|
New member Username: SindyrPost Number: 1 Registered: Sep-09 | Perhaps someone in these forums could assist me? I am a computer consultant, and a techie, but not an AV or HT maven. I am replacing my AV in my living room, and in the process upgrading to HD. I have a budget of $5000 (or so) for everything. I want (I think) a 55 inch 240HZ (real or processed) TV with LED local Dimming and excellent audio. Additionally, I am connecting a gaming computer to the system to be able to play games like Jumpgate and City Of Heroes, as well as games like Portal or Assasin's Creed. (I already have a kickass gaming computer for the purpose.) Here are the components I have narrowed down into -- what do you guys think? • Toshiba - 55sv670u ($2800 at our local store -- a bit pricier there than the internet, but I like these guys and want them to service it.) • Yamaha RX-V1065 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver ($710) http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=5036142 • Energy Take Classic 5 pack Home Theater System ($200) http://www.energy-speakers.com/na-en/products/take-classic-5-pack-overview/ • Energy S12.3 Subwoofer ($579) http://www.energy-speakers.com/na-en/products/s12-3-overview/ • DirecTV DVR HR23-700 ($200) • BluRay, PS3, and/or XBOX360 to be added later • $350 TV Stand • $350 labor setup • $300 5-year warranty Total: $5489 (quite a bit over, but perhaps for a good cause?) My question is twofold: Have I chosen the right components? Especially the subwoofer -- I like the reviews of the Energy S12.3 Sub -- good wattage, goes down all the way to 19 Hz, good reviews, but it is an older model -- is something newer better, or as good and cheaper? And while we are on the subject, have I picked the right TV? I cannot afford the Sony Triluminos 55 inch TV with local dimming and 240 Hz I don't think, nor the Samsung 8500 one. The second question is how the components will be connected. As I understand it, it's better to connect components directly to the TV -- for both HDCP and pass-through concerns -- and so I am guessing I should connect the computer, the DVR, and the PS3/XBOX360 directly to the TV, and simply connect the optical audio out from the TV to the Yamaha receiver. Is this correct? Thanks! Need to know soon as am about to part with (to me) a fairly large sum of cash. ;) |
|
Silver Member Username: JrbayLivonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA Post Number: 879 Registered: Feb-08 | Personally I would delete the warranty then you would be a lot closer to your budget. Also be careful about the cost of the wires you may purchase from your local store. Liking them enough to pay a little more for the components is fine but letting them wring you dry on the wires as opposed to someplace like www.monoprice.com is a completely different thing! The component choices are great if you have heard the setup and are thrilled with it! You are the best judge of what you like to hear! Regarding question 2, I would definitely say no, please do not take the audio out of the TV. A proper wiring job really depends on how complicated you want to make the setup. Generally there is very little reason not to connect everything to the receiver first then out to the TV. The receiver is a much better switch but if there is some concern that the video portion may be unduly influenced by the receiver, and you have a mean streak enough to complicate the issue, you can connect all video directly to the TV and all audio directly to the receiver! |
|
New member Username: SindyrPost Number: 2 Registered: Sep-09 | OK guys, thanks a million, been keeping up with responses and trying to speed learn as best as I can from this site and other sources. Here are some of the ideas I have been hearing, and my thoughts: I think I am hearing that the Elemental Designs A3-300 subwoofer is recommended over the Energy S12.3, and that's fine by me -- same price range-ish. So at this point, can you all tell me if you support my decision to use that Subwoofer in my setup? Now, as far as the receiver, I have a few questions. First, how important is Audyssey processing? The Yamaha (I have been told) does not have it -- is that a deal breaker? As far as I can see, Audyssey processing is used to make sure the speaker output is balanced, but Yamaha appears to have their own way to do that, I think it's called YPAO. Is this sufficient, or not as good? Secondly, I have gathered that more wattage output isn't just for louder sounds, but better clarity at lower volumes -- that everything else being equal, a 105 watt receiver will sound better/clearer/less distortion than a 95 watt receiver, even at the lower levels. Is this true? Also, I have been given constructive criticism that spending $700 on the receiver and $750 on the speakers ($200 on the 5 speakers Front, Rear, Center and $550 on the sub) is not a good ratio. I have been recommended that the money spent on my speakers should be about twice as much (a 2:1 ratio) as what I spend on my receiver. That would seem to indicate that My subwoofer is in the right price range ($550) but the rest of the speakers are more the "economy" line? But I can't simply just add money to the budget to get better satellites, so something else has to be traded down on if I were to spend more on the other speakers. The TV is going to cost what it's going to cost, and as the centerpiece of the system it will not be traded down. I *am* persuaded now that I don't need the local store to do as much for me, which saves a few bucks but not that much. What it boils down to is (I think) that the only way I can afford to spend more on my satellites is to spend less on my receiver. However, according to other recommendations, I should NOT run the components into my TV, and the TV audio to my receiver. This means, quite possibly, running the components through my receiver to the TV -- which makes the quality of the receiver even more important I would imagine. I have heard horror stories of low cost low quality receivers handling the quality of the input signals badly when put in between the sources and the TV. (Of course, there is another possible configuration, more on that in a bit.) From all accounts, the Yamaha RX-V1065 is a wonderful choice (possibly apart from its lack of Audyssey processing). It seems to get very good audio and video reviews. It has good power. And I am not opposed to upgrading my satellite speakers later, when more money becomes available. Also, the review I saw (on CNET, I think) said that the Energy Satellites, even though they weren't pricey, sounded really good. Oh more information -- the living room is 13 feet 5 inches by 14 feet 6 inches, and there are two open doorways (with no doors), one on left that is 70 inches and one on the left that is 42. I don't know if the following ascii diagram will print out right, but here goes: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...window...