Building a cheapish Home Stereo system

[darkcow]

I don't know much about this whole home audio stuff, but i do know what good audio sounds like (my parents have a top of the line sound system with a record player) now i want one of my own. but then again im kinda short on money.

i was thinking about a pair of these. they seem very loud, and big, but what about their quality? i have a local deal around here somewhere where i can save on shipping. but how about em? i like those because then i dont have to buy subs.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WBYI/ref=nosim/?tag=mysimon-ce00-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B00009WBYI&linkCode=a sn

and then here is the receiver I'm looking at. 6.1 is what i like about that. although its not built for high def TV, i don't mind much, don't watch TV anyways. i use my computer for that. but digital in is a must so i can have true 6.1 (i know 7.1 is more popular, but i don't have the money for that kind of reciever, unless theres a cheap one flying around. (and also this thing has the regular 6 analog ins (just in RCA form), which is cool so i don't HAVE to buy a new sound card, just a few converters)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7016463&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03031&id=1099394773266

and then maybe buy 4 of these later to go from 2 speakers to 6
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8289167&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03043&id=1172277277943

and then this sound card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829118109



i also have 2 Aiwa speakers, i couldn't find anything on them cept for their model number SX-na302, not sure if they are any good.


thanks

[Sir Barton]

I dunno about those Bic America speakers, theyre awfully shallow which may hurt sound quality. In general, a good speaker has a deep cabinet. I have a couple of the cheap Insignia bookshelves (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7705307&st=insignia+bookshelf&type=product&id=1138085354138) from Best Buy along with a 10" Velodyne subwoofer and they sound great. The Insignias can be had for as little as $50, and theyre worth every cent. I would stay away from those Sonys...as Sony doesnt make very good speakers. Cheap cabinets, paper cones...nothing good there. Even paying the retail $80 to $100 is worth it, as you wont find too many speakers under $100 that sound this good. The thing you want to watch out for with a surround receiver is the DAC (digital to analog converter). Alot of them wont sound as good as what comes on a soundcard unless youre spending alot of money. It would probably be better to get a decent soundcard, a vintage stereo amp, and hook it up via the analog outs. Do a search on AVSForum about those Insignias...theyre excellent for the money.Heres my setup...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/brasshonkey/desk3.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/brasshonkey/audio.jpg

[billb]

I don't know much about this whole home audio stuff, You're looking at bottom line 6.1 stuff. Go 2.1 and get mid line equipment. Two good channels will sound alot better than 5 bad sounding channels.

[darkcow]

You're looking at bottom line 6.1 stuff. Go 2.1 and get mid line equipment. Two good channels will sound alot better than 5 bad sounding channels.


yea, i know it isn't a very good system. i already have a good enough 2.1 system right now, http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=C375-3780

its similar to that but its their older version and i think their older stuff is better.



what about that reciever? any good? it does have the normal analog in's, so i can do it with a good sound card and not use digital out. it is possible to get 2.1 now and then move onto 6.1 later.

and ill look into those speakers that you suggested, they look a bunch better than those sony's too.

[Sir Barton]

yea, i know it isn't a very good system. i already have a good enough 2.1 system right now, http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=C375-3780

its similar to that but its their older version and i think their older stuff is better.



what about that reciever? any good? it does have the normal analog in's, so i can do it with a good sound card and not use digital out. it is possible to get 2.1 now and then move onto 6.1 later.

and ill look into those speakers that you suggested, they look a bunch better than those sony's too.
Youre comparing a 2.1 computer setup to a 2.1 bookshelf/sub combo. Apples and oranges. The 2.1 bookshelf/sub combo will be head and shoulders above any computer speaker setup you can get. Even if you were to get those Sony bookshelves, they would sound much better than the 2.1 Cyber Acoustics.

[Mr. Roboto]

Barton, just curious, how come you reccomend a vintage stereo amp in alot of threads? Do they often use better DAC's than a cheap stereo amp of the shelf today?

[Sir Barton]

Barton, just curious, how come you reccomend a vintage stereo amp in alot of threads? Do they often use better DAC's than a cheap stereo amp of the shelf today?
The old stereo amps dont have a DAC, just pure analog. The digital interface came around within the past 15 years or so. A good source most times has a better DAC than what would be found in a surround receiver in this situation. Receivers do come with good DACs, but you will shell out some cash for those ones. Thats why Ive always wondered about the Auzentech users, specifically those with an X-Meridian, dont use the analog outs with a receiver. The AKM DACs, along with upgradeable opamps...will sound way better than alot of affordable receivers. When you pass a digital signal, its using whats in the receiver for conversion. As far as the amplification process goes, the vintage receivers put out "stronger" watts, and a cleaner sound. A year ago, when I first started the whole bookshelf/computer combo, I bought an Onkyo TX8511, 50WPC. Way overhyped. I thought it sounded great at the time. Then late last year, a friend of mine had given me a Pioneer SA-750, circa 1984...35WPC. He tried using it for what I was doing, but had miles of cable and adaptors ran to it, so it sounded like crap. I hooked it up, and was blown away. This thing sounds 100% better than the Onkyo. For ****s and giggles, I hooked up my brothers old Marantz...a 1978 model, wow...thats all lol. Some vintage equipment costs alot of money if you go on eBay and whatnot, but if you go to garage sales where people dont know what something is, you can get em for nearly nothing. The old vacuum tube amplifiers sound even better than the solid state, but people charge way too much for them online. Just dont go looking online for them...garage sales and pawn shops is where you look for those :).

