Help on amp & speaker choice required
I've recently purchased a media centre pc which I've connected to my lcd tv. I'm currently only using the tv speakers to play my cd's, dvd's and mp3 stuff on the media centre pc. I'm wanting to buy a set of speakers and an amp (presume i require one in addition to the pc) and was thinking about two wall mounted small speakers and a sub woofer near the amp and pc. Does anyone have any suggestions as to whether this is a good idea and any recommendations as to a set up I should go for? I've been looking at the Bose Acoustimass as the speakers are nice and small for wall mounting. I'm unsure on the amp. My budget would be about £500 in total or thereabouts. I dunno if this is realistic.. it's not that big a room and I'm not anal about the sound, I just want a decent quality. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Kev.
I would like small wall mounted speakers, purely because there are connections already built into the wall at high level as left by the previous house owner, albeit I realise the standmount speakers would be a better option sound wise. I've got an HDMI cable between the TV and PC. Any ideas?
I've just looked at the back of the PC and TV for the connection... the connection in the back of the PC is the "VGA out" multi pin socket and the connection in the back of the TV is the "PC --> ..." multi pin socket. The connection is a cable with multi pin connector at each end, the cable being a low voltage computer cable. The guy in the shop sold it as an HDMI cable but having looked at the back of the pc I dont think that's the case as the HDMI socket seems to be more like a usb style socket. Sorry but I'm not really technically minded! Hope you can help!
Sounds like you have been sold a D-Sub 15 pin connector. This will not support HD...
The HDMI is like a bigger USB slot, like you said.....
Also on your PC there may be a DVI connector which can be adapted to HDMI and looks like this....
With regards to the pre-installed speaker wires in your home... do you know how professional the installation is? What I am getting to here is that you do not know the quality of the cables used and that a uniform length has been used, all of which will affect the quality of the final result. Style speakers like the Bose are ok, but if most of your listening is stereo, standmounts will sound far far better. Also, stop looking at Bose, if you spend the same money on a different brand you will get much more bang for your buck.
If it was me, I would be looking at some bookshelf speakers like the Monitor Audio BR2, a good stereo amp like the Marantz PM6002 and the Beresford DAC to convert your digital music to analogue.
[edited by: tom83cat at 11:11 AM (GMT 
on Thu, May 29 2008]
Just so it is clear.... VGA or D-Sub 15 pin will not support HiDef. HDMI and DVI do support HiDef. HD televisions mainly use HDMI and HD graphics card mainly use DVI. To solve this poblem, there a lots of adaptors on the market which will change a DVI connector to a HDMI one to plug into a tv.
Thanks ever so much... very helpful.
Any other advice would obviously be welcomed.
You really need an external DAC to improve on the sound of the PC.
That's another box though, but thankfully there are active speakers out there with a DAC built in that sound superb.
Choices choices! Any suggestions on makes and models? Thanks for help!
Beresford DAC for about £100... can be found HERE
Have you figured out what types of connectors you have on your PC? You will need some form of digital out to use the DAC, be it in the form of COAX, Toslink or normal optical connector.
I have a dvi/out on the rear.. is that what you mean? Can't see anything else.
Yeah, you can get a DVI to HDMI cable so you can output HD to your TV. It would be worth looking up what GFX card you have, just to see how good it is.
As for the soundcard... do you know if there is a digital output on it? Should be a COAXIAL or an Optical which you could run direct to a suitable amplifier, or you could put it through a DAC which most people on these forums would recommend.
This:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?c=so&U=Strat16&doy=search&Criteria=A56AK
And this:
http://www.avihifi.co.uk/avid/avid.html
And this:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=97886&doy=search
Darren
Does a DVI carry sound? I didn't think it did which has me confused as to how you're currently getting sound out of your TV?
I think it is because he is using a VGA or D-Sub 15 pin connector like on older PC monitors
Ok, I'm on the verge of getting confused!
I just want to play by cd's, dvd's and mp3's through a set of speakers as opposed to through my TV.
My PC is connected to my TV using a VGA/D-Sub 15 pin connector as suggested.
I also have a DVI/Out socket at the rear of my PC and all manner of connectivity on my Sony Bravia LCD TV.
I kinda need an idiots guide to connecting and recommendations on speakers and essential accompanying hardware such as the Amp.
I'm also a little confused about the comments re. HD as I don't have any plans to subscribe to High Def TV at the mo.
Sorry to be so technophobic but that's why I asked for help in first place... I do appreciate all the advice!
Cheers, Kev.
I should say thanks Darren & Tomcat for the recommendations on equipment and thanks Professor for the advice so far!
- Login to post comments
Ideally you want an amp and a pair of standmount speakers on some stands, but if you want style speakers, there are some options there too. You've got loads of options for £500 (which will offer you better sound than the Bose system), but just to make sure we get this right, how are you currently hooking the PC to the TV?