Which home theatre system to get? - Blu-ray Forum

irockmysocks · 07-19-2011, 04:21 PM

Hey all. I am a noob when it comes to home theatre set ups and what speakers are the best and so forth but I am interested in buying a surround sound set up soon which will not break my wallet

. I am interested in two paticular systems.

http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/home%...-system/649918

http://www.jbhifi.com.au/home-theatr...tem-sku-69281/

Also am interested in the Onkyo HT-S6300 but cant find any outlets that ship this to australia.

Does anyone have any experience with theese two systems that can let me know if they are a good choice or if they know of any other sstems around the same price? Thanks.

beechy · 07-19-2011, 11:51 PM

go in have a listen to each of em i know if i was choosing between the two i would pick the sony iv has a small sony htib along time ago and apart from the bass not being real strong it was a very nice clean sound great for films iv had a samsung to which was bigger louder more powerfull and bigger bass but was not as good sound quality imo if that makes any sense however both were fairly good to great and are pretty good for htib and if you wanna just add some sound to your movie experiense are pretty cost effective way of doing it and they dont take up alot of room either

Almadacr · 07-20-2011, 01:59 AM

If you want to have a HTIB you should check for something with a AVR

Like this Yamaha or this one Yamaha # 2 .

irockmysocks · 07-20-2011, 05:37 AM

Thanks for the reples guys. Im going into JB hifi now to test them out but I am leaning towards the Yamaha

.

Almadacr · 07-20-2011, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irockmysocks

Thanks for the reples guys. Im going into JB hifi now to test them out but I am leaning towards the Yamaha

.

Nice , because with a receiver i can also ad other gear like xbox , PS3 etc .

gettodamoofies · 07-20-2011, 06:00 AM

Personally I would never ever go for a home theatre in a box (HTiB) setup, not even in a bedroom. For starters you have the issue of smaller speakers likely being unable to generate the full spectrum of frequencies adequately and then on top of that everything is integrated. Now to some that may sound handy but if your Blu-ray player is your AVR as well and one part of it buggers up then then whole thing's headed for the bin.

I have and always will prefer component systems. Generally speaking they perform better because each component is designed for its own task. Yes, often they will cost a bit more for it but you will definitely notice the difference.

Is $500 the budget you have to work with? If so, I would say that you build your system a little at a time. I know you might "want it all now" but you might find that if you put some $$$ away over a 6 month period you can build yourself a pretty decent system. You could pick yourself up a very decent receiver for $500 or just under that does everything you'll need for the future (3D pass through, decoding of all lossless codecs etc). Then as you save you could buy yourself additional components like a 5 speaker set and then a sub.

Alternatively if you want it NOW you could get something like Almadacr listed or you could put together your own dirt cheap system (which truthfully would IMHO still blow away most HTiB setups that aren't $1000)

Receiver: Sherwood for $246 which JB states does all the audio codecs but not 3D: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/jb-hi-fi-ho...ver-sku-97505/

Throw in Dream's cheapest 5 speaker pack at $249: http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=61 (I actually use some of Dream's bookshelf speakers as fronts in my bedroom setup - surprisingly good sound for the price)

Add in one of Dream's dirt cheap 12" subs @ $169 (you won't get a 12" sub in a HTiB

): http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=63

Minus delivery and haggling the receiver down @ JB you've just got a 5.1 receiver, a set of speakers which aren't satellite and therefore stand a chance of recreating that all important 100-200hZ frequency range that gives body to everything (HTiB are notoriously bad for being weak in this area) and a 12" sub for some BOOM for a grand total of $664.

Obviously you can search around and find deals on components that are good for what you need, but only you can decide that. For instance, if the room you're watching in is 4.5 x 3.5 metres do you need 160w of power per channel or will an amp that does 5 x 100w do (yes, it would)? Buy so that you're future proof but also don't spend money on bells and whistles that you won't need for your situation. For me there are some absolute musts:

- It (HTiB or receiver) must be able to decode all the relevant audio codecs
- It must have enough power to run your speakers at a decent volume
- The speakers must be able to recreate a wide range of frequencies
- The sub must not bottom out if turned above 1

- The HtiB or receiver must have customizable setup options (speaker distances, volumes, EQs)

Then after all that comes the most important thing: setup! When you've got your gear at home, do a basic setup and then move the speakers (fronts and sub in particular) around a little. You will be surprised by just how much different it may sound when moving it 10cm to the left or right or bringing them further away from the wall. When you've found the sweet spot for each of the speakers, get out your tape measure and measure how far it is from each of the speakers to where your ears would be when sitting in the central seating position. Pop those numbers into the receiver, do an EQ setup and then beg/borrow/steal an SPL meter and set up the volumes of all the speakers.

