Ok, so after last nights successful request to recommend me a TV stand, I’m also looking into surround sound, not had a system before so it is a bit baffling.

I’ve got a few years old samsung 32″, PS3 which I use to watch DVD / Blueray and Virgin (soon to be Tivo’d)

It’s for a small room and neither of us are ‘audio’ buffs and we are on a limited budget – I am hoping we can get something half decent for £300.

I was looking at Samsung completes as our TV is great, but read reviews that they can have lip synch issues – any thoughts/recommendations?

Boom, thread answered

Can even plug in a mike and it will set the levels based on your room and speaker layout!

All in one systems are okish. lack quality in dialog, centre speaker deals with the main vocals and detail. the othet four for some voices and effects. they can also suffer with too much bass to drown everything. i got a 2nd hand teac 5.1 surround amp for 100. Tannoy mxc centre for 50 and wharfedale diamond 9.0s which are only 40 a pair at richer sounds and sound good with movies and music. also added a tannoy sfx sub 120 at richer sounds. richer sounds should have something of your needs. Ps. i dont work for richer sounds.

Thanks for the recommendation Slackman – can’t seem to find any reviews on it? Is it the same as the RXV371 that Richer sounds sell?

Will probably pop down to Richer in the week – I was under the impression a seperates system was going to cost me a hell of a lot more than a complete.

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/20444281/Sony-BDV-E280-5-1-Channel-Surround-Sound-3D-Blu-ray-Disc-DVD-Home-Cinema-System/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:20444281%7Cprd:20444281

pretty good for internet tv and playing stuff from a hdd as well

Yeah, the AV71 is just the RXV371 bundled with the NSP20 speakers. A decent amount of inputs (4hdmi in and 1 out) with some basic but decent speakers thrown in to the mix. Will be better than an all in one system (although it won’t have anything like a blu ray player, smart hub lik the samsung stuff or dlna streaming if that’s your bag).

I think Richer sound also do a decent Onkyo package in your range.

Can anyone add any more for me?

Have an old Sony amp (100w max output) (with digital optical input) that I am going to wire to the optical out on my tv. I assume this will pick up sound from whatever input I am using (Sky, PS3)?

I have just got hold of a set of Tannoy i5 AW speakers (50w). Will this set-up be okay? Not bothered about surround sound, just want punchier, clearer sound at lower volumes.

Obviously I need to ensure I don’t turn the volume up to 11 🙂

Any thoughts?

I’ve just bought an LG system (I think it was the SR 906, something like that), complete with speakers from richer sounds for about £200 (don’t know the exact price without checking the receipt as I bought a bunch of cables at the same time and got a discount cos my mate works there 😀 ). I’ve got my ps3, freeview box and iPod connected, seems to work a treat and I haven’t noticed any lip sync issues.

Boom, thread answered

Can even plug in a mike and it will set the levels based on your room and speaker layout!

Just bought that receiver for £199 (Richer Sounds) and the Yamaha NSP40 speakers that they sell for £139 and it’s pretty damn good I reckon. Got XBOX, Virgin HD, Hard drive recorder and DVD player all connected by HDMI cables (£3 from Best Buy) and its significantly better than I expected. You won’t look back!

I bought a Panasonic system.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-SC-BTT270EBK-Blu-ray-Cinema-iPhone/dp/B004TEYFTA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326060592&sr=8-1

I gained 3d TV, not that bothered about it TBH and a great ipod dock at the same time 😉 Stick my iphone in and away it goes… I bought mine as a package with a new 42″ 3d TV and 2 sets of 3d glasses 🙂

Look at the onkyo systems from richer sounds no blu ray but you get good quality sound. very impressed with mine

One of these.

Good enough to blow off a sexy girl’s (or blokes – depending on who you’re trying impress) clothes off…

Try this Yamaha YHT 196 for £ 250.00p Bargain
At Richer Sounds

Have an old Sony amp (100w max output) (with digital optical input) that I am going to wire to the optical out on my tv. I assume this will pick up sound from whatever input I am using (Sky, PS3)?

i don’t think it will. Surround sound won’t pass through using SPDIF for some reason. You have to plug Sky/PS3 etc straight into the amp

I’d second the comment from Horatio. My sony has Optical output but won’t output Surround to the amp. The Blue ray does have CoAxial, but i can’t get Surround from this either which the previous DVD player did. Annoyed, yes.

I’ve recently bought that Yamaha v731 amp too, very impressed. It has replaced a much more expensive but older amp that died. It’s a doddle to set up, has all the inputs most people need and is easy to work, also the sound is great.

I have it set up with an Infocus projector and some small Jamo satelite speakers/sub, it’s all the sound our room needs.

I’d avoid all in one packages as they are not easy to upgrade/replace when the time comes without chucking everything out and starting again.

To be clear – I don’t want to output surround, just stereo (or are you saying the optical out on the TV (a Panasonic if that is relevant) won’t pass a signal through that the amp can interpret as a stereo signal?

If so, should I simply output the TV and Sky box into the phono input on the amp and the optical out on the PS3 into the optical in on the amp?

And anyone have any idea what the speakers are like and if they are at all suitable? I just got them digging around in my late dad’s treasure trove of stuff in his old garage and they were the size/type that I was looking for.

Bumpity Bump!

For the money, I’d buy the Onkyo set. I’ve been very impressed with their more expensive receivers. Since you are only running PS3 and possibly Virgin, HDMI inputs and switching are all that’s needed. Mine upscales lots of sources (Wii, old DVD player, PC) and sends output as HDMI.

Speakers will be the biggest compromise.