Home Theater Advice

clockwork green · January 24, 2012, 07:04:55 PM

I'm looking for a really basic home theater set up....I figured some of you guys might have some experience here. I recently got an Apple TV thing and I'd like to listen to more music in our living room. Overall, I want to keep things simple. 2.0 with maybe an option to add a sub later. I don't need surround sound. I'd really rather avoid getting a separate receiver and just get some powered speakers that can put out a good amount of volume and sound reasonably flat. I don't need over extended super bass or anything. I was thinking about getting some big monitor speakers like the Behringer Truth stuff but I worry that monitor speakers might be a bit too revealing and clinical sounding but I haven't tried them so who knows? I'd like to keep it under $500 new if possible. Thanks.

chille01 · January 24, 2012, 07:28:44 PM

The thing about Apple TV is it has no analogue audio outputs (or video for that matter). So either you need a receiver that will take in HDMI or Optical/ADAT, or speakers that will. There are HDMI audio de-embedders you can use to strip the audio off the HDMI too, but either way you need something to translate from digital to analogue.

clockwork green · January 24, 2012, 07:33:52 PM

My TV has audio outs and I'm running an HDMI from the Apple TV to it.

At_Giza · January 24, 2012, 07:39:33 PM

Any receiver can do a 2.0 set up. My current crap set-up is about $350 worth the junk. I've never had any powered speakers that I liked, so personally I would recommend against them. A buddy of mine used a PA for his stereo, which was a bit insane... It didn't sound any good, though, it was too overpowering in even low volume. Another friend of mine got a stereo power amp, used the TV volume as the preamp and ran it through a couple 1x12 cabs, which was weird, but whatever floats one's boat. It worked better than that PA set up, but I would have rather used tens or a couple two by eights on the stereo outs.

Personally I would rather get a stereo (with sub) tube-driven set up, with a preamp that can also double as a headphones amp. Expensive as all hell, but still usually audiophile quality. =P

chille01 · January 24, 2012, 07:40:34 PM

That'll work. Don't really have any advice as far as powered speakers or a stereo then, other then to check out what is available in your area and price range, and read the reviews online. The Berhinger Truths don't have a great rep as studio monitors, but for stereo speakers they'd probably work fine.

clockwork green · January 24, 2012, 07:44:05 PM

I was also thinking about maybe higher end computer speakers like the Audioengine A5+...I just question their ability to fill room, even a fairly small room.

fallen · January 24, 2012, 08:05:33 PM

I have some Pioneer speakers from the '70s that are wood and still sound great... and I have a set of new M-Audio powered monitors that burned out in less than a year.

For longevity I'd go for something vintage.

clockwork green · January 24, 2012, 08:08:14 PM

I'd like to but it might be more hunt that I'm willing to invest in time-wise right now. I was kinda hoping that someone had hooked up some budget but large-ish monitor speakers up to their TV and found it to be an awesome combo.

fallen · January 24, 2012, 08:21:10 PM

Yeah sorry I have no good recommendations. Other than to avoid M-Audio AV powered monitor speakers. Bad was that the response was not flat in any way. They just sounded un-naturally boomy. Not scooped but just super boosted in the low end. Worse was when they started cutting out and then fried.

Hemisaurus · January 24, 2012, 09:11:06 PM

Quote from: clockwork green on January 24, 2012, 08:08:14 PM
I'd like to but it might be more hunt that I'm willing to invest in time-wise right now. I was kinda hoping that someone had hooked up some budget but large-ish monitor speakers up to their TV and found it to be an awesome combo.

Computer Speakers can be plenty powerful, as can soundcards. My system in the living room is a pair of old Kenwood's fitted with 15" Sunn bass transducers powered directly from the soundcard, and I have a pair of Altec Lansing PC speakers on the TV.

Unless your an audiophile, that places his armchair equidistant from the speakers, and sits perfectly still, don't worry too much.

Worthless Willie · January 25, 2012, 12:23:35 AM

Check out the Bose Cinemate stuff.

jibberish · January 25, 2012, 06:18:11 AM

go to the store and listen to speakers first. then see if you can score some on craig's or w/e.

i say check out 10" 2-way sealed box stereo speakers at some stores as a starting point. a bit less efficient but tight. something like advent/boston acoustics or w/e. they won't be clinical like a studio monitor. none of that level are, but they rock tight and solid and are not overly huge cabinets. i wouldnt recommend starting with highly "design compromised" computer type speakers.

you can get a nice pair for <$400 even if you get new ones. then you get a 100w/ch home theater receiver to run them. those are cheap, especially used. If you have the line level stereo analog output already, just get a generic 100w/ch stereo receiver, no surround stuff involved.

