Compiling a first home theatre setup

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Lizard1977

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#73319 11-Dec-2010 18:16

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are hoping to move into our first home in the New Year, and we've decided to upgrade our 32' Phillips CRT and analogue Panasonic HDD recorder to a proper Home Theatre setup. OUr budget is ~$8000, including cabling.

What we need:
TV
A/V Receiver
5.1 Surround Sound speakers
Freeview recorder
Blu Ray player (optional at this stage, but a likely upgrade in the future)

I've done some research, and spoken to a few of the stores round town (Palmerston North), and have a few ideas, such as:

Favouring plasma over LCD - we'll be watching movies and TV, not much sport.
50" max - based on the room size of the house we're looking to buy, there wouldn't be room to watch larger than a 50". But we have a 32" CRT at the moment, so we want something that is going to be a noticeable upgrade.
Definitely don't want a HTIB setup - want to do this properly.
Largely brand agnostic, but recognise that Panasonic seem to have a good rep for plasma at the moment, esp. the V series.

I've had one firm quote for some components. Namely the Yamaha RX-A1000 receiver ($2300) and the Jama S606 speaker pack ($2600).

I've also been quite impressed with the Panasonic TH-P50V20Z, 50" plasma. I've got a quote for that at $2700. I'm planning to sit this on an entertainment unit, rather than wallmount it.

My questions are:
1. What would you recommend as a complete setup, for a budget of $8000?
2. Does anyone have any views on the quoted receiver (Yamaha RX-A1000), speakers (Jamo S606) and TV (Panasonic TH-P50V20Z)? I've read a few reviews online, but I'd like to hear some first hand views from locals.
3. What is there in the way of a freeview HDD recorder, with a DVD recorder? I've seen the DMR-BW880 which has a nice 500GB HDD, but the blu ray recorder seems redundant, and the DMR-X380 seems like an okay compromise, though it's only 250GB. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for reading all this.

Cheers

Lizard

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#415952 11-Dec-2010 19:39

I believe the only way to get a nicer plasma than the V20 50" is to go for the 3D version...
But as you've not specified 3D on your 'want list', then the V20 is a nice choice.

I believe it's worth splurging on a BluRay recorder, as it'll reduce the number of components in your rig (dropping the number of remotes, noise and heat). There are other alternatives like a Magic TV box and a separate BluRay player - even a PS3 with a Play TV box... but the added complexity of more devices doesn't spin my wheels...
Then again, it's your money.

The RX-A1000 looks nice, what is it that has drawn you to that particular receiver?
There are a host of choices around that price level... and as far as I can see, this plus the speakers may well put you over your budget somewhat (especially when you factor in cabling + the recorder)...
There are amps from Denon, Pioneer, Onkyo, Marantz etc to consider - to point you in the right direction, it would be better if we knew your listening habits.
Do you only want this setup for movies? Or for music too?

Will you be connecting any of your gear to a home network? If so - will it be wired, or wireless?
If you're going for a wireless network, grab a Panasonic dongle, maybe a Skype camera for the TV.
If you're going to network things, the Panasonic DVD recorders synch ver well via DLNA, making it easy to stream content around the home through your network.

Oh yeah, I'd also consider budgeting in a remote control that allows you and the wife to easily control your new setup. The easier it is for all involved, the more you'll enjoy it :-)

Whatever you do, enjoy the process - the rewards can be great.

bfginger

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#415957 11-Dec-2010 19:59

Assuming it's up to Panasonic's normal levels of quality, I suggest the BW880GZK. That will get you Blu-ray, DVD, Freeview and a PVR in one box. Buying an X380 would make no sense. Shop around and you should be able to get a cheaper price on the 880 unit.

The TH-P50V20Z is available for under $2500. This is a relatively good option now but I recommend waiting until the 2011 models arrive. If lucky, the successor may be a substantial improvement if Panasonic implements the Pioneer technology into it. Your current CRT will look so much better with a 880GZK plugged into it than it has with analogue that you may not mind the wait until around next March (likely).