[darkcow]

The old stereo amps dont have a DAC, just pure analog. The digital interface came around within the past 15 years or so. A good source most times has a better DAC than what would be found in a surround receiver in this situation. Receivers do come with good DACs, but you will shell out some cash for those ones. Thats why Ive always wondered about the Auzentech users, specifically those with an X-Meridian, dont use the analog outs with a receiver. The AKM DACs, along with upgradeable opamps...will sound way better than alot of affordable receivers. When you pass a digital signal, its using whats in the receiver for conversion. As far as the amplification process goes, the vintage receivers put out "stronger" watts, and a cleaner sound. A year ago, when I first started the whole bookshelf/computer combo, I bought an Onkyo TX8511, 50WPC. Way overhyped. I thought it sounded great at the time. Then late last year, a friend of mine had given me a Pioneer SA-750, circa 1984...35WPC. He tried using it for what I was doing, but had miles of cable and adaptors ran to it, so it sounded like crap. I hooked it up, and was blown away. This thing sounds 100% better than the Onkyo. For ****s and giggles, I hooked up my brothers old Marantz...a 1978 model, wow...thats all lol. Some vintage equipment costs alot of money if you go on eBay and whatnot, but if you go to garage sales where people dont know what something is, you can get em for nearly nothing. The old vacuum tube amplifiers sound even better than the solid state, but people charge way too much for them online. Just dont go looking online for them...garage sales and pawn shops is where you look for those :).

i agree, sound quality was perfected a LONG time ago, all this "new" stuff isn't much better, if anything, its the same or worse. im going to look around for a nice reciever, see if i can pick one up from the neighbors.

[billb]

...As far as the amplification process goes, the vintage receivers put out "stronger" watts, and a cleaner sound. Pioneer SA-510 (30W) integrated amp/TX 410 tuner with a pair of B&W LM1s...no comparison to "computer" sound systems even with an SB Live24. Back then there were guys with good ears who knew how to build amps.

So, yeah, for $25 the people doing the garage sales don't know what they have.

Then there's tube amps.......I use a Knight KN928 for home stereo. That blew away both my Pioneer SX-680 and Yamaha CR-1020

[Mr. Roboto]

I see, it does make sense. I used to have an old Technics stereo amp, which I ran for a long time. My dad had given it to me years ago when he upgraded to a 5.1, and I loved it. Then I wanted to upgrade to 5.1 for my HT, and I had a store credit to best buy so I picked up a cheap ($300) sony 5.1 receiver. The sony had alot more power, but It never did sound any louder at all than my old technics, and and SQ wasn't as good. Well, 5 years later I still have that sony, it was only supposed to be temporary hah. I'm tempted to dig my old Technics out again for the hell of it now. it's probably 20+ years old, yet it does have a digital tuner for the radio.

[Sir Barton]

I'm tempted to dig my old Technics out again for the hell of it now. it's probably 20+ years old, yet it does have a digital tuner for the radio.
Dig that bad boy out. Those old Technics sound very good. You will need a 3.5mm stereo to RCA cable, and you should be set. Let us know how it sounds :thup:

[Mr. Roboto]

Dig that bad boy out. Those old Technics sound very good. You will need a 3.5mm stereo to RCA cable, and you should be set. Let us know how it sounds :thup:

The only annoying thing, was that towards the end of it's life, it would get very staticy and the channels would intermittently cut out. If I have the top of it a little smack it would be fine for a while. Any idea what could cause that? Tubes maybe? Does it even have tubes? heh.

[MadMan007]

Probably some sort of connection that isn't 100% any more and heat fluctuations cause it to cut out. Either that or a dying IC.

[billb]

The only annoying thing, was that towards the end of it's life, it would get very staticy and the channels would intermittently cut out. If I have the top of it a little smack it would be fine for a while. Any idea what could cause that? Tubes maybe? Does it even have tubes? heh.It's just dirty contacts. They all do that eventually. Spray contact cleaner on all the switches and knobs (well, no, actually on the contacts and into the rheostats while working them!) and all will be good again.

[bizhar]

Just something to look at
Speakers
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ATASB1%2E2
Receiver
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-fDSBetN3clL/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=10420&I=158STDG510

I have a Creative Audigy 2 ZS in my computer, cannot comment on the soundcard, I use my stereo system for serious listening to music and my soundcard in my computer for games and background music while surfing.

If your parents have a "high end" system then you know that you will get what you pay for, but you can do better than the best buys and circit cities for just a little more.

Go for quality on the speakers, not just price. If you want a lot of bass, then add a subwoofer.

[Sir Barton]

Those Athena Auditions linked above are good speakers. For what you would spend on a new receiver and a pair of those Athenas, you could spend $25 on a vintage amp and get a pair of the B&W LM1s like billb, those usually run about $200 to $250, but theyre far worth it.