Good afternoon,
So, I have recently purchased a Hisense P7 55 TV & I now need a sound setup to go with it.
My budget is around $400-500 ish. My lounge is open plan with the kitchen & is quite long to the side. I also have very high ceilings, it's a loft/warehouse style apartment.
I'm assuming due to the size I will need 5.1/7.1 speakers.
Any input appreciated.
I’ve never had a sound system setup but I’m after something that is a little more immersive predominately for films, so surround sound appeals with some bass.
No games on the TV. Unlikely any bluray or at least initially that is. It will be streaming Netflix (I’ll upgrade for the 4k content option), some YouTube & downloading high quality 4K films, played via HDMI I assume. I will have a decent fibre internet connection.
You can't even get a decent receiver for that little. For reference a mid-range surround sound system will cost around $2500, but will last you over 10 years. I've had my DALI Concept speakers for almost 10 years so far and am no where near needing to replace them.
I would start budgeting and save towards a budget of around $1000 - $1500 to start with. That will get you a decent receiver and 2 decent rear speakers (that you can use for fronts until budget permits buying better fronts). From there, you can get a center and a sub, then finally replace the fronts with some better fronts and use your fronts as rears.
To pre-empt your questions:
* Don't get a sound bar setup. They're almost universally terrible. You're better off saving your money and dealing with bad TV audio.
* Don't go wireless. It's pretty gimmicky and unreliable at best.
* Spend more on a receiver than you'd like as it will future proof you (my new receiver has support for Atmos, even though I don't have Atmos speakers yet).
* The center speaker is the primary speaker, so spend more on it than any of your other speakers.
Some suggestions for speaker brands:
* DALI (my personal favourite)
* Elac
* SVS (Possibly the best around, but you pay for it)
* Klipsch (I don't like these, but they're popular)
Stuff that I'd recommend avoiding:
* BOSE - Better Off Spending Elsewhere
* Pioneer - Average at best
* B&W - Overpriced and not nearly as good as any of the recommendations
When an audiophile can't come back down to earth and realise not everyone wants (or has) to spend that sorta coin on speakers
Yeah, didn't see the TV he was pairing it with. OP can go to cash converters/Gumtree and buy whatever cheap all-in-one system they want. They likely aren't going to notice the difference.
But my suggestion still stands because $2.5k over 10 years really isn't a huge investment.
Thanks for the input but after buying a TV, along with moving house & a 3 week jaunt to Europe next month, I think my bank balance requires something a little lower in price!
A 2nd hand option definitely has appeal.
@Carpe Diem: Speak of the devil: just got a search alert for this. Great deal for those speakers (normally $350-$500 for a pair). Would just need a receiver to connect them to then.
I may even pick up a pair for another room in the house at that price!
@trankillity: @trankillity Thanks! Will take a look. The description does state more for small/medium rooms. Good price though!
@trankillity: Added Zensor Vokal Centre speaker links with a brand new full warranty option from DenisWhiteHomeCinema.com.au
@thebadmachine: Some real good prices on there for the Zensor range! Wonder if they're going EOL? I didn't get my Concepts until the Zensors were coming out. Was definitely a good time to pick up a set.
@trankillity: Who knows. My opinion is that the models in the deal were just slow to sell compared to the rest of the Zensor series. So just offloading. There could be a new series coming out, the people in Europe would probably know first.
Hardly 'audiophile' just someone's TL;DR that can be summarised as: 'save your money and buy something decent'
- B&W - Overpriced and not nearly as good as any of the recommendations
They are quite good speakers but they would need a decent power amp to bring out the best in them.
Found these if you or anyone’s interested.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/melbourne-cbd/speakers/svs-p…
Look for a second-hand "home theatre in a box" setup. I've got a Samsung 5.1 system that's done me well for years. Sure, if you pay more you'll get more but that's life in a nutshell…
$500 won't buy you Atmos, and I doubt you're spending more than your TV purchase on the home theatre, no matter how long it takes to build up to the above 'recommendation'.
Sounds a good idea. So a home theatre in a box & speakers are what I need. I'll look into the above brands.
