Home Audio System

[BarbaricSoul]

Hey people, I'm thinking I want to get a home audio system for my house. But I am completely lost when it comes to modern audio equipment. So I need some suggestions. Some answers to questions I think you'll want answers to-

1. Coverage- I'm looking to cover my living room, adjacent dining room/kitchen area, and upstairs open foyer (over looking living room)
2. Components- stereo with ACC/USB/bluetooth connection capability, speakers to cover the rooms I want covered
3. Budget- I don't know honestly. I'm looking for quality, but not over the top quality. I love BOSE, but I'm not looking to spend $2700 for a Lifestyle 600 system. I'd like to keep it under $1000 if that's feasible.
4. Wires- I prefer not to see them

So what would you suggest I get?

 

[AsRock]

Maybe some thing like the Yamaha RX-V679, or even a older model if you want to save some money, and maybe able pick up new too for the warranty. Although will only cover 2 zones but maybe that be enough ?, i cannot see 3 zone av's being cheap. and if you want more than one HDMI output is going make things even more expensive.

The Yamaha Aventage range might have better options for you like pre outs ( maybe limited ) more HDMI outputs.

Personally if i were going to do it i would see if i could get lucky in picking up some old Yamaha MX-55's ( i actually own 2 already ) but they only do 35wRMS in 4 channel mode, and buy a secondhand AV with preouts. Or even some Marantz MA500 mono blocks.

Onkyo is typically more features for the price so maybe look in to their stuff, i personally don't like how they sound but that's me and the difference is night and day.

With that said do you have any hifi shops near by ?, be careful of the sales talk but should be very informative.

More i think about it you have a fair few ways to do it and all so depends on space you have available system and speaker wise.

For example if you only want small speakers you could check out the smallish Advent Mini Advents which if i remember right you can get out door ones too and sell pretty cheap, how ever depending if you feel lucky or not want want pick some up with replaced foam surrounds. But they are pretty cheap ( price seems to be getting higher ).

As for speakers you should be perfectly fine looking in to secondhand speakers.

What size speakers well only you know that information and for hiding wires you could try a electrical store for ways to hide them.

I have never messed around with wireless speakers maybe worth looking in to not sure. Which brings me to speaker wire long runs need higher gauge which will help system and to keep the resistance down. and just to note that 100ft can be 50ftx2.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

I'd suggest an Onkyo system and I do like their sound.
You really do get a lot for your money with them...Sound wise...You're talking a thousandish for the whole system and I think Onkyo and Yamaha have that range locked.
Denon is good too.

 

[AsRock]

I know this be pushing passed your budget but maybe look in to normal receivers and pick two up, maybe the older version have bluetooth i am not sure, would have to look in to some more.

If you do buy new you might want to check if you have a local service area your willing to travel too

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Hey @AsRock what's your opinion on this I just found on my local CL? Seems like a pretty good deal to me.

https://norfolk.craigslist.org/ele/d/chesapeake-surround-sound-stereo/6868839585.html

I know I originally asked about a system that would/could have speakers in three different areas, but the areas are all connected and if this is as good a deal as I think it is, I would definitely be happy with it as at least a good starting point for a home audio system.

My living room showing other two areas (kitchen/dining room and foyer) I want covered

 

[thebluebumblebee]

So you're not looking to be an audiophile, you just want to listen to music no matter where you are in those (connected) spaces. That looks like 2 zones to me, but that's about the extent of my knowledge. Although, you're most likely trying to have a nice audio system to watch movies with and in-wall or ceiling speakers in the other rooms???

I'd suggest an Onkyo system and I do like their sound.

This is what you're going to hear from audiophiles, that this brand sounds better than another to them, and this is especially true of speakers. I like speakers with a strong mid-range and that is why I'm still using Polk Monitor 10's. The opposite end of the spectrum for me are Klipsch speakers which are too bright, have too much bass (although they're short of being "boomy") and are very weak in the mid-range.

Spoiler: Holy smokes!

