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Silver Member Username: NencyPost Number: 167 Registered: May-09 | A pre-matched surround sound system is a room-friendly, space-efficient alternative to a conventional component speaker system. Pre-matched systems tend to have smaller front, center, and surround speakers, in addition to a small non-powered subwoofer. Many pre-matched systems also come with a Blu-ray or DVD player built right into the receiver. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16227 Registered: May-04 | . By "pre-matched" I assume you mean a Home Theater in a Box system such as; http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Speakers/Speaker-Systems/abcat0205004.c?id=abcat0205 004 These components are, for the most part, junk and a waste of money. Sound quality is secondary to just about any other consideration when the manufacturer is putting these systems together. In most stores there's no audition process allowed, you buy a box and you wait to hear your new system when you get home. Reliability is just barely above sound quality as a consideration. These manufacturers stay in business by having people buy replacements for other junk that has failed and isn't worth repairing. If one component, say, the BluRay player fails in such a system, there's no repairing or replacing the player. One piece failing will most often mean you need to replace the entire system It's not unusual for the speakers and subwoofer to be unusable with any system other than the original components. If you are actually expecting a "subwoofer", the boxes that come with these systems will not be what you are expecting. Passive (non-powered) "subs" from such components are designed to be run very high into the midrange frequency range and they will not be useable with any speakers or amplifier other than the component they were oringally paired with. You will have a useless set of speakers/sub and components that cannot be upgraded. That, primarily, is what you can expect after spending money for these systems, you will not repair them, they are not interchangeable with other higher quality components and they are not constructed to last for more than a few years at best. If these are all you can afford, then you are in a situation where you have no good choices. Buy a "pre-matched" system and start saving your money for something other than another "pre-matched" system when the time comes to replace the first set of components. There are several high quality audio manufacturers who design and build "smaller" components and speakers meant to provide higher quality sound while not overwhelming a small apartment. These companies do not have names which begin with a "B". Before you waste a good chunk of cash on a "pre-matched" system, if smaller size is really what you're after, find a competent independent audio retailer in your area or call an online retailer such as Audio Advisor before you lay out money for a closed ended investment in a "pre-matched" system. . |
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Gold Member Username: SuperjazzyjamesPost Number: 1458 Registered: Oct-10 | Jan, inspite of our differences, I feel compelled to give the heads up on Nency Mitchel. This particular op does nothing more than start threads, make usually a single post like one you see here and never post in that thread again. Most likely, the op will never even read your post, much less respond to it. Most of his/her post are copy/pasted posts that someone else made. In one such post the english was horrible, not just broken english, SHATTERED english! If you look at the archives in the HT section, you will see what I am talking about. This op does not discuss audio or HT, he or she simply posts opinions which are usually someone else's opinion. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16229 Registered: May-04 | . And then I usually post my opinion. I'm aware of NM but I'm not making a response that I expect will be read by the op. However, should someone down the road find the thread, they will have a second opinion to use. |
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Gold Member Username: SuperjazzyjamesPost Number: 1460 Registered: Oct-10 | Ok, that makes sense. |