I don't think 3D is worthwhile until glasses are no longer required.

Personally I'd prefer the 42" size bracket on a plasma over the 50". SD and low quality HD, i.e. 80% of material on television, looks nasty on those large screens.

Dunnersfella

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#415963 11-Dec-2010 20:18

Waiting until 2011 without a hint on 'what's next' may / may not work out for you. Especially if the bottom end plasmas turn up first, but the 50's end up coming in later on... and they'll most certainly be a higher price initially.
I agree with bfginger re: size. I chose a 46" V20 for myself. BUT - it all comes down to the source material, how far you're sitting from the screen etc. And as your amp will be able to upscale what you're watching, you probably shouldn't have to worry about too many poor quality video experiences. :-)

ascroft

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#415987 11-Dec-2010 22:01

If you are spending that $ a blu-ray player would be on my list. I would only ever rent the movies though unless they are special - Fatso is good for them....

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Handle9

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#415988 11-Dec-2010 22:03

The other posts are putting you on the right track and for $8k you'll have a really nice rig.

The one thing I would add is that for a 50 inch set up blu-ray isn't optional. You've got the money in your budget to do it and the experience is so much better than even Freeview HD

Lizard1977

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#416001 11-Dec-2010 22:58

Thanks for the feedback, that's helpful.

I'm still a little undecided on the recorder option. Some advice I've received suggests that all-in-one devices tend to do everything averagely, rather than focus on doing a good job. Do you think this would be true of the BW880GKZ?

The amp was recommended to me as part of the quote. The selling points were the quality of the processing, the range of outputs, the flexibility of multiple zones, and the ipod/ipad control. This last one wasn't something I had thought of, but now that it's been suggested, I'm quite keen on it - being able to control the unit through an ipod/ipad/iphone app - especially the ipad. This would work in very well with our current tech.

Our current gear is extremely limited, so anything will be a step up. Our main focus will be movies (DVDs, and eventually Blu Ray). We don't rent a lot, tend to buy TV series and favourite movies, and watch/record from TV. We don't have a proper stereo, so whatever we get will need to be able to handle music as well. Our tastes range fairly widely, from Muse/Foo Fighters/Led Zeppelin/Greenday/Guns 'n' Roses through to Dire Straits and Tori Amos, and pretty much everything in between. We have a good collection of MP3 music, so something that interfaces with an ipod/ipad would be very helpful.

Cheers

Lizard

Dunnersfella

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#416016 12-Dec-2010 00:35

There are quite a few amps that integrate well with iPods / iPhones... the first brand that comes to mind is Pioneer. Starting with the VSX-920-K, it not only has an iPod app, it also allows direct video integration through the USB input in the front.
It's not going to quite match the Yamaha for sound, but it will cost significantly less, offer a great deal of inputs and multi-zone capability.
It is certainly food for thought - and most importantly, one to listen to, try and operate prior to making your final purchase / settling on your final purchase price.

As an aside, if you have Apple tech in the house, look at integrating an Apple TV ($170) into the calculation. Almost all the DVD's in our house have been thrown into iTunes (ripped with Handbrake) and the integration via the ATV has been totally seamless. It could be a brilliant, no fuss way to backup and play your DVD library, while at the same time open up the opportunity to send the media around your home.
If you do go for the Yamaha amp, the YS12 iPod dock is pretty good too - the sound will be better via that dock than if you connect via RCa to the Yamaha amp (it provides a full digital connection).