That's the short, short version of things but it will get you a very entry level but still satisfying (especially in comparison to any current situation if you're listening through your TV) home theatre experience.

There's one last step after everything: take pictures so we can see how it turned out.

Almadacr · 07-20-2011, 06:11 AM

Those are really good options well i`m not sure about the Sherwood because i never heard one

, but great options . One great idea would be the OP to trow a number how much is he willing to spend , i just saw one of the links and i saw the Wharfedale package

thetechnique · 07-20-2011, 07:20 AM

I know everyone will tell you not to get a htib biut I bought 2 pioneer 902 tallboy sets for 900 each from Jb and man they are unreal. The avr is standalone and decodes both dts hd and true hd. The speakers are very nice too. The system shakes my longe room. And because the unit is separate you can upgrade the speakers. I was always against htib but some of them are good. I did my research and the pioneer is def one of the better ones. Put it this way the max volume is 80 and I can't go past 55 without the movie being clearly audible from outside.

Oh and it decodes 3d too

Almadacr · 07-20-2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetechnique

Oh and it decodes 3d too

I want to say that it is 3D ready

irockmysocks · 07-20-2011, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atexp80

Atexp80 awesoe post

Thanks for the reply Atex and everyone else, has made my research a bit easier haha. I can afford a system from 500 to probably around 800. If I was to build my own theater, what type of cables will I need to buy to be able to plug everything in. Also my room is 3 X 6 metres.

Almadacr · 07-20-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irockmysocks

Thanks for the reply Atex and everyone else, has made my research a bit easier haha. I can afford a system from 500 to probably around 800. If I was to build my own theater, what type of cables will I need to buy to be able to plug everything in. Also my room is 3 X 6 metres.

You can buy around 30 meters of 14AWG wire for speakers and you can also get some Banana plugs , you are in Australia because if not my advise would be monoprice but i don`t have any clue if they ship it there . Regarding the rest you can try to find the cheapest HDMI`s that you can find and buy them don`t go for the " monster " sales person commission

.

irockmysocks · 07-21-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almadacr

You can buy around 30 meters of 14AWG wire for speakers and you can also get some Banana plugs , you are in Australia because if not my advise would be monoprice but i don`t have any clue if they ship it there . Regarding the rest you can try to find the cheapest HDMI`s that you can find and buy them don`t go for the " monster " sales person commission

.

Thanks, I just bought the 14AWG wire and banana splitters off ebay. Will I need a cord to connect the subwoofer to the reciever.

Almadacr · 07-21-2011, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irockmysocks

Thanks, I just bought the 14AWG wire and banana splitters off ebay. Will I need a cord to connect the subwoofer to the reciever.

Yes you will , something like this

stevo4264 · 07-22-2011, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almadacr

Yes you will , something like this

That's a Fine looking Cord

Troy73 · 07-22-2011, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irockmysocks

Thanks, I just bought the 14AWG wire and banana splitters off ebay. Will I need a cord to connect the subwoofer to the reciever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almadacr

Yes you will , something like this

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevo4264

That's a Fine looking Cord

Very Good Advice!!! I can't stress enough the benefit of using coax cable for your subwoofer. The audible difference has to be heard to be believed. This Mono Price cable is exactly what I use and it replaced a so called "top of the line" Monster cable. Cost me a fraction of the price and spanked the Monster cables performance by a large margin and that is no exaggeration.

Almadacr · 07-22-2011, 07:58 AM

A 25ft of this cable at monoprice its only 6.25$

the monster ones go for wayyyyyy to much $$$$

Troy73 · 07-22-2011, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almadacr

A 25ft of this cable at monoprice its only 6.25$

the monster ones go for wayyyyyy to much $$$$

No lie!!

brake · 07-26-2011, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atexp80

Personally I would never ever go for a home theatre in a box (HTiB) setup, not even in a bedroom. For starters you have the issue of smaller speakers likely being unable to generate the full spectrum of frequencies adequately and then on top of that everything is integrated. Now to some that may sound handy but if your Blu-ray player is your AVR as well and one part of it buggers up then then whole thing's headed for the bin.

I have and always will prefer component systems. Generally speaking they perform better because each component is designed for its own task. Yes, often they will cost a bit more for it but you will definitely notice the difference.

