Help finding a compact 5.1 Set-up :)

[muddyfox470]

I am set on getting the Onkyo SR606 (was looking at the Yamaha AX763 but decided against it due to the availability issues and only 2 HDMIs).

Anyway now I am in a bit of a dilemma as to which speakers to get, I have a budget of around £200 MAX but obviously i would be more than happy if I could save a little

Wall brackets being included is a bonus.

Please could you advise give your opinion on the ones listed or add any more to the list

Ones that I have been looking at so far:

Yamaha NSP110 £75ish
Tannoy SFX 5.1 £150
Jamo A102's £198
Mordaunt-Short Carnival £215

I will mostly be using the set up for my HD movies but would also like for it to perform well with my music collection

I don't know whether it is just worth going with the Yamaha's for a couple of years then upgrade when I am settled into my new place. Then I guess I could appreciate the quality of the new ones more

Thank you

PS. If you have links to solid mag/website reviews I would appreciate them (Tannoy, Mordaunt and Yamaha's seem hard to come by...)

[muddyfox470]

Add the Canton Movie 60CX (£189) to the list... [hard to find a review on these]

[3xH]

I have a set of Jamo A102's currently in the post which should be delivered tomorrow (£200 from Lambdatek). I too was trying to get an AX763 or Denon AVR1909 but availability issues just made me settle for a cheaper Sony STR-DG820 instead which is available now (Onkyo is ugly as hell and runs very hot). Not the best pairing perhaps for the speakers but being £225 made it £105 cheaper than the 1909 and it has similar spec. (4 HDMI in and HD audio decoding etc)

Clearly I can't comment on how any of this sounds yet as it still stuck in depots across the country waiting to be delivered but once its all set up I'll post back how it all sounds.

[muddyfox470]

Originally Posted by 3xH

I have a set of Jamo A102's currently in the post which should be delivered tomorrow (£200 from Lambdatek). I too was trying to get an AX763 or Denon AVR1909 but availability issues just made me settle for a cheaper Sony STR-DG820 instead which is available now (Onkyo is ugly as hell and runs very hot). Not the best pairing perhaps for the speakers but being £225 made it £105 cheaper than the 1909 and it has similar spec. (4 HDMI in and HD audio decoding etc)

Clearly I can't comment on how any of this sounds yet as it still stuck in depots across the country waiting to be delivered but once its all set up I'll post back how it all sounds.

Excellent, thank you

I know I've heard how the Onkyo runs pretty hot, the Denon 1909 is tempting, but have settled on the Onkyo. Didn't really look into Sony's tbh. Will check it out in a sec, as saving some money is always good

Might try my local RS's to see if they have the Denon and KEF 1005 (silver ) in stock.

[3xH]

Originally Posted by muddyfox470

Excellent, thank you

I know I've heard how the Onkyo runs pretty hot, the Denon 1909 is tempting, but have settled on the Onkyo. Didn't really look into Sony's tbh. Will check it out in a sec, as saving some money is always good

Might try my local RS's to see if they have the Denon and KEF 1005 (silver ) in stock.

When I enquired at my local RS last week it was only London City and Preston that had any 1909s and they were the silver one. £299 though if you can get one. Only problem is you have to go and pay in person else I would have snapped one up for myself. Couldn't get down to London with all the snow

You may also wish to look at the Sony STR-DA2400ES which is similar money to the TXSR606 to expand your options

[muddyfox470]

Originally Posted by 3xH

When I enquired at my local RS last week it was only London City and Preston that had any 1909s and they were the silver one. £299 though if you can get one. Only problem is you have to go and pay in person else I would have snapped one up for myself. Couldn't get down to London with all the snow

You may also wish to look at the Sony STR-DA2400ES which is similar money to the TXSR606 to expand your options

Unfortunately the SR606 is at the top end of my budget (£330) so that rules the DA2400ES out straight away.

Biggest flaws I see for the denon are the remote, setup and lack of GUI.

I think the biggest flaw for the Onkyo is people say it is ugly (doesn't bother me) and the heat it kicks out, but I'm sure I can arrange some additional cooling [Haven't decided where to put it yet]

I originally did put in an order for some Yamaha NSP110's thinking that they would be good enough for a couple of years before I looked at upgrading again, and for £70 they seem to get some quite positive reviews, but people say when you hear the Jamo's they sound pretty rubbish in comparison, so I thought I might as well just go all out and spend the £200 from the outset [altho only spending £70 is quite tempting].

[Bunjiweb]

For an all-inclusive kit the Onkyo HT-S3105S is worth a look and can be had for around £200-220.