As an aside, I wouldn't worry about the quality of playback on the BW880GZ-K, it looks very nice to me, certainly outperforming the likes of the PS3. I think I mentioned earlier, but the networking aspect of the recorder is great too. I've used Twonky Media Server to send whatever has been recorded on the Panasonic recorder to a laptop elsewhere in the house.
Or... to put it another way...
Record it in the home theatre room, but dial it up on a laptop in the bedroom, and watch it in bed!
Pretty cool, and having used it, I've been quite impressed with what it can do.
Twonky Media Server cost me $28... but you can trial it for 30 days to see if it's the sort of thing you're into. :-)

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Jaxson

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#416378 13-Dec-2010 09:06

How often do you write a recording to DVD? Personally I'd go a separate Bluray Player and Freeview PVR, simply as you get more for less money that way and you ensure the PVR has the full EPG etc, which some of the early Panasonic models did not have.

As others have said:
Yes you will need a Bluray Player, it would be silly not to.
Rent these cheaply too by the way, you don't have to own, especially as you're likely to only watch once or twice anyway.
Remember the speaker cable costs, and you'll need some cheap interconnects for hdmi etc at least.
Over $2000 on a receiver really does start getting up there and you honestly might not notice the difference over a cheaper model which will free up $1,000 or so.
That money could be used on a nicer subwoofer for more impact for instance.
Get a harmony remote to finish it all off too.

Personally I'd spend that same budget on a good screen and good speakers and an adequate receiver first. Then add on the bluray player and approved freeview PVR. Good luck on the hunt for good deals and all too, it's certainly the best season for it!

Lizard1977

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#416387 13-Dec-2010 09:28

I like the look of that Pioneer amp. My problem is I don't really know enough about them to pick one over the other. I wouldn't call my ears well-trained, and because I've been deprived of serious gear for a long time, anything would sound better than my current setup (playing the ipod through the speakers of the TV). Other than listening to candidate amps, are there any clues on which things I should be looking for when comparing various amps?

Does anyone have strong views on the selected speakers - Jamo S606? I see that JB Hifi have this speaker pack for $1886, and the next step down (S506) for $1291. Is the S606 worth the step up from the S506? Also, would the Pioneer be powerful enough for the Jamo speakers? What numbers should I be looking at to see if the amp is suited to the speakers (and vice versa)?

Also, the quote I received set aside about 10% of the total cost for various cables. I'm happy to pay for quality speaker cables, but is it worth it to spend over $200 for 1x0.5m HDMI cable, and 1.3.0m HDMI cable?

Cheers

Lizard

magu

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#416398 13-Dec-2010 09:56

Don't buy into the expensive HDMI cable scam. Any properly done HDMI cable will do. You can get a lot of cheap but good cabling from Monoprice.com.

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Lizard1977

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#416401 13-Dec-2010 10:03

That's what I thought. Any reputable local distributors/brands of HDMI cable that are worth the price?

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#416405 13-Dec-2010 10:15

Lizard1977: That's what I thought. Any reputable local distributors/brands of HDMI cable that are worth the price?

First cable I got was from HN at cost me $199 for 1m. Second one was off TradeMe and cost me $10. Can't tell the difference.

Don't know of any retail shops that sell the cheap ones.

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Jaxson

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#416410 13-Dec-2010 10:32

Lizard1977: That's what I thought. Any reputable local distributors/brands of HDMI cable that are worth the price?

You're in Palmerston North right?
Try Jaycar, opposite fish town, countdown end of the plaza carpark.
You can pay more for more rigid connections etc if you want/need to, but 9 times out of 10 the cheaper ones will handle the signal side of things fine.

My rule of thumb would be start cheap and proceed up the price/quality level until you find one that works for you. Pay more for build quality if you know you'll be unplugging them often etc.

Sorry if you have answered this, but really we'd need to know what you want from the system? Do you have room for floor standing speakers etc? Or do they need to be smaller speakers? Looking for music quality sound, or more interested in home theatre movies/gaming etc?

Lizard1977

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#416421 13-Dec-2010 10:55

Thanks Jaxson, yep, I'm in PN, so Jaycar should do the trick.

