Surround sound 5.1 question?

[thulfi]

Hey orgers,

My dad's tasked me with finding some 5.1 surround sound for our TV in the living room.

Some initial superficial browsing has led me to these two.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DAV-DZ260-Cinema-System-Black/dp/B0015S394U/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262143938&sr=8-8

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-HT-TZ325R-5-1ch-Cinema-System/dp/B001V9KQKS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262143938&sr=8-3

Our price range is in the £200 - £250 region. I really dont know anything about surround sound stuff. Are these good for their price? Anything to look out for or that I should know about surround sound and speakers in general? We're planning on hooking it up to the TV/HD box and DVD player.

So how do these things work? Do all the inputs (TV/DVD etc) feed into some sort of central control which then feeds all the speakers?

Thanks

[L3nny]

My mate has the Sony one, he says it's quality although the bass is a bit too loud if you are trying to watch something quietly.

The Sony one has a built in DVD player so no need to connect another one to it.

Download the manual from here (http://www.sony.co.uk/product/hcs-surround-kit---dvd-player/dav-dz260/tab/manual)to get more info on the other connections.

[L3nny]

Dont get the Z260 though, the Z280 is a newer model, and cheaper

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DAVDZ280-Cinema-Satellite-Speakers/dp/B001T5LHI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262160317&sr=1-1

[BPhlip]

I've got the Z260 and agree the bass is a little to loud if watching quietly but there is a 'night' mode which overcomes this. I also found the treble isnt loud enough, even though there is about 6 options for which speakers are used.

Good points are it looks pretty good, speakers are small (other than the sub) it calibrates itself within about 3 minutes, has usb and audio in connections on the front and supposedly burns music from an mp3 player straight to cd, although I've not tried it.

Any I agree, the Z280 is the newer version so get that if you go with Sony.

[SV-net]

Must check http://www.richersounds.com/ to see if you have a local store.

[BPhlip]

Yeah thats the firs place I tried. They didnt have any of the Sony one (which I wanted) and basically said all in one packages are basic and that I should get separates; amp, speakers and dvd player - would have been nice but couldn't afford it!

[L3nny]

What exactly are you going to use it for?

Just playing DVDs or will you also connect a games console or anything else.

After reading this I deceded it's time I need to get a surround sound system for my PS3 and after a bit of research came across these.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/onkyo/txsr507/onky-txsr507-sil

and

http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/onkyo/sksht528/onky-sksht528-blk

Bit above your budget but has HDMI audio inputs

[thulfi]

Thanks guys. Yeh there is a richer sounds about a mile away from my house. Mite pop down there now, but sounds like it may be out of our price range.

More good reviews for the sony. I like the idea of night mode as well. Off to town to look around.

[Bibio]

all in ones are quite a good solution if you are only into watching telly and the occasional movie. but make sure that what ever you get has enough inputs for all your gear. video, dvd, tv, sky/cable.

its also nice to have a remote that you can use on all your appliances or you will be swapping remotes a lot, this i find confuses the 'old codgers'.

[amarko5]

what make of telly may help in your choice ?

there are some really good panasonic home theatre's about and at reasonable cost (dont let the size of the satelite speakers fool you these puppys can be very very loud , comet are doing some cracking deals on them at the mo.

they have either a bluray or a dvd built in depending on your price point ( looking like being DVD by what you posted)

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/category/1858/DVD-Home-Cinema-Systems/n/1001858+4294966826

[timwilky]

what would you guys recommend for me.

I already have a blue ray player that can provide hdmi, digital audio optical, 2 channel audio, so I guess I would need an amplifier that can take either a HDMI or optical input.

Speakers as small/discreet as possible, any amp must be capable of also handling dab radio.

BTW cost is important.

[L3nny]

The ones I linked to look good, best value with HDMI input I found.

[Dave20046]

Thanks guys. Yeh there is a richer sounds about a mile away from my house. Mite pop down there now, but sounds like it may be out of our price range.

More good reviews for the sony. I like the idea of night mode as well. Off to town to look around.
Richer sounds are great for haggling.

[amarko5]

what would you guys recommend for me.

I already have a blue ray player that can provide hdmi, digital audio optical, 2 channel audio, so I guess I would need an amplifier that can take either a HDMI or optical input.

Speakers as small/discreet as possible, any amp must be capable of also handling dab radio.

BTW cost is important.

panasonic ones have optical input and probably more ( never really looked to hard on mine (the 470 unit) as it all connected as per the book to the telly pana telly and bluray and it all works off one control via vierra link !!

[amarko5]

what would you guys recommend for me.



BTW cost is important.

ohh another thing Tim it has a built in ipod dock on the front of the player that can play all music video podcasts etc stored on your ipod !!

also has Divx mp3 wma mpeg4 jpeg playback on a usb connector on the front

tech blurb here http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/Home+Cinema/DVD+Home+Cinema+Systems/SC-PT470/Specification/2235408/index.html?trackInfo=true

good price here

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/530719/PANASONIC-SC-PT470EB-K?cm_sp=FeatureEnd-_-DVD_Home_Cinema_Systems-_-position

Worth considering anyway

[hindle8907]

http://www.quantumelectronics.co.uk/acatalog/Yamaha_AV_63_Home_Theatre_Package.html
http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/yamaha/av65-package.html

I wouldnt get an all in one ... when you can get a budget amp/speaker package which will give much better sound for a few quid more ... if you allready have a dvd player it should have a digital or Optical out which will give you full 5.1 ..... whith an amp you have got the options to add other devices and use them in 5.1 too like ... PS3 xbox 360 ect ... SKY/NTL
the links i have posted are only budget stuff but will be much better than the all in one systems that have been posted.
And the Subwoofers have there own Powersupply so you get good bass .. and you can adjust the power output and crossover with control knobs on the back where as the all-in-ones 99% of them the subs power just runs though the Speaker cables and you have little control over the bass output.
i have the top one in my spare bedroom it cost me around 350-400 quid nearly 2 years ago it has HDMI 1080p handling and sounds pritty awsome for the price. i have a ps3 xbox360 connected to it VIA optical and get full DTS and Dolby Digital on games and
whatching Bluray on the PS3.

If you want Real Sound, crystal quality and true bass you will need to invest is some proper auido equipment though . i have a £1600 setup in my front room and its the best investment i have ever made, Powerfull Yamaha amp and mordaunt short speakers/Sub.

but one of the above packages will get u started off. and you can upgrade from there. ;)

just something else to consider ..
Leave the all in one packages for the bedroom :D

[thulfi]

Thanks Hindle, thats useful stuff. Exactly the reason to post on here, as I had no idea about the difference between the all in ones and the seperate packages.