Sound for the Pixie

[Bluepixie]

My VideoLogic 5.1 DTS system is on it's last legs. Even after 30mins or so of use it cuts out, seemingly an overheating issue. However, I suspect a dried out capacitor or two is causing the problem and useless I can get hold of a circuit diagram of the amplifier, there is not a chance in hell that I'll be able to repair it.

Which basically means new sound system time.

I have 3 options to me:

1. Get another stand alone 5.1 system such as the Logitech Z-5500 THX (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SP-021-LG&groupid=702&catid=22&subcat=)

2. Get a stereo amp and a pair of good bookend speakers + stands. However, I do love playing games in 5.1.

3. Get a AV receiver and a 5.1 system. Pricey.

I can probably spend £400 roughly on it. My criteria is accuracy and clarity over volume; my living room is high ceilinged and about 6m x 4m (I'll check that) and that if possible being able to link it the Virgin Box, 360, PS3, PS2 (all optical if possible) but just one optical in would do the trick. HD sound would be nice too but not a requirement.

I'm considering just walking into Richer Sounds with this in mind and see what they offer me, but I know there are a few of you here that get excited about sound systems and know a bit more about it than I do.
I was thinking of waiting until I come back from the states before buying it but considering it's giving up the ghost now, I might just plump for it now.

[To0]

The cheapest HD amp I'm aware of is about £300 so that option is pretty much out on your budget unless you want to get Amp + Front pair just now and add to the system over time. I'm guessing your speakers in the system work ok so have you thought about bypassing the decoder/controller and simply wiring up your existing speakers to a new amp? I wouldn't suggest this to any old nubbin but I suspect on this forum you are the only one that could walk away from the adventure with a working system... :)

As you know I spent £70 on a Logitech 5.1 in the end after determining that the full blown 5.1 was a waste due to space restrictions. In your Hero Closet anything THX certified is probably going to make you bust a lung when you turn it on so maybe dial your thinking down to something that fills your particular space with the kind of punch you are looking for.

[Hex]

It's for the living room not the hero closet Peter :)

We already had this chat in person but hey, I think on balance you're better off going for the stereo amp + bookshelves setup since it's more versatile...that said I'd be very interested to hear how music sounds through that THX effort. If you can find a 5.1 system that does music as much justice as the equivalent amp/bookshelf system then go for that, but I suspect the 5.1 system will cater to music less well than a 2.0 system caters for movies - can't say I missed the surround when we were watching Bourne yesterday.

[GigaFuzz]

Those Logitech speakers have been around for a number of years, and I've always fancied them (supposed to be pretty great for PC-based 5.1 setups), but the price has been going UP the last year or so. They used to be around the £200 mark.

but I suspect the 5.1 system will cater to music less well than a 2.0 system caters for movies - can't say I missed the surround when we were watching Bourne yesterday.
This. In my (not great, admittedly) experience, movies don't make that much use of the surround sound. Games do make a lot more of it and it's nice to have, but it's not critical. You probably need to weigh up what you use your TV for most.

[To0]

Blu Ray make good use of surround sound and high fidelity sound. THX is not really designed for small spaces and even though the living room is bigger THX certification is still massive overkill. A pre bought 5.1 system will be lacking in midrange but will punch low and sing high nicely (perfect for games and movies). Music requires a warmer (less punch, more control) low end and punchier mid range to really get the best out of most things. £400 will get you a good stereo setup or a basic 2.0 setup (difference being stereo amp vs AV amp). I'd argue that for the size of room and music played that an AV amp will not hinder the music so badly that you would discount it but if you buy your music speakers with the intention of adding a sub later they are going to sound hollow until you do or be overly "woofy" when you get your sub. A shitty compromise all round to be sure. Don't listen to these fools who say "i didn't miss surround sound", you can't miss what you don't have but you can appreciate what you hear when you get good surround.

[To0]

Some hardware:

This is the cheapest Tru HD AV amp I've seen, it is a monster at a fantastic price. My dad got the 1K series version (THX and all the gubbins) this is still epic:
http://www.richersounds.com/showimage.php?image=305633.jpg&max_width=250&max_height=200 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/onkyo/txsr607/onky-txsr607)

Some good, balanced, book shelf speakers: (these will feel a bit lacking without a sub)
http://www.richersounds.com/showimage.php?image=303131.jpg&max_width=250&max_height=200 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/bookshelf-speakers/wharfedale/diamond-9.0/whar-9.0-che)

A really nice, rich centre:
http://www.richersounds.com/showimage.php?image=304968.jpg&max_width=250&max_height=200 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/centres/kef/iq2c/kef-iq2-wal)

