[mythtv-users] Speaker Suggestions ???

[match at ece.utah.edu]

Brian, 

You need to spend some time at:

http://www.avsforum.com

That's where this discussion belongs. It's semi-off-topic here, but 
you hit at least 2 of my hot buttons with your post...

On 5 Jun 2006 at 20:16, Brian Wood wrote:
> 
> I'm really looking for the speakers themselves. I wasn't thinking in  
> terms of  "surround sound", but you're right, DVD and satellite  
> programming often does have more than 2 channels, so I suppose I  
> could be talked into it.

Most of the available programming that has multi-channel sound is 
5.1, that is 3 in front, (right, left and center),  2 in back for 
surround, and a subwoofer for when the dinosaurs stomp around in 
Jurasic Park, so I'd aim for that combination.
> 
> The Asus motherboard I'm using has provision for up to 8-channel  
> output, although I'm not sure of the quality of same, or what its  
> decoding capability might be.

I think a 5.1 reciver fed via SPDIF is money well spent here.

> To be honest I have not really paid  
> attention to multi-channel audio setups, my experience runs more  
> towards older analog stereo systems.

But we're talking video programming with surround sound. It's worth 
it. The sound is half the experience.
> 
> I do have a pair of MacIntosh MC-30 amplifiers, consecutive serial  
> numbers, built in 1958, I don't want to tell you what they are worth,  
> but I'm not too sure how practical using them with a computer system  
> might be  (and it is getting hard to find tubes for them). They  
> certainly can keep you warm in the Winter.

Heh heh! I own 4 McIntosh MC-60's that I once set up in a 5.1 setup 
along with another pair of 6550-based amps to provide the center and 
subwoofer channels. 360 watts of tube muscle, baby!

Practicality is relative. We do these things for fun.
> 
> I'm basically  looking for  a decent pair of stereo speakers, with a  
> sub-woofer for the low end, and an amplifier/crossover that can drive  
> them.

My advice would be to keep your video home theater and your HiFi 
separate. Mate your McIntoshes to a pair of Klipschorns or 
Warfedales, get a good turntable and pre-amp and play vinyl records.

Buy a cheap 5.1 receiver with DTS and Dolby decoding (my Teac cost me 
$149 at Costco... or was it Sam's Club?), add a cheap set of surround 
speakers and a cheap self-powered sub and be happy.

I could elaborate, but this is not the forum for it. Either e-mail me 
off list or present your questions to AVSForum.
> 
> I was at a Bose factory outlet center that's down the road from me,  
> they had some nice stuff but even the refurbished "home theater" gear  
> was pricey. I'm happy to see they still make the 901s, but they are  
> costly, perhaps a pair of 501s would do ? (Salesman: "You can't use  
> *them* for TV, they are STEREO speakers" ("stereo" said with some  
> disgust in his voice).

NO, NO, NO! Don't buy Bose. It's over-hyped over-priced crap. (my 
apologies to the Bose owners on this list) Furthermore, that salesman 
you spoke to is an IDIOT! He knows nothing. He just regurgitates the 
party line.
> 
> I'm really not sure if I need a sub-woofer, but everyone I speak to  
> tells me I "must" have one.

Do you want to hear the dinosaurs stomping around? or the bombs 
bursting in a war flick? If so, you need a sub-woofer, or better yet 
2 subwoofers.

I could elaborate... off list, unless Isaac gives his blessing to 
this discussion.
> 
> But, I wonder, what are Myth users using for audio output, I've seen  
> very little mention of speaker systems here, and what I do see is  
> usually problems with multi-channel decoding.

That's because this is a MythTV list and not a general Home Theater 
list. 

E-mail me off list. This is off-topic here and Isaac might not like 
us using his bandwidth for such a discussion.
> 
> Thanks for the input.

My pleasure.

Marvin Match
match @ece.utah.edu
> 
>