Just found that the store that's responsible for my love of quality music is still in business. Back in the 80's, while still in the Navy, a friend of mine introduced me to Digital Sound, although they don't appear to be the store that I knew. (most Hi-Fi stores have gone out of business or have done what it looks like DS has done - become a boutique store) Although they sold very high end equipment, they also realized that not everyone has deep pockets. I ended up building a system with used NAD parts for a song. Warning: An audiophile store like Digital Sound might show you nuances in music that you had never heard before, and once you hear them, you will miss them when they're not there. At that time, they invited you to bring in some music that you liked, that you knew, and they would demo it for you on their equipment, which would be an eye opening experience.

About that CL listing, you have to be careful about older AV equipment because technology keeps moving on like 4K and newer versions of HDMI.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

I should mention that in my best efforts to find speakers I liked that I came to the conclusion I can't afford exactly what I like so I built my own.
In my situation my system is in a corner with my 2 bigger floor standing speakers and a sub then on each side of my system I have a door opening of 60" and in the opposite corner the walls are made of concrete.
So I put a smaller satellite speaker to fill in the open area in each of the front left and right corners.
Because the rear walls are concrete I decided to build a sealed subwoofer as the added distortion that a ported sub has simply muds up the sound too much imo.
My satellite speakers are amazing each contains 1 mid -range, 1 mid- bass and 1 planar tweeter...
My main stereo speakers are your basic full range 3-ways.

The reason I'm bringing this up is because the DIY option gives you 2x the quality of sound you will get from pre-built speakers $ for $...

Whether or not you build your own or you want to buy something you should definitely check out www.parts-express.com
this month they are giving away a hat with every other... Nice hat too
They have an awesome staff as well... You can even pick out speakers and anything else you need and they will figure out cabinet dimensions for what you wanna do.. All you have to do is ask...

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Audiophile quality isn't needed. Between Navy jets and the various tools of construction, my hearing is pretty much shit. I mean, I can hear, but I have a (usually loud) ringing in my ears and certain sounds I can only hear in one ear (example: can only hear a grasshopper in my right ear). So there's no need for audiophile quality as I can't hear it like that.

 

[AsRock]

Looks like a nice deal, these receivers (pretty much all ) when they fail they are pretty much throw away items more so on the HDMI side so better check it out at low and high volume,

The Klipsch might give you that more in the face sound, ideally going need some space from the wall so the rear port can breath but all so depends what you want too.

Will give you a good idea what else you want for only $200.

Looks like their are stairs on the rear right which might be placement challenge and maybe even more so for the right side. Their is a zone to for speaker placement else were which will give you some experimenting to do.

Do make sure the HDMI ports are working as well as the bluetooth and ethernet.

That's a dining table up top yes ?, looked like a pool table and if so be careful on placement.

 

[steen]

Because the rear walls are concrete I decided to build a sealed subwoofer as the added distortion that a ported sub has simply muds up the sound too much imo.

You're holding your sub wrong. Sealed IB vs ported debate is more a continuum of output. Rear concrete walls & ported = added distortion = muds up the sound => non sequitur.

 

[AsRock]

You're holding your sub wrong. Sealed IB vs ported debate is more a continuum of output. Rear concrete walls & ported = added distortion = muds up the sound => non sequitur.

He may like that " SOUND ", what sounds good to one probably don't to another.

So you're not looking to be an audiophile, you just want to listen to music no matter where you are in those (connected) spaces. That looks like 2 zones to me, but that's about the extent of my knowledge. Although, you're most likely trying to have a nice audio system to watch movies with and in-wall or ceiling speakers in the other rooms???

This is what you're going to hear from audiophiles, that this brand sounds better than another to them, and this is especially true of speakers. I like speakers with a strong mid-range and that is why I'm still using Polk Monitor 10's. The opposite end of the spectrum for me are Klipsch speakers which are too bright, have too much bass (although they're short of being "boomy") and are very weak in the mid-range.

Spoiler: Holy smokes!