Speakers are nice and compact whilst having a great tone to the sound and the av-reciever has enough inputs to suffice for this price range.

Ben

[muddyfox470]

Originally Posted by Bunjiweb

For an all-inclusive kit the Onkyo HT-S3105S is worth a look and can be had for around £200-220.

Speakers are nice and compact whilst having a great tone to the sound and the av-reciever has enough inputs to suffice for this price range.

Ben

Cheers for your reply Ben, unfortunately I'm looking for an upgradeable system that is compatible with my needs. First and foremost it has to accept True-HD sound (and other formats) and have HDMI pass through (and upscaling through HDMI is a nice addition). hence the SR606, so on top of this receiver I am looking to spend £200 for a speaker set up

[3xH]

Originally Posted by muddyfox470

Cheers for your reply Ben, unfortunately I'm looking for an upgradeable system that is compatible with my needs. First and foremost it has to accept True-HD sound (and other formats) and have HDMI pass through (and upscaling through HDMI is a nice addition). hence the SR606, so on top of this receiver I am looking to spend £200 for a speaker set up

Then you have the cabling too, my rough calculations have me at £120 for that alone so far lol, and that's with relatively cheap cables...

Still waiting for my Jamos to turn up. Have come home for lunch on the off-chance they will deliver while I am here, tracking has said drop 47 out of 61 for a good hour now so they cant be far away. I know van will come around the corner 5 mins after I leave back for work though....

[muddyfox470]

Originally Posted by 3xH

Then you have the cabling too, my rough calculations have me at £120 for that alone so far lol, and that's with relatively cheap cables...

Still waiting for my Jamos to turn up. Have come home for lunch on the off-chance they will deliver while I am here, tracking has said drop 47 out of 61 for a good hour now so they cant be far away. I know van will come around the corner 5 mins after I leave back for work though....

It's always the case

I am still investigating the wire requirements, initially I think I would use the standard stuff they might include in the box, then I might even do some more research and look into the pro's/cons of the proper stuff over just standard mains wire (google it).

But yes that is a major thing, but as I will only be in my room for a short while before I move out I can put up with lower quality cabling

[3xH]

Originally Posted by muddyfox470

It's always the case

I am still investigating the wire requirements, initially I think I would use the standard stuff they might include in the box, then I might even do some more research and look into the pro's/cons of the proper stuff over just standard mains wire (google it).

But yes that is a major thing, but as I will only be in my room for a short while before I move out I can put up with lower quality cabling

Yeah I'm not going as mad as I possible could on cables, or even the receiver really as I can't get perfect speaker placement due to the room layout (Can't wall-mount the Display and have doors where I wish i didn't etc) which will probably cancel out all the extra expense.

A large chunk of that cable cost is the 3m or so HDMI cable I need to get from the Receiver to the Display. I think like you I will slowly upgrade over time as money allows

[muddyfox470]

Thoughts on mixing a few of these together:

http://www.hotukdeals.com/item/32878...re-speaker-bl/ ??

[dave87]

I'd be tempted by these:

http://www.hyperfi.co.uk/default.asp...ion_avs501_new

A little over budget, but a perfect speaker for wall mounting and quite compact.

[muddyfox470]

Well I've managed to keep within budget.

I picked up my Onkyo SR606 (I would have loved a Yamaha 763 if it had more than 2 HDMI inputs), and I have managed to get hold of a second hand set of Jamo A102 for only £130 which I am pleased with, so will set those up shortly, and luckily they can be hung on the wall easily

Have also gone and bought http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/p...roduct_id/2854 to see what it sounds like and also to upgrade slowly when I get hold of more money [if I'm impressed]

Can't wait til the easter when I get to put it all together! Thanks to all of you for your comments and ideas.

[3xH]

Originally Posted by muddyfox470

Well I've managed to keep within budget.

I picked up my Onkyo SR606 (I would have loved a Yamaha 763 if it had more than 2 HDMI inputs), and I have managed to get hold of a second hand set of Jamo A102 for only £130 which I am pleased with, so will set those up shortly, and luckily they can be hung on the wall easily

Have also gone and bought http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/p...roduct_id/2854 to see what it sounds like and also to upgrade slowly when I get hold of more money [if I'm impressed]

Can't wait til the easter when I get to put it all together! Thanks to all of you for your comments and ideas.

Finally got my Jamo's etc all set up yesterday. Going to give them a proper test tonight with some BD action, however so far I am very impressed and I feel things will only get better as they bed in.
I think you too will enjoy yours.