Is $500 the budget you have to work with? If so, I would say that you build your system a little at a time. I know you might "want it all now" but you might find that if you put some $$$ away over a 6 month period you can build yourself a pretty decent system. You could pick yourself up a very decent receiver for $500 or just under that does everything you'll need for the future (3D pass through, decoding of all lossless codecs etc). Then as you save you could buy yourself additional components like a 5 speaker set and then a sub.

Alternatively if you want it NOW you could get something like Almadacr listed or you could put together your own dirt cheap system (which truthfully would IMHO still blow away most HTiB setups that aren't $1000)

Receiver: Sherwood for $246 which JB states does all the audio codecs but not 3D: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/jb-hi-fi-ho...ver-sku-97505/

Throw in Dream's cheapest 5 speaker pack at $249: http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=61 (I actually use some of Dream's bookshelf speakers as fronts in my bedroom setup - surprisingly good sound for the price)

Add in one of Dream's dirt cheap 12" subs @ $169 (you won't get a 12" sub in a HTiB

): http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=63

Minus delivery and haggling the receiver down @ JB you've just got a 5.1 receiver, a set of speakers which aren't satellite and therefore stand a chance of recreating that all important 100-200hZ frequency range that gives body to everything (HTiB are notoriously bad for being weak in this area) and a 12" sub for some BOOM for a grand total of $664.

Obviously you can search around and find deals on components that are good for what you need, but only you can decide that. For instance, if the room you're watching in is 4.5 x 3.5 metres do you need 160w of power per channel or will an amp that does 5 x 100w do (yes, it would)? Buy so that you're future proof but also don't spend money on bells and whistles that you won't need for your situation. For me there are some absolute musts:

- It (HTiB or receiver) must be able to decode all the relevant audio codecs
- It must have enough power to run your speakers at a decent volume
- The speakers must be able to recreate a wide range of frequencies
- The sub must not bottom out if turned above 1

- The HtiB or receiver must have customizable setup options (speaker distances, volumes, EQs)

Then after all that comes the most important thing: setup! When you've got your gear at home, do a basic setup and then move the speakers (fronts and sub in particular) around a little. You will be surprised by just how much different it may sound when moving it 10cm to the left or right or bringing them further away from the wall. When you've found the sweet spot for each of the speakers, get out your tape measure and measure how far it is from each of the speakers to where your ears would be when sitting in the central seating position. Pop those numbers into the receiver, do an EQ setup and then beg/borrow/steal an SPL meter and set up the volumes of all the speakers.

That's the short, short version of things but it will get you a very entry level but still satisfying (especially in comparison to any current situation if you're listening through your TV) home theatre experience.

There's one last step after everything: take pictures so we can see how it turned out.

Great post. Although I've heard the Dream gear is absolute rubbish. I have seen some of their stuff go for VERY cheap on ebay if you do decide to go this way.

Out of curiosity atex, which bookshelf speakers do you have?

I too would stay away from HTIB setups (unless from the good branded ones, I think KEF do a good one, the "egg" one) and go for a separate/component system instead. I had 2 HTIB's in the past and returned them both as I was disgusted at their performance. This was way back when I was just starting to get into it too. Now, I am so glad that I went down the "separates" route instead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by irockmysocks

Thanks for the reply Atex and everyone else, has made my research a bit easier haha. I can afford a system from 500 to probably around 800. If I was to build my own theater, what type of cables will I need to buy to be able to plug everything in. Also my room is 3 X 6 metres.

Definitely get as much dough together as you can and get the best stuff you can get. If I was in your situation this is what I would do:

1) Save a bit more money.
2) Get a Soniq Blu-ray player from JB Hifi, the region switchable B100 for $100.
3) Get a decent speaker setup. I've auditioned This set and I was very impressed with what I heard, and it was a lossy DTS scene from Kill BIll that was used, you could get them for cheaper too. So, I imagine these would perform VERY well too. Also, go to the DTV forums and peruse their for sale section (http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showforum=160), there is some great gear for sale for good prices there. For EG: 2 Paradigm mini monitors and a cc290 centre for $800.
4) Get a decent AVR that can decode the lossless audio formats. I think a budget/cheapo one would be just fine for starting out to be honest. You probably won't notice the difference a whole lot anyway at the beginning.
5)Cables. Go to Selby Acounstics and/or EzyHD http://www.selbyacoustics.com.au/sto...spx?sfid=74520 - http://www.ezyhd.com.au/ - I, and many other forums members use them both and their $20 HDMI cables and they are both reliable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almadacr

You can buy around 30 meters of 14AWG wire for speakers and you can also get some Banana plugs , you are in Australia because if not my advise would be monoprice but i don`t have any clue if they ship it there . Regarding the rest you can try to find the cheapest HDMI`s that you can find and buy them don`t go for the " monster " sales person commission

.

