# Any audio guys? Av receivers and speakers. Surround sound.



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Hi all :wave:

Been a while! :buffer:

I am looking for some audio advice on surround sound.

I have a Ps3 for blu ray and gaming, a large HD Tele, but nothing for sound.

Budget is low at £200 ish. Room is not massive, and I plan a very large upgrade upon moving out.

I am looking for an Av Receiver, and a set of speakers to go with it, don't mind second hand at all, I just don't know what I am looking for?

Looking through the specs I am confused, what does it mean, and what do I look for on the amp?

Looked around at a few older Denon's, new Sony's, and various speakers.

I hope someone can help, and if I can't get a good enough amp and speakers for that budget, I don't mind going for an 'off the shelf' surround sound package.

thanks
Joe


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## byrnes (Jul 15, 2008)

Check out http://www.richersounds.com

I got a cambridge audio amp and some tannoy speakers from them, very nice for the price!
They so have some home cinema systems on there too.

For your budget, have a good look thro the site, some deals to be had.

Anything labeled Amplifier, will be just 2 channels so left and right.
Anything labeled Receiver, will be for more speakers e.g. 5.1 surround sound.

I think as you just have a small room and plan on upgrading, just do like me and get an amp and some decent speakers.

You really need a surround sound system set up in a way so that you will get optimal audio from it all, rather than just some speakers dotted about.


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

byrnes said:


> Check out http://www.richersounds.com
> 
> Anything labeled Amplifier, will be just 2 channels so left and right.
> Anything labeled Receiver, will be for more speakers e.g. 5.1 surround sound.
> ...


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

If you have a squarish room, the yamaha YSPs are good as a surround package though you are looking second hand with your budget.

You get excellent quality surround in one box. Might need a sub though.


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Thanks for all the advice.

So what would be wrong with buying a cheaper HDMi Avr? Such as the £140 ish Sony one on richer sounds?

I'll look into the above info on ebay 

Also, I didn't know the difference between AVR and Amp, I wouldn't use it as a radio, so should I only get an amp?


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

to be honest joe, you'll probably find it hard to get an amp rather than a receiver so if your not fussed just get whatever is right for you. If you get a cheaper HDMI one all that does is feed the picture through the amp( a friend of mine has a Yamaha one like this and he still has to have optical cables for sound) effectively this gives you like an A/v splitter/hub so you only have to have 1 HDMi cable going from your amp to TV and all other HDMi cables go to your amp. It may be worth a trip to richer sounds because some amps may play HD sound as long as it is decoded before it gets there. The PS3 will decode it for you as this is how mine is set up. HD Audio can only be sent through HDMi as optical does not have the bandwidth so as long as the amp can get sound from the HDMi input you should be ok.


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

So if I bought something like this

http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/yamaha/rxv365/yama-rxv365-blk

The HDMi cable will go from the TV to avr, and PS3 to avr. Then speakers dotted around the room.

I noticed this has 105x5 watt power, which is surely decent?

Connecting a good set of speakers would allow for good sound, or am I just not getting it? :lol:


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

basically yes but it doesn't look like it will pull sound from the HDMi so you will still need an optical cable to go from your PS3 to the amp. 105*5 is very decent thats what my sony is putting out and I barley get above 1/3rd power when it in surround mode.
This is mine and they are still doing it by the looks of things
http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/sony/strdg820/sony-strdg820-blk

It doesn't say on the website if that yamaha one will process sound through the HDMi, I will look into it a bit more for you:thumb:


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Right, so the optical cable will take the sound..

If so, do I really need HDMi? Could I go for an older type Denon at 100 x 5

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/receivers/denon-avr-2307-283839/review


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

Optical will take the sound but you will only get standard dolby 5.1 or DTS no DTS master Audio or Dolby HD. If you're not fussed about this then you really don't need HDMi unless you have more than 1 HD source i.e, PS3 xBOX, BLu Ray etc if you just have a PS3 then it will be fine to get one without HDMi but you won't get Hd sound thats the only downside


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Oh and, If the output is 100, does this mean i need speakers up to 100w?

Would 65 be okay? How important are the speakerS?

Thanks for your help, realy appreciate it.


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

jimmyflo said:


> Optical will take the sound but you will only get standard dolby 5.1 or DTS no DTS master Audio or Dolby HD. If you're not fussed about this then you really don't need HDMi unless you have more than 1 HD source i.e, PS3 xBOX, BLu Ray etc if you just have a PS3 then it will be fine to get one without HDMi but you won't get Hd sound thats the only downside


Oh right, I've never heard true HD, or even a decent sound system, I think I would be impressed fairly easily.


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

right, had a look at a few things for you, if you want True HD sound this is the cheapest availanble one http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/onkyo/txsr507/onky-txsr507-blk
if not any one will do. My speakers are only 90w so not capable of handling max power but I will never ever get it that loud for surround sound, I have some floorstanders for music as surround speakers don;t play music very well.

I would look at something a bit higher than 65w 
something like this
http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/yamaha/nsp270/yama-nsp270-si
or thishttp://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/yamaha/nsp280/yama-nsp280-blk
would be better.


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

You gent. I don't think I will go for tre HD just yet then.

Which avr should I go for, what do you think to the older ones? Considering I am not using true HD.

Joe


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

I had an old yamaha for about 8 years with no trouble, I'd stay away from Cambridge audio as my dad and friend have both had problems with them. I'd be tempted to go with the sony at the top of the list on richersounds, If you go in to the store they will have a little barter with you if you are buying speakers as well. I also wouldn't by second hand, I just don't trust second hand electricals myself but thats up to you. Also if you go into their stores they have a lot of ex display stuff that they sell off so you may get a very good deal :thumb
Glad I could help, gave me something to do between calls at work


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

:lol:

Thanks, Richer sounds is in London though isn't it?

If there's a local store, I'm there 

The cheapest sony is onlt 65w x 5, that's not going to give me much power is it?


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

they have loads of stores all over the place mate, I use the one in liverpool but im sure they will have one near you. There is a store locator on their website. 65w per channel is still a lot of power like i said I rarley go above 1/3rd power on mine so I'm only using about 35w per channel anyway but obviously the more power there is on tap the less strain there is on the amp. Says 85w per channel on the tech spec for the sony?


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

Theres a store in nottingham and they have some good clearance stuff, Onkyo are very good amps as well and they have one there for £120 i think and the tannoy speakers are very good as well


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Oh yeah, loads :lol:

So it is 85w.  Brilliant. Might go for that one then, even though I won't be getting HD, but a good sound still? I might couple that wioth the Onkyo speakers.

I still don't understand how I won't be getting HD with HDMI cable ?


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## jimmyflo (Oct 13, 2009)

You'll get HD picture obviously but its like a thru system so the amp will literally just pass the signal through without taking any info from it, think of it like a tunnel with no exits, its just basically acting like a HUB for all ur HDMi sources


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## Mat430uk (Sep 17, 2007)

richersounds like everyone has said i had a 200 pound yamaha a while back before buying a large pioneer they are also pieces of kit espcialy now a days a 200 pound yamaha will probably be better than my now 3 year old 900 pound pioneer.


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