Surround Sound Speakers Packages

My current setup is a stereo receiver with two big 20-year-old floor speakers. The speakers are big, fat, and ugly, but I like that they put out a lot of bass. The receiver died, and I'd like to upgrade to a 7.1 receiver (maybe the ONKYO 604) in case I want surround sound in the future.

My question is, would TV and music still sound ok on a HT receiver if you don't have a subwoofer, center, and satellite speakers connected to it? Would two floor speakers get enough bass from the receiver without a sub? Would TV dialog get lost without a center channel? I know it wouldn't be surround sound, but I'm not sure I want all those extra speakers and wires running around my living room.

There's nothing wrong with using just two speakers for sound- and even though I have 5 speakers, I don't use my sub (it isn't even connected), my main speakers have enough low end. Most receivers have a sub on/off setting in the menu options.

When you connect your sources (DVD, etc...) use all analog connections. If you use a digital input, the receiver is going to try and default to 5.1 mode and you'll lose all dialogue. With analog inputs, it will automatically go to stereo mode.

2007-01-29 14:49:19 by lambert_58

Hooking up surround-sound speakers is step one to setting up a home theater. Knowing where to position your surround-sound speakers — subwoofers ...

Not sure if I can explain this how I want to, let me try.

We're buying a new house and I'm going to get the builders to wire in cables for surround sound. They offer a package with speakers which are set flush into the wall, but they look terrible and I'd rather have some control over the quality of speaker I buy.

I've heard it said that the speakers should be positioned at more or less head height, for when you're viewing the screen sitting down - so the sound is project on the same level as your ears.

My questions is in two parts really:
1. Would it work if I put speakers up in the corners of the room near the ceiling, then angled down into the room slightly ... i.e. so the sound is projected towards a central point on the wall opposite the TV, where I'll be sitting on my sofa?

2. Are there any speakers which are designed to fit in an upper corner like that? I'd imagine the back would be somewhat triangular, and perhaps the front would be more spherical?

your front speaker should be some where around where your ears are when you sit down, as if someone was talking to you

the back speakers can be any where, in the celling, in the walls, on the walls, they are for effect, and nobody is talking to you behind you head

Theil makes a 10,500 souround sound unit that Sound and Vision just loved and they are all celling and just what you are looking for

now celling speakers have movable tweeters that can point at you to make the illionsion that it is in the right spot

you could also put your 2 fronts pointing at you from the top and on the center on top of the TV or below the TV you center channel can sit

2007-02-28 03:36:35 by brightspark

Price: $599.95

UniVolume keeps volume during TV programs and commercials at the same level
World's slimmest soundboard (2 inches) can be placed in front of most TVs
Yamaha's exclusive AIR SURROUND XTREME
Digital built in amplifier
Subwoofer-Integrated receiver allows one-cable connection

Im looking everywhere for a HD dvd player with clip connections at the back ready for surround sound speakers and sub to be plugged into the back. Why should i go out and buy the full package again when my speakers and sub work perfectly fine. Thanks for any help.

Or if you can point me in the right direction to a HD DVD player that has this, this would be great !!

You already asked this question. This is a cheap DVD player; it cannot drive speakers.

Get a receiver.

2008-10-19 07:10:25 by Rick H

Price: $99.99

Center includes dual 4.75" driver with 1" tweeter
New BRAVIA matching design
Rear speakers include 4.75" full-range driver
Nano-fine tweeter rated to 50kHz
Nano Fine tweeter rated to 50kHz for hi-def audio

A package with the receiver is ideal.

There are no "good" wireless surround sound speakers currently available, if you are an audiophile. If you just want something that sounds better than your mono speaker B&W TV set, go to Circuit City and Best Buy and look around - they do have some. You don't give any kind of budget, so it's hard to tell what you want.
But beware, even though the "wireless" speaker doesn't have to be connected to your AVR, it will have to be plugged into an electric outlet!
Hint - general rule for better quality is to buy AVR and speakers seperately, rather than a HTIB set up.

2008-02-10 13:15:52 by Tony Clifton

I am getting recommendations for brands types of speakers I should use for a surround sound system. I am NOT interested in any home theater package! Please do not post links to surround systems you find on sites. I am custom building this. I am buying the receiver seperate and the speakers I will buy just the speakers and I will case them and mount them myself but I need suggesting on tiny speakers that will have awesome sound quality and the best bang for the buck.

I think I understand that you want build the speakers yourself?

Okay, then Parts Express and/or Madisound are good places to start. eBay too can be useful for finding steals on drivers. My suggestion here, given your criteria for small speakers, would be going with a full-range driver like the Tag Band 4" bamboo cone. This will cover the entire range above the portion where a typical powered subwoofer would take over. This way you won't need a crossover so you're soundstaging and imaging will be absolutely superb at a minimal cost for components. If you would rather go with a traditional woofer/tweeter 2-way system, then Scan-Speak and Seas as well as Morel, Usher and Aurum Cantus are on my short list of driver brands.

Then you can get pre-finished cabinets to save you from building them yourself if you want.

Also, you can get either a subwoofer kit, or the raw subwoofer driver and plate amplifier and again, build the cabinet yourself. If you choose the latter, I recommend either a 12" or 15" subwoofer -or at the very least a 10" driver as a sub. My choice here is the Dayton Audio Titanic. Excellent build/sound quality with real-world pricing. My choice for plate amp would be the BASH 500-watt RMS.

Otherwise, manufactured systems are recommended below...

If you can find an Energy Take 5 speaker system on the used market, this would be my bang for the buck choice.

Otherwise, if you are looking for new only, several recommendations in that area -price dependent.

Under $500: Dayton Audio HTS1200

$500-$2,500: Hsu Research starting with their Performance 2 system

Under $3,000: Silverline Minuet 2 pair and a dedicated Minuet center with an Hsu powered sub appropriate for your size of room

As for the audio components, I like Arcam first, then Pioneer Elite, then Onkyo (for the receiver, not the optical disc player).

As for the HDTV, I prefer the Sony XBR LCDs first, and the Pioneer Elite plasma displays second.

Happy home theater-ing!

2008-11-15 21:14:02 by markxxx