What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?
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Started in another thread, several people like their componentized setup for audio.
I think most who have even dabbled in audio know that to get great sound you frequently have to separate the components out to different devices, I was going to make a list, but I realize that I'm so uneducated in this field I can't even make a list that won't be laughed at.
So onto my question - for a typical consumer of home TV/Movies what do you guys like? Let's go with a budget of $1500 for all audio gear (pre/amp/processor/speakers, cabling, etc).
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First, it's important to understand that the needs of HiFi and the needs of television and movies are often at odds. Nothing wrong with either one, but they are generally opposing forces. Surround sound, for example, which is so important for movies is the antithesis of how HiFi is designed, which focuses on mono or stereo quality. HiFi aims for a perfect listening condition for one person, surround sound on an acceptable condition for many and so forth.
Both have value, but any discussion of this nature you have to understand how the two relate or differ.
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For movies and such, I use a receiver, because it's about simplicity and sound quality isn't important. I still want it to sound good, of course, but there is zero concern about accurate repropduction. I just want it to sound pleasent (e.g. shake the room.)
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@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
For movies and such, I use a receiver, because it's about simplicity and sound quality isn't important. I still want it to sound good, of course, but there is zero concern about accurate repropduction. I just want it to sound pleasent (e.g. shake the room.)
Yeah, that's where I am at. I rarely listen to music these days. Almost exclusively podcast. I only have music in the car (horrible place to listen to accurate music) when the wife is with me, or my normal podcasts have been listened to already.
Music at home is reserved for when I am cleaning the house, and it's just background noise. -
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
For movies and such, I use a receiver, because it's about simplicity and sound quality isn't important. I still want it to sound good, of course, but there is zero concern about accurate repropduction. I just want it to sound pleasent (e.g. shake the room.)
Yeah, that's where I am at. I rarely listen to music these days. Almost exclusively podcast. I only have music in the car (horrible place to listen to accurate music) when the wife is with me, or my normal podcasts have been listened to already.
Music at home is reserved for when I am cleaning the house, and it's just background noise.I use an Alexa for that
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If I want real music, like jazz or classical, I have old school monoblock amps, a passive attenuator (picked it up for around $20 - better audio than anything you can reasonably buy) and hand made Totem speakers.
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@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
For movies and such, I use a receiver, because it's about simplicity and sound quality isn't important. I still want it to sound good, of course, but there is zero concern about accurate repropduction. I just want it to sound pleasent (e.g. shake the room.)
Yeah, that's where I am at. I rarely listen to music these days. Almost exclusively podcast. I only have music in the car (horrible place to listen to accurate music) when the wife is with me, or my normal podcasts have been listened to already.
Music at home is reserved for when I am cleaning the house, and it's just background noise.I use an Alexa for that
What do you know, even though my receiver does have AM/FM, I never use that, only use Alexa and her mostly crappy speaker.
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@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
For movies and such, I use a receiver, because it's about simplicity and sound quality isn't important. I still want it to sound good, of course, but there is zero concern about accurate repropduction. I just want it to sound pleasent (e.g. shake the room.)
Yeah, that's where I am at. I rarely listen to music these days. Almost exclusively podcast. I only have music in the car (horrible place to listen to accurate music) when the wife is with me, or my normal podcasts have been listened to already.
Music at home is reserved for when I am cleaning the house, and it's just background noise.I use an Alexa for that
What do you know, even though my receiver does have AM/FM, I never use that, only use Alexa and her mostly crappy speaker.
It's pretty good for what it is.
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Separate your music system from your surround sound system.
If you never seriously listen to music, get any cheap 5.1/7.1 receiver you can find, add any speakers you like, get a decent powered subwoofer, and go on about your day. All should be easily attainable at the $1500 level at "need inexpensive" quality.
Speaker placement is key when using cheaper components. Don't let "where furniture already is" keep you from proper surround imaging.
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@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@scottalanmiller said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
For movies and such, I use a receiver, because it's about simplicity and sound quality isn't important. I still want it to sound good, of course, but there is zero concern about accurate repropduction. I just want it to sound pleasent (e.g. shake the room.)
Yeah, that's where I am at. I rarely listen to music these days. Almost exclusively podcast. I only have music in the car (horrible place to listen to accurate music) when the wife is with me, or my normal podcasts have been listened to already.
