Home Theater/Stereo Advise


Looking at putting together first small Home Theater in 12 x 24 Family Room. Currently have Musical Fidelity A3 Integrated Amp, A3 CD Player, and Epos M12 Speakers for music. Question - Should I integrate music system into Home Theater set up or keep them seperate? What I am looking at seems to be about equal cost. If I keep seperate I am looking at an AV-Receiver with Mission FS2-AV speakers. If I integrate how do I accomplish it? With an AV-Receiver or Processor? Is it easy to go from 2 channel music to surround sound? If sperate I would need to purchase center channel speaker and sub-woofer(looking at REL), already own rear channel speakers. I primarily listen to music. Large speakers are not really an option for system. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
mohr_brokerage_co265d
Mohr_Brokerage_Co:

I was once in the same situation as you are now, and I have come to find that for my living situation, separating them was the best thing to do. My reason for doing this is while the "audio" system is located in the living room, I feel that when I am watching TV (and that also means looking at a movie late at night, on the weekend, I wanted a big screen TV to be in the room in which I will also want to be relaxing. And that means the bedroom), I want to be relaxing and comfortable at the same time. So, that means that my TV will have to be in the bedroom. Being that I also like high quality sound when I am watching a flick, I also decided to put a small, but high quality sound system around my TV set. So therefore, my home theater is going to be built around a 27-Inch TV. Personally, I have a 27-Inch Panasonic CT-27SF37 Television, and I am going to surround it with a JVC HR-VP638U VHS Hi-Fi VCR, a Sony SLV-R5UC S-VHS Hi-Fi VCR, a Pioneer Elite DV-37 DVD/CD Player, a Harman/Kardon AVR-210 D-D/DTS A/V Receiver, and either a Paradigm Cinema or a PSB Alpha Speaker System. Depending on the type of sound this setup delivers, I may also go with Cardas, Kimber Kable or Monster Cable. And like I said in the beginning, this is a "home theater" system only. My "audio system" is a KEF/Adcom/MIT/JVC/Magnum Dynalab/Nakamichi system, and it consists of a separate preamplifier and power amplifier and not a receiver. But then, to each his own.

So, before I render an opinion of any sort, I would like to know what kind of budget you are working with, and I think you should define which direction you are going to take. That way, I'll be more definite when I start listing equipment choices in which I think you should look into. But from what I am looking at right now, you seem to have a fine system for music listening, and I wouldn't go about making any changes in that system if I were you. I would separate at that point. But then again, it's not my money that I am spending either.

--Charles--
Hi, Mohr_; give me your pin#--I'll spend your money. I am very good at this.--- Ok,I have a serious,suggestion. Get a used reciever; get a center channel speaker,used. hook this up to what you got. If you fall in love this you may want /more/ better. If not, fine,-- you just enjoy it. You may find you want "MORE". If you get good buys;you can resell what you bought/ for near what you paid. Then you may want to get :serious". Have a taste / you may be satisfied /or you may want more.
Thanks for the advice. After thinking about it I am considering keeping my music system partially seperate. I will keep my Amp and CD Player hooked up to the Epos speakers for music and then let the speakers pull double duty as main speakers. I will purchase an AV-Receiver, center channel (friend will sell me a used Mission), and a good musical sub-woofer that I can use for movies and music. This way if I find I don't care for setup I can purchase a small satilite speaker system but still use my receiver and sub. Does this sound resonable? Any suggestions for an AV-Receiver in $400.00 - $700.00 range and a sub that would match well with the Epos Speakers for music first and movies secondary. Thanks again.