what do i need

[patty]

Gday to all the Audio Headbanging Gurus

I am seriously thinking about purchasing a Hi fi sound system of description.. I am not too clued up on all of this so please bear with me

the system will be used for both Movies as in Home theatre and Music
I want to locate the system components like the receiver cd and dvd player amplifier and whatever else i may need into our linen cupboard which i have already alocated space and have power located, and run the cables out into the lounge room to the speakers and so on... with the speakers im not really keen for the huge floor speakers just some cube speakers or someone mentioned to me satellite speakers and obviously a sub would have to be used.. I am a spark by trade but i have never had anything to do with audio full stop except fitting radio players to cars and what not!

[SilentButDeadly]

G'day Patty

The very first thing to ask is 'What is your budget?'....how much are you prepared to spend on this system? As an example, the beginnings of a decent home theatre will set you back at least $1,500 min (without a proper subwoofer) whilst a decent music setup can be had from under a grand...

Next is......what is your preference? What will you spend more time doing - listening to music or watching movies? This might influence which way your possible system leans in terms of qualities/specification.

Storing audio gear in a cupboard might be useful from a looks perspective but many of the components create heat......and the hotter they are, the shorter the life they lead.

You've already noted that big speakers aren't your thing but be aware that unless you're using a small room, small 'cube' speakers and a sub won't do the trick....and if you are trying to project sound from that room into another part of the house....then you'll kill them quickly. If you use 'bigger' speakers you can often get away without a sub....

[patty]

yeah thanks SBd budget I dont really have an answer to be honest to get the best quality sound system for the least amount of bucks spent! round $1000 bucks i guess

predominantly it will be used for Movies but I also want to be able to play some ACDC loud and get good quality sound from it as well

obviously I will have to buy a receiver.. Now you have talked me out of the cube/satellite speakers which i only wanted to get for aesthetic as they are nice and small.. the room is about 9mtrs x 4mtrs wide and there is an opeining into our kitchen dining room the opening is about 4.5mtrs wide and cannot be closed or sealed off that to be honest i was looking at some of the Hifi threads before and I am interested in possibly building my own speakers my brother works for an electronics firm and has told me if i need top quality gear cheap give him a call and i am pretty useful with the triton workbench downstairs!

Do you think this is a viable and cost effective option as to buying a all in one system

The only reasoning again for the gear to be located in the cupboard is to get rid of the clutter and dust gathering units and hide them away i have the shelves already drilled out i have mounted a large vent at the bottom of the door and a small exhaust fan in the roof.
I am totally open to suggestions

[Harry72]

Patty sorry to be bluntly obvious $1000 will not go far at all on a HT system, all you'll get is a cheaper package system.
To get even a cheap but still reasonable quality system expect to start at around double that figure... and thats with DIY speakers at cost pricing!
On that, speakers and audio cabinets are a great WW'ing projects. You can buy pre-designed speaker kits that you make your own boxes.

[noodle_snacks]

If I had $1000 to spend, I wouldn't be spending it on an HT system in the sense of 5.1. I would be spending my money on good stereo first, followed by subs if needed. If one felt the need I'd consider surrounds and what not later. In other words, better two really good stereo speakers than 5 mediocre ones. I would follow the recommendations of a pre-built design or kits for the best results for the money.

[patty]

yeah thanks chaps for your feedback i am not really prepared to outlay $2000 Harry 72 for a sound system so I guess I am delirious and not serious about the whole idea as another cost effective option I have been hunting round the traps for a second hand reciever on ebay I have been looking at yamaha onkyo and some old marantz gear does anyone have exp on these and can recommend one over the other

[SilverSniper]

yeah thanks chaps for your feedback i am not really prepared to outlay $2000 Harry 72 for a sound system so I guess I am delirious and not serious about the whole idea as another cost effective option I have been hunting round the traps for a second hand reciever on ebay I have been looking at yamaha onkyo and some old marantz gear does anyone have exp on these and can recommend one over the other

If you are limited to $1000 then your options are:

a. buy something cheap that will not sound all that great
b. buy something second hand that 'may' sound better
c. increase your budget

Then your next step is deciding whether to buy components or a system. All component hi fi systems can be upgraded in stages, which is fun over the long term. Alternately, you could buy a crappy all-in-one type thingy and expect to get a year or two out of it before throwing it out.