Just found that the store that's responsible for my love of quality music is still in business. Back in the 80's, while still in the Navy, a friend of mine introduced me to Digital Sound, although they don't appear to be the store that I knew. (most Hi-Fi stores have gone out of business or have done what it looks like DS has done - become a boutique store) Although they sold very high end equipment, they also realized that not everyone has deep pockets. I ended up building a system with used NAD parts for a song. Warning: An audiophile store like Digital Sound might show you nuances in music that you had never heard before, and once you hear them, you will miss them when they're not there. At that time, they invited you to bring in some music that you liked, that you knew, and they would demo it for you on their equipment, which would be an eye opening experience.

About that CL listing, you have to be careful about older AV equipment because technology keeps moving on like 4K and newer versions of HDMI.

WOW really, he may not be looking for audiophile sound which is why i said the items i did. I know he's not audiophile as he likes bose ( J\K ). And to say there is not sound difference of the Yamaha, Onkyo, NAD, Pioneer, Cambridge or any thing in the lower than 1k range or even $500 is just plain ignorant.

I hear the difference very clearly. Boomy systems is normally due to bad speaker\sub placement if the speaker don't suck in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Ok without going overboard on anything and looking for a system to accomplish everything modern...
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-800-8-80-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-627
https://www.parts-express.com/onkyo...er-a-v-receiver-with-bluetooth-155w--252-540#!
https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...-tower-speaker-pair-with-amt-tweeter--300-654
$500 shipped.

really nice prices on whole speaker sets
https://www.parts-express.com/cat/home-theater-speaker-systems/93

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Looks like their are stairs on the rear right which might be placement challenge and maybe even more so for the right side. Their is a zone to for speaker placement else were which will give you some experimenting to do.

Yes, that's the stairs. Audio system placement would probably be between the TV (wall mounted) and the coaxial cable hook up you see in the pic.

That's a dining table up top yes ?, looked like a pool table and if so be careful on placement.

dining room table down stairs, pool table upstairs

 

[AsRock]

Well get a system and trail and error, I am a little concerned with the room being very open and what you actually want out of it. How ever you look at it it be a load better than a TV speaker.

Why i was on about if that was a pool table or not to make sure no one puts a pool cue though it.

The small Advent's mini might not be enough but again it all depends on what you be happy with and they could take a pool cue hitting them as they have a metal grills,

No one you can borrow any gear from ?, so you could get a much better idea if you be happy with ?.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

About the pool cue concern: Eh, the majority of people that play here I would say are above average skill wise. I've had a table up there for over 5 years, and have yet to have any damage from a flying pool ball. Granted, the occasional drunk chic plays, but that table prefers slow easy shots to hard shots, and we preach that when playing. BTW, here's the table ready for break-

Five years and we haven't lost a window yet.

Sadly, no. All my friends either just have a blue tooth soundbar or something like Alexa that they use for music.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

started assembling my system today, picked up a Onkyo TX SR608 receiver (with remote, set up mic, and manual) and a pair of Yamaha NS-A1638 speakers. Not bad for only $130

 

[AsRock]

Cool, it's a start , only way found out if you like them right In the rabbit hole you go . Be aware of the top of the unit might get a little hot, personally i use a 180mm fan on a USB hub and does the job well which i got mine from bay $20 for 4 of them.

EnJoy.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

I am liking the receiver. Only things it's missing that I would have liked is bluetooth and 4k capable, but other than that, it's what I was looking for. And for only $80, I can "make do" with it. The speakers are ok, but I'll definitely try a few others. Besides, the receiver is a 7.2 receiver, so yeah, I need more speakers.

 

[AsRock]

Yeah never liked any Yamaha, Onkyo, SONY etc brand, their other gear can be awesome but that's were it stops for me. You could look in to Adding Bluetooth though a module although don't know how good it be.

Well if i was you i would hang on to those yammy's, those speakers on the sides ?. all so if they are old the foam might of rotted on them to which would make them sound real crap.

And maybe worth some thing to the right person too.

Personally i think Onkyo's sound flat which to me would not help the case if i had those. Yamaha preamps and amps the sound tends to jump out at you more. Pioneer ( Some of the 80-90's technics used to be this way too.) do to but it's much more forced.

