gavingavionson
Standard Member
We've just renovated a badly damaged room in our new house and I currently have all my old AV stuff set up. We are almost done in the room and despite not planning on spending anything more on AV (we've still got a whole house to do!), I have managed to set aside some cash to improve the AV situation.
The room is 4m wide by 5m long. The AV stuff is currently in a 40cm deep alcove. There is a bay window at the other end of the room from the TV. Other than a large corner sofa, there is no other furniture in the room. It's a suspended wooden floor. The volume of the room is approx 1,500 ft3
Photo of the AV alcove here: AV area
My current gear is old and super budget:
LG 50PT353K Plasma TV
Sony STR DH520 AV Receiver
Samsung HT-D4500 5.1 speakers
I have no desire to upgrade the TV right now. It works for us and when we do upgrade it I want to spend some cash (that I don't have right now) on a good one.
What I do want to upgrade is the sound system - it's functional (i.e. I can hear stuff), but that's about it.,
My plan is as follows:
My research (aka try to get my head around a subject i know nothing about) has led me to the following options:
Fronts and Centres:
Monitor Audio Bronze 2/Bronze Centre...£270 total
Dali Spektor 2/Vokal Centre ...£340 total
Mission QX -2/???? Centre...£269 for bookshelves...would try to pair with cheaper centre as matching is £300?
Elac Debut 5.2/5.2 Centre...£470 total
Sub
Used XXLS400 (or maybe XLS200)...£250-300
AV Receiver
Something used from Denon X series...£250
Questions
Bearing in mind I haven't heard any of these speakers, my head is saying the Monitor Bronze 2 plus Centre, along with an XXLS400 is a stonking deal at the moment, then adding in the FX speakers at a later date.
Would something like the QX2 or Debut 5.2 be twice as good, as they are approaching double the price all in?
Does my approach seem sensible in terms of upgrades and the type of kit I am looking at?
Will this type of set up still sound good for music (I acknowledge that its not going to satisfy an audiophile, be we are not anyway)
Is my other half likely to be impressed by the difference (and therefore be happy I have spent our cash on it)?
Are there better value AV's out there than say a 3 year old Denon X series?
Will the proposed speakers plus XXLS400 sub be enough to "fill" the room for movies and music?
Are there any other speakers I should be looking at in my price range?
The room is 4m wide by 5m long. The AV stuff is currently in a 40cm deep alcove. There is a bay window at the other end of the room from the TV. Other than a large corner sofa, there is no other furniture in the room. It's a suspended wooden floor. The volume of the room is approx 1,500 ft3
Photo of the AV alcove here: AV area
My current gear is old and super budget:
LG 50PT353K Plasma TV
Sony STR DH520 AV Receiver
Samsung HT-D4500 5.1 speakers
I have no desire to upgrade the TV right now. It works for us and when we do upgrade it I want to spend some cash (that I don't have right now) on a good one.
What I do want to upgrade is the sound system - it's functional (i.e. I can hear stuff), but that's about it.,
My plan is as follows:
- Buy fronts, centre and sub immediately
- Use current AV receiver then upgrade this next
- Use current satellites and then upgrade last
- 66.6% movies/33.3% music (eclectic taste in music, so all round capability is desirable)
- We've decided to avoid floorstanding speakers for space/aesthetic/cash reasons...and would prefer to stick bookshelf speakers on stands and buy a decent sub.
- We can't audition anything right now, so need to decide whether this puts the plans on hold, or there are any no brainer deals out there that mean its worth taking a punt.
- The upgrade needs to be a a very obvious upgrade for my other half. I don't think this should be too hard!
My research (aka try to get my head around a subject i know nothing about) has led me to the following options:
Fronts and Centres:
Monitor Audio Bronze 2/Bronze Centre...£270 total
Dali Spektor 2/Vokal Centre ...£340 total
Mission QX -2/???? Centre...£269 for bookshelves...would try to pair with cheaper centre as matching is £300?
Elac Debut 5.2/5.2 Centre...£470 total
Sub
Used XXLS400 (or maybe XLS200)...£250-300
AV Receiver
Something used from Denon X series...£250
Questions
Bearing in mind I haven't heard any of these speakers, my head is saying the Monitor Bronze 2 plus Centre, along with an XXLS400 is a stonking deal at the moment, then adding in the FX speakers at a later date.
Would something like the QX2 or Debut 5.2 be twice as good, as they are approaching double the price all in?
Does my approach seem sensible in terms of upgrades and the type of kit I am looking at?
Will this type of set up still sound good for music (I acknowledge that its not going to satisfy an audiophile, be we are not anyway)
Is my other half likely to be impressed by the difference (and therefore be happy I have spent our cash on it)?
Are there better value AV's out there than say a 3 year old Denon X series?
Will the proposed speakers plus XXLS400 sub be enough to "fill" the room for movies and music?
Are there any other speakers I should be looking at in my price range?