Music at home is reserved for when I am cleaning the house, and it's just background noise.I use an Alexa for that
What do you know, even though my receiver does have AM/FM, I never use that, only use Alexa and her mostly crappy speaker.
It's pretty good for what it is.
And they have some pretty decent premade play lists as well.
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@rojoloco said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Separate your music system from your surround sound system.
If you never seriously listen to music, get any cheap 5.1/7.1 receiver you can find, add any speakers you like, get a decent powered subwoofer, and go on about your day. All should be easily attainable at the $1500 level at "need inexpensive" quality.
Speaker placement is key when using cheaper components. Don't let "where furniture already is" keep you from proper surround imaging.
nah, I let room dynamics do that.
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@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Started in another thread, several people like their componentized setup for audio.
I think most who have even dabbled in audio know that to get great sound you frequently have to separate the components out to different devices, I was going to make a list, but I realize that I'm so uneducated in this field I can't even make a list that won't be laughed at.
So onto my question - for a typical consumer of home TV/Movies what do you guys like? Let's go with a budget of $1500 for all audio gear (pre/amp/processor/speakers, cabling, etc).
Unlike what most salesmen tell you(the same in IT), the quality comes from the source devices, not the speakers. At your budget you can hardly go wrong if you buy quality sources. What will be your most used source?
Stream tv?
watch blu-ray movies?
listen to music? -
@rojoloco said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Separate your music system from your surround sound system.
If you never seriously listen to music, get any cheap 5.1/7.1 receiver you can find, add any speakers you like, get a decent powered subwoofer, and go on about your day. All should be easily attainable at the $1500 level at "need inexpensive" quality.
Speaker placement is key when using cheaper components. Don't let "where furniture already is" keep you from proper surround imaging.
agree. music and movie watching are two different things. so need to plan your components on what you do most.
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@jmoore said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Unlike what most salesmen tell you(the same in IT), the quality comes from the source devices, not the speakers. At your budget you can hardly go wrong if you buy quality sources. What will be your most used source?
Stream tv?
watch blu-ray movies?
listen to music?Roku or Amazon TV.
The cable box gets disconnected tonight.
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As per the OP, we can drop music from this discussion.
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@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@jmoore said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Unlike what most salesmen tell you(the same in IT), the quality comes from the source devices, not the speakers. At your budget you can hardly go wrong if you buy quality sources. What will be your most used source?
Stream tv?
watch blu-ray movies?
listen to music?Roku or Amazon TV.
The cable box gets disconnected tonight.
how often do you just listen to music without any tv?
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@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
As per the OP, we can drop music from this discussion.
ok got it
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@jmoore said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@jmoore said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Unlike what most salesmen tell you(the same in IT), the quality comes from the source devices, not the speakers. At your budget you can hardly go wrong if you buy quality sources. What will be your most used source?
Stream tv?
watch blu-ray movies?
listen to music?Roku or Amazon TV.
The cable box gets disconnected tonight.
how often do you just listen to music without any tv?
What amounts to basically never.
When I do, it's from the Amazon Echo (pretty horrible speaker for listening to music - but then I'm running the vacuum and cleaning, so it's just background noise anyhow).
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@jmoore said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
@dashrender said in What do you like for a non expensive audio setup for surround sound TV/movies?:
Started in another thread, several people like their componentized setup for audio.
I think most who have even dabbled in audio know that to get great sound you frequently have to separate the components out to different devices, I was going to make a list, but I realize that I'm so uneducated in this field I can't even make a list that won't be laughed at.
So onto my question - for a typical consumer of home TV/Movies what do you guys like? Let's go with a budget of $1500 for all audio gear (pre/amp/processor/speakers, cabling, etc).
Unlike what most salesmen tell you(the same in IT), the quality comes from the source devices, not the speakers. At your budget you can hardly go wrong if you buy quality sources. What will be your most used source?
Stream tv?
watch blu-ray movies?
listen to music?yeah, top things are the room, then the amps, way more than the speakers, wires, or attentuator. Everything matters, as it is all in line, but a good amp can make cheap speakers do miracles.
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I once put $15 KLH plastic speakers in a well set up room powered by 150W Marantz solid state monoblocks, it was all set up perfect, very high end system, with the cheapest little plastic Walmart special speakers. And the sound was amazing. It really did a great job.
