€300 to spend on 5.1 set...

Trotter

Hi all, to avoid hijacking other threads, Im just looking for a bit of advice on which surround sound set to buy.

I have a budget of under €300 and just bought a flat screen Phillips plasma TV.. so I'd like to make the best of it!

Am I right in saying that I wont need HDMI compatible equipment until HD TV comes in? (Sorry Im a complete beginner on all this..)

Can you give me some €300 recommendations?

Thanks!

mathias

For €300 what your going to get will be ok ish but dont expect miracles , but it depends what level of equipment your used to.

HDMI is the way to go if you can afford it and its not necessarily just down to HDTV , HDMI can also feed excellect quality audio say ,from a DVD audio or SACD player to your system.

Also the PS3 is an excellent blu ray player and upscaling DVD player , may be an option for you in future.

heres a good system for 299 Euro.

http://www.richersounds.ie/asp/product.asp?ObjectID=938&Mode=0&CategoryID=3&SUB=26&ProductID=610

and heres an even better one , upscaling DVD over HDMI , but its going to be about 350 or so.

http://www.digital-point.co.uk/model.php?ID=3046&referrer=kelkoo&source=kelkoo

finally , I know its outside your budget , but with a nice plasma screen you might want to take a look around richersounds website and price an av reciever and a set of surrounds. A separates system like that would wipe the floor with any all in one box. ( just a suggestion )

Trotter

The Panasonic one there has a bluetooth logo on it..

Does that mean that there's no wires to the speakers??..that it works from the central unit to the speakers via bluetooth?

Wertz

I don't think the 450 model panny has the BT speakers (only the rears)....the set that does is the 350 and is about €70 more expensive.
BT speakers are all well and good but you still need to plug them in so they're not really wireless at the bottom of it all....just no speaker wire, which if your living room is small, won't be an issue.

Sony do the best budget HDMI divx 5.1 compact jobby according to most reviews....the DAV Z230 which goes for about €260 online. No real options input wise but HDMI and scart should keep you happy. Lack of optical inputs would mean no digital audio from consoles or set-top boxes (main reason I went for a dedicated amp)

If budget is such a problem why not just get an upscaling DVD player for now, hook to the philips, using the TV's own sound and then try and buy an amp/speaker package at a later stage.
All in 1s are fine but having just switched from one to a separates set-up, the difference is very notable...better soundtsages and mid range (although that could be down to the speakers)

bandit197

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=303911
These speakers are amazing. I use them with my ps3, so i can watch normal or bule ray dvds. Thunderous base!

Trotter

I bought this fella eventually!

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/541204/art/sony/ht-ddw790-home-cinema-sys.html

No complaints so far, its excellent! Lots of settings that Im getting to grips with.

Can anyone tell me what the best setting is for matches on TV on the Sony sets?

RoryMac

Hi Trotter,

I've ordered one of those too, just waiting for it to arrive. How do you find it so far? and what do you have connected to it?

I'm planning on connecting a PS3 and SKY+ to mine so any info would be appreciated,

Rory

Trotter

RoryMac wrote:

Hi Trotter,

I've ordered one of those too, just waiting for it to arrive. How do you find it so far? and what do you have connected to it?

I'm planning on connecting a PS3 and SKY+ to mine so any info would be appreciated,

Rory

Its excellent! Tonnes of presets and fairly ok to set up. I just have the TV and DVD player set up on it. The audio comes directly to the unit from the NTL digibox.

dingding

Wertz wrote:

ISony do the best budget HDMI divx 5.1 compact jobby according to most reviews....the DAV Z230 which goes for about €260 online. No real options input wise but HDMI and scart should keep you happy. Lack of optical inputs would mean no digital audio from consoles or set-top boxes (main reason I went for a dedicated amp)

Saw this in Currys Sligo for 250 euro. Which seems to be a good price for it.

Wertz

That's cos there's a new model out; the DAV Z231...not much difference as far as I can tell, except for synching with other sony AV products through HDMI...

god's toy

Trotter wrote:

Can anyone tell me what the best setting is for matches on TV on the Sony sets?

Pro logic 2 would be the best for TV unless what your watching is in Dolby Digital 5.1

Fingleberries

Trotter wrote: »

I bought this fella eventually!

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/541204/art/sony/ht-ddw790-home-cinema-sys.html

No complaints so far, its excellent! Lots of settings that Im getting to grips with.

Can anyone tell me what the best setting is for matches on TV on the Sony sets?

Holy resurrect an old thread, Batman!

I'm currently looking for a Surround Sound system in the price range < €300, and this one looks very nice. I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to this and have some questions (and may be cringingly obvious, so I apologise in advance - please feel free to point and say "Well, duh").

Background, I have a new Sony RDR HX870 DVD Recorder and an Xbox 360. I'm looking to add surround sound to the mix for DVDs and the 360 games. I have an older CRT TV with it (which will eventually be upgraded, but it's fine for now).

Anyway on to the questions:

1) This says it has HDMI Video inputs. HDMI carries Audio and Video, right? So, would it be possible to connect the DVD Recorder to this via HDMI just for the Audio?
- I'd use HDMI for Audio from the DVD, and a TOSLink Optical connection from the Xbox 360.

2) At some later stage, if I upgrade the TV can I just run the HDMI Cable from the Amp to the TV and the Upscaled DVD Picture will still be carried through?

3) Are there any other systems in a similar price bracket that would do as good, or better Job?

4) Does it come in colours other than Silver? (Silly question I know, but there's a whole colour scheme thing going on in the room )

Thanks in advance.

god's toy

It's kinda bad news on that, this ones HDMI port does not carry any audio at all so you would have to use one of the other input connectors on the back...

As for colours, it's only in Silver but a black version is available but I think it's only the amp you get, no speakers

Fingleberries

Thanks for the reply. That's a pity about the HDMI port on the Sony.
Do you know of any unit in a similar price bracket that has HDMI Audio and Optical audio in?

thanks again,

johnnyflav

The Sony 790 will take your audio from the xbox with optical and from the DVD player with coaxial.

You shouldn't have any need to use the HDMI pass through.

I've got a second hand Sony 790 to flog, if you're interested drop me a PM.