What I'm wanting from the system is something to play movies well, and put out a decent sound for music, probably in that order. We watch TV and movies more than we listen to music, but I want something that will put out decent quality sound when asked.

Game-wise, we only have a PS2 at the moment, but would like to get an XBox/PS3 sometime in the future. It's not a priority though.

My computer will live in a different room, with it's own set of speakers, though most gaming is through a headset. Not planning to integrate the PC into the surround system at this stage.

I have a wireless network (802.11g) servicing the main PC, the Sony laptop, the iPad, ipod touch and iphone, so if the amp can play nice with the wireless network, that would be a bonus. We haven't bought the house yet (will know by Wednesday), so I'm not sure where the modem/router will go. However we will probably be replacing the aerial and routing the cable internally to service the main lounge (where there isn't an aerial cable yet), so we may look to install a phone jack in the lounge at the same time, and install the router there, which would enable the amp to plug in via ethernet rather than wireless.

The lounge isn't huge, but using the rule of having the TV 2.5x the size of the screen away from the viewing position, I've worked out that the maxium size of the screen would be 50". It'll sit on a solid wooden unit, about 1.5m wide, which would allow about a metre either side for speakers, so I'm looking for floorstanding front speakers. I'm thinking bookshelf speakers would work best at the back, probably on stands or wall mounted, if there is a way to discreetly cable them without drilling into the walls (the wife if very particular about that...)

Cheers

Lizard

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#416442 13-Dec-2010 11:39

I don't know anything about the Jamo speaker pack you're looking at sorry. Looking at specs is one thing, listening to them - that's another...
Before you buy speakers, arrange a demo where you can get as many of the speakers lined up... and play your demo material through them. I have a preference for 2 channel audio, so I test with my favourite CD, but you can test with whatever suits your fancy :-)
The other brands to consider are Wharfdale (Diamond 10's are nice), Klipsch (SNF20's, or SNF2's on clearance), Polk and maybe Kef.
It has been hard to fault the Wharfdale's for quite some time, but other speakers are now catching up / surpassing them. The likes of the Polk TSi series are nice, as they do a true 'surround' speaker, not just a stand mount / book shelf arrangement. This means the speaker will radiate the sound at the back of the room more-so than the slightly more 'direct' stand mounts. I guess, you could say it will give a more encompassing feel to the soundscape. It's cool that they're backed with a 5 year warranty too... whereas some other speaker companies don't do that. I saw in the catalogue that they were 4 ohms, but I've been since told that's a mis-print, and that they are actually 8 ohms.

But I would definitely look at the 46" version of the plasma and try and make your call. One tip, is to cut out a piece of cardboard the size of the 46" and one for the size of the 50", put them up in the room and decide what one works best for you and your wife.

But I do know that the Pioneer 920 amp requires a wired ethernet connection to allow networking (iPod app control + interweb radio). When it comes to streaming content to your new setup, I'd definitely get an Apple TV to begin with, then maybe look at using the PS3 media server software when you pick up a PS3 (for any content you have that isn't DRM from Apple).
I've got to say though, I have a V20, an Apple TV and a PS3, and I don't use the PS3 for any networking duties as it doesn't steam video overly well over our 802.11n connection... so I use the Apple TV and Twonky Media Server (via my laptop) to do the rest.

Re: cables.
If you're putting the HDMI's in the wall, it's worth spending the $'s on 'installer grade' cables as they have thicker sheaths, allowing for much easier installation, reducing the risk of damage when threading through the walls etc. Otherwise, your local Jaycar / JB / HN will have the cheap no-name or Pudney cables for $12-$40 at 1 to 1.5 meters. Your picks I suppose.

And re: speaker cables.
Will the house be a bungalow, or 2 story?
If it's a bungalow, you'll be able to go through the roof (hopefully the pitch of the roof allows this) and drop the cables through the ceiling for a roof mounted solution. If it's a two story home, and the room is on the ground floor... well, it'll get a little trickier.

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