post your sound setup

[Jay_Patriot]

Okay so maybe the THD figures are a little rich, actual = .01%
but i'll post up my system soon.

I'm a Mac user (for studio work etc) I use a fantastic piece of freeware called "XLD ripper"

I just did a quick google search and there are many different rippers similar.

 

[indica]

can any software do CD to .flac?

Windows - EAC, MAC - XLD.
Both free, both tops.

 

[Bocaj1994]

Sorry to revive this thread again.

I'm getting an itch to spend some more money, or at least something to look forwards to. Normally I would just go off and buy some more computer shit, BUT... Now I'm thinking I want something that will last longer and retain a bit more value...

I obviously want an audio setup. Can anyone suggest a good website to look at audio set ups? I looked at JB HiFi and Harvey Norman but all I can see is "AMGZ 3D READY1?!1" and a bunch of shiny piano black shit.
Something with a good price range and also if someone wants to suggest me a starting point that would be good.

I don't mind if it's digital or analog, tubes or solid state as long as I can feel that warm warm bass deep throughout my stomach when I blast my music, but I just LOVE that retro look. I want to have it connected to my computer "8.1 channel" and my PS3 "Optical out". I don't mind spending ~$300 on an amp and ~$150-$200 on each speaker because I will most likely buy the setup bit my bit... Maybe to start off if there are any good deals on amps and a couple of speakers?

 

[fairy1]

For that little money I'd go have a look at the Vifa kit speakers at Jaycar, you slap em together yourself ans save a bunch, other than that I'd go second hand.

 

[Bocaj1994]

Okay then, what is a more realistic price I could expect?

 

[indica]

Do you need 8.1?
For music? Or for surround movies / games?
Get some studio style monitors if it is just for music.
Behringer Truth active monitors.....

 

[Bocaj1994]

I'm happy to start of with 2.1 and slowly expand, mainly for music. But it would be good to at least have the option to plug them into my PS3.

 

[indica]

Studio speakers are a good way to go.105dB spl .... 450w powered my Behringers are.
Mackie make some good stuff too.

I use mine for mixing, listening, movies and gaming.

 

[Bocaj1994]

Could you recommend me a place to buy from and an amp? There aren't any 'official' resellers anywhere near me (Rowville; 3178)
EDIT: An amp is not necessary?

 

[indica]

Could you recommend me a place to buy from and an amp? There aren't any 'official' resellers anywhere near me (Rowville; 3178)
EDIT: An amp is not necessary?

No amp is needed with that kinda thing.
I do not know of shops I'd recommend, but DJ / Music shops etc will have them for you to listen to.
is Store DJ
394 Victoria St
Richmond VIC 3121
(03) 9912 2858
anywhere near you?

 

[wombat]

Studio speakers are a good way to go.105dB spl .... 450w powered my Behringers are.
Mackie make some good stuff too.

I use mine for mixing, listening, movies and gaming.

As good as active monitors might be, they're going to be a pretty limiting choice if what you're after is a general home entertainment setup.

If you want the option to expand to multi-channel surround later on, and use a wider range of input sources I'd definately be looking at a basic receiver and a pair of front speakers.

If the budget doesn't stretch to decent speakers and a receiver, you could always just pick up a cheap amp to run the stereo setup to start with, and then grab a receiver later on when you get more speakers, or more sources.

That said, this is coming from someone who runs their telly through a HTiB setup, and I haven't been bothered to upgrade that yet; I've been tempted by the idea of some nicer fronts to take some of the load off the sub but can't justify the cost. It's a small room, and for telly/movies/games the sound is fine.

 

[RCOH]

I am 99% buying some wharfedale atlantic 200 hg bookshelf speakers to use as general use 2-way speakers for TV/music/DVD. I have used Wharfdales previously (diamond series bookshelves) and they were really nice until one of my kids blew the woofers by turning the volume up on the receiver too high too quickly. I then got given some rogers, & ditto.

Anyone used the Atlantics? They get a good rap online, and i can get a pair for $199 from the ebay store based around the corner from my house...so my mind is pretty much made up.