Monoprice do ship to Australia but it's way to expensive which is a shame. Selby and EzyHD is the best bet for Aussies I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by irockmysocks

Thanks, I just bought the 14AWG wire and banana splitters off ebay. Will I need a cord to connect the subwoofer to the reciever.

I use a normal antenna cable that I picked up from Kmart for $5 for my sub cable, I just got 2 connectors from Jaycar and it works fine. Correct me if I'm wrong but this is all that is needed as the sub is a very low level/frequency signal that does not require much more than that. I certainly didn't noticed a difference when using a proper sub cable.

gettodamoofies · 07-26-2011, 04:09 AM

^ Dream is apparently a bit hit or miss. I haven't had any probs with the pair of speakers I've got though. I have these:

http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=71

Their response is actually solid and tight. They have good reproduction of all frequencies and unlike some cheaper speakers they don't seem to have the two major gripes I notice in cheaper speakers which are:

- Bass response is poor and ill-defined
- Tweeter volume is excessive and overly bright

The best word I could use to describe them is 'controlled'. For the price I got them ($55 incl delivery from their eBay store) they are extremely impressive and serve very well as front left and right speakers in my bedroom setup.

Naturally this may not be the case with all their speakers and you do get what you pay for but my experience has been positive so far.

07-19-2011, 04:21 PM	#1
irockmysocks Active Member Member since:May 2011 Location:Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Blu-ray collection:343	Which home theatre system to get? Hey all. I am a noob when it comes to home theatre set ups and what speakers are the best and so forth but I am interested in buying a surround sound set up soon which will not break my wallet . I am interested in two paticular systems. http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/home%...-system/649918 http://www.jbhifi.com.au/home-theatr...tem-sku-69281/ Also am interested in the Onkyo HT-S6300 but cant find any outlets that ship this to australia. Does anyone have any experience with theese two systems that can let me know if they are a good choice or if they know of any other sstems around the same price? Thanks. Last edited by irockmysocks; 07-19-2011 at 04:56 PM.

07-20-2011, 06:00 AM	#6
gettodamoofies Moderator Top contributor Member since:Sep 2009 Location:NSW, Australia 4K collection:609 Blu-ray collection:3162 DVD collection:125 Blu-ray reviews: 26 Trading Score:91	Personally I would never ever go for a home theatre in a box (HTiB) setup, not even in a bedroom. For starters you have the issue of smaller speakers likely being unable to generate the full spectrum of frequencies adequately and then on top of that everything is integrated. Now to some that may sound handy but if your Blu-ray player is your AVR as well and one part of it buggers up then then whole thing's headed for the bin. I have and always will prefer component systems. Generally speaking they perform better because each component is designed for its own task. Yes, often they will cost a bit more for it but you will definitely notice the difference. Is $500 the budget you have to work with? If so, I would say that you build your system a little at a time. I know you might "want it all now" but you might find that if you put some $$$ away over a 6 month period you can build yourself a pretty decent system. You could pick yourself up a very decent receiver for $500 or just under that does everything you'll need for the future (3D pass through, decoding of all lossless codecs etc). Then as you save you could buy yourself additional components like a 5 speaker set and then a sub. Alternatively if you want it NOW you could get something like Almadacr listed or you could put together your own dirt cheap system (which truthfully would IMHO still blow away most HTiB setups that aren't $1000) Receiver: Sherwood for $246 which JB states does all the audio codecs but not 3D: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/jb-hi-fi-ho...ver-sku-97505/ Throw in Dream's cheapest 5 speaker pack at $249: http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=61 (I actually use some of Dream's bookshelf speakers as fronts in my bedroom setup - surprisingly good sound for the price) Add in one of Dream's dirt cheap 12" subs @ $169 (you won't get a 12" sub in a HTiB ): http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=63 Minus delivery and haggling the receiver down @ JB you've just got a 5.1 receiver, a set of speakers which aren't satellite and therefore stand a chance of recreating that all important 100-200hZ frequency range that gives body to everything (HTiB are notoriously bad for being weak in this area) and a 12" sub for some BOOM for a grand total of $664. Obviously you can search around and find deals on components that are good for what you need, but only you can decide that. For instance, if the room you're watching in is 4.5 x 3.5 metres do you need 160w of power per channel or will an amp that does 5 x 100w do (yes, it would)? Buy so that you're future proof but also don't spend money on bells and whistles that you won't need for your situation. For me there are some absolute musts: - It (HTiB or receiver) must be able to decode all the relevant audio codecs - It must have enough power to run your speakers at a decent volume - The speakers must be able to recreate a wide range of frequencies - The sub must not bottom out if turned above 1 - The HtiB or receiver must have customizable setup options (speaker distances, volumes, EQs) Then after all that comes the most important thing: setup! When you've got your gear at home, do a basic setup and then move the speakers (fronts and sub in particular) around a little. You will be surprised by just how much different it may sound when moving it 10cm to the left or right or bringing them further away from the wall. When you've found the sweet spot for each of the speakers, get out your tape measure and measure how far it is from each of the speakers to where your ears would be when sitting in the central seating position. Pop those numbers into the receiver, do an EQ setup and then beg/borrow/steal an SPL meter and set up the volumes of all the speakers. That's the short, short version of things but it will get you a very entry level but still satisfying (especially in comparison to any current situation if you're listening through your TV) home theatre experience. There's one last step after everything: take pictures so we can see how it turned out. Last edited by gettodamoofies; 07-20-2011 at 06:02 AM.