Then you gotta decide do I want a system with lots of bells and whistles like 25 cube speakers and a 100 button remote or do I want something basic that produces better sound. Because you mentioned AC DC, I reckon you should go for the latter.
If it were me, I would be looking for a $500 set of speakers, a $500 amp and a cheap as chips DVD player to upgrade later. Whether you go for 2 speakers or 5 speakers in your situation would depend on whether you primary played music or DVD's. A sub is nice for DVD's but not necessary with reasonable sized speakers. I would leave it out for now.

As for brands, at your price level don't get too caught up, just go for a reputable brand - Pioneer Yamaha etc. Those brands are generally much of a muchness in their cheaper ranges. I would be more influenced by looks, price and warranty. Once you've found a system or two that you like, do some googling and see if you can find some expert reviews. And if buying from a major retailer, bargain for a discount.

Finally, don't pay any attention to someone that tries to sell you flash cables and interconnects. They are not proven to make any difference in sound quality and even if they did, you wouldn't notice it on a $1000 system.

[AV Elec]

JB hifi have a good Pioneer surround receiver for less than $380. It would be a good start. Maybe add to it as the funds allow?

[AV Elec]

Finally, don't pay any attention to someone that tries to sell you flash cables and interconnects. They are not proven to make any difference in sound quality and even if they did, you wouldn't notice it on a $1000 system.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

[noodle_snacks]

If you are limited to $1000 then your options are:

a. buy something cheap that will not sound all that great
b. buy something second hand that 'may' sound better
c. increase your budget


Agree with the rest, but if you DIY and stick to stereo you can get something very good for that budget.

[SilentButDeadly]

Patty
As others have said $1000 is not much for a decent AV system.......but that doesn't mean it can't be done and done well. But you might have to accept certain limitations...eg your room is on the large size and a small HT rig will have trouble 'filling it'...but if you don't experience what $5000 or even $50,000 can get you in home theatre any time soon then I don't think you'll have too much trouble.

Start with reasonable quality receiver such as one of the Yamaha, Marantz, Denon, Pioneer offerings.

You may find you can get a reciever and speaker package for under a grand from places like www.excelhifi.com.au (http://www.excelhifi.com.au) in Melbourne (which deals in Yamaha overstocks and returns) and has some good deals like this one http://www.excelhifi.com.au/prod556.htm (this is an EXCELLENT deal!!) from time to time. Eastwood HiFi http://www.eastwoodhifi.com.au/DEFAULT.HTM in Sydney also offers similar stuff plus new gear and can be really helpful as long as you don't say 'but I can get it cheaper at Hardly Normal' (:

Down the track......you can upgrade the speakers with better ones or build your own (a can of worms and obsessions I won't tickle here) but start small and stay happy. Don't be put off by 'it can't be done for that cheap'.

[GraemeCook]

Patty

You might like to visit two or three audio shops - specialists + Harvey Norman + Myer - and listen to a range of stereos so that you can gauge how much better a $5,000 stereo can sound than a $1,000 one. Trust your ears!

For stereo, the CD/DVD player, amplifier and pair of speakers should cost about the same amount (say $300-350 each), to give you a balanced system. The end result is limited by the weakest link. If you later add a subwoofer, then it should cost almost the same as the pair of speakers. All rough rules of thumb.

For music, there is not much sound recorded below about 70 Hertz so a subwoofer is not all that important. On DVD's (movies) there is a lot of information (noise) on the subwoofer channel, so it is much more important.

A $350 pair of speakers ($175 each) will almost inevitably sound better than five $70 speakers - so on you budget think stereo.

Finally, excellent used stereo gear frequently sells for 20 - 30% of replacement cost; and audio specialists do trade in this equipment when users upgrade. Talk to an audio specialist and he might be able to sell you a good used system for $1,000 that sounds much better than a new $1,000 system.

For DIY, read Vance Dickerson's Loudspeaker Design CookBook available from Jaycar.

Good Luck