I'm assuming due to the size I will need 5.1/7.1 speakers.
smaller speakers would be more efficient in smaller spaces.
Grab yourself a set of used Jensen speakers on eBay or gumtree and a used receiver that can power them. Should be able to get a decent used system for $600 with a bit of bargaining.
I completely agree with trankillity - you really need a budget of $1500-2500 for a killer home theatre setup.
Why not something like this for the next year or so whilst you save:
https://www.betta.com.au/yamaha-5-1ch-home-theatre-system-bl…
5.1 inc. sub
receiver included.
Supports 4K and HDR passthrough.
Ugh.. we got rid of our home theatre set up. Just was clutter.
I thought people nowdays bought soundbars.
I think sound technology has become more compact (mini speakers), with better spatial detailing (ie surround sound), but not in a way that actually makes older stuff seem much worse. Less of a fast-paced technology.
Which means that if you have the space, you could pick up a set of old floorstanding speakers and an amp and have some awesome system for less than a couple hundred bucks. Or free if you wait for council cleanup.
Some people might say this won't sound as good as some new system or whatever, but you could just turn up the volume until you can't hear them or your own thoughts.
Something worth considering is 4 bookshelf sized speakers as surround speakers, instead of the 2 fronts being tower speakers (towers can cost considerably more).
As long as you have proper placement (bookshelf on either on cabinets or stands) and a subwoofer, you will be able to save your money by using bookshelf’s as fronts L & R.
Centre speaker must be a centre-speaker, I have read many people try to use bookshelf as a centre and having trouble.
I would stick with 5.1 (4 surround’s, 1 centre, 1 sub) at least initially as it is simpler to setup and tweak. 7.1 - 7.2 adds either side/or roof speakers + additional subwoofer which makes things even trickier to get all aligned and sounding right.
Spending less than $500 (all-in-one box kits) you will get the overall emmersion, but comes a time you feel like turning it up (more often than you think as dialogue can often be quiet in movies) and having a cinema like experience, you will find out the short falls and have components start making weird noises/failing on you.
Just extend your budget a bit, shop smart (deals/discount codes), take it in steps (buy receiver first, then hook up your first bookshelf’s, then buy a centre and sub later on) and you will be happy with even the entry-level range of speakers and equipment (when shopping for everything separately).
Some great tips & recommendations, appreciated.
From my initial searches, I've found some very agreeable prices for a second-hand 5.1 setup.
I would say be careful with second hand.
Especially when it comes to subwoofers (people typically tend to use them on full blast for majority of their ownership, so I (personally) would avoid second hand subwoofers unless they are near/brand-new).
Although speakers are generally simple in function and construction, when something breaks it costs more than you think to get it fixed (unless you can DIY). Even more if it’s a receiver/amp/CD player etc.
(We had a stereo receiver which broke, and it was cheaper to just buy the new version of it, rather than repairing the old one.)
A benefit of buying new from a store (with discounts etc) is you can get it replaced/refunded if it’s within 2 years of ACL protection.
Good advice. I’ve cooled on the second hand product now. Mostly because every time I found what I assumed a decent setup, it was lacking a particular feature I found I needed.
I found a Yamaha YSP 4300 Soundbar with Woofer for just under $100 today on Ebay. Seemed a high quality one from a few years back, even though I'm not after a soundbar. I then found it didn’t support 4K throughput!
Have you considered doing a stereo setup or a 2.1 setup? 2 good speakers + a good stereo integrated amplifier will outclass a poor 5.1+ system. The other benefit of a stereo setup is less cabling.
No matter what, you still have a small budget so maybe it is worth saving for a $1000-$1500 setup whilst using the TV speakers.
Hi budget home theatre person.
Just discovered these Sherwood’s Brand-new @ radio-parts eBay (99.7% feedback).
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TEATRO6F-6-5-2-Way-Floorstand-Sp…
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TEATRO4C-4-2-Way-Centre-Speaker-…
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TEATRO5R-5-2-Way-Bookshelf-Speak…
Additional 20% off discount with PEACE code.
eBay details says Floorstanders ‘sold in pairs’, but Bookshelfs as ‘single speaker’ (which is confusing because 2x Bookshelfs would end up costing more than 2x Floorstanders).