Then i will look into a subwoofer...

 

[wombat]

Can't say I've seen them in use, but I'd be keen to hear how you find them, Rod.

I'm still toying with the idea of maybe upgrading the current setup, if I could find something at the right price. And that price sounds pretty right!

 

[RCOH]

I will probably get them in a week or so, so I will keep you posted. people have written that they take a bout 50hrs to warm up but after that they are fine, fill a room nicely for the size.

the price IS good...he says they retail for $799, JB has them for about $350/$400, so 200 is pretty sweet.

 

[fairy1]

I am 99% buying some wharfedale atlantic 200 hg bookshelf speakers to use as general use 2-way speakers for TV/music/DVD. I have used Wharfdales previously (diamond series bookshelves) and they were really nice until one of my kids blew the woofers by turning the volume up on the receiver too high too quickly. I then got given some rogers, & ditto.

Anyone used the Atlantics? They get a good rap online, and i can get a pair for $199 from the ebay store based around the corner from my house...so my mind is pretty much made up.

Then i will look into a subwoofer...

The Chinese ones are supposed to be better than the UK made ones, my oldies bought a pair($1500) of older UK ones and the surounds on the Woofers started cracking after about three years and the spiders deattached from both woofers, they are pretty crap.

For $200 it should be a no brainer as long as they are legit, I'm not sure about home audio but a few high end car audio speakers have dodgy clones sold on eBay.

 

[exvitermini]

entry level set up help?

I've recently bought a Denon DHT-391xp system to replace my old Denon/bose/philips system(Denon dra-345r receiver (mid 90s)/bose 301 series 3's and philips fwb-mc570's speakers) and im trying to figure out if i should keep the 301's or even the Philips as part of the new system and and what configuration i should run them in if so?

my gut feeling is that the new denon speakers dont have the physical size to reproduce sucha s "full sound" as my old speakers do and are somewhat "tinny"?

 

[wombat]

I will probably get them in a week or so, so I will keep you posted. people have written that they take a bout 50hrs to warm up but after that they are fine, fill a room nicely for the size.

the price IS good...he says they retail for $799, JB has them for about $350/$400, so 200 is pretty sweet.

Don't want to confuse issues mate, but I just had a look at the LSK website, and their little M4s are going for $167 as kits, $226 pre-built.

From all reports they're a solid little beast. They're actually tempting me right now, but I'm not sure if they're going to work to well with the rest of the system, 8ohm might be a little heavy for it.

 

[fairy1]

I've recently bought a Denon DHT-391xp system to replace my old Denon/bose/philips system(Denon dra-345r receiver (mid 90s)/bose 301 series 3's and philips fwb-mc570's speakers) and im trying to figure out if i should keep the 301's or even the Philips as part of the new system and and what configuration i should run them in if so?

my gut feeling is that the new denon speakers dont have the physical size to reproduce sucha s "full sound" as my old speakers do and are somewhat "tinny"?

Most of the well priced smaller speakers don't produce any lower frequencies at all so you end up with a lot of info that just doesn't get reproduced. If you go and audition them the salesperson will whack on something like an acoustic guitar track to show how clear they are then maybe something with a kick drum to show how sick the sub is, sadly there is a lot between a sub and a mid/tweeter.

I'd use your old speakers as the fronts and see how it sounds just check the imedance isn't too low for the amp.

They're actually tempting me right now, but I'm not sure if they're going to work to well with the rest of the system, 8ohm might be a little heavy for it.

What do you mean 8 Ohm might be a little heavy?

 

[wombat]

Waht do you mean 8 Ohm might be a little heavy?

It's a HTiB setup and all channels are 3ohm nominal. I figure it could be difficult to balance the setup with those fronts.

 

[fairy1]

It's a HTiB setup and all channels are 3ohm nominal. I figure it could be difficult to balance the setup with those fronts.

Just depends on the efficiency of the speakers, the 8Ohm ones will be fine as long as they are about three or four db more efficient that the three ohm speakers.