Hi. I'm a newbie here so sorry if I should be posting on another thread.
I have the following: Imac, Macbook Pro, Ipad2, Apple TV, Samsung 42" telly.
I'm looking to get some decent speakers for the telly, I guess some kind of surround sound and ones that can also play my music from the ATV. Is all this possible in a simple method, without taking out a mortgage? Can anyone point me to a system that's maybe going to do all of this or at least most of it?
Thanks for reading!
bythor
Your question is quite broad and that would make it somewhat difficult to get specific answers. You will get many different answers since there isn't much specifics but thanks to this forum and helpful people you will get some good hints and from what I read so far there are good answers. Also, people will understand differently when you say you have standard size living room
. Readers from the US will think of bigger rooms than those out of US and it sounds like you are not in the US.
There are many things to consider when buying sound systems/home theaters but if you keep few general ideas in mind, you won't be overwhelmed and confused.
Check this link out. It might be helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S3400-5-1-Channel-Theater-System/dp/B004O0TRDI
In general:
* Sound quality is very subjective. Everyone will have different opinion about what speaker sounds good so as a first step decide on what kind of setup you are going to go for rather than what speakers you will buy.
* When budget is in consideration, HTIB (home theater in a box) systems give you the most for your money. HTIB systems are the ones that include blu-ray player (most of the time), speakers, streaming services (although nothing beats ATV2's interface and usability), and some extra inputs for other devices like cable boxes, Playstation, ATV2, etc.
Samsung and Sony home theaters are good performers in general if you are looking to have the blu-ray player included. Samsung HT-D5500 is great for the money but if you don't care about the blu ray player, Onkyo HT-S3400 is wonderful for the money. It's like HTIB without the player. See below for pros and cons of home theater in a box systems.
Pros:
All-in-one package that will give you satisfactory performance although not audiophile level.
Saves space since the BD player, receiver is all in one console
Cons:
Customization is very difficult. Most of the time you can't upgrade components if you want to.
When something breaks, the whole system may be unusable - one of the worst parts of all-in-one systems
* To get the best performance with tight budget, get the best stereo speakers the money can buy with a decent avr. Bookshelf speakers are great for such purpose. Adding a sub will improve the experience even further. Buying separate components will always be the more expensive choice and it will require more space but it is well worth it in the long run.
Soundbars are great option for budget and space oriented sound setup but unless you spend few extra hundred bucks for soundbars like Yamaha's, virtual surround might be disappointing if you are looking for surround sound. Room acoustics are also important to get good virtual surround. Smaller the room, better the effect due to better sound reflection.
* Regardless what setup you go for and whatever speakers you end up with, you can always tweak the sound to its optimum level by learning how room acoustics change the sound. It takes several trial and error but at least this is the part that doesn't cost anything
Positioning the sub in the right place in the room will make a big difference the way you will hear the sound.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57384549-47/subwoofer-setup-dos-donts/
I read this guys articles all the time. Although he has some expensive taste in sound equipment, he does know his stuff.
Good luck.