For the Floorstanders(pair), Centre, Bookshelfs(pair? Needs confirmation) it’s all around $500 after 20% off.
Free delivery on all except $20 for the Floorstanders.
The Sherwood powered subwoofer can be had cheaper than radio-parts price here for $180.
Now all you need on top of all these, is a decent cheap 5.1 AV receiver.
Disclaimer: it is worth noting that these are older Sherwood models and are probably discontinued, so the best you can hope for is a refund if anything goes wrong.
Edit: something like this.
The Sherwood’s are rated at 120watts(centre/bookshelf) & 150watts (Floorstanders) so 100w per channel seems about right.
Everything I mentioned here should total around $1000 give or take a few dollars.
Someone on one of my deals drew my attention to these use code PLANET to make it $94.05 for the pair delivered.
Edit: Cheaper model brand-new Sherwood centre & bookshelfs can be bought as a package for a even lower price (lower max power than the models I listed above in the original that comment are ‘Teatro’ models).
Remember to use 20% off code PEACE.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sherwood-Concerto-Bookshelf-Cent…
For your budget, uses and room, I agree with those above who said to get a Logitech z906 or a Yamaha Home Theatre in a box (5.1). Too bad the speaker wires on the z906 cannot be changed. These set-ups are good for movies, but a bit crappy for music.
When you grow out of your current set-up and are prepared to spend $3000-$4000, get the OLED (or micro LED) TV and ATMOS sound system.
It’s been an interesting exploration into the world of audio. I never knew there were so many intricate aspects one must consider regarding a sound system setup from DTS, DolbyTrue, even having to be 4K enabled. Rather naïve of me, especially as I know a bit on TVs!
The Yamaha is definitely the front runner atm. Comes in at a very agreeable price of $399 with 4K/DTS covered. Also appeals that it includes everything I need in one package. Worried due to the size/height of my lounge though, it may not have enough punch.
https://www.betta.com.au/yamaha-5-1ch-home-theatre-system-bl…
I’m also half tempted by this number, which I can get for $713 (refurb). - Ticks a number of boxes & aesthetically, I really enjoy the tall skinny tower speakers, which are not very common nowadays. Main drawback is the lack of HDMI input functionality, bit dated & obviously a refurb, which makes it a big risk.
https://www.sony.com/lr/electronics/all-in-one-home-cinema-s…
Hi I mis-read, you said ‘HDMI input functionality’.
Refurb depends where you get it from. If it’s manufacturer refurbished (sold by Sony) they should give you (a shortened) warranty.
You do mention high ceilings and long/open areas. If you do see yourself upgrading in the future, you will save money & be more satisfied by going with proper Home Theatre IMO.
It is a manufacture refurb from Sony direct, which comes with a 1yr warranty. It seems a decent price & now tempted to pull the plug on it. Just no downloaded viewing is frustrating or can but not as optimum.
Does the Sony setup look a decent setup for the price? Is it missing anything significant?
Depends what you consider decent. As it is $700 refurb ($1299 RRP is ridiculous) and all/mostly plastic construction.
Spend ~$300 more on real home theatre and you will get much more for your moneys worth IMO.
As someone may have commented already, going with the Sony & the Yamaha, you may end up upgrading eventually, and when that time comes your all-in-one system will be thrown out, or listed for very little on gumtree to get it sold.
There are some poor reviews on the unit, mentioning; takes a long time to power on, distorted sound/not loud enough, issues with pass-through.
I think what you are looking at is a glorified version (with many bells & whistles or features) of the Yamaha. But in the end it is made up of cheap materials and components.
@thebadmachine: That's a good way of putting it. I think the maindraw card is that it's double the output of the Yamaha & I love the look of it but lack of codec input is very offputting.
@Carpe Diem: In terms of Sony’s claimed power, since they lack specifics ( # ohms, frequency range, THD #%) I would take the claimed power number with a grain of salt.
