.1 speakers will connect straight into the player for the system.

You can get 7.1 now but I think thats a bit too much!

How much you looking to spend? This site is pretty good for reviews and recommendations!

[Legend_in_blue]

I'd agree with the 7.1 system. It's the way forward and is cutting edge in terms of sound.

I've had a look into this as well, but it will cost you. At the moment, the best way to get a 7.1 system, is to get the amp and get speakers seperate. This'll cost a bomb though. The all-in-one systems aren't available yet are they?

[Smudge]

Don't be tempted to buy the cheap Japanese crap, I sell this stuff and audition everything for sound quality. My inexpensive lines are Rotel and Marantz, for speakers I strongly recommend B&W.

If you need any advice I'll be happy to help

[coale39]

Cheap but effective option:

[Hitesh]

Cheap but effective option:

I saw that on the site that was posted the other day where these pictures come up every time on refresh!

[JadeFalcon]

i have 2 sets of Altec Lansing ADA885 THX certified 4.1 speakers, ok they are 4.1 but they do a damned great job of making up for the missing centre channel, that good that you dont even notice that its missing. Shame you cant buy them from a shop any more but you can if you look hard find them on ebay for really piss cheap.

I bought a set for the girlfriend just before xmas for £30 on ebay they were £400 when new

they come COAX digital inputs no Optical (converters can be bought tho) and also 2 x stereo 3.5mm input jacks and the speakers themselves have the following modes, stereo/stereo X2/Dolby Pro Logic/Quad(for computers)/Dolby Digital

they really are a thunderous piece of equipment, so thunderous that 2 other people have heard the system and gone out and bought themselves a set right away )))

so if you can find a set i really do advise getting one, also for the THX label which guarantee's their sound quality to match cinema equivalents

-=edit=- for previous post, 5.1 cannot be done through SCART cable it has to have its own dedicated feed, either optical or coaxial connection or on highend dedicated audio equipment some do it through the HDMI connection

[The Reverend]

i have 2 sets of Altec Lansing ADA885 THX certified 4.1 speakers, ok they are 4.1 but they do a damned great job of making up for the missing centre channel, that good that you dont even notice that its missing. Shame you cant buy them from a shop any more but you can if you look hard find them on ebay for really piss cheap.

I bought a set for the girlfriend just before xmas for £30 on ebay they were £400 when new

they come COAX digital inputs no Optical (converters can be bought tho) and also 2 x stereo 3.5mm input jacks and the speakers themselves have the following modes, stereo/stereo X2/Dolby Pro Logic/Quad(for computers)/Dolby Digital

they really are a thunderous piece of equipment, so thunderous that 2 other people have heard the system and gone out and bought themselves a set right away )))

so if you can find a set i really do advise getting one, also for the THX label which guarantee's their sound quality to match cinema equivalents

-=edit=- for previous post, 5.1 cannot be done through SCART cable it has to have its own dedicated feed, either optical or coaxial connection or on highend dedicated audio equipment some do it through the HDMI connection

Colour me interested at that price.

I dont want to spend silly money on surround sound, its just not viable.

Think i'm gonna have a look on ebay.

[JadeFalcon]

they are hard to get hold of, i put in a watch for thing on ebay so it emailed me when they appeared, i tell you tho they are loud, bassy, no distortion even at volume, i would never go NON-THX ever again

oh yes i also forgot, if u dont want the rear speakers, you can take them off their bases and connect them into the top of the front pair making a stereo wide functon

even come with remote control )))

http://images.overstock.com/f/102/3117/8h/...cts/L918306.jpg

[hairy]

Dont you need a receiver thingy?

Never fancied surround sound because of all the wires.

[JadeFalcon]

u will only get what you can feed it, so if u have cable tv u can probably get pro logic from it, if your dvd player has COAX output u can get dolby digital from it, u cannot get from something it cannot give, sky+ i think does dolby digital, but then the program has to be encoded for dolby digital aswell

imho opinion u only need dolby digital for movies on dvd/blu-ray anyways as what is the point in groundforce having surround audio ?

-=edit=-

http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdo...?i=1523&p=3

^------ input diagram on ada885's

[The Reverend]

Altec Lansing FX051

What about something like this JadeFalcon?

Would it work with PS3 and 360? I have no idea how this stuff works.

EDIT: Didnt post the link.

[JadeFalcon]

for both you would need a converter box as both ps3 and xbox 360 have OPTICAL digital output

http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/dynamic...er/display.html

one of those little puppies need to make sure its Optical->Coax and not Coax->Optical

-=edit=

FX5051 is for gaming COMPUTERS and not audio, it is a USB system so the pc does not need dedicated soundcard, it has NO coax/optical inputs on it so no use for a television/DVD system

seriously tho i would put aside a bit of cash, put in a watch list on ebay and wait for the ada885's to come up

[The Reverend]

for both you would need a converter box as both ps3 and xbox 360 have OPTICAL digital output

http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/dynamic...er/display.html

one of those little puppies need to make sure its Optical->Coax and not Coax->Optical

-=edit=

FX5051 is for gaming COMPUTERS and not audio, it is a USB system so the pc does not need dedicated soundcard, it has NO coax/optical inputs on it so no use for a television/DVD system

seriously tho i would put aside a bit of cash, put in a watch list on ebay and wait for the ada885's to come up

Thats what I couldnt work out. So the ada885 wil work for console gaming and dvd/tv. I'll keep my eye out.

