Newbie looking for advice on replacing/updating my old audio gear

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Newbie looking for advice on replacing/updating my old audio gear - go the Home Theatre route?

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14 posts

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#879123 15-Aug-2013 20:32

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions, I will think on them for a while before committing any money I think!

I have one more question at this time. joker97, you mentioned that I would connect the bluray player to tv with hdmi, and connect to AVR with optical. Sorry for my lack of knowledge, why would you do that as opposed to connecting the bluray player to the AVR with HDMI? I assumed all inputs (eg Bluray, Sky, DVD) feed straight into the AVR, which then ouputs to your tv and speakers. Have I got that wrong?

Batman

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#879134 15-Aug-2013 20:56

from your response you suggested to me that you don't care about sounds for your tv and you wanted an avr purely for playing your cd and perhaps home theatre when you watch a dvd ...

so if you connected your sky straight to tv and have an optical option to your avr then you can decide whether or not to turn on your avr when you watch sky news for example.

for your bluray if you connected straight to tv and optical to avr you also have the option of watching something on dvd without needing to turn on the avr.

actually thinking about it bluray to avr with hdmi, sky to tv w hdmi and avr with optical would be a much better suggestion.

the last reason - sometimes your avr may not be able to pass WTW/BTB (whiter than white, blacker than black) to get the full contrast/colour range of your bluray, but this is pretty rare ... if you bought a good avr it should pass WTW/BTB

oldtechie

14 posts

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#879148 15-Aug-2013 21:17

Ah, thank you, that makes sense!

Dunnersfella

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#879186 15-Aug-2013 23:18

I disagree...
Plug HDMI into the receiver for both BluRay and MySky.
Make sure that your AVR has HDMI pass through, so that when you turn the receiver off, it will still pass the picture through to the TV, and the sound will come out of the TV speakers. Pretty easy really.

BUT.
I'd suggest taking a completely different path... personally. Geekzone tends to promote lower priced options for almost EVERYTHING, but I learned a while back, that cheaper doesn't always mean quality.
Personally, I'd buy a hifi 2-channel receiver, adding a BluRay player, keep your existing speakers (if the drivers / electronics are in good nick) and you'll know your gear will be QUALITY and good to go for many, many years.
After all, your Rotel has lasted 20 years, so if you invest in a decent amp, it will continue to do the same. A $600 Chinese made AVR may give you 3-4 years of service, it may not... and it certainly won't sound particularly good along the way.
I'd up your budget to 3k for a hifi 2 channel receiver - and you'll be sorted.
A Perreaux Audiant would be the number one unit I've seen for the price. It has...
Optical / coax inputs / analogue RCA inputs to play back audio from MySKy / BluRay / Freeview boxes.
It also has a USB input for high quality, computer based audio. The cherry on top? The phonos stage AND, it's made in New Zealand!
Pick it up and you'll know it's made to last, and the 80 watt toroidal transformer is MASSIVE.

Remember, almost all audio gear can be made to measure well, but it's a LOT harder to make it sound good!

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#879187 15-Aug-2013 23:22

Did you not read he doesn't care less about sound

Dunnersfella

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#879190 15-Aug-2013 23:25

Good gear will make you appreciate sound. Buying cheap crap will damn him to poor quality audio for the rest of eternity ;-)

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#879195 15-Aug-2013 23:42

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1484969/audiophile-cd-player-which-one

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1114207/official-all-amps-sound-the-same-thread

Let the poor guy decide for himself.

Btw to set an avr to pass hdmi requires it to come out of standby (0.1w) to a steady 35w ish x 24 x 365 ... Might as well turn it on (35w)

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dickytim

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#879219 16-Aug-2013 06:54

oldtechie: Hey, thanks for your replies!

B1GGLZ: Yes, the old CD player has to be replaced as it no longer reads CDs ... so a bit useless! And yes, the price of dedicated CD players was tending to frighten me a bit when I was putting it beside all the other components I was looking at. I'm in Auckland and have Sky (plus a Freeview box hanging around in the cupboard), so I'm set as far as that goes.

dickytim: Trademe is certainly an option I guess, I'm just a bit wary of buying second-hand audio gear. I have the vague feeling that unless you know the person who's selling them you're taking a bit of a risk on whether the gear has been thrashed (happy to be corrected). Plus to be honest, I know so little about home theatre that the idea of going into a shop where they know what they're talking about and can explain all the options appeals. But I guess I need to do more research of my own too.

Thanks!

Any other opinions welcome!!!

Yes it was definitely a risk, I was quite lucky and all the gear I got was as new.

I picked up all except the amp, which was delivered to the company I work for's Chch office, but it hadn't ever been out of its packaging so I could expect it to work well.

oldtechie

14 posts

Geek

#879246 16-Aug-2013 08:19

Thank you for all the suggestions so far, keep 'em coming!

Dunnersfella, I totally understand where you are coming from, BUT ... I know there is no way I will be able to justify a $3,000 amp (are you thinking of the Audiant 80i?), PLUS $1,000 plus for the front speakers, PLUS $600 plus for a new TV to She Who Must Be Obeyed. I know I haven't set a firm budget so it's a bit difficult for everyone to advise me without that crucial information, and I apologise for that. I'm still at the information gathering stage at the moment, and I don't want to set an arbitrary upper limit without some idea of what will suit me and the family.

Having said that, I do appreciate your honest appraisal that I may be doomed to a life of poor quality audio. :( Sadly, budgetry constraints (as imposed by She Who Must Be Obeyed) will mean a compromise. My aim is to find that sweet spot between the $269 LG HTIB, and the $50,000 system that I'm sure I would really enjoy ... by myself, because the wife would pack her bags and leave. Hopefully there is something that fits between crap quality and superb quality in my price range.

oldtechie

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Geek

#879253 16-Aug-2013 08:26

I've seen Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers mentioned all over the forum - are these the ones that people like?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/speakers-and-stands/floor-speakers/auction-625675887.htm

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#879255 16-Aug-2013 08:30

The 9.1 was whathifi's 5/5star for budget speakers. Then the diamond 10.1 came out with larger woofers and upgraded everything but the price rose.

qwertee

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#879256 16-Aug-2013 08:31

Hi

I have a Yamaha Home Theatre system and the receiver is RX475 and does 5.1 sound

Bought this from system from Harvey N after much input from fellow geeks here and reading forums
and reviews etc. ( N$ 1680 - still on sale for about $1800 but wait for a promo)

all my HDMI connections first go to this Receiver. ( DVD recorder, Tivo, WD media player)
On this Receiver, I can switch channels while the unit is in standby. Just press the 1 to 4 on the remote to select my choice of HDMI input.
Pretty handy as I do not watch all programmes in 5.1 surround sound

cheers.

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#879257 16-Aug-2013 08:32

So performance/price ratio is what you're after ... Hard to define performance without a price.

The other thing is also the wharfedales are not known for their treble but they have a slightly boomy bass and a rather clear midrange. If that's not what you're after look elsewhere.

oldtechie

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#879305 16-Aug-2013 09:46

qwertee, are you talking about this system?

http://www.harveynorman.co.nz/yamaha-5.1-channel-home-theatre-pack.html

I see it has the RX-V475, how do you find the speakers?

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#879313 16-Aug-2013 09:54

oldtechie: I've seen Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers mentioned all over the forum - are these the ones that people like?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/speakers-and-stands/floor-speakers/auction-625675887.htm

I completely missed the fact you have working speakers.

What energy model are they?

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