What Reciever should I use? Also what video card?

[mikef208]

I know this may be slightly off topic, but it doesn't say general computer hardware forum. Plus with the klipsch deal i have noticed that a lot of people in here know some stuff about home audio. I think I have decided I want something a little more powerful then the 4.1 promedias. So I am now looking at the Quintet Microsystem. What would be a good reciever to use with this system.

Plus I have a few other questions, I am looking to set this up around, say a 27" monitor for gaming and DVD's, and music i suppose. So this will hopefully be connecting to my computer. I have been told I can run the speaker inputs into the reciever then run a digital line(optical/coaxial) to my sound card. Would this work, or does it need to be set up another way. LMK

Would I be better off getting the ATI All In Wonder radeon instead of the 64MB VIVO+ a TV tuner card, since i will likely use the 27" as my TV as well. Just wondering? LMK
Another question, with the TV/Monitor setup, I plan to use a Radeon 64MB VIVO(unless someone has a better idea) for the DVD and games, and whatever on the big monitor. That would be run under either Win ME or 98SE. I already have a dual boot between Win 2K and Win ME, Win 2K being my primary OS. I was wondering if I could use another card, say a matrox, or maybe even an oxygen card for the other stuff, like web surfing, email, word processing, CAD(how would the CAD look on the big screen)? LMK

 

[mikef208]

bump

 

[mikef208]

does anybody have an opinion

 

[glen]

I like Pioneer recievers.

 

[Katana]

Here is what I bought, a Sherwood RD-7106 DD/DTS Receiver, JBL NSP1 speaker set, and an AudioSource 15" sub. The Sherwood is about $300, the JBLs are about $300 and the sub is around $200. The JBLs have gotten great reviews, you can read a review about them at etown.com. You can read about the Sherwood at 800.com.

I have mine set up just like you said and it works great.

 

[mikef208]

Thanks for that info, as of right now I am looking at the Klipsch Quintet Micro system, powered by the Denon AVR 1801.

 

[KpocAlypse]

Recievers...? Onkyo ALL the way.. the 989 - 787 is the sweetest reciever line i've seen in a long time(in my price range that is).. Only gripe about the company is the remotes are butt ugly, but thats what a HK/MS remote is for. Speakers, klipsch are bad ass speakers... I personally like polk, but thats just my listening style, i'd never take anyones advice on how a speaker sounds, just go out an hear them for yourself.



<< how would the CAD look on the big screen >>



Not too well. Most computer applications look like ass on a regular american TV..
The resolution on most sets is way too low..The only thing i think TV would be good for is DVD.(mine is currently running to a 27in Vega from a matrox card..too cheap for another monitor.. )

 

[mikef208]

Well I have heard the Quintets and in my price range they are the best. I am still looking at Onkyos, but have gotten a few other recomendations for the denon, which is what i had my eye on in the first place.

Yeah, but i never said this would be on a TV, I said big screen monitor. At least 800x600, but I am trying to get the money around for something like 1024x768, what would it look like on that?

 

[denon]

Go with a denon receiver. I own the AVR-3300...its now the 3800 i believe...one kick ass piece of equiptment. Also check out the b&amp;w dealer nearest you to look at some different speakers. 602 series 2 should do ya well if you want bookshelf speakers. I didnt read the whole post so i dont know what your price range is, but these are gonna cost ya a pretty penny here is their website

 

[Erasmus-X]

IMHO, Onkyo, Yamaha, and Denon all make excellent receivers for affordable prices. I'm thinking of ordering an Onkyo 787 when I get some more cash. It's about an $800 receiver, but I haven't found anything from any other manufacturer that offers THX Select and a true 6-channel amplifier at this price level.

 

[Goi]

Are you gonna build a HTPC and use it as your main entertainment system? If you're not, I wouldn't spend so much on it. Basically any 5 channel DD/DTS capable receiver would do. Radeons and GF2s are popular choices for HTPCs.

However, if you're using your HTPC as your main entertainment system, then it further depends on your budget, which you didn't mention. Assuming its around the price of a Denon AVR1801, then that's quite a good choice by itself. The Onkyo TX-DS575X is another obvious choice in the category. Marantz also makes some pretty musical receivers, but often lack on features. Others you might want to consider are Yamaha, Pioneer Elite, perhaps even NAD.

You would also need a good 24/96 digital audiophile sound card, otherwise it would defeat the purpose of a capable receiver.

I would also suggest better speakers, since the Klipsh Quintets are more targetted towards entry level/low end HTPC or &quot;high end&quot; computer/multimedia speakers. For the price(MRSP $900, street price $600) , you could probably get the Paradigm Cinema system(around $700+) or Energy Take5 system(around $500), both of which would sound better, from what I've read.

Anyway, you might wanna visit the AVS Forum, Audioreview or Home Theatre Forum and post there to the correct audience.

 

[mikef208]

Well I will look into that stuff. I don't really know what my budget is. I may buy this stuff over time if I can't afford it. I can find the denon for around 175-200 on auctions, as well as the quintet for about 250.00 on auctions.

I also need to note, that i am not an audiophile, I am just looking for something that sounds decent. I have a friend who knows his stuff and he recommended this setup to me, but I guess everyone has there own taste in sound quality.

I am using a Hercules game Theater XP right now, do i really need one of those other soudn cards? Got a link so i can check them out. What is so cool about them?