The only sub you can buy: The Quake
http://www.hificorner.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/r/e/relquake.jpg (http://www.hificorner.co.uk/rel-quake.html)

Of course the issue here is that the above runs to almost £1000 but you can start with a pair of the bookshelf speakers and the amp and add the others as you can. (the complete system would have 3 pairs of the bookshelf speakers to make a 7.1 setup)

The reason for choosing those speakers are that monitor speakers are designed to give a tight sound stage at close range, it is unlikely that the distance to any 1 speaker is going to be more than about 3m so monitor speakers are ideal for the purpose. By getting identical speakers for the surrounds it makes EQ and balancing easier. The sub is an investment, REL pretty much pwn when it comes to subs and the Quake is moniker that is just to good to pass up. Likely the Sub and amp are the only two components that would carry on to another system which is why they are specced so high compared to the rest. The centre is chosen purely subjectively, I like it.

[neogramps]

I would hate to live next door to any of you

[Bluepixie]

My old system is the VideoLogic DigiTheatre DTS Theater System (http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews/digitheatre.html)

Wood cabinet, containing magnetically shielded bass drive unit.
Low frequency drive unit (8 inch cone).
Power output (Satellites: 4 x 25W RMS).
Center speaker (25W). Subwoofer (50W RMS).
Full system (all channels driven - 175W RMS).
Input connectors (Coaxial or Toslink optical connectors for digital. Line in stereo audio jacks for analog).
Input/output connectors (Serial cable for two-way serial and centre audio data link to centre speaker)
Output connectors (S/P-DIF optical - Toslink, S/P-DIF coaxial - IEC 958, Analog line in - stereo/Pro Logic).

I have to turn the bass down to avoid pissing off the neighbours anyway and I agree, going for high-power in a tenement flat is both unnecessary and anti-social. Even a pair of the Wharfedale Diamonds you suggested would bring the output to 150W but at least the bass wouldn't be as heavy. I'd love to have an AV amp based setup and it would definitely give the best sound with a bit of tuning but at that cost, I'm not sure I can justify it.
Still, the PS3 only supplies Dolby Digital HD etc through the optical and hence a device which accepts optical inputs is needed. The xbox is the same.
While I think I could cope without surround sound films, I think I'd really miss it with games. Some titles such as Dead Space, Demon's Souls and Wipeout HD benefit massively with surround in terms of atmosphere and in the latter case shear awesomeness. :)

Which leads to an interesting option, the Onkyo HTX-22HD + SKS11 (http://www.trustedreviews.com/home-cinema/review/2009/08/18/Onkyo-HTX-22HD---SKS11-Surround-Sound-System/p1) -

http://images.trustedreviews.com/images/article/inline/11670-img0919s.jpg

It's an integrated sub/amp and can do Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio at a reasonable price. Unfortunately the full 5.1 version has now been discontinued and has been replaced by the newer HTX 22HDX (http://www.eu.onkyo.com/products/HTX-22HDX.html)

http://www.superfi.co.uk/images/main/Onkyo_HTX22HDX_w_SKS22X_1600.jpg

Also, stumbled across this:

SONY HT-DDWG800 (http://www.avforums.com/forums/all-one-systems/781803-sony-ht-ddwg800-home-theatre-sys-review.html) - £285 (http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1112083/art/sony/ht-ddwg800-home-cinema-sy.html?srcid=867)

http://pan5.fotovista.com/dev/5/2/00440525/g_00440525.jpg

ugly as sin but amazing value.

[Bluepixie]

Quite like the idea of this setup:

607 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/onkyo/txsr607/onky-txsr607)

QA 1010i (http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/q-acoustics/1010i-5.1/qaco-1010i-5.1-pack)

This is quite tempting too:
MISSION CINEMA M33i (http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/2752)
http://www.superfi.co.uk/images/main/m33i-av-ch.jpg

[To0]

http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/dyn_imgs/prods/prod_300/617997.jpg (http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/617997/ONKYO-AVX-380%28B%29?cm_ven=Google+Shopping&cm_cat=Feed&cm_pla=&cm_ite=617997_ONKYO_AVX-380%28B%29)

http://www.froogle.richersounds.com/showimage.php?image=307119.jpg&max_width=250&max_height=200 (http://www.froogle.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/onkyo/hts3305/onky-hts3305-blk)

[Bluepixie]

Interesting option that, more likely to fit me requirements for now as well until I get a bigger living room.

*strokes beard*

A visit to Richer Sounds is in order I feel. :)

[To0]

That system has the option to replace the speakers in any order/frequency you like without the additional burden of worrying about the AV amp being able to cope.