Thanks for the help.

[JadeFalcon]

just remember if your source has an optical out you WILL need converter

[The Reverend]

How do you get ebay to let you know if something you want gets put on there?

[JadeFalcon]

log in to ebay, then do a search for ada885 then once results come up there is a link just off to upper right that says "save this search" u can then set the lenght of how long the watch runs for

[Smudge]

You have bought a nice and fairly expensive TV. It has two HDMI inputs from what I can see. That is the cable you need from your PS3 as it has Blue Ray or other Blue Ray player . Nothing else will replicate Blue Ray as well as HDMI; its also one cable, carrying sound as well as video. HDMI also has a superior sound carrying capability.

Having looked at Curry's and Comet web sites there are several budget systems around 200 pounds that have HDMI. At least before you buy, go and check out what these stores recommend.

[Edmund]

Like others have said go down the route of separates. Get yourself an amp (preferably Yamaha) and a 5.1 speaker set. Either build it yourself or a decent speaker package such as Tannoy depending on your budget. Do not get a complete all in one system with dvd, very prone for errors and if one bit goes wrong you have to replace the lot. May be cheaper in the short term but end up costing you more in the long run.

As regards to 7.1 waste of money. Hardly anythings recorded in 7.1 yet so your just wasting your money. Even 6.1 is not necessary in my book. Only a handful of films in 6.1 and all will happen is the one speaker will be redundant or switch to pro logic which will make it sound worst. 5.1 is still dolby's standard and if you get the yamaha the majority of there amps are THX certified so if your a star wars geek and like you lucas arts productions you will get a better experience.

[The Reverend]

log in to ebay, then do a search for ada885 then once results come up there is a link just off to upper right that says "save this search" u can then set the lenght of how long the watch runs for

You have bought a nice and fairly expensive TV. It has two HDMI inputs from what I can see. That is the cable you need from your PS3 as it has Blue Ray or other Blue Ray player . Nothing else will replicate Blue Ray as well as HDMI; its also one cable, carrying sound as well as video. HDMI also has a superior sound carrying capability.

Having looked at Curry's and Comet web sites there are several budget systems around 200 pounds that have HDMI. At least before you buy, go and check out what these stores recommend.

Looks like i'll have to get some sort of HDMI splitter then, as I alread have my PS3 and 360 hooked up.

I'll definitely have a look at Currys and Comet though, cant believe I havent checked on there yet.

Like others have said go down the route of separates. Get yourself an amp (preferably Yamaha) and a 5.1 speaker set. Either build it yourself or a decent speaker package such as Tannoy depending on your budget. Do not get a complete all in one system with dvd, very prone for errors and if one bit goes wrong you have to replace the lot. May be cheaper in the short term but end up costing you more in the long run.

As regards to 7.1 waste of money. Hardly anythings recorded in 7.1 yet so your just wasting your money. Even 6.1 is not necessary in my book. Only a handful of films in 6.1 and all will happen is the one speaker will be redundant or switch to pro logic which will make it sound worst. 5.1 is still dolby's standard and if you get the yamaha the majority of there amps are THX certified so if your a star wars geek and like you lucas arts productions you will get a better experience.

Exactly right, I know Killzone 2 on PS3 supports 7.1, but KI'm not gonna bother, i'm not that hardcore.

Thanks for the advise though all - much appreciated.

[Smudge]

Looks like I'll have to get some sort of HDMI splitter then, as I alread have my PS3 and 360 hooked up.

I'll definitely have a look at Currys and Comet though, cant believe I havent checked on there yet.

You don't need a splitter get two HDMI cables and connect them directly to the two inputs which according to the specs of your tv it has. You'll have to maybe go into the TV setup menu and allocate the inputs.

They will carry the audio and video.: of course you won't have surround sound until you have the processor but you'll have the best picture that TV can put out. The Blu Ray player in the PS3 is rated to be one of the best around.

If you live in Leicester there is/used to be a shop in Hotel Street called Cymbiosis. Very expensive stuff but just go and pick their brains; careful though they are dangerous doors to walk through

[The Reverend]

You don't need a splitter get two HDMI cables and connect them directly to the two inputs which according to the specs of your tv it has. You'll have to maybe go into the TV setup menu and allocate the inputs.

They will carry the audio and video.: of course you won't have surround sound until you have the processor but you'll have the best picture that TV can put out. The Blu Ray player in the PS3 is rated to be one of the best around.

If you live in Leicester there is/used to be a shop in Hotel Street called Cymbiosis. Very expensive stuff but just go and pick their brains; careful though they are dangerous doors to walk through

I've watched a few Blu Rays on it, its a bloody great picture, clean as a whistle, though its the only Blu Ray screen ive ever seen so i've nothing to compare it to really.

I'd probably be best not to go into Cymbiosis - I'd probably walk out with about £300 worth of gear...i'm a sucker for the hard sell

So the PS3 HDMI is plugged in, so say I had a surround sound system that was HDMI compatible - are you saying I just connect the PS3 via HDMI and the one HDMI lead carries both audio and video signals, and then the surround sound systmem is connected to the TV via some other connection?