Cheap surround sound

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:19:59 +0000

It used to be that surround sound technology was only for the ultra-rich and die-hard home theatre buffs. Luckily, times have changed and it is now easy to get a surround sound setup in your home, even with a very low budget. Here are a couple of ways that you can get surround sound into your home:

Buy a budget all-in-one system

Manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and most of the other big home audio players sell “home theatre in a box” systems. These contain everything you need for a surround sound setup at home – receiver, speakers, subwoofer and dvd or Bluray player. The great thing about these systems is that they are so easy to set up, and buying everything at once is much cheaper than getting each piece of equipment individually. These systems have a wide range in price. You can pick up one from as little as $50 (Curtis HTIB1000 5.1 Surround Sound Home Theatre System In A Box), or you can spend $3500, like the Bose® Lifestyle® 48 Series IV home entertainment system. Obviously, the latter system isn’t exactly “cheap surround sound“, but in general, the more you spend, the better the sound. However, some of the cheaper systems punch well above their weight and give you excellent value for money. The best thing to do before buying a new system is to do some research on the net, and then go into your local home theater store and have a listen to it. This will make sure you don’t waste your hard earned dollars on something that sounds horrible.

Buy secondhand

Well-built speakers and receivers last quite a long time. You would be surprised at the value for money that you can get buying secondhand home theatre gear. If you are interested in buying secondhand, it is important to be well informed. Do some research on the net about the best makes and models of the last five years or so, to make sure you don’t buy a dud. Then, check out ebay, your local pawn shop, and garage sales to see whether you can find any gems. Doing things this way will probably take a fair bit of time, but if you are prepared to do the leg work then I think that buying secondhand is where you can get the best bang for your buck. Whichever way you choose to go, I think you will be surprised by the quality experience that you can get for very little cash. Photo: milesdeelite

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Cheap Surround Sound Receivers under $300

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:29:16 +0000

Cheap surround sound means different things to different people. If you are an average listener, who watches the occasional movie and a bit of music here and there, then you probably don’t need much more than a home theater in a box system. But if you are a movie buff on a budget, then buying your surround sound system in components is the best way to maximise your end result. You can spend thousands on a receiver if you really want to, but if that is a bit out of your price range, then check out these surround sound receivers to get good bang for your buck:

Yamaha RX-V465 Surround Receiver

Price: $273.03

At just under $275, the Yamaha RX-V465 Surround Receiver provides a very low entry point into a component-based home theater system. But don’t think that because it is cheap that it isn’t worth having. This receiver will do just fine for your first surround sound system.

It has 4 HDMI inputs to allow you to connect your Blu-ray player, Playstation, and whatever else you need. It is iPod and Bluetooth compatible, meaning you can play all your favourite music over bluetooth or via your iPod. When you do play your MP3s, it has compressed music enhancement capabilities to make everything sound richer and more realistic.

This receiver can transmit HDMI at 1080p (full HD) at 24Hz. This is the same speed that movies are played at in the cinemas, so you get to experience your movies exactly as the director planned.

Yamaha include the YPAO sound optimization system which helps you to correct for any problems with your room acoustics in less than three minutes. This makes set-up a real breeze.

If you don’t have a full set of speakers yet, you can use a function called virtual cinema DSP. This gives you virtual surround sound from 3 or less speakers, which helps you to enjoy your system even if its not fully complete.

So, what about the power? The Yamaha RX-465 delivers plenty of grunt to power your speakers, with a healthy 525 watts (105W per channel)

Where to get it: 237.71 @ amazon.com

Onkyo TX-SR307 Surround Receiver

Price: RRP $299, you can proably get it for around $240

Onkyo is a known and respected audio brand, and at under $299, this receiver makes a great choice for a cheap surround sound system. It has 3 HDMI inputs, which should be sufficient for most home users. It is iPod compatible through a front panel input, and has music optimization to improve the sound qualities of the MP3s.

Like the Yamaha above, the TX-SR307 is bundled with a microphone to help optimize the sound based on your room’s acoustics. On top of this, this receiver also has a couple of special functions to maintain a constant volume, while optimizing frequency to give you a great sound experience at any volume level.

It also has four gaming modes to help you dominate the playing field. Whether it is Rock, Sports, Action, or Role Playing Game (RPG) you can be sure the Onkyo will be well optimised to match your gaming experience.

The TX-SR307 has 65W per channel, which should be plenty, especially if you haven’t got a large space to fill.

Where to get it: under $299 at amazon.com

Either one of these surround sound receivers offers great quality and features at an excellent price. The Onkyo TX-SR307 is a touch cheaper, and has some great qualities from a renowned audio manufacturer. This makes it an excellent choice for a cheap surround sound system, especially if you are a fan of the brand. However, it is worth thinking about the Yamaha RX-465 (above), which provides more HDMI inputs and a bit more power to boot. In my eyes, this makes it a slightly better buy despite being a touch more expensive.

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