First of all let me thank you for allowing me to participate on this forum. I am in the process of putting together my first home theater system and need lots of help. I am not new to audio equipment. I put together my first stereo system from a Army Pacific Exchange catalogue while I was serving in Vietnam in 1970. However my learning curve ended sometime in the 1980's with the purchase of a CD player. But I am pretty much dead in the water as far as the new technology of HD TV and surround sound systems.
My current equipment accumulated through the years some inherited.
Bose 901 series II speakers, Phase Tec Euro towers, Bozak three way.
Sansui 9090 and 5050 receivers
Yamaha CD player
Nakamichi tape deck
JVC turntable
JVC DVD player
Panasonic VHS
Sony Beta Max VCR
RCA 27" CRT tube TV
Cable TV box
For the past 9 years all of this stuff sitting wired together in our family room and has bothered my wife to no end. We are in the process of doing a kitchen remodel and the family room is next.
Our family room is 14' X 22" and will connect up to our open Kitchen plan which is also 14' x 22' My goal is to mount a flat panel LCD TV low over my fireplace which we never use and purchase a surround system to serve both our Video viewing and to listen to music My wife's goal to get rid of all these speakers and much of the other equipment as possible which clutters that room. My goal is to have a good picture and good sound.
The follow are my beginning point questions:
What size LCD? I am thinking a 52" either a Sony or Samsung with 1080 and 120 Hz. Some have told me go as large as possible but is this size too large for this room. The prime viewing of area for the new TV will be between 10' to 12' from the screen. But some seating may be 8' feet away.
I am going to need a AV receiver. It appears the Onkyo and Yamaha appear to be considered good units. One of my goals is to try to reduce the number of cables necessary to hook all of this up. I would also want to have a DVD and room for my turntable. I see any number of AV receivers available for $400 to $600. A blue ray unit may be down the line. But most of my current TV viewing is Cable.
Speakers. I am assuming that I would not want to use any of my existing speakers. Although it may be hard to part with my Bose 901's as they have been part of my life for almost 40 years. I have never been overly impressed by the Bose cube systems even with the slick demos at the Bose stores they were never close to what the 901's could do. I am really confused here as so many ways to go but I would like to stay in the $1,000 or so range for a 5.1 system. So many new names have appeared and much of what is referred to as good value are sold only on line. Small satellites and a sub sound appealing size wise but am I better served sound wise by a little larger book shelves in the 12" x 8" size plus a sub. I also know when it comes to speaker systems ones mans pleasure is another man's pain as it is the most individualistic part of any audio system. Great advances been made in multi channel sound. I have a Logitech Z-5100 system on my PC and it has great sound for DVD's and Games and listening to music and only cost about $100.
Well I hope I have not been two long winded but as you can see I need lots of help and advise as it appears important to match the technology of your TV to your AV receiver and other components.
My current equipment accumulated through the years some inherited.
Bose 901 series II speakers, Phase Tec Euro towers, Bozak three way.
Sansui 9090 and 5050 receivers
Yamaha CD player
Nakamichi tape deck
JVC turntable
JVC DVD player
Panasonic VHS
Sony Beta Max VCR
RCA 27" CRT tube TV
Cable TV box
For the past 9 years all of this stuff sitting wired together in our family room and has bothered my wife to no end. We are in the process of doing a kitchen remodel and the family room is next.
Our family room is 14' X 22" and will connect up to our open Kitchen plan which is also 14' x 22' My goal is to mount a flat panel LCD TV low over my fireplace which we never use and purchase a surround system to serve both our Video viewing and to listen to music My wife's goal to get rid of all these speakers and much of the other equipment as possible which clutters that room. My goal is to have a good picture and good sound.
The follow are my beginning point questions:
What size LCD? I am thinking a 52" either a Sony or Samsung with 1080 and 120 Hz. Some have told me go as large as possible but is this size too large for this room. The prime viewing of area for the new TV will be between 10' to 12' from the screen. But some seating may be 8' feet away.
I am going to need a AV receiver. It appears the Onkyo and Yamaha appear to be considered good units. One of my goals is to try to reduce the number of cables necessary to hook all of this up. I would also want to have a DVD and room for my turntable. I see any number of AV receivers available for $400 to $600. A blue ray unit may be down the line. But most of my current TV viewing is Cable.
Speakers. I am assuming that I would not want to use any of my existing speakers. Although it may be hard to part with my Bose 901's as they have been part of my life for almost 40 years. I have never been overly impressed by the Bose cube systems even with the slick demos at the Bose stores they were never close to what the 901's could do. I am really confused here as so many ways to go but I would like to stay in the $1,000 or so range for a 5.1 system. So many new names have appeared and much of what is referred to as good value are sold only on line. Small satellites and a sub sound appealing size wise but am I better served sound wise by a little larger book shelves in the 12" x 8" size plus a sub. I also know when it comes to speaker systems ones mans pleasure is another man's pain as it is the most individualistic part of any audio system. Great advances been made in multi channel sound. I have a Logitech Z-5100 system on my PC and it has great sound for DVD's and Games and listening to music and only cost about $100.
Well I hope I have not been two long winded but as you can see I need lots of help and advise as it appears important to match the technology of your TV to your AV receiver and other components.
