Budget Dolby Surround Setup Help

[corkil]

Hey guys,

I purchased a TH-42PX7A Plasma about a month ago and now I'm looking to get some surround sound happening. I play all my media through my Xbox 360, movies etc streaming from PC.

I currently have 5 Sansui speakers, 5 LG speakers and 1 LG passive subwoofer.

So I need an AV receiver. I'm currently looking at:

http://www.oo.com.au/product1.cfm?product_id=6693# this Sansui, same brand as speakers and supports a passive sub and has built in DVD (handy because xbox 360 is very loud when playing DVDs). How come some of the speaker outputs are different sizes??

http://www.digitalhome.com.au/TVs_and_Home...AV_eceive/20690 This Yamaha suggested by Skippy, which looks nicer, has 2 digital inputs but doesnt seem to support a passive sub, which would mean I need to buy one and I have no idea about buying a Subwoofer any suggestions?

For remote will probably go for Harmony 525.

Any and all help much appreciated, open to any suggestions. Money isn't a problem but do want to minimize how much I spend. E.G not looking for top of the line stuff but will shell out for stuff if its worth it.

Thanks!

Edited May 10, 2008 by corkil

[Meld]

Don't get the Sansui. It underpowered if you are going to run your mains, surrounds, plus your passive subwoofer as well.

If you have a spare stereo amp lying around, use that for your passive sub, connected to the RCA subwoofer output of your receiver.

I would get the Yammy receiver. It's almost double the power of the Sansui and easily better DSP and amplifier circuits.

If you need a DVD player, get one from ALDI for $45.

It's common for speaker terminals for the mains to be large binding posts, whilst the terminals for the surrounds and center speaker use spring-loaded terminals. Just take a look at your average 5.1 speaker setup. The mains are floorstanders with large drivers so these suck more current out of the amp, requiring a heavier gauge cable. Center and surrounds usually have smaller drivers than the mains and are not required to go as deep in the bass department, so they don't pull as much current as main speakers.

Edited May 10, 2008 by Meld

[Meld]

http://www.digitalhome.com.au/TVs_and_Home...AV_eceive/20690... doesnt seem to support a passive sub, which would mean I need to buy one and I have no idea about buying a Subwoofer any suggestions?

If your passive sub has a crossover built in, then you can just connect it to the "B" terminals of the Yamaha receiver, and you tell your Yamaha receiver to route the subwoofer channel to the mains. So you prob. wouldn't even need to buy a new active sub if this works satisfactorily.

If your passive sub doesn't have a low pass filter built in, you could buy one from Jaycar, but see how it sounds without one first. I mean you could just point it in a way so that the higher frequencies get muffled by furniture or something.

Edited May 10, 2008 by Meld

[geoff888]

If your passive sub has a crossover built in, then you can just connect it to the "B" terminals of the Yamaha receiver, and you tell your Yamaha receiver to route the subwoofer channel to the mains. So you prob. wouldn't even need to buy a new active sub if this works satisfactorily.

If your passive sub doesn't have a low pass filter built in, you could buy one from Jaycar, but see how it sounds without one first. I mean you could just point it in a way so that the higher frequencies get muffled by furniture or something.

Skimp on other things (eg DVD player) but don't skimp on the receiver. Go for the Yammy, you can't go wrong, but it does totally outclass your speakers. Maybe upgrade those also (eg Wharfedale 9.0 speakers).

I would not personally use the receiver to amplify the sub. Subs have pretty low impedances at lower frequencies which can fry or shut down your amp (if the frequency dips or if the volume is too high-will also overwork your receiver and reduce lifespan). Sub amps are usually designed to cope with these lower impedances. If you want to keep your passive sub just buy a sub amp ($150-$400 depending on power) either from Jaycar, Altronics, Wes Components (Ashfield, Sydney) or ebay (where I got mine) otherwise buy an active sub. Need basic woodwork skills to cut a hole in the passive sub cabinet to attach the sub amp.

[corkil]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I think I will order the Yamaha this week. I won't worry about a seperate DVD player as most of the stuff I stream anyway.

Yeah in the future I plan to upgrade my speakers, its just not a huge priority right now.

I think it sounds like an active sub is the way to go. Does Surround Sound sound ok without a sub temporarily? Any suggestions for which one to get??

[Andre281503560612]

some of the dream acoustics from ebay get decent reviews.

