~£500-600 what speaker/amp set

[Dean08]

I'm looking for some advice on suitable speakers and amp for my lounge. Budget around £500-600 but I can stretch a bit further if needed. I don't know a lot in this area so please bear with me if my questions sound basic.

I have a PS3 and Humax DVR Freesat box and Samsung LE46A656 HD TV. The speakers would mainly be used for listening to output from my Freesat box (both SD and HD TV channels), plus BD and DVD movies on my PS3.

So far I've read good reviews on the Onkyo 507, so this looks like a suitable amp, although I'm open to other suggestions if you think something is better suited to me. I ideally want an amp with a height less than 21cm.

Ideally I'm looking for a 2.1 setup with speakers sitting on my glass TV stand on the next shelf down from my TV (maximum height of speakers around 20-21cm).

I would consider floor standing speakers either side of TV stand providing they are narrow. I also have kids running around the lounge so don't want something that will easily get knocked over, hence my preference for speakers I can sit somewhere on the glass TV stand out of the way.

Am I right in thinking with a 2.1 setup I need to buy a subwoofer as well? I don't mind that sitting on the floor next to the TV stand.

Also to connect the Freesat box and PS3 to the amp I presume I just need 2 HDMI cables and a third HDMI cable between the amp and TV. Would I need any other cables?

At this moment I'm not really thinking of 5.1, unless I could find a pair of floor standing speakers that would be tall enough to sit behind a sofa.

Seating area will be around 8-10 feet from TV if that it is important. The lounge is 15.5'' x 13.10''.

 

[ZimmerX]

Yeah, that amp is good. That coupled with some Wharfedale Diamond 10.2s or Mordaunt Short Aviano 2s - The reason I said 2s instead of 1s is because you're watching TV, not listening to music, therefore the deeper bass is better. My opinion is that the Aviano 1s are better for music, but as you shouldn't need to worry about a bit of out of time bass and a less inviting and less snappy tone, then I suggest you go for bigger due to you wanting to play games/watch tv.

Now, if you want floorstanding, for your budget, I suggest the Diamond 10.3s.

I personally would buy some Soundstyle speaker stands and put the booksehlf speakers on that, but then again, that's an opinion.

Your budget doesn't really allow you to get a decent subwoofer, so I say you leave that out for now.

As for cables, you will need speaker cables, of course. They don't come supplied with the speakers

 

[Dean08]

The Wharfedale Diamond 10.2 looks a nice set of speakers, but the height of them is 364mm which is too tall to fit on the bottom shelf of my TV stand.

So I'm looking for either some small bookshelf speakers to sit on the TV stand underneath the TV, maximum height 210mm, or I go for some floor standing speakers?

Which are generally better? bookshelf or floor standing.

I'm guessing floorstanding would be better since the speakers would be positioned higher up than if I had them on the lowest shelf of my TV stand, which is almost on the floor.

My budget is up to £500 just on the speakers. I preferably want black speakers, and I'm thinking of getting the Onkyo 507 so the speakers need to fit well with this amp.

 

[Dean08]

I forgot to mention I found some Soundstyle Z1 speaker stands on Richer Sounds. Would they go well with the Wharfedale Diamond 10.2s?

So it sounds like a choice between the following:

• Wharfedale Diamond 10.2s + Soundstyle Z1s
• Mordaunt Short Aviano 2s + Soundstyle Z1s
• Wharfedale Diamond 10.3s floor standing speakers

Which would you go for?

Do they all deliver similar sound quality?
Are the Soundstyle speaker stands more sturdy than the Diamond 10.3s?

Thanks.

 

[ZimmerX]

I have the Soundstyle Z2 stands and they are absolutely awesome. The Z1 are just the upgrade, so they gotta be better.

I would personally go for the Mordaunt Short Aviano 2s and the Soundstyle Z2s, but that is personal preference. I believe there is little different between the 10.2s and the Aviano 2s, but I prefer the vibrance that comes out of the Aviano range. I have the Aviano 1s on the Z2 stands and they're awesome; and I would say better than the Diamond 10.1s. In the end, it's up to you, but I would go for bookshelf speakers + stand.

 

[Dean08]

Thanks for your help.

I've heard that the Avianos are bright sounding speakers and as such should be paired with a warm amp.

Since I was considering an Onkyo amp which is also bright is it a good idea pairing the bright Avianos with the bright Onkyo. Maybe I need to reconsider my amp choice and go for something like a Yamaha?

 

[Passingbat]

You do need to be carfull with the amps you match with Mordaunt short speakers and warm amps are generally a better pairing. There was a confusing what hifi review that suggested that the Avaianos may be a little smoother, but still warned about clinical amps.

Negatives are remarkably few. Despite the Avianos quite un-M-S-like conviviality, you'll still need to pay due attention to system-matching: avoid clinical-sounding electronics unless you want all the warmth leeched from your recordings.

Mordaunt-Short Aviano 1 Hi-fi speaker review - from the experts at whathifi.com

this was for the Aviano 1s, but I'm sure it will apply to the 2s.

Yamahs and MS speakers do work well together.

 

[Dean08]

OK thanks.

If I go with the Onkyo 507 what bookshelf or floor standing warm speakers for under £500 would you suggest?

If I go with with the MS speakers can you suggest a good Yamaha amp for under £600-700.

 

[Passingbat]

OK thanks.

If I go with the Onkyo 507 what bookshelf or floor standing warm speakers for under £500 would you suggest?

If I go with with the MS speakers can you suggest a good Yamaha amp for under £600-700.

For the onkyo amp, I would look at the Wharfdale Diamond 10 series and get the best one you can. the 10.5 will come in just under budget and the 10.6 at just over.

Floor Standing Speakers at Superfi Online - http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/brands.category.cfm/id/74/category/98

I think with those speakers, I would try to step up to the Onkyo 607, which will drive them better and is available for around £300.

The best yamaha amp for that price is the 2065, which was a £900 amp and currently discounted.

Yamaha RXV2065

But what MS speakers do you plan to pair with it?

 

[Passingbat]

Just to add, the monitor audio RS8s mentioned in this post would be the ideal pairing with the Yamaha 2065 amp.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/barg...s-still-available-roy-jowett-home-cinema.html

http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/assets/files/brochures/rs_brochure.pdf

 

[Dean08]

I don't mind stepping up to the Onkyo 607 if need be and getting the Wharfedale 10.6s. I'd even stretch to the 807 if you felt it was worth it.

The Yamaha RX-V2065 looks nice, do you know how long it is discounted for? The MS speakers I was looking at were the Mordaunt Short Aviano 2s, unless you have a better suggestion for the Yamaha amp.

 

[Dean08]

My post crossed with yours!

Thanks for the links to the RS8 and Yamaha RX-V2065. I think that is the combo I will go for.

Thanks for your help. Just need some decent speaker cables now

 

[Dean08]

Got the RS8 speakers today. Nice looking although the wife disagrees, she thinks they look too big and ugly No accounting for taste eh.

Maybe they will grow on her otherwise I'll have to consider something smaller like the MS Aviano 2 as left and right speakers and the MS Aviano 5 as a centre speaker. The Avianos are small enough to sit on the TV stand leaving room for a subwoofer as a later purchase

The Yamaha amp arrived too and that is definitely not going back