this will be a nice sounding core stereo that you can feed whatever you want to into it as a source and it will sound good.
-------
off topic but i was just laughing looking over at the stereo rack..
you can never have enough 100w/ch receivers heh. i gave my nephews my 120w/ch otherwise i would still have 5 of them (well one is 80w/ch). i run 3 receivers in a stack with 3 pairs of speakers in a stack.
i cannot describe how rich and full that stack of sound is when all 3 stereos are playing with some volume, but still relaxed. btw, megadeth's cryptic writings is one of the most awesomely produced CD's for getting unbelievable presence and richness out of this stereo setup. old santana albums sound great too, but man, cryptic writings..wow

clockwork green · March 12, 2012, 01:09:50 AM

I have a little Behringer mixer sitting around the house. Could I use that for a record player that doesn't have a built in preamp to run into an amp? Seems to make sense to me but I was just checking. I'm thinking of getting a new turntable and if the Behringer would make a passable preamp for awhile that would be great.

cat shepard · March 12, 2012, 04:03:08 AM

Home theatre, stereo, computer, & mixing console hybrid systems work for me, though if being scrutinized for hi-fi clarity the mismatched natures can leave a bit to be desired, but I like my personal listening system to have it's own distinct personality so I don't completely disappear into a homogenized black hole of mp3dom.

Ayek · March 12, 2012, 05:42:43 AM

Quote from: clockwork green on March 12, 2012, 01:09:50 AM
I have a little Behringer mixer sitting around the house. Could I use that for a record player that doesn't have a built in preamp to run into an amp? Seems to make sense to me but I was just checking. I'm thinking of getting a new turntable and if the Behringer would make a passable preamp for awhile that would be great.

That should do the trick just to boost the signal up to line level. Couldn't hurt to give it a go.

jibberish · March 12, 2012, 09:44:42 AM

Quote from: clockwork green on March 12, 2012, 01:09:50 AM
I have a little Behringer mixer sitting around the house. Could I use that for a record player that doesn't have a built in preamp to run into an amp? Seems to make sense to me but I was just checking. I'm thinking of getting a new turntable and if the Behringer would make a passable preamp for awhile that would be great.

no , you need an RIAA equalized pre-amp for boosting a turntable signal to line level. rekkids are eq'd all wrong, but done according to standards which the preamp also follows. so ya, you just dont boost the signal from a turntable.
outboard phono pre's are cheap though, w/e $50. the usb ones are popular for ripping your vinyl but you need one with line level.

music gear is noisy as hell. y'all have to understand that a reproduction stereo's main job is "100% clean reproduction"
every instrument amp i have ever heard ss or tube has an audible background noise floor. you only get above the noise floor by turning it way up. you wont listen to your home stereo real loud most of the time.
turn on a harmon kardon or denon receiver. you cant hear anything with your ear to the speaker. turned all the way up, you barely hear noise or 60hz rf hum.

you need really quiet components ESPECIALLY at the line level. and really low distortion. speakers add a ton so you need clean speakers so the sound isnt running through a garbage effects chain.

instrument speakers are absolute garbage for running sound through. PA amps would be ok as they have to reproduce full range for the pa, but they have to be clean and quiet. PA speakers probably would work, but you have all heard the music playing on the house system between bands. Basically sounds like ass to me heh.

this stuff is fine for background music in the garage but you will get irritated with it quickly trying to actually listen to music

jibberish · March 12, 2012, 09:50:20 AM

Quote from: fallen on January 24, 2012, 08:05:33 PM
I have some Pioneer speakers from the '70s that are wood and still sound great... and I have a set of new M-Audio powered monitors that burned out in less than a year.

For longevity I'd go for something vintage.

here is a perfect example of "using the right tool for the right job"

btw, my DCM timewindows are 30yrs old.
goddamn are they sweet.

but many many speakers i have, or have had, lost the surrounds to dry rot or w/e kills surrounds over time. the trick is to keep using the speaker and keep the surround flexed frequently..ie "use it or lose it"

cat shepard · March 12, 2012, 01:13:33 PM

You can run out of the aux outs into combo amps if the Behringer has them and send the music to satellite positions around the abode for remote mixes. Maybe run the record player through a DI box into the mixer? Im sure others here will know the scoop on this better than I though. I have monitor mixes available in the bathroom and the kitchen, by utilizing the 2 auxes on this little mixer similar to a Behringer.

jibberish · March 12, 2012, 02:19:11 PM

Quote from: cat shepard on March 12, 2012, 01:13:33 PM
You can run out of the aux outs into combo amps if the Behringer has them and send the music to satellite positions around the abode for remote mixes. Maybe run the record player through a DI box into the mixer? Im sure others here will know the scoop on this better than I though. I have monitor mixes available in the bathroom and the kitchen, by utilizing the 2 auxes on this little mixer similar to a Behringer.

i feed my behringer mixer to the reciever stack from the line outs also. i can definitely verify that this works perfectly

you feed combo amps(or heads) from the 1/4" outputs like control room or remote etc outs. also then you use a regular guitar cord. but here again, i wouldn't use a combo amp to listen to a mix. that is a guitar speaker+guitar amp and not clean/full-ranged enough for mixing.

i've been messing around with mic'ing my practice amp, which is my clean component. then running full effects out to the reciever stack. the speakers are spread out and the practice amp makes like a triangle all around the room. with stereo effects coming out of the stereo from the mixer, and the dry part from the practice amp, the sound is huge and all around

but no matter what, you have to have a phono preamp for the turntable which gets you to line level, then you treat it like any other add-on line-level sound source like tape deck, cd player, etc