Need Advice for Surround System

[blushiz]

Hello, I have a 32" lcd flat panel and I have a blu ray player.

I'm looking for a good surround system but I'm afraid I don't have much knowledge when it comes to these things. I heard Bose was the best but the 2,000$ price is way too much. Right now I'm just looknig for something simple to get me through, somewhere under 300$.

I was wondering if anybody could recommend me a good surround system and wires/such to get the most out of my blu ray player and tv.

I originally checked Walmart and came across these two;

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4910118
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4810692

I wasn't sure what to get, and I'm afraid of making a bad choice and having to go out of my way to take it back. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Deciazulado]

bluchiz, those are DVD players/receivers all in one boxes. They won't work because they have no 5.1 channel inputs (neither 6 analog RCA jacks , nor digital toslink optical/spdif coaxial/HDMI socket)

You need a component (be it a all in one dvd/receiver, separate receiver, or preamp/amp combination) that has the same multichannel audio inputs connectors as your Blu-ray Disc Player has audio output connectors

The Phillips Walmart you linked has:

Interfaces/Ports
AUX-in - Rear

The Sony Walmart you linked has:

Interfaces/Ports
1 x Stereo Audio Line In
1 x Audio In - Front

So both only let you hear 2 channel stereo from your BD player even tho they are 5.1 systems.


Again you need to find one that has
either

analog in:

5.1 (6 jacks) or 7.1 (8 jacks)

and/or digital in:

S/PDIF/coaxial
toslink/optical
HDMI

depending on what YOUR players has.

[ulidayi]

can optical audio output pcm 5.1?

[ulidayi]

let me rephrase, if i have a receiver without hdmi but with an optical output will i be able to take advantage of the pcm 5.1?

[BOSS10L]

Originally Posted by ulidayi

let me rephrase, if i have a receiver without hdmi but with an optical output will i be able to take advantage of the pcm 5.1?

No, must be HDMI or analog.

[blushiz]

I'm just using a PS3 as a bluray player right now. I currently have a very very very old Sony receiver, Pro Logic I, and it seems to work with everything I play on the TV when it's on phono. I'm thinking of trying Best Buy next.

Can somebody recommend me something that will actually work? I just want nice surround sound but this stuff is VERY confusing to me. Something cheap... <_<

[BOSS10L]

Here's a few to start with.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Onkyo...Detail.do#tabs

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-...Detail.do#tabs

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1140391939869

[BOSS10L]

Originally Posted by blushiz

I just want nice surround sound but this stuff is VERY confusing to me. Something cheap... <_<

FWIW, nice surround sound and cheap usually don't go hand-in-hand. Inexpensive, yes, but cheap no. I spent about $700-ish on my setup, and I'm already looking to upgrade to sepearates:

Yamha HTR-5930 reciever
Polk R30s fronts
Polk CSi25 center
Polk R15s rears
HSU STF1 subwoofer

Audio is pretty much is you get what you pay for.

[Deciazulado]

yes its confusing. so many formats outputs channels

well the PS3 has stereo (2ch) analog outs, and for multichannel optical/toslink* and HDMI, so to upgrade you should look for a receiver with at least optical in, or hdmi (which comes in up to 1.3 flavor on just being released soon receivers) for 5.1+ sound

Your Prologic is just taking the 2 chanel analog and making a dolby matrix decoded surround now. Which using LPCM sound pretty good.

Take is easy and read up lots on this and with patience decide if it's best to wait for newr HDMI 1.3 receivers or buy a current 5.1 solution

Remember there's up to 7.1 LPMC 24/96kHz
Dolby Digital to Dolby True HD
and DTS to DTS HD MA

so see what you are getting


* you might get to use a S/PDIF coaxial input if you have a converter. Have yet to try that, tho

[blushiz]

Sweet find. Yeah, I sort of realized if I wanted anywhere near 'holy' sound I'd have to pay $1000-$2000. I feel totally out classed.

I'm leaning more towards the Onkyo side, but it doesn't look like it supports hdmi like the Sony does. Yet it has higher ratings and better reviews. Is there really a difference?

Thanks for the help so far everyone, it's really helpful.

[blushiz]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

yes its confusing. so many formats outputs channels

well the PS3 has stereo (2ch) analog outs, and for multichannel optical/toslink* and HDMI, so to upgrade you should look for a receiver with at least optical in, or hdmi (which comes in up to 1.3 flavor on just being released soon receivers) for 5.1+ sound

Your Prologic is just taking the 2 chanel analog and making a dolby matrix decoded surround now. Which using LPCM sound pretty good.

Take is easy and read up lots on this and with patience decide if it's best to wait for newr HDMI 1.3 receivers or buy a current 5.1 solution

Remember there's up to 7.1 LPMC 24/96kHz
Dolby Digital to Dolby True HD
and DTS to DTS HD MA

so see what you are getting


* you might get to use a S/PDIF coaxial input if you have a converter. Have yet to try that, tho

Haha, now I'm leaning more towards the Sony side for the hdmi. I'm sure the new hdmi receivers are going to be very expensive, so I'm not so sure I'm ready to spend that kind of money -just yet.

I'm a tubetv/mono sound user. I'm just now upgrading everything (lcd tv, whipped out old surround system) so really anything is considered a HUGE upgrade for me.

