New home cinema audio setup req....

[dshepsman]

hey guys

recently my sony home cinema all in one amp/speaker thingy set up blew/died - is def not working (you can see im a pro at this sort of thing...)
so now i need something else so i can hear my PC/PS2 in all its glory
anyways... im now thinking of getting seperates... quite tempted by this:

cambridge azur 540r

anyway, im gonna need new front/reat/center/sub speakers, cables - the works.

any suggestions?? (would wanna spend less than £150 on speakers+cables)
also - ive got a soundblaster extigy - i know it does dolby digital, but is it worth dumping it for a card that can produce dolby digital EX and DTS (ES?)??

please help a confused noobie

[Alex]

Originally Posted by dshepsman

hey guys

recently my sony home cinema all in one amp/speaker thingy set up blew/died - is def not working (you can see im a pro at this sort of thing...)
so now i need something else so i can hear my PC/PS2 in all its glory
anyways... im now thinking of getting seperates... quite tempted by this:

cambridge azur 540r

Really nice amp, I have exactly that one. However, I would say that if you went for the Denon 1705, which is supposdely at least as nice, probably a little nicer, then you'd have a little extra for speakers..

http://www.unbeatable.co.uk/CatalogueItem_21508.html

anyway, im gonna need new front/reat/center/sub speakers, cables - the works.

any suggestions?? (would wanna spend less than £150 on speakers+cables)
also - ive got a soundblaster extigy - i know it does dolby digital, but is it worth dumping it for a card that can produce dolby digital EX and DTS (ES?)??

please help a confused noobie

Not really worth dumping the soundcard for a EX or ES one, again, I'd spend more on speakers. You thinking a smaller set of satellites then, with a sub?

[dshepsman]

i dont have a big room, so i dont need/want huge speakers.. they need to fit on some shelves anyway. i would like em to sound great though. apparently (according the some guys at richer sounds) i dont need a sub.
is this true, cos i can always add it later (when i could afford it)

[Alex]

Ummmmm....

You don't need a sub if you have large enough speakers, basically. £150 isn't that much to get speakers that will sound nice, especially if you want it for music too...

Ooohh, looky here:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157001

Second hand Acoustic Energy 5.1 system... you would really need the sub which he has included but that bumps the price up though. If you could afford it, I would unhesitatingly say buy this, it sounds absolutely perfect for your needs, other than being slightly too high a price

Just dont get that extra soundcard upgrade... thats a little bit further towards it!

[Alex]

Or indeed with this amp to save a bit more money:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156625

If you got the AE system from the 1st link and the Yamaha amp from this one, then you'd have an incredible system for the money, and it would be the kind of size of sub/sat you sounded like you were after.