Where do I go to learn about home audio and speakers?

[UglyCasanova]

I want to get some good speakers to put in my dorm room. I want to be able to hook it up to my TV and my laptop and possibly a receiver. What kind of equipment would I need and how much? I am new to home audio, so I don't really know much. If there is some sight that will give me a good overview of speakers ect... then that would be helpful. thnks

 

[Colt45]

t00bs own.

 

[UglyCasanova]

huh? is that a site or what?

 

[IamDavid]

Where do I go to learn about home audio and speakers?

Go to Best Buy and ask the guys in the blue shirts.




Actually the best for is Home Theater Forum, it helped me out allot.

 

[DaveJ]

Start here:

HomeTheaterForum
AVS Forum

[edit]

..and here:

Audioreview

Dave

 

[Shockwave]

The cheapest / easiest home thater setup is a reciever and speakers. The reciever acts as both the amp for the speakers and does alot of processor controls and takes inputs, thus the reciever is kinda the all in one unit. More expensive is the individual component setup, where you have the CD player, the Amplifier, the EQ, the Pre amp etc etc. I'd look into a nice reciever with inputs and 5.1 then some decent speakers.

Go to Best Buy or something of that nature and look at recievrs, keeping in mind what goial you want (To run your TV and laptop) Recievers vary in price from 1 oir 2 hundred for a base line Sony up to a couple grand for Denon's n whatnot.

 

[Fritzo]

Actually, for a dorm, it might just be better to get one of those "prepackaged" deals, where the DVD is built into the receiver, and it comes with all of the speakers. Pioneer just released a nice all in one package, and I think Hifi.com sells a few as well. Otherwise, you might find your room is overtaken with electonic components (not that that's a bad thing, but it leaves less room for chicks )

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Actually, for a dorm, it might just be better to get one of those "prepackaged" deals, where the DVD is built into the receiver, and it comes with all of the speakers. Pioneer just released a nice all in one package, and I think Hifi.com sells a few as well. Otherwise, you might find your room is overtaken with electonic components (not that that's a bad thing, but it leaves less room for chicks )

Either that or maybe a combo DVD+VHS unit (if still using tapes) plus a receiver. www.crutchfield.com is a good place to window shop, and to buy from if you don't mind paying a little more to get excellent service and no-hassle returns. It's also a place to find "safe" brands to buy so you don't end up with a crummy Emerson or KLH system.

 

[bizmark]

I second the nomination for looking through the Crutchfield catalog / website. Also, if you want to turn this into a hobby, I would suggest a subscription to Sound & Vision Magazine.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Thanks. I have my PS2, and that will double as a DVD for now (my stand alone was stolen last month). Unless the dvd comes with the receiver i don't need it. Will I have problems with hooking both my TV and pc up to it? I looked through crutchfield, but the speakers weren't really what I had in mind. Maybe they are what I need, and I don't realize it since I know almost nothing about it. I was in some guys room and he had huge loudspeakers hooked up to his receiver with dvd and other stuff. That is the size I am looking for, but crutchfield didn't have any that I saw.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: dparker
Thanks. I have my PS2, and that will double as a DVD for now (my stand alone was stolen last month). Unless the dvd comes with the receiver i don't need it. Will I have problems with hooking both my TV and pc up to it? I looked through crutchfield, but the speakers weren't really what I had in mind. Maybe they are what I need, and I don't realize it since I know almost nothing about it. I was in some guys room and he had huge loudspeakers hooked up to his receiver with dvd and other stuff. That is the size I am looking for, but crutchfield didn't have any that I saw.

Hmm, click on "receivers, speakers, home AV" then "speakers." They carry every size from tiny bookshelf to super-sized towers. They also carry home theater sets where you have one big subwoofer plus five small speakers for surround sound.

What you might not realize is that the PS2, computer, VCR, cable box, etc. can all plug into the receiver then the speakers are attached/connected only to the receiver. You don't need (or want) "computer speakers" for this kind of setup you want normal home audio speakers.

Edit: if you want more specific advice you might give us some idea of how much you can spend for the speakers plus receiver. Decent receivers start at $250-300, while good speakers cost much more -- for good "tower" speakers like the Polk R50 expect to pay at least $500, plus for surround sound you'll need the center channel and rear speakers. If you don't have at least $1200 to spend you should probably go for the (subwoofer plus 5 small surround) systems which start around $600 for a good one (plus the receiver).

If you go to Best Buy or WalMart you might see tower speakers for much less, but they're craptastic -- a big box with lousy components will sound much worse than a good small speaker.