I'm looking to set up a nice sound system in my room, seeing as how nowadays I spend most of my time in there (doing homework ), and I'm pretty much always listening to music, so I might as well hear it better than my shitty laptop speakers have to offer. Ideally, I'd like some sort of surround sound system to go around my room (my room's tiny; maybe like 10'x10'). I'd also like to get a turn table (I've got a lot of records lying around, mostly inherited from my parents) as well as be able to connect it to my laptop (since that's where all of my music is). Is this even feasible? If so, how much would such an endeavor cost? I've never set up anything like this before, so I really have no idea, but I figure a lot of you guys are savvy to this sort of thing and you'd be able to help me.
Thanks a lot.
I'm known as ZebetiteGlitch or Zeza Von Thantos on other platforms.
A sound system isn't really too hard to build because you don't have to get everything all at once. For example, you could get a 5.1 or whatever receiver and just two speakers to start with (play everything in stereo mode). Then eventually get a center channel speaker, and the surround left/right speakers. You could even bargain hunt for a starter receiver (craigslist, Good Will, thrift shops) then after you collect all the speakers, upgrade to a better receiver.
The problem with this is that, from what I've seen, buying speakers individually will cost a lot more than if you buy a "home theater" package that comes with a receiver and all the speakers. But there's a good reason, the speakers that come in the package will surely be low quality. If you select all your speakers individually, you most likely have much better quality speakers.
So if you did wanna start with just a receiver and two speakers, I would suggest getting some nice floor standings. If you have the room, and if you can afford it. I'm not too into the subwoofers that come with the surround sound packages. If you have some good floor standings, you pretty much don't need sub woofers (unless you're really into that thumbing bass that rattles the windows and can be heard from a mile away). I think the set I have consists of a 10' woofer (or maybe it's 12' ?), and something like a 5' and 4' midrange. They seriously pump when cranked. And they put out more bass than the shitty sub that came with my package.
As for the turntable, they do make USB tables. But why do you wanna connect it to your laptop? If you have a nice setup, wouldn't you wanna play it through that instead? From what I've read and some what experienced, turntables can be a little hard to pick out. At least NEW ones can be. Low end and even middle road tables tend to suck and even break down after not too long. It seems that if you wanna get a decent player you have to drop a few hundred. I have a ~$100 Sony table right now that needs a new belt. I haven't replaced the belt yet though because I was considering getting a new table. But not having the money I would want to drop on it, I haven't made a move yet. Kinda frustrating. If you happen to find a decent table that doesn't break the bank, be sure to let me know about it! Other than that, there's always the used market. And one other thing I think is worth noting, I (window) shop a lot from American Musical Supply. They carry turntables, but a lot of them are for scratching. I've read reviews that people use DJ-intended tables for home use. But I've read that you should change the needle. Apparently a DJ table has a harsher needle that isn't intended to play music with, and can wear out your vinyls faster.
Anyway, while they don't have the best prices always, I think Crutchfield.com is one of the better places to window shop for things. The descriptions are good, the pictures are great. No low res stock photos, they have nice resolution photos off all the areas you actually wanna look at. And there usually a decent amount of good reviews, too. But also keep an eye out in the used market to save you money. And get the word out, you never know who has a really nice pair of speakers in their basement that they're willing to give away or sell for super cheap.
The first purchase I had with them was a set of car speakers. It came with ~15 pages of how to disassemble my car and install the speakers along with extra wire harnesses and I think even some mounting hardware. What other place goes that far out of their way for you? I've window shopped a lot there for receivers and speakers.
Ziggy587 wrote:As for the turntable, they do make USB tables. But why do you wanna connect it to your laptop? If you have a nice setup, wouldn't you wanna play it through that instead?
Sorry, that was unclear. I meant that, in addition to connecting a turn table to the speakers, I'd also like to be able to connect my laptop to the speaker setup, since all of my music is on there, and I'd obviously like to be able to play it through the good speakers that I'm dropping a lot of money on.
Thanks a lot for the response. What kind of price should I expect to pay for each speaker and the receiver if I go that route and just get the two speakers first and upgrade later (which is what I'll probably end up doing, if it's economically feasible)?
I'm known as ZebetiteGlitch or Zeza Von Thantos on other platforms.
As a suggestion I would hit up Pawn shops, Goodwill and Consignment shops for old speakers. Those classic wood grained speakers with the black mesh on the front... Despite their age some of those have great speakers in them and you'll be able to get them cheaper if you look since people have migrated to the small black speakers for home set ups now.
As for hooking up to your PC, I'm sure they make something for that specifically. I have a home studio and have a Alesis iO2 Express and it runs into my Laptop and out to a receiver. It is super powerful and crystal clear but it has mic and line inputs on it for recording so its about $90+. You might be able to find some sort of USB receiver without the mic/line inputs an phantom power cheaper. Try http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
KDub wrote:As a suggestion I would hit up Pawn shops, Goodwill and Consignment shops for old speakers. Those classic wood grained speakers with the black mesh on the front... Despite their age some of those have great speakers in them and you'll be able to get them cheaper if you look since people have migrated to the small black speakers for home set ups now.
Yeah, that's definitely the route I'm going to go. My parents might even have some old equipment they don't use anymore that I could snag. I think I'm looking to spend a maximum of ~$500 for all of this, hopefully a lot less. I'm just tired of having all these records lying around that don't get used, and I'm tired of listening to music through shitty laptop speakers, or, if I'm feeling really ambitious, shitty $25 speakers from Walmart. I dropped $700 on a gaming PC, and nowadays I'm listening to music 20x more than I even use that computer. So I might as well do it right.
I'm known as ZebetiteGlitch or Zeza Von Thantos on other platforms.
I actually picked up an entry-level Onkyo reciever/speaker package for my own place. Definitely a huge leap over laptop speakers or whatever, and while the stock speakers aren't too shabby at all, everything's upgradable. Certainly better than whatever HT-in-a-box things that wal-mart sells.
I know its definitely not the route most people will suggest, but I might as well throw it out there.
KDub wrote:As a suggestion I would hit up Pawn shops, Goodwill and Consignment shops for old speakers. Those classic wood grained speakers with the black mesh on the front...
Whatever is clever, but I'd put on my Sherlock hat (well, I don't actually own one) and inspect any used speaker very thoroughly. If things are the same they used to be, the best way of testing sound is by playing an acoustic guitar cd through the speakers and looking closely to the quality of the sound. Check for dry rot as well if buying used speakers.
It depends on your budget, but it sounds like you want a quality system. In my experience Acoustic Sounds makes excellent speakers, but have about a 5 year life span before they just literally start to fall apart (which could be due to the fact that I BLAST my music). Infinity has incredible speakers, and although bulky on some of their series they still have crisp highs and shaking lows. But if you are super serious and are willing to spend a few extra bucks, check out klipsch. You can get teeny tiny Klipsch speakers that put out unbelievable volume and sound. I don't know if they're the "Rolex" of speakers, but a small 5 speaker set will put out sound that will blow your brains out. Not to say that Klipsch does have their fair share of huge speakers, but the small ones sound just as well.
), and I'm pretty much always listening to music, so I might as well hear it better than my shitty laptop speakers have to offer. Ideally, I'd like some sort of surround sound system to go around my room (my room's tiny; maybe like 10'x10'). I'd also like to get a turn table (I've got a lot of records lying around, mostly inherited from my parents) as well as be able to connect it to my laptop (since that's where all of my music is). Is this even feasible? If so, how much would such an endeavor cost? I've never set up anything like this before, so I really have no idea, but I figure a lot of you guys are savvy to this sort of thing and you'd be able to help me.