[Meld]

I think it sounds like an active sub is the way to go. Does Surround Sound sound ok without a sub temporarily? Any suggestions for which one to get??

Only you can say if it sounds ok or not. Some people are perfectly happy just watching using their crap inbuilt TV speakers.

Me personally, I find that movies lack oomph and impact without a sub. A lot of movies use a continuous sub-bass tone to create tension and you won't be feeling that without a sub.

I thought you were looking for a budget system? Buying a separate receiver and amp is going to blow your 'budget'. One wonders whether you should just get one of those package deals from JB which includes the budget receiver and satellite speakers & sub for $500.

Just to let you know, I have an active sub that I got with a cheap $500 Pro Logic Surround kit from many years ago. It only has a 6" woofer and is rated at 23 watts RMS (0.8% total harmonic distortion), and yet can fill my living room with pretty good bass. Later, I bought a 90 watt sub which has an 8" driver, but it's probably only about 20% louder, perceptively, than my old sub. I use both now to fill the room more. One behind and one in the front stage.

Have fun.

[geoff888]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Yes I think I will order the Yamaha this week. I won't worry about a seperate DVD player as most of the stuff I stream anyway.

Yeah in the future I plan to upgrade my speakers, its just not a huge priority right now.

I think it sounds like an active sub is the way to go. Does Surround Sound sound ok without a sub temporarily? Any suggestions for which one to get??

I reckon the sub is an important component of HT. The Star Wars pod race wouldn't be the same without a sub.

You can still utilise the passive sub if you have a spare amp lying around.

Passive sub--(speaker wires)-->spare amp--(1 RCA)-->LFE/Sub preout on receiver.

Then you can adjust the low pass filter using the receiver. Again be careful in turning the volume on the sub too high as it may shut down or fry your spare amp depending on how good it is.

Edited May 11, 2008 by EndoGuy

[corkil]

I reckon the sub is an important component of HT. The Star Wars pod race wouldn't be the same without a sub.

You can still utilise the passive sub if you have a spare amp lying around.

Passive sub--(speaker wires)-->spare amp--(1 RCA)-->LFE/Sub preout on receiver.

Thanks I am going to do this temporarily as I do have the Av receiver from the LG package. Will post how it goes. My LG speakers all say max 90w on them will this be fine on the Yamaha Amp as it puts out 100w through all channels (lol the sansui ones I have say 10w max!). Or will that damage the speakers? What would happen if I used the Sansui speakers with the Yamaha Amp? Because it looks like i might have too use them.

Its more of a budget system in the short run, so the parts I buy eg the av receiver I want to be able to last me when I spend more on the system.

[geoff888]

Thanks I am going to do this temporarily as I do have the Av receiver from the LG package. Will post how it goes. My LG speakers all say max 90w on them will this be fine on the Yamaha Amp as it puts out 100w through all channels (lol the sansui ones I have say 10w max!). Or will that damage the speakers? What would happen if I used the Sansui speakers with the Yamaha Amp? Because it looks like i might have too use them.

Its more of a budget system in the short run, so the parts I buy eg the av receiver I want to be able to last me when I spend more on the system.

Only use power output ratings on amps and speakers as a guide they are very misleading and often used for marketing purposes. ie you don't need to match 100W speakers with 100W amp. 10W amp can drive a 100db sensitive speaker (rated 50W) way louder than a 100W amp on a 85db sensitive speaker (that may be rated 200W). The Watts rating of the speaker gives an indication on how much power it can handle and thus how loud it can be cranked up (before you burn the voicecoil). But if the speaker is very sensitive (or efficient) it doesn't need much power to go loud.

The yamaha may be rated at 100W x 7 or whatever but in reality it is probable output something like 40W X7 with all channels driven and probably something like 140W X2, and 65W x 5 channels driven. Even the top of the range Yamaha will do the same. You'll have to go to a high end multichannel power amp to maintain the rated power output with all channels driven.

Edited May 11, 2008 by EndoGuy

[Padre]

saw a nice Yamaha 5.1 amp in Orange Grove Supercentre...cant recall the store now, but its opposite the maccas carpark parralel to domayne.

I think they had 2 left for 550... they were also flogging TrueHD capable units for 900. Network capable was 1400

Denons started at 1700

as for the DVD player, BigW have a HDDivx capable unit for about 60bux