NEWBIE - Please Help!! Surround Sound!

LGShepherd

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Hi guys, this is my first post, but i have been reading this site for a little while now.

What my problem is that i want a decent sound system in my room, but nothing too good because it's only my bedroom and you will know what some parents are like when you have loud noise coming from your room lol

I have a budget of around £150, i could stretch to £200 but i will try not to and this is what i have in my room at the mo:

32inch HD LCD TV
MacBook (which has a optical out, so i am looking for something with at least 1 optical input as i do use the MacBook on the TV)
Xbox 360 (again has a optical out)
DVD Player (but i mainly use the 360 to watch DVDs)
soon to have Virgin/Sky box

I had spotted this in argos, i know it's pretty cheap and won't be great, but it might do for what i need

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5136144.htm

From reading this forum, i see that a lot of people use a AV receivers, would this be better or would it prove to be too costly?

Thanks in advance for your help and sorry if these posts have been made before, i have looked but they sort of confuse me lol

cheers!

Liam
 
There are a couple of systems like this one available from different vendors.
Usually their connection capabilities are limited. The system you have looked at would provide 1 optical, 1 coax (digital) and a stereo input. Thats it.
You would have your Mac and the DVD player connected and then only one single stereo plug would be available...
I am not even sure, if you can use all of them or have to decide for one of them.

A AVR is the better but more expensive solution. You would need at least 2 speakers for the start - better would be a 5.1 set - and this would be way off the 99 GBP.
 
Hi Liam,

As spooney suggests your problem is with the number of digital inputs that you'd need. Quality wise you might be better off looking at an "all in one" system ... I know it's duplicating your dvd player but you should get something from the likes of Richer Sounds for ~£150. Next step up would be to look at a cheap av amp (~£100) and either a speaker package 'set' or just a stereo pair. Obviously, this is all taking you up towards the £200 mark. Richer Sounds have discontinued models at good prices and many HiFi stores will have some good second hand kit. Another great place is the classified ads on these forums where you're likely to pick up an 'older' AV amp at a bargain price. Don't worry too much about getting the latest bit of kit ... as long as it'll do Dolby Digital, Dolby Prologic II and dts into 5.1 channels, you'll be fine.

hope that helps,

Brian
 
hi liam

how about this http://www.hificonfidential.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=AV61 its a seperate system with a great amp and speaker set up,which has dolby digital,dts,etc,2 optical inputs,1 for xbox,1 for mac,your dvd can plug into the coaxial,but as you watch dvds on the xbox then you can have surround sound from there,also you will have phono inputs for anything else,great first time set-up,hope this helps.





from cinema-man.
 
ill move this to the All-in-Ones forum for you.
 
My AV61 came today and its great. Has loads of inputs and the sound is brilliant. Push your budget and buy this for £210-220 depending on stock and supplier!
 
thanks for all your info!!

i am going to extend my budget and get this as it has everything i want and more!!
 
Hi,

I thought you might spot that system on the Richer Sounds site although I didn't mention it as it went a bit over your budget. As a "deal" that's pretty good for a starter system, so well worth thinking about.

Brian
 

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