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Old 06-21-2018, 02:11 PM   #1321
GoinAllTheWay
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OK, audiophiles....

I'm getting tired of listening to the crappy metallic sounding builtin speakers on our TV's. I live in a condo so not ready for a heaving hitting home theater system but what I would like is some quality 2.1 speakers, with a sub if possible, to enhance the TV viewing experience a bit.

What's an easy way to do this? Would need a remote or preferably comparability with a Logitech universal remote. Is a sound bar the only good option here?
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Old 06-21-2018, 02:37 PM   #1322
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OK, audiophiles....

I'm getting tired of listening to the crappy metallic sounding builtin speakers on our TV's. I live in a condo so not ready for a heaving hitting home theater system but what I would like is some quality 2.1 speakers, with a sub if possible, to enhance the TV viewing experience a bit.

What's an easy way to do this? Would need a remote or preferably comparability with a Logitech universal remote. Is a sound bar the only good option here?
Do you have a concrete or wood building? Speaking from experience, I probably would avoid a sub in a wood building unless you've got carpeted floors (or you're on the ground floor). Then again, my old hag of a neighbor from 8 years ago was really the issue more than anything else.

If your room is square, a soundbar will suit you just fine most likely, and a lot of 2.1 / 3.1 soundbar options come with a subwoofer.
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Old 06-21-2018, 04:32 PM   #1323
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It's a townhouse style condo, wood frame, but it is carpeted. And honestly, I don't give much of a crap about the neighbours on that side. With how often their kids are pounding the stairs, they can deal with a bit of noise from our side.

Ok, so sound bar is a good way to go. What brand is one to consider or are they all about the same?
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Old 06-21-2018, 06:06 PM   #1324
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Check Wirecutter for some ideas.
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Old 06-21-2018, 07:30 PM   #1325
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Check Wirecutter for some ideas.
Somehow I'd never heard of that site before. Thanks! Looks like a good resource.
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Old 06-21-2018, 11:11 PM   #1326
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I don't buy anything without checking there first.

It's never steered me wrong.
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Old 06-23-2018, 09:13 AM   #1327
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Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay View Post
OK, audiophiles....

I'm getting tired of listening to the crappy metallic sounding builtin speakers on our TV's. I live in a condo so not ready for a heaving hitting home theater system but what I would like is some quality 2.1 speakers, with a sub if possible, to enhance the TV viewing experience a bit.

What's an easy way to do this? Would need a remote or preferably comparability with a Logitech universal remote. Is a sound bar the only good option here?
Skip the sub and go 2.0 with a pair of proper speakers that trail off around 80-100hz. That will cover the vast majority of tv content without bass passing through the floors. I don't think soundbars are ever the answer personally.

For speakers, I think the JBL LSR305, which you can pick up at Long and McQuaid or Amazon.ca are a very good and extremely well-engineered option for a smaller living space like an apartment, but passive speakers and floorstanders could also be an option. However since the LSR305s are an active setup, you can probably drive them directly from the RCA outputs of your digital cable box and use that for volume adjustments, otherwise you'll need to buy a receiver or processor of some sort (NTTAWT if your budget allows).

If you do pick up the LSR305s (or other studio monitors, although I think at the price range it's tough to beat these) I can elaborate further on setup options that fit you and your needs, as they're countless.

If you do want a sub, then you will need some electronics inline for sure. I think a sub properly set up can add a bit of depth to the sound but the lower in frequency you get the lower the chance it will be attenuated by the typical soundproofing in most buildings, so overall I don't think the tradeoff is worth it unless you're building a full and isolated HT. 100hz is plenty low and the LSR305s should have an F3 below that point (their F10 appears to be 43hz) You can always add a sub later, too.

Beyond that though, what are your:

1) Budget (the bigger the better)
2) Space requirements (the bigger the better)
3) Aesthetic requirements (the less restrictive the better)

We can figure out a 2.0 that works for you.
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Old 06-23-2018, 10:28 AM   #1328
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2.0 for tv watching? No thanks! Would be better off with a soundbar. I run stereo for music listening but a good centre channel is fairly important if you're going with a receiver + speaker setup
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Old 06-23-2018, 10:37 AM   #1329
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2.0 for tv watching? No thanks! Would be better off with a soundbar. I run stereo for music listening but a good centre channel is fairly important if you're going with a receiver + speaker setup
If your stereo speakers center an image well and have good off-axis response, the sound is perfectly locked on the TV screen at multiple seating positions. Center channels are nice, but unnecessary. The only scenarios I'd say centers are vital are in cars and in very wide (over ~16 foot distance between left and right speaker, most setups are 8 to 10 feet) proper theater rooms.
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Old 06-24-2018, 04:19 PM   #1330
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Beyond that though, what are your:

1) Budget (the bigger the better)
2) Space requirements (the bigger the better)
3) Aesthetic requirements (the less restrictive the better)

We can figure out a 2.0 that works for you.
Budget wise Im pretty open. Its not something i want to spend a ton on, rather do that with a home theater system. $300 or under? Have plenty of space, no worries there. Aesthetically i dont really care as long as they sound decent. This isnt something I really need to go to town on. Like I said, rather spend money on a good 5.1 down the road when we are in a house.
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Old 06-25-2018, 11:47 PM   #1331
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If your stereo speakers center an image well and have good off-axis response, the sound is perfectly locked on the TV screen at multiple seating positions. Center channels are nice, but unnecessary. The only scenarios I'd say centers are vital are in cars and in very wide (over ~16 foot distance between left and right speaker, most setups are 8 to 10 feet) proper theater rooms.
I really agree with your 2.0 analysis, nicely stated. 2.0 or 2.1 are excellent for TV watching in my opinion and good choice for Goinalltheway.