Matter of preference in the end, time and patience will guide you.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

I am liking the receiver. Only things it's missing that I would have liked is bluetooth and 4k capable, but other than that, it's what I was looking for. And for only $80, I can "make do" with it. The speakers are ok, but I'll definitely try a few others. Besides, the receiver is a 7.2 receiver, so yeah, I need more speakers.

You don't need it to be 4K capable because it has ARC via HDMI 1.4a
Connect everything to your tv That's 4K and just run 1 HDMI to the receiver at the TV out on the receiver and turn on ARC on your TV...audio will follow the TV since everything is hooked up to it...ARC will adjust the volume regardless of using the TV's volume or the receivers or a ROKU ultra or ROKU 4
Some TV's only do ARC on 1 HDMI so check your TV.
You might have to adjust some devices CEC funtions

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Well if i was you i would hang on to those yammy's, those speakers on the sides ?. all so if they are old the foam might of rotted on them to which would make them sound real crap.

And maybe worth some thing to the right person too.

The drivers seems to be in fine condition. I was just hoping for a deeper bass from them. Their outsides are pretty beat up, which is how I got them for only $50 for the pair. They are only place holders until I can get a "good" 5-7 speaker set-up.

You don't need it to be 4K capable because it has ARC via HDMI 1.4a
Connect everything to your tv That's 4K and just run 1 HDMI to the receiver at the TV out on the receiver and turn on ARC on your TV...audio will follow the TV since everything is hooked up to it...ARC will adjust the volume regardless of using the TV's volume or the receivers or a ROKU ultra or ROKU 4
Some TV's only do ARC on 1 HDMI so check your TV.
You might have to adjust some devices CEC funtions

Oh, ok then. I'm feeling even better about my receiver choice. Unfortunately, with this being a rent week, I've spent all my "extra" money for the week, and I still need another HDMI cable to hook up my TV/satelite to the receiver. I'll research how to do that this week, and that's next weekend's project. I currently am using Direct TV and this is my TV- http://www.sanyo-av.com/us/product/product.php?id=724

 

[Deleted member 67555]

The drivers seems to be in fine condition. I was just hoping for a deeper bass from them. Their outsides are pretty beat up, which is how I got them for only $50 for the pair. They are only place holders until I can get a "good" 5-7 speaker set-up.



Oh, ok then. I'm feeling even better about my receiver choice. Unfortunately, with this being a rent week, I've spent all my "extra" money for the week, and I still need another HDMI cable to hook up my TV/satelite to the receiver. I'll research how to do that this week, and that's next weekend's project. I currently am using Direct TV and this is my TV- http://www.sanyo-av.com/us/product/product.php?id=724

Connect your Sat/Cable Box to (or any other device) into the TV via HDMI and 1 HDMI from TV (ARC port if specified) to the receivers "TV OUT"
You don't need to plug any device into the receiver unless you run out of HDMI ports on the TV.
If your TV is CEC enabled any CEC device that sends a single will automatically switch to that devices HDMI port.
example Xbox/PS4 turn on controller and it switches to it then you hit the channel button and it switches back to the Sat box.
only 2 HDMI needed...Sat box to TV and- TV to Receivers "TV OUT" (ARC port if specified usually labled at HDMI port)

 

[AsRock]

The drivers seems to be in fine condition. I was just hoping for a deeper bass from them. Their outsides are pretty beat up, which is how I got them for only $50 for the pair. They are only place holders until I can get a "good" 5-7 speaker set-up.



Oh, ok then. I'm feeling even better about my receiver choice. Unfortunately, with this being a rent week, I've spent all my "extra" money for the week, and I still need another HDMI cable to hook up my TV/satelite to the receiver. I'll research how to do that this week, and that's next weekend's project. I currently am using Direct TV and this is my TV- http://www.sanyo-av.com/us/product/product.php?id=724

Maybe test a bit more with placement even though placement would be bad for you just to see if it helps, might want to try more toeing them inwards to see if that helps some.

If you want more base i highly recommend some of the old Paradigms. Like the Paradigm 5se MK1, 7seMK1 or if you want floor standing 7seMk1, personally i i found that the MK3's ( to vocally for me and not the same bass ) were bettered by the big old Infinity's but you will pay for those for sure.