just starting out

[rockmeister]

well the telly's finally died and I'm looking at a 32" Toshiba LCD which is HD ready, built in digi tuner etc. That bit's easy. Now I've got £1000 left.
Do I...
flog my current hi fi amp/cd player and speakers (for about 1250) and spend the resulting £2250 on a system that does film and MORE importantly plays my CD's very well?
or... Keep the hi fi intact and just do home cinema seperately for £1000?
or... Keep CD player and Castle Howards , flog Copeland amp (£300/400?) and replace with AV amp and add suround/center speakers as a compromise for about £1400?

Priority is good/very good hi fi reproduction of CD, with decent quality (not cinema type earth shattering) tv/dvd experience.

HELP!:Not Sure:

option 2 if you want to retain decent cd sound (ie what your used too) I daresay some av products do cd very well, but I doubt it at the budget your considering, get a wee 5.1 speaker system, and an HD dvd player for your £1k, will be good enough for movies, alternatively just run tv and dvd through your amp and howards, will be fine, and better than a cheap 5.1, spend £1k on Hi def dvd, and rest on software.

[Kiang]

get a linn classik , art stilletos
Good av amp - maybe even arcam will do

in wall speakers for rears, even 7.1(linn ones are good) , velodyne sub which you can use for music as well if keen

wire your supplied speakers with new TV for centre channel to start off, if wanting more can do a dedicated centre channel

[rockmeister]

thanks so far chaps...I think i'm off to have a listen and see what I can put up with. Starting point will be NAD's L73 or 56/76 combo, which has a reputation for being 'musical. After that I'll try Denon I think...probably the 2901/3805 receiver combo and see how that sounds. I like the idea of starting in stereo and building so I might keep the Castle Howadrs, although stilletos are tempting!...will cross over and ask for other suggestions/opinions.

[Alli]

Second hand Linn Classik Movie, Linn Ninkas and Kans. Works a treat! Veeeeerrrryyy good friend of mine has the exact setup and it's brilliant (not as good as mine though hehehehehehe ).

[Jezzer]

As you have a HD LCD TV, get a HDMI equipped DVDP - Denon's DV-1920 can be had for around £230 online - can decode almost every format including SACD and DVD-A.

[Rory]

i would ADD a av reciever, using the front preouts to go to your Copland amp. Then connect centre and rears to the reciever. That way there are two independant systems and you are not losing 2ch quality.

[12Bore]

Suggest you leave the hi - fi alone and try a Yamaha YSP 800 + sub for home cinema - ohandkeep the change to buy alchohol.

[wolfgang]

Aha........ I have been looking for some one who actually find this thingy good enough to buy one for himself. Would you like to share a bit more of your experiences like ...... how did you get on with the auto set up procedure, are surround sound effects convincing, is it good enough for stereo music etc.

[Craig]

Wolfgang - snap! I'm also looking for some personal experience of this kit

Aside form that, I woud keep your hi fi kit and just add a receiver and whatever X.1speakers you need.

It's one more box on the rack, and you don't sacrafice one iota in 2 channel playback

[12Bore]

[align=left]Hi. Yes I have tried the Yamaha YSP 800 and 1000 and can thoroughly recommend them. Auto set up is, as ever, a great place to start with a new piece of kit, live with the auto set up for a day or two while you you get used to the sound and then fine tune the unit to suit your room/expectations. It really is a piece of p*ss to install, one digital lead to your dvd (optical or coax), one to the optional (but recommended) sub, one pair of phonos from your tv/panel so that whatever is connected to your tv/panel via scart will feed through the YSP, connect 1 phono lead to your tv/panel composite input for the on screen menues, plug in the set up mic and follow the on screen instructions.
Ten minutes from walking into the room to enjoying the suround effect from your movies.
What won't it do?
* Replace any decent 2 channel set up for playing music, ok for occasionalusethough, esp if hi - fi is another room.
* Blow the back of your head off like the "real" surround sound systems in Comet.
* Fill your room with speakers and cables, we may not mind such things but for some reason many women don't want to skip oversomething that resembles anexplosion in a spaghetti works when they walk into a room!!??
What will it do?
* Fill your room with clean, fast, controlled surround sound.
* Put surround sound in rooms previously thought impossible.
* Work in some very strange shaped rooms.
* Make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when some subtle effect creeps up on you.[/align]
[align=left]All in all a very clever and unique piece of kit.[/align]
[align=left]Now a small confession, I am employed to sell these things and many other pieces of hi -fi & a/v kit. However the above ismy opinon based upon my experiences. I promise not to use WigWam to as an advertising space and I will not tell you where I work. What I will say is that, as with any other piece of equipment, you really should audition it at your local dealer, we have been known to lend YSPs out for home trial, I would imagine that most Wigwammers know their dealers well enough to arrange this.[/align]
[align=left]Hope this helps.[/align]
[align=left]Can I still come and play in the tent? [/align]

[wolfgang]

Thanks for the detail description. Looks like it might just be the thing I am looking for then.