[BOSS10L]

Originally Posted by blushiz

Haha, now I'm leaning more towards the Sony side for the hdmi. I'm sure the new hdmi receivers are going to be very expensive, so I'm not so sure I'm ready to spend that kind of money -just yet.

I'm a tubetv/mono sound user. I'm just now upgrading everything (lcd tv, whipped out old surround system) so really anything is considered a HUGE upgrade for me.

Keep in mind though that just because a reciever has HDMI inputs doesn't mean that it will decode HDMI fed audio as well. Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but if one says it has "HDMI passthrough" it will solely take the video and send it to the display.

IMHO, if I were you, I'd either spend as little as possible and upgrade in another year or two, or just stay with what you have now until you have the cash saved up for more options. HDMI 1.3 receivers are going to be expensive when they are released later this year. I guess it may be a case of "you don't know what you're missing if you don't know", ya know?

I'm looking at the Emotiva separates option (www.emotiva.com) for $899. Some consider it one of, if not the best bang for the buck in the industry.

[blushiz]

I've finally decided, I'll be getting this one:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-...Detail.do#tabs

I think I've decided it's the cheapest and best quality one so far. Are there going to be any special wires and cords I'll be needing to make this happen? all I have red/white cords and speaker wire.

[BOSS10L]

Originally Posted by blushiz

I've finally decided, I'll be getting this one:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-...Detail.do#tabs

I think I've decided it's the cheapest and best quality one so far. Are there going to be any special wires and cords I'll be needing to make this happen? all I have red/white cords and speaker wire.

Just HDMI cable(s). DO NOT BUY MONSTER CABLES!!!!!! Order them from www.monoprice.com just as good of quality at about 1/10 the price. Other than that, all the other cables probably will come with the stereo.

[donricouga]

Originally Posted by blushiz

I've finally decided, I'll be getting this one:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-...Detail.do#tabs

I think I've decided it's the cheapest and best quality one so far. Are there going to be any special wires and cords I'll be needing to make this happen? all I have red/white cords and speaker wire.

I recommend against that system if you want to take advantage of uncompressed audio over HDMI(which for the ps3 is the only option).
If you are on a tight budget but still want the best quality audio you can get for the money, Sony is making a budget receiver that can process audio over HDMI and pass through 1080p sources. It also will have coax/optical ins as well.
Check it out here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=813783&page=1

Price is between $300 - $500 retail. Thats really a good price for the features its claiming it will have. I'm guessing they are targeting ps3 owners that don't want to spend over $3000 for a decent system.
Oh and by the way, listen to BOSS10L and buy your HDMI cables online at monoprice. Do not let the Best Buy people fool you and tell you that paying $150 for an hdmi cable will make a difference because it does not.
Good luck and hope you get to enjoy uncompressed 5.1 PCM audio soon. You won't go back, trust me !

[blushiz]

I probably won't have the greatest audio luxuries for a while, at least not for another year or two. right now I'm looking for somehting cheap to tie me over that will give me good sound.

I went to circuit city today and got the Onkyo surround system instead. The people working there recommended that to one to be the best one too. I need to wait and get a coaxial cord (didn't come with one) so I'm testing out normal video with my VCR and I can't seem to get this hookup to work at all.

I plug the y/r/w from the VCR OUT to the receiver video 1 IN and connect another y/r/w from the receiver video 1 OUT to the TV IN. Right? I switched the source on the tv and I switched the receiver to Video 1 and there's no sound or picture at all. I've spent about an hour on this and have completely given up until tommarow. Why can't anything work right? T_T

[dannyjl]

You might want to check out Definitive.com - they make some outstanding speakers. I have a pair of their older towers and they are superb. Last year my mother got the Pro Cinema 60, their budget surround system for $699 and it has a very high quality sound. Check out the reviews on their site - seems like the best bang for the buck.

Now, about amps, would this new Sony TA-DA3200ES be what we're looking for? Is this the right kind of HDMI connection as mentioned above?

"Sony has announced its new TA-DA3200ES A/V receiver today, able to handle a full 7.1 channels of linear PCM audio and 1080p video through its HDMI interface, in other words, just enough to make the most of your brand-new Blu-ray player.'

[Deciazulado]

They didnt have a coaxial S/PDIF cable? ?

y/r/w

You mean the yellow = composite/video red = left/white = left conectors? that should work.

Check that the VCR is set to "Line" or "Video" and not to S-Video or something. . reread the manual on the receiver you might have missed some step too.

If you connect the VCR to the TV directly does it work?

Good luck!

[blushiz]

Nope, it didn't come with any of those cords.

It only came with..

- receiver
- 4 speakers
- center speaker
- subwoofer
- remote
- antenna
- antenna wire
- 6 bundles of speaker wire
- rubber stoppers

It looks like a nice system, but it didn't come with any other cords. So I'll be buying a coaxial cord and I'll be pluggin that into my receiver into my TV. My 5 speakers will be hooked up to surround, and that will probably be my only setup.

My VCR is very old. It only has yellow/red/white and it hardly has any options available. Still no picture or any sound. I'm thinking it's maybe my settings but I've already gone through all the settings.

[xanoid]

I am confused.Even i am looking for buying a surround sound system.
I have the PS# as blue ray. What i cant understand is how do i connect the HDMI to both the amp and the Tv?? Or am i looking at it the wrong way.

Please lemme know whats the way to go about using this new HDMI sound tech.

Thnx