 

[Goi]

The good thing about these audiophile soundcards is that they have better sound quality obviously, because of their design, their SNR is higher, THD is lower. However, if you're not an audiophile, you might not notice it. Also, they have 24bit DACs that have 96KHz or even 192KHz sampling rates. Compare this to &quot;CD quality&quot; sound, or normal/cheap soundcards, which are 16bit/44.1KHz. Most decent soundcards have slightly better processing, perhaps 18bit/48KHz, like my Diamond MX300. I'm not sure about the Hercules though. FYI, most, if not all current HT receivers are 24/96 at least. Connections, such as digital outs, are also the benefits of such soundcards.

Anyway, it doesn't look like you'll be needing them since you said you aren't an audiophile. Its just a nice thing to have. However, I would still recommend the speaker upgrade, since I'm not really a big fan of Klipsch. Besides, if I'm not wrong, the Klipschs are powered speakers, you'd be better off with unpowered speakers and power them with your receiver. Its your call though.

 

[mikef208]

Well My hercules Game theater XP has a 20bit DAC and 96Khz. It also has a coaxial and optical out put. The Quintet Microsystem speakers are not powered, that is why I am using the reciever. LMK what else you think.

 

[Viperoni]

If you're intent is to make a home theatre PC, then I would suggest going with the HT receiver route.
However, if you plan on using the Quintets for just the comp and games, I would suggest looking around (whereever) for a 4 channel home audio amp for the 4 speakers.
Hookup the amp to the comp, speakers to the amp, and you got powerful 4 speaker sound

I'll probably end up doing a DIY system with a home made 40x4 amp and 4 DIY speakers in the foreseeable future.

BTW: I have a Pioneer VSX-D608, cost $600 (CAD) last year, but it really kicks out the power (I have a pair of telefunken monitors and a cheap sherwood center hooked up to it)

 

[mikef208]

This will be a HTPC I suppose. I plan on using it to watch DVD's and play games, as well as watch TV.

 

[mikef208]

By the way can I get a link to those good sound cards, so i can take a look at them

 

[Goi]

According to the Hercules website, the Game Theatre XP has a 20bit DAC but only an 18bit ADC. Also it supports up to a 48KHz sampling rate instead of 96KHz, but I suppose this is enough for an entry level budget HTPC.

As for the soundcards I were mentioning, there are several models. You can check out a very long list over here. Price can be from a few hundred to a few thousand though.

 

[mikef208]

Thanks, sorry about that 96Khz I said, i just had it on the barin, you are right it is half that, Thansk.

 

[Brill]

MikeF208 I just wanted to jump in and add my $.02. I agree with Goi and would check out some better spearkers. I was looking at the Quintets for a small HT in my room. I listened to the quintets, Energys, MB Quart sys(can't remember the model) and Boston System 9000. I got the System 9000's for about $800 at a local retailer(BrynMawyr) and none of the above were even close in sound quality, I mean really not even close..I would suggest going to a store and do some subjective listening yourself..In the end you are the only one you have to please...


Bri

 

[SUOrangeman]

A few folks here got the Toshiba 6109C DVD receiver from Accompany last year. This model is supposedly a twin to the Onkyo DVD receiver. I'm not compalining after having paid only $290 or so.

-SUO

 

[mikef208]

Well I said I didn't really know my bidget, but I am really not looking to spend more then 800.00 for the whole system. I can find the quintets for less then 300 online, and the Denon for around 225, I'm not sure what sub I will be getting yet.

 

[Comp10]

<< What would be a good reciever to use with this system. >>

I use the Denon 1800 for my HTPC setup and it sounds truly amazing, so I would highly reccomend the 1801.

<< I have been told I can run the speaker inputs into the reciever then run a digital line(optical/coaxial) to my sound card. Would this work, or does it need to be set up another way. LMK >>

For the best setup you need to make sure which ever reciever you buy has analog 5.1 inputs, so that way you can directly connect your soundcards analog front/rear outputs into the recievers 5.1 inputs, which allows you to get full 4 speaker support in games. Then of course you need to connect your soundcards digital out to our recievers digital input for DVDs.

<< Would I be better off getting the ATI All In Wonder radeon instead of the 64MB VIVO+ a TV tuner card, since i will likely use the 27&quot; as my TV as well. >>

I've never seen the quality of the AIW's TV tuner, however, I have used the Radeon 64mb VIVO with a tuner card and have found it produces pretty poor quality. I've found that you get a much better quality picture if you buy a VCR and use that as your TV tuner (connect the VCR's composite output to the Radeon's composite input).

 

[mikef208]

Never even thought of using a VCR, but one reason I am doing this is to switch over to DVD so I can give my mom back a VCR I borrowed from her, would any VCR work, could I buy like a cheap one? Also I don't know if I have speaker out puts on the card. It has the little 1/8&quot; speaker jacks for front and surround, it also has RCA audio jacks for both, plus a Sub and Center RCA jack, I can run the speakers into the card, but how do I run them out.

 

[Comp10]

Yeah any VCR would work, although it might be a good idea to get a HiFi one if you would like to get stereo sound, but even those a pretty cheap. As for your sound card, i'm not really familar with it, but idealy you only need a soundcard with normal front/rear 1/8&quot; analog outputs for games, and a SPDIF output for sending the Dolby Digital stream to your reciever.