Home Theatre Unit

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kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#72708 1-Dec-2010 18:04

I'm going to buy a Home Theatre unit from Noel Leemings - now it must be Noel Leemings.

Do any of them play the Radio?
What is the things i need to look for in one? what wattage is good etc?

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68 posts

Master Geek

#411715 1-Dec-2010 19:30

Need a bit more info,

I gather your after a Home theatre in a box? As this is pretty much all you will get from Noel Leeming.

What sort of TV are you connecting it to? LCD, Plasma or CRT
What size speakers would you prefer? Small, Tallboy?
DVD or Blu-ray? (Would depend on TV)
Budget?

The easyest way is generally to match up with the brand of TV you have as far as out of the box systems go. All have Radio.
Wouldn't worry about wattage or power ratings with these things they are just made up fairy figures from a far away dreamland were midgets in yellow and green hats grant wishes to all.
Anyway just stick a CD in them to compare and you will soon hear what you like.

Hope you just have Noel Leeming vouchers and aren't limiting yourself to them because you want Flybys?

kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#411719 1-Dec-2010 19:36

I'm not into these things too much but want to play movies and sport via a good sound system - one of these things http://www.noelleeming.co.nz/audio-mp3/home-audio/home-theater-systems/c10017-c100177-c1004144-p1.html

Not sure on budget i've got a bit to spend and am getting a deal for a reason i can't share here so don't worry about cost.

I also want to play the radio so want one that will do that

I've got a LCD LG

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#411735 1-Dec-2010 19:53

Pity they don't seem to offer any LG home theatre systems on their website.
So...
Do you want to plug any other devices into the TV? Do you have Sky / Telstra etc?
You can buy some HTIB with HDMI inputs now, allowing you to link in other devices like My Sky / PS3 / Mediaboxes (Apple TV / WD TV etc).

Do you require 'wireless' rear speakers? Or are you able to easily run cables to the back of the room?
And of course, what sort of music do you like listening to?

kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#411740 1-Dec-2010 19:57

Sky Yes
Wii maybe
Underfloor wiring is easy where i live.

Music ZM etc

timmmay

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#411766 1-Dec-2010 21:08

I recently got an Onkyo receiver ($600 or so) and a Wharfedale Vardus speakers set ($1200 or so for front, center, rear, and sub), got both on sale less 20%. The sound is just awesome.

kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#411770 1-Dec-2010 21:20

I guess the real issue here is do they pick up radio?

timmmay

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#411775 1-Dec-2010 21:25

Yes the Onkyo receivers pick up radio and have pretty much every type of input you can think of. If you buy a 7 series (I think) you can connect it to a home network and play music from a PC. The lower models are great too, you just lose a few features.

I got this one

http://www.jbhifi.co.nz/jb-hi-fi-home-audio/receiver/onkyo/7-2-channel-av-receiver-sku-16317/

This one would be better than any home theatre in a box system, but has less speakers and no way to calibrate it to the room

http://www.jbhifi.co.nz/jb-hi-fi-home-audio/receiver/onkyo/5-1-channel-av-receiver-sku-16318/

The higher up one I was talking about isn't at JB, but check out their website

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kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#411778 1-Dec-2010 21:32

to be fair i didn't ask for items Noel Leeming sold. this brand isn't stocked by them

kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#411779 1-Dec-2010 21:33

plus how can i tell what is good? higher wattage is better or what?

wmoore

510 posts

Ultimate Geek

#411784 1-Dec-2010 21:41

Why don't you pop down to your local NL store and ask them which one plays radio. Then have a listen and then let your ears decide which one you like.

"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -
-- Abraham lincoln

timmmay

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#411789 1-Dec-2010 21:44

I assumed Noel Leeming would carry Onkyo, but apparently not. One way to judge is by price, another is by brand. Power isn't a good way to decide which is good.

richms

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#411804 1-Dec-2010 22:15

I wish that they would have the radio able to be disabled on them. Its strange, on all the recivers I have ever had, every other input, including the boatload of analog tapes and videos etc have all being able to be disabled, but the damn tuner has always been one of the inputs.

Quality of the tuners in home theater receivers is usually pretty bad. I am in a low signal area and the difference between them when using the supplied piece of wire is massive. Also my old sony has problems tuning into some stations like 93.8 and 98.2 - always stopping .2 to one side of them, sound quality also varies a lot between them even when using the roof antenna.

Performance of the tuner in them is something that they don't seem to really give a toss about when making them, My retro old pioneer with a knob to tune it performs better than several of my digitally tuned receivers.

Richard rich.ms

timmmay

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#411813 1-Dec-2010 22:24

My Onkyo works fine with a bit of wire out the back if it, but i'm only 10 minutes drive from the Wellington cbd and there's a transmitter tower within sight.

richms

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#411821 1-Dec-2010 22:30

The differences are in the amount of hiss, more sibilance type sounds on some tuners, stereo separation is almost non existent despite the stereo light being on, failing to stop on stations when seeking so you have to click up or down .1 at a time till you are on it.

I think the tuners in HT receivers are like the audio circuitry in computer. Put there because its expected, but at the lowest price possible so almost any external component performs better than it does.

Richard rich.ms

timmmay

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#411832 1-Dec-2010 22:49

Yeah probably, lucky mine works pretty good :)

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