Where to look for new audio system for a dummy?

 

Sjnoaf
Unregistered guest
Hi,

I am not familiar & know nothing about audio systems.
Could anyone fill me in on where to look for a brand new one.
My budget is around $800 for speakers & receiver.
I think I should spend this amount equally for the speakers & receiver?
Could anyone give me some sites/reviews/configuration for a decent & best value audio system?


Many thanks,
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bleustar

Pensacola, Florida

Post Number: 12
Registered: Jul-04
Decide on a surround or stereo receiver first. Keeping in mind that for surround you will need five speakers plus a subwoofer.

If you decide on a surround sound system, you will probably want to spend $400 or so on the receiver and the same on speakers. If you chose stereo, you could spend $300-$400 on a good stereo receiver and $300-400 on some even better speakers.
 

Gold Member
Username: Kegger

MICHIGAN

Post Number: 1149
Registered: Dec-03
Bleustar has given you a good starting point.

but you really need to get out there and see the
general area of stuff your looking at is.

after that if you could ask more specefic questions
we can help.

otherwise it's like picking a needle in haystack
with the amount of equipment out there.

not to mention your tastes and preferences.

as far as recievers go.

some of the better recievers for there price.
marrantz.
pioneer elite.
harmon kardon.
nad.

not to mention a few others.
but that should give you a good starting point
to see what you may be interested in.
 

Silver Member
Username: Goldenarrow

Post Number: 123
Registered: Jun-04
Sjnoaf,

Try this web link, a good general set of tutorials:

http://timefordvd.com/tutorial/index.shtml

One thing they omit is how to buy a good stereo-only system, if that is all you are looking for, then you can cut out about 80% of what they say.

Another thing they omit is that equipment DOES sound different when hooked up to each other (i.e., a "thin-sounding" amp with "bright" speakers might make you cringe!). You have to get to the point of listening to different combinations of amps and speakers (and then noticing the differences, and THEN knowing yourself - what you like at first may be fatiguing to listen to over the long run). IMO, when in doubt, err on the side of *slightly* neutral-warm/mellow sounding (TOO mellow sounds like a wet blanket has been thrown over the whole fequency spectrum). Try listening to violin solos, they are wonderful at revealing whether something will sound like screeching fingernails on chalkboards - which might reveal something about the quality of the amplifiers at HIGH volume levels. But then, YOU might like that, depends ONLY upon what YOU want it to sound like.

:-)
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