New Home theater system

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I am new to home audio. I enjoy car audio but want to expand my knowledge. Currently, I just have a TV. I was looking into starting one.

Here is what I got so far

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-816-K

--I like it because it is 7.1 and XM ready

--100wx7

--link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EYB8KI/ref=sr_11_1/102-2892853-3464911?ie=UTF8

DVD Player: Sony DVD-NS90V

--DVD player that has HDMI like my TV and multiple audio outputs

link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A6TNKC/ref=sr_11_1/102-2892853-3464911?ie=UTF8

Now, I have a few questions:

Sub Amp: I have a 300w@4ohm sub amp laying around. Would it be better for home to get a power supply and use that or to buy a new plate amp.

Subs: I got this free Qi SSD dual 2 laying around I will use. [wired to 4 ohms]

Speakers: Here is where I got many questions. In a 7.1 setup, what kind of speaker goes where? I really like several on your setups where you have a couple mids and a few tweets. Is it good to build the same thing all around and use a crossover? (Wire to a crossover and have mids/tweet play from it.)

Crossover: I am sure I need one and prefer to go passive.

I am looking to be DIY as much as possible...any suggestions?

Click to read more...

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Any suggestions?

I did a search for 7.1 on here and came up with nothing.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Is your room really big enough to make 7.1 worthwhile?

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Good luck finding a lot of disks with 7.1 on them....

Anyway, usually what I would say is do something dual mid (maybe) and a tweeter in the front, and center channel. But the surrounds do a book shelf speaker, they seriously don't get used all that much to do much else practially unless you are looking to shell out the cash.

Sub, get a plate amp and do it right.

Crossover, if you are talking for your sub then your receiver should have one in it... If not get a plate amp with one in it, because well that will be the best/easiest way.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Is your room really big enough to make 7.1 worthwhile?

It is 18 x 23. But after some more research, it is probably not.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Good luck finding a lot of disks with 7.1 on them....
Anyway, usually what I would say is do something dual mid (maybe) and a tweeter in the front, and center channel. But the surrounds do a book shelf speaker, they seriously don't get used all that much to do much else practially unless you are looking to shell out the cash.

Sub, get a plate amp and do it right.

Crossover, if you are talking for your sub then your receiver should have one in it... If not get a plate amp with one in it, because well that will be the best/easiest way.

Would you say 5.1 would be much better? Not in sound wise but more practical?

I could do a simialr setup with 5.1. I think parts express has a good writeup on this.

The crossover was for the front and mids. I can't make my own but I will probably have someone make some custom ones for me. (like oology or someone)

What kind of speaker for the center channel?

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Well 5.1 is really all that you need. It is WAY more practical.

If you were thinking DIY a good place to start would be a parts express design. In the PE designs the crossovers are already designed for you all you have to do is solder them together and you have yourself a decent crossover network.

Center channel in movies is pretty much the most important channel. It should be able to keep up with your main L&R's and should have a very solid mid and high frequency. Lows really don't come much throught the center channel as much as the L&R and subs. I believe there are some PE projects for the center channel, but just pretty much make a flat box design of the main L&R's. Also, for the surrounds a single mid and a tweeter would be plenty.

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

Madisound speaker kits are great as well //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

For sure 5.1 is all you'll need, 7.1 is just a gimmick to me and a way to get you to spend more $ //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

For the receiver, you can do seperates like B&W_EE has or get it all in one box... seperates let you peice it together over time and swap gear in and out of your system. Where as the receiver is everything all in one, so the upgrades could cost you.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Well 5.1 is really all that you need. It is WAY more practical.
If you were thinking DIY a good place to start would be a parts express design. In the PE designs the crossovers are already designed for you all you have to do is solder them together and you have yourself a decent crossover network.

Center channel in movies is pretty much the most important channel. It should be able to keep up with your main L&R's and should have a very solid mid and high frequency. Lows really don't come much throught the center channel as much as the L&R and subs. I believe there are some PE projects for the center channel, but just pretty much make a flat box design of the main L&R's. Also, for the surrounds a single mid and a tweeter would be plenty.

Thanks for the tip. What 5.1 reciever would you reccomend. I mainly use it for playing video games and movies. No music (if I don't get one XM ready)

Budget is around $200.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Madisound speaker kits are great as well //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
For sure 5.1 is all you'll need, 7.1 is just a gimmick to me and a way to get you to spend more $ //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

For the receiver, you can do seperates like B&W_EE has or get it all in one box... seperates let you peice it together over time and swap gear in and out of your system. Where as the receiver is everything all in one, so the upgrades could cost you.

I want to piece it together. I like to say I built it myself. The crossover looks like a challenge. I may have to take a class to learn.

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

Seperates are great...

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Thanks for the tip. What 5.1 reciever would you reccomend. I mainly use it for playing video games and movies. No music (if I don't get one XM ready)

Budget is around $200.

If you already have a decent receiver then I would just keep with that one. Otherwise, Pioneer, Yamaha, and I hate to say it but Denon are pretty good in that price range.

Just make sure that it has a sub out and pre-amp outputs on it so that you can always upgrade to different amps or what have you....

 

[2kchevy06civic 5,000+ posts]

I have a 816-k that I was actually thinkin about sellin. Don't get me wrong it's a great unit but I like to get rid of things after only having them for a couple months.....lol.

Hit me a pm if you wanna work out a deal.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Maybe...I am kinda deciding between that or a 2.1 system. I don't have as much room/space for everything like I thought.