At least Yamaha provides specifics:
70 W per Channel (6 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.09% THD, 2-ch driven)
Another plus for Yamaha is that it comes with a normal AV receiver (Sony has custom blu-ray combo unit) which you can actually put to use in the future.
Good luck selling the speakers (single 2.75-inch full-range driver in a box) and sub (6.5-inch passive) that comes with it though (below entry-level cheap stuff).
@thebadmachine: Edit: Regarding the Sony combo unit, usually this type of unit is only compatible with the speakers that come with it.
These Teatro (+$20 for postage) : https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TEATRO6F-6-5-2-Way-Floorstand-Sp…
And these (free postage): https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sherwood-Concerto-Bookshelf-Cent…
Will set you back $407.20 Total, after 20% off code PEACE discount.
That’s the fronts, rears and centre covered.
That gives you $305.80 left to spend on a receiver.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/450527
(Assuming your budget is $713 of the Sony all-in-one)
And $180 additional if you want the subwoofer.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/449766
For a Grand Total of $906.40. ($193.40 over budget)
Alternative at this price point from bread & mortar (quicker easier returns/replacements):
https://www.betta.com.au/yamaha-5-1ch-home-theatre-system-69…
If you are worried about the mismatching power of the speakers, you can setup various settings on the receiver to make sure they all play at the same volume etc, if you are getting distortion from the smaller speakers when turning it up, you can set them from ‘Large’ to ‘Small’ or adjust the overall x-over between the sub and everything else (cuts off more of the lower frequencies going to particular speaker) in the receiver settings.
Or get a great setup with 2 sets of Zensor 3’s (4 bookshelfs) and the Zensor Vokal Centre.
And the SUB E-9F for a Total of $1138.60.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/449790
Then add the $375.20 Pioneer receiver.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pioneer-VSX-531-5-1-Channel-Blue…
For a grand total of $1513.80.
A few ozbarginers have reported good things with Zensors as surround speakers.
The SUB E-9F will give you that true powerful bass when watching movies.
An alternative from bread & mortar:
https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/yamaha-52-home-theatre-pack-l…
@thebadmachine: Food for thought & they definitely look great!
$700 is a stretch though & so entering into four figures is definitely too much unfortunately.
I have read some very reassuring Yamaha reviews today & along with seeing it's price has fleeted as low as $310-350 of late, I think it may have swayed me.
@Carpe Diem: Yeah, the receiver (which carries the most value) itself costs around $250.
So that gives you an idea of what the speakers are worth.
(Packaging it like this, must be Yamaha’s way of encouraging you to upgrade one day)
I think the Sherwood package (Floorstanders with 2x 6.5-inch drivers each speaker) I suggested, without the subwoofer, will hit as low as the Yamaha all-in-one with its single 6.5-inch subwoofer (just tweak the receiver settings to let it know you want the surround speakers to play full range).
So you could do without the sub so $906.40 - $180 = $726.40 Grand Total.
@thebadmachine: Although the system will get a lot louder with the subwoofer included.
To make it easier on you. Just get what’s in your budget (I’m guessing $500-600, so $310-$350 is too cheap).
I would recommend brand-new at a discount with full warranty / ACL protection.
Keep your eye open on ozbargain.
Good luck.
@thebadmachine: You have been a lot of help. Cheers!
Even though I know to avoid wireless speakers. I may get them for the back because the wiring will be a nightmare in my new place.
Thanks again.
After much pondering I ended up buying a soundbar in the end, which I never thought I would.
Opted for the Yamaha 108 after reading some decent reviews & so far, it's perfect for my needs! Thought the bass might not be deep enough but it's ticking all the boxes so far.
I only have good things to say about the YAS-10# series.
Great sound / power and quality for the price-range.
There are a few options to go for, it depends on what you are wanting to achieve - full/decent surround sound? Loud bass/Volume?
What are you going to put through the TV? IE Games consoles/streaming services/Bluray? And what will be you main media consumption? IE free to air/movies/games? Are you using 4K content etc?
These will determine in which direction you head. There are some pretty good options these days to achieve any of those options :)