Can someone spec me a 5.1 system please

denon · 1 Aug 2007 at 12:16

Robbie G said:
Wow all there's a lot of very helpful stuff in here, appreciated.

It sounds like a good option for me would be to build it up over time as people have said.

If I wanted to have really nice 2.1 for music but just o.k. 5.1 for movies and games (the front two speakers are the most important after all) then could I use the cheapo Creative sub and satellites with the Denon until I've got enough on the side for a nice sub and potentially some satellites and a centre channel also? Or would the Denon blow the Creative speakers up with excess power?

Mr Latte - thanks for the advice. I don't think those things that you listed are mutually exclusive for me e.g. I will be listening to CDs and MP3s, I will be gaming in 5.1, and I will be watching DVDs in 5.1 Dolby. So I need a tidy all-rounder.

After listening to the advice I'm going to get the Denon 1507 or similar, some nice clean sounding bookshelf speakers for around £200 maybe less, and stick with that until I can spend enough to get a nice sub, centre speaker and some satellites. Until that point I will try and bodge my Creatives into the system.

Thanks again all .

sounds like a good idea but i would live without rear speakers for a while instead of trying to add your creative speakers to the system.

thepharcyde · 1 Aug 2007 at 22:20

smoove said:
1k to get a decent system? You could get a pretty decent one for £500. Dont go overboard like these people are suggesting.

800 got me an awesome system

Oops Dead Again · 2 Aug 2007 at 00:14

I spent £2000 on mine

squiffy · 2 Aug 2007 at 00:17

smoove said:
1k to get a decent system? You could get a pretty decent one for £500. Dont go overboard like these people are suggesting.

lol. £500 will get you a POS HTIB. My centre speaker alone cost more than £500.
£500 is a minimum for a subwoofer, £500 will get a you a mid end av amplifier, or a good pair of standmount stereo speakers.

jellybeard999 · 2 Aug 2007 at 00:45

But Squiffy, your high end is a 10k Pair of speakers, to most people, some Wharfedale 9.1s are high end

You massively over-estimate most people's opinions :eek:

Energize · 2 Aug 2007 at 03:37

Denon 1507 amp ~£200, Tannoy EFX5.1 speakers ~ £200. Thats what I have.

cmsbfent · 2 Aug 2007 at 09:07

Still bewildered by all this talk of 'POS HTIB' bull....

Take your £400, buy summit like the Sony HT-SS1100, and enjoy the MASSIVE improvement over your current setup (and put ~£200 back in your pocket!)

Unless its a huge room where your trying to produce a gigantic sound field, you don't need expensive gear. And personally, I think a lot of these 'grown up' amps look a bit, well.. ridiculous on a standard TV stand. There huge. Sony = Slimline

As for having full size 2-3 foot speakers scattered around your room, dont do it (unless again its a big 'un), keep em small and descrete for a much classier look, in my humble opinion at least.

You wont regret it

tom_nieto · 2 Aug 2007 at 09:50

cmsbfent said:
Still bewildered by all this talk of 'POS HTIB' bull....

Take your £400, buy summit like the Sony HT-SS1100, and enjoy the MASSIVE improvement over your current setup (and put ~£200 back in your pocket!)

Unless its a huge room where your trying to produce a gigantic sound field, you don't need expensive gear. And personally, I think a lot of these 'grown up' amps look a bit, well.. ridiculous on a standard TV stand. There huge. Sony = Slimline

As for having full size 2-3 foot speakers scattered around your room, dont do it (unless again its a big 'un), keep em small and descrete for a much classier look, in my humble opinion at least.

You wont regret it

Thing is, once you decide to upgrade you might as well throw that £400 that you spent on the sony system in the bin. Everything gets old and tired eventually. At least you could change parts of the system and upgrade bit by bit with separates.

I don't think everyone needs to spend £10k on a system, but a little initial outlay will get something that will last for ages and sound really good. Shock horror there are shops which sell this sort of thing in towns and cities all over the country. Why not go to one and listen to see how much you would need to spend to be impressed?