Centers really come into play in a proper theatre setup. They help create a proper 'soundstage' at the front of your theatre. They handle the majority of dialog. I always tell my clients the two most important speakers in a home theatre are the center and the subwoofer. I am not sure if GranteedEV was talking about 8-10 feet stereo or HT setups not requiring a center. i would agree with the stereo setup but strongly disagree with the HT setup. The center is vital for any 5.1, 7.1 or atmos setup.
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Old 06-26-2018, 01:03 AM   #1332
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Budget wise Im pretty open. Its not something i want to spend a ton on, rather do that with a home theater system. $300 or under? Have plenty of space, no worries there. Aesthetically i dont really care as long as they sound decent. This isnt something I really need to go to town on. Like I said, rather spend money on a good 5.1 down the road when we are in a house.
Not for everyone, but what about doing something along the lines of a combination of sound bar and headphones/headsets?

There's some headphones at decent prices with 5.1 or 7.1 even if they're not true 5.1 or 7.1. I got a Tritton headset and mixer combo for a great price a few years ago for my PS4 and I find it's fantastic to use at the dead of night for other things like watching movies at a good volume without bothering anyone else in the house. My buddy was enjoying his Sennheiser wireless headphones for watching sports or other tv content without disturbing others.


Now I don't know if you're dead set on the soundbar or external speakers, but for sure the headphones would blow the TV built in speaker sound out of the water.
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Old 06-26-2018, 04:34 PM   #1333
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I recently purchased a vintage stereo cabinet and have wall mounted my TV above.
The stereo apparently works but there's an issue with the power button.

I'm trying to decide how to incorporate a small TV sound system potentially into the cabinet. A small soundbar w/ a wireless sub and rears could work, but I'd rather not see the soundbar. Maybe replace the cabinet speakers with new powered speakers? Connect the cabinet speakers to a small receiver?

Ideally keeping the record player working would be nice. Looking for some opinions on what would be the best setup. I'm a little lost.

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Old 06-26-2018, 04:41 PM   #1334
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Now I don't know if you're dead set on the soundbar or external speakers, but for sure the headphones would blow the TV built in speaker sound out of the water.
That's an interesting suggestion but for what I'm after, either the sound bar or external speakers is my preference, I won't be the only one watching. That's a good idea for the downstairs TV though for when I'm watching TV alone though.

I appreciate the efforts in this thread but just want to underscore simple but relatively effective. Something I can just plug into the TV and has a remote. Not even really all that worried about a sub. Just two speakers of reasonable quality plugged into a port on the TV with a remote to control volume.

When we are out of the condo and into a house, that's where I'm gonna go nuts on a good HTS.

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Old 06-26-2018, 04:52 PM   #1335
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Just get a sound bar, test it out and if you aren't happy return it. If not, voila. Done.
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Old 06-26-2018, 05:13 PM   #1336
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Originally Posted by iggypop View Post
I recently purchased a vintage stereo cabinet and have wall mounted my TV above.
The stereo apparently works but there's an issue with the power button.

I'm trying to decide how to incorporate a small TV sound system potentially into the cabinet. A small soundbar w/ a wireless sub and rears could work, but I'd rather not see the soundbar. Maybe replace the cabinet speakers with new powered speakers? Connect the cabinet speakers to a small receiver?

Ideally keeping the record player working would be nice. Looking for some opinions on what would be the best setup. I'm a little lost.

Nice look! You could potentially get a sound base that would sit on top of the cabinet. Their subs are built in so it's just a square and you could put plants on it or whatever (glass top)
http://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/sony-ht-xt3

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Old 06-27-2018, 10:09 AM   #1337
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That's an interesting suggestion but for what I'm after, either the sound bar or external speakers is my preference, I won't be the only one watching. That's a good idea for the downstairs TV though for when I'm watching TV alone though.

I appreciate the efforts in this thread but just want to underscore simple but relatively effective. Something I can just plug into the TV and has a remote.


To me, I'm thinking my earlier suggestion of powered monitors is your best bet for simplicity. Do either your cable box or TV have RCA (Red/White Audio) outputs? Here's the link to the aformentioned JBLs (you'll want two, of course) which I'll again emphasize as a really high-value speaker.
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:15 AM   #1338
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I recently purchased a vintage stereo cabinet and have wall mounted my TV above.
The stereo apparently works but there's an issue with the power button.

I'm trying to decide how to incorporate a small TV sound system potentially into the cabinet. A small soundbar w/ a wireless sub and rears could work, but I'd rather not see the soundbar. Maybe replace the cabinet speakers with new powered speakers? Connect the cabinet speakers to a small receiver?

Ideally keeping the record player working would be nice. Looking for some opinions on what would be the best setup. I'm a little lost.
I'd grab a used receiver and see if the speakers are any good in there. Make sure it has an analoug phono jack. You should be able to re-wire the turntable, or just plug it in. You can pop new speakers in the cabinet if the current ones suck. You should be able to get a decent receiver under $200. Not sure how the cabinet works, but if one of those centre panels pops out you could put a centre channel in there, or on top.
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Old 06-28-2018, 12:17 PM   #1339
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To me, I'm thinking my earlier suggestion of powered monitors is your best bet for simplicity. Do either your cable box or TV have RCA (Red/White Audio) outputs? Here's the link to the aformentioned JBLs (you'll want two, of course) which I'll again emphasize as a really high-value speaker.
My TV would, not sure about the TV box. It's BluSky from Shaw. I'll have to take a look tonight.
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Old 06-28-2018, 12:23 PM   #1340
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My TV would, not sure about the TV box. It's BluSky from Shaw. I'll have to take a look tonight.
The 4K one is only HDMI, the standard one has red/white RCA.
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