07-20-2011, 07:20 AM	#8
thetechnique Special Member Top contributor Member since:Apr 2010 Location:Western Australia 4K collection:569 Blu-ray collection:1946 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:13	I know everyone will tell you not to get a htib biut I bought 2 pioneer 902 tallboy sets for 900 each from Jb and man they are unreal. The avr is standalone and decodes both dts hd and true hd. The speakers are very nice too. The system shakes my longe room. And because the unit is separate you can upgrade the speakers. I was always against htib but some of them are good. I did my research and the pioneer is def one of the better ones. Put it this way the max volume is 80 and I can't go past 55 without the movie being clearly audible from outside. Oh and it decodes 3d too Last edited by thetechnique; 07-20-2011 at 07:24 AM.

07-19-2011, 11:51 PM	#2
beechy Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Oct 2010 Location:australia Home Theater Gallery:32 Blu-ray collection:13 Trading Score:4	go in have a listen to each of em i know if i was choosing between the two i would pick the sony iv has a small sony htib along time ago and apart from the bass not being real strong it was a very nice clean sound great for films iv had a samsung to which was bigger louder more powerfull and bigger bass but was not as good sound quality imo if that makes any sense however both were fairly good to great and are pretty good for htib and if you wanna just add some sound to your movie experiense are pretty cost effective way of doing it and they dont take up alot of room either

07-20-2011, 01:59 AM	#3
Almadacr Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Home Theater Gallery:1 4K collection:57 Blu-ray collection:527 DVD collection:4 Blu-ray reviews: 10	If you want to have a HTIB you should check for something with a AVR Like this Yamaha or this one Yamaha # 2 .

07-20-2011, 05:37 AM	#4
irockmysocks Active Member Member since:May 2011 Location:Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Blu-ray collection:343	Thanks for the reples guys. Im going into JB hifi now to test them out but I am leaning towards the Yamaha .

07-20-2011, 06:11 AM	#7
Almadacr Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Home Theater Gallery:1 4K collection:57 Blu-ray collection:527 DVD collection:4 Blu-ray reviews: 10	Those are really good options well i`m not sure about the Sherwood because i never heard one , but great options . One great idea would be the OP to trow a number how much is he willing to spend , i just saw one of the links and i saw the Wharfedale package

07-22-2011, 07:58 AM	#16
Almadacr Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Home Theater Gallery:1 4K collection:57 Blu-ray collection:527 DVD collection:4 Blu-ray reviews: 10	A 25ft of this cable at monoprice its only 6.25$ the monster ones go for wayyyyyy to much $$$$

07-26-2011, 04:09 AM	#19
gettodamoofies Moderator Top contributor Member since:Sep 2009 Location:NSW, Australia 4K collection:609 Blu-ray collection:3162 DVD collection:125 Blu-ray reviews: 26 Trading Score:91	^ Dream is apparently a bit hit or miss. I haven't had any probs with the pair of speakers I've got though. I have these: http://www.dreamhifi.com.au/store/in...products_id=71 Their response is actually solid and tight. They have good reproduction of all frequencies and unlike some cheaper speakers they don't seem to have the two major gripes I notice in cheaper speakers which are: - Bass response is poor and ill-defined - Tweeter volume is excessive and overly bright The best word I could use to describe them is 'controlled'. For the price I got them ($55 incl delivery from their eBay store) they are extremely impressive and serve very well as front left and right speakers in my bedroom setup. Naturally this may not be the case with all their speakers and you do get what you pay for but my experience has been positive so far.

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