New home cinema kit

[tycho]

I currently have a 5 yr old Bose system with normal Dolby Surround and 3x2 Bose cubes speakers and 2x1 Bose cube speakers. This has the Accoustimas module as well. Could I just get the newer Accoustimas module and have Dolby Digital, DTS etc or would I have to replace the whole lot?

Are there any better alternatives for about £500?
Any advice welcome.

[Plotloss]

With 5 speakers and a sub (dont know about Bose stuff really, acoustimass etc) you should be able to get Dolby Digital and DTS if the amp supports the decoding of such streams.

DTS whilst being technically superior isnt on that many discs so shouldnt be a primary buying concern. The DVD standard mandates Dolby Digital and DTS is only an option so you'll find DD only discs DD+DTS discs but never DTS only discs.

For the budget I would suggest that these little Bose Sat+Sub things will provide broadly comparable sound quality, perhaps a little compromised in comparison to a full range system.

[tycho]

Cheers for the reply Plotloss.

Don't think the Accoustimass will support 5.1 in or out so I guess I'll have to replace that. Would like to keep the cube speakers as they are mounted on the ceiling and the cables are all routed around the ceiling/wall join. Don't know if the Bose speakers will take input from an amp as I think they do something to it.

[Plotloss]

Right, the acoustimass is a sub/amp combo with a crossover that filters the signal. I see.

If the speakers in the later acoustimass setups are the same then you *should* be able to just replace the acoustimass and utilise the existing speakers.

I believe keeping the speakers will restrict you to looking at Bose gear on the whole.

If the acoustimass has SPDIF or TOSLink (or firewire, just not phono RCA ins) inputs then it will do dolby digital/dts

[anonymous-user]

This looks pretty good and got a great write up in the Times yesterday - about £150 more than you want to pay!!

www.broadbandstuff.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=771

[tycho]

garyhun said:

This looks pretty good and got a great write up in the Times yesterday - about £150 more than you want to pay!!

www.broadbandstuff.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=771

Don't particularly like the idea of wireless rear speakers, do you know if they can be used with wires as I already have the cable runs and don't really have many sockets free where the rear speakers would go.

Also, what about this new Dolby HD? Is it worth waiting for?

[Plotloss]

Unless you add two speakers then TrueHD shouldnt be a consideration.

Then if you are adding speakers you are chasing, if you are chasing then you may as well upgrade the lot and so the cycle continues...

[anonymous-user]

tycho said:

garyhun said:

This looks pretty good and got a great write up in the Times yesterday - about £150 more than you want to pay!!

www.broadbandstuff.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=771

Don't particularly like the idea of wireless rear speakers, do you know if they can be used with wires as I already have the cable runs and don't really have many sockets free where the rear speakers would go.

Also, what about this new Dolby HD? Is it worth waiting for?

No idea! I just looked it up on google!!

[tycho]

If there is no straight forward way of upgrading the bass module to Dolby Digital and use the current speakers, then I might lob the whole lot on Fleabay and get a whole new system like that Phillips one. I guess there has been a lot of advances in technology in the last 6 years.

[Plotloss]

There has without doubt, however the content hasnt kept up the pace at which the technology has evolved at.

Which is something to be mindful of.

[vex]

Plotlosss doesnt know this, but he could offer you a full Jamo 5.1 systems with an excellent DVD,Amp,RDS Radio Tuner, USB input and it even plays CD's.

I have it as my new hifi in the lounge and it is a cracking peice of kit for the price.

On, £499.99 Price includes 4 little cube surround speakers, 1 wider centre and an active sub.

Link here - www.jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=5898&M=Shop&PID=16177&ProductID=17642

(Plotloss - call me to discuss if you need to!)