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x x x TV x | x | x | w | i x n x d x c w x o x x u x x c x x h x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-------------xxxxxxxxx Anyways, how's this plan: for money reasons, and because keeping the Yamaha may be better than trading it down, I am strongly considering going ahead with the Take 5 Energy satellites for $200 (unless someone recommends better ones in the same rough price range.) Then later, perhaps next year, I would potentially replace them with 500-900 dollar satellites. ($500-900 for 2 front, 2 rear, 1 center.) Unless of course the Energy ones sound absolutely fine to me. Good plan, or is there a better course of action? Another question I have as I touched on above is how are these components connected? Everyone has been very clear that connecting the components to the TV, and the TV Optical Audio out to the Receiver is NOT the way to go. Another obvious approach is to connect the components to the Receiver, and that to the TV -- which seems fine (with a good receiver), although that makes all the extra HDMI inputs that the TV has useless. People have also suggested that perhaps I connect the video of each component directly to the TV and the audio of each component directly to the Receiver. Let's say that I do not mind at all having to juggle remotes, let's factor that completely out -- how would you go about connecting it up like that? Would you run the HDMI from each component to the TV? Then what are you running to the Receiver? Would you have to buy some kind of HDMI splitter to be able to send the video to the TV and the audio to the receiver? Specifically, which (audio) inputs on the receiver get used for the DirecTV HR23, the PS3, and the computer audio? To the best of my knowledge, receivers do not have multiple optical audio inputs. How does this work then? Next, in terms of what I get from the local store (Gerkens, in Keene, NH), this is what I am hoping to have them do for me: • Deliver the TV, TV Stand, HR23-700 • Upgrade my satellite dish to HD • Take away my existing monster (an old huge 4:3 RCA projection) • Run wires, especially through the floor into the basement and then back up behind the couch. • Mount brackets on walls for the speakers • Run video and audio calibrations • Verify my satellite HD channels are working properly. If they can do the basics of the above, you guys have given me the confidence to take it from there. Also, I do not want to spend 2-3 thousand on a TV and not have a good warranty -- I will not be able to afford to replace this TV for a LONG time. I figured that $369 for a five year warranty on the set (4 additional years) is a good safety net, especially since I have the option of extending it at the end, and since if they do have to service the TV they bring a temporary replacement to tide my over in the meanwhile. The biggest sacrifice I am making is paying $2800 for the TV when I could get it for $2300 online, but I would rather deal with a local shop with local people who I can be demanding of if and when it becomes necessary, and with a local reputation to protect. Plus, as a local businessman myself (computer consulting), I want to support local. My final thought/question is that I do not want to get the wrong TV -- and I think the Toshiba 55SV760U is probably the right one, but does anyone know of any specific and dramatic reasons to prefer the LG 55LH90? It would have to be a pretty big reason, because that would force me to deal with a very distant Best Buy instead of my local HT shop. If its six of one and half a dozen of another, I will stick with the Toshiba, as my local shop sells and services it. Is it? Thanks guys, you are really being a great help to me. I hate either buying electronics or spending big bucks without doing the research, and you guys are really helping me big time on that. I look forward to your feedback, suggestions, and advice. |
|
Silver Member Username: MccambleyBREEZY POINT, NY USA Post Number: 695 Registered: Jun-05 | I think you are spending way too much for the TV. You are buying brand new technology (LED Back lighting) and paying up for it. A Panasonic plasma TC-P54G10 will cost you 1200.00 and have a better picture. The money saved can be spent on a better receiver (Denon AVR2310) and better speakers. You don't need the warranty, that money would be better spent on an ISF professional calibration ( you will need one with a Toshiba). I like the Energy speakers but the best bang for the buck is Paradigm with an Hsu Research sub woofer. |
|
Silver Member Username: MccambleyBREEZY POINT, NY USA Post Number: 697 Registered: Jun-05 | The price on the Panasonic was for the 50 inch the 54 is 1600.00. You keep saying that your local shop will service the TV, its not a car and should not need servicing. If you connect all the video to the TV you would use digital connections to the receiver (Toslink optical or Digital Coaxial). The best way is to hook everything up to the receiver and run one HDMI cable to the TV. Plasma is better picture than LCD, that's why they have to try and improve the picture yearly. LED back lighting, 120 refresh rate to smooth the picture and 240 to smooth it even more and make it look more like video and less like film. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Vm8444Post Number: 44 Registered: Aug-05 | Hi casey's right or go with the energy speakers the pdr8 sub by paradigm or psb sub zero match it with the denon reciever that you can afford then audioquest speaker wire lower end buck a foot hook everything up through the denon then hdmi out to tv,, denon has the auduesy set up for calibration for sound and this set up will smoke the yamaha if done correctly. theaudioguy.ca |