Daneel
Prominent Member
I am trying to pick componenets for my first home cinema and I have been doing a lot of reading. I plan to buy a reciever, 5 speakers sysem and DVD/CD player. If I can spare the money a sub as well.
I need the system to perform well for music and films.
I have pretty much decided on a Marantz SR7300 possibly SR6300. I am having a lot of trouble picking speakers though. I was quite keen on the Wharfedale Diamond series, 2 x 8.1, 2 x 8.3 and a centre (£265 from qed-uk). The Eltax Chroma pack also looks like a bargin right now, qed-uk have them for £238.
I went to my local hifi shop and the salesman there warned me against the Wharfedales and suggested mission instead.
He gave me a demo of a Marantz 5300 with Mission M5 speakers, 2 floor standing M5.2s, a centre and a sub, the rears were not connected. He put on Star Wars episode 1 and turned the volume up to -7db (small demo room).
I was impressed with the sound quality and stereo imaging, but although it was loud, it didn't seem loud enough given how high he had the volume up and the size of the room. He told me that the speakers plus sub would be £850, a lot more than I had planned, and as I said, I was concerned with the lack of volume.
I had been looking at the Mission 70 and 70i range, but given that the M5s are supposedly higher range and I wasn't very impressed, I'm not keep to go there either.
The only other speakers I have looked at so far are the Acoustic Energy Evos. They are about twice the price of the Wharfedales, £540 from Hifiblitz for a 5 speaker setup, £770 with a sub.
I am also having a hard job picking a DVD/CD player, the Marantz range seem expensive for what they are, but I need it to play CDs well in addition to DVDs.
Sorry for the long post, I'm just trying to convey where I'm at with my thinking on this.
All comments/suggestions appreciated.
I need the system to perform well for music and films.
I have pretty much decided on a Marantz SR7300 possibly SR6300. I am having a lot of trouble picking speakers though. I was quite keen on the Wharfedale Diamond series, 2 x 8.1, 2 x 8.3 and a centre (£265 from qed-uk). The Eltax Chroma pack also looks like a bargin right now, qed-uk have them for £238.
I went to my local hifi shop and the salesman there warned me against the Wharfedales and suggested mission instead.
He gave me a demo of a Marantz 5300 with Mission M5 speakers, 2 floor standing M5.2s, a centre and a sub, the rears were not connected. He put on Star Wars episode 1 and turned the volume up to -7db (small demo room).
I was impressed with the sound quality and stereo imaging, but although it was loud, it didn't seem loud enough given how high he had the volume up and the size of the room. He told me that the speakers plus sub would be £850, a lot more than I had planned, and as I said, I was concerned with the lack of volume.
I had been looking at the Mission 70 and 70i range, but given that the M5s are supposedly higher range and I wasn't very impressed, I'm not keep to go there either.
The only other speakers I have looked at so far are the Acoustic Energy Evos. They are about twice the price of the Wharfedales, £540 from Hifiblitz for a 5 speaker setup, £770 with a sub.
I am also having a hard job picking a DVD/CD player, the Marantz range seem expensive for what they are, but I need it to play CDs well in addition to DVDs.
Sorry for the long post, I'm just trying to convey where I'm at with my thinking on this.
All comments/suggestions appreciated.