Surround sound system

[Sixguns]

I am looking to buy a new system to pair up with my new TV. I want a wireless system. Any ideas for around 500.00?

 

[SithSolo1]

I'm making several assumptions, please correct any that are wrong:

You bought a nice, large flat panel but don't want to deal with wires.
You want surround sound.
You don't care about sound quality.

Your options are:

A) Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDV-E770W...xp_grid_pt_1_1

B) Go to http://www.amphony.com/cart/

Buy (1) Model 400 transmitter and (2-4) Model 480 Amps

That leaves you $125-280ish for: speakers, sub, and a A/V receiver for decoding duty.
Please note that the transmitter and each amp will need a power outlet of its own.

As you can see its not really feasible at that price.

 

[Sixguns]

I'm making several assumptions, please correct any that are wrong:

You bought a nice, large flat panel but don't want to deal with wires.
You want surround sound.
You don't care about sound quality.

Almost right, I do care about sound quality. Why buy something that sucks. I just dont want to dish out a ton of money for one.

 

[SithSolo1]

The point I was trying to make is that wireless systems are usually either poor sounding HTiB sets or cost more than wired systems(due to required transmitters, amps, etc) and may still fall short sound quality wise. Most people who don't want wires seen run them through walls.

Can you give more input on why you want wireless(room constraints, etc) and what your audio goals are?

 

[NutBucket]

This.

There are 3 factors:

Good Sound
Wireless
Budget/Inexpensive

Choose 2

 

[Sixguns]

The reason I want to go wireless is the size of the room. I know that when you get a system most come with like 15-20 feet of cable per speaker. That wont cut it and I really dont want to have to buy more and rewire it myself. Also wife doesnt want wires everywhere even thougth I have told her that I can put it under the molding on the ceiling and the only part you would see it would be up the wall behind my tv.

 

[frowertr]

You are better off just purchasing a soundbar that has a wireless sub. Something like this: http://www.vizio.com/home-theater-1/vht215.html Still, prepare to be underwhelmed...

A good quality wireless HTIB (Home Theater In a Box) is an oxymoron. If I were you I'd check out the HTIB subforum over at AVS: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=109 and see what ideas they can come up with.

 

[SithSolo1]

How large is the room and do you want surround sound or just something louder than the TV?

As for rewiring, that takes all of 30secs per cable if you have a wire stripper, 1min with a knife. The cable that comes with most sets is crap anyway.

Wires running to the front shouldn't be that much of an issue. The rears are more troublesome. You could do what I did and use a single, sleeved cable to run both sets of wires to the back or you could use a wireless transmitter setup just for them.

If you are still dead set on wireless the two original options I gave are pretty much the only viable ones you have in that price range, the 2nd would require you to build the system up over time to stay within the current budget constraint.

 

[Sixguns]

55 inch TV. I am trying to talk some sense into her and just get a wired one. We are going to be repainting the room anyways so I am telling here that I will run all the stuff before when we have all the molding down.

 

[frowertr]

55 inch TV. I am trying to talk some sense into her and just get a wired one. We are going to be repainting the room anyways so I am telling here that I will run all the stuff before when we have all the molding down.

I was in a similiar boat as you with the wife However I was allowed to do whatever I wanted so long as I could hide the wires. I ran wires up through the wall from the back of the AVR to the back of the TV so there are no visible wires that run vertically. I then ran all my speaker wires under my 3/4" round on my floor (hard wood floor). I literally have zero wires showing anywhere as I am OCD when it comes to wires.

If you can do this I bet she will be happy.


IMAG0170 by Biggen_PCB, on Flickr

and


IMAG0168 by Biggen_PCB, on Flickr

 

[sdifox]

wire is cheap. I think I paid 1.50 a metre for 12GA speaker wires from Home Depot.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Wire through the wall. Best way. Put jacks on the wall you can hook up to via banana plugs and you're set. That's what I did. No wires show at all. Also I didn't do it but you could hide your A/V gear in a closet as well so it's really clean looking in the room.