Hifi/tv setup

[MarginWalker]

Hi all, early next year I am planning to move in with my girlfriend. She has a basement room in her house, tanked carpeted and decorated but unused other than for storage. The plan is to turn it into a music and film room. It is approx 15’ x12’ with a ceiling height of 7’.

My plan is to change my system entirely to move to a setup that I can watch films through as well as listening to music. Currently I have a Rega Brio-r, audiolab q dac, Rega RS1 speakers and a Thorens TD160. My initial thought is to ditch most of my gear and pick up a pair of KEF LS50 wireless, a sub and a phono stage.

My question to you all is can I make better use of my £2.5/3k to get a set up that works for streaming, records and films?

Thanks
Phil

[plastic penguin]

Firstly, you have a good set-up.

I would personally look at Naim Uniti. Naim generally works well with Rega speakers. The only issue I can see with Naim is they don't a built-in phono stage for vinyl.

The main issue will be for you is to discover if the basement, with carpets, is going to be reflective. If so you'll need to look at smoother amplification or speakers or both.

A home demo is going to be a must.

Also have a look at Leema:

https://www.leema-acoustics.com/product.html?prid=85

[Jac Hawk]

In my experience basements make great music rooms, i've recently turned my basement into my hifi room and as there are no windows down there, the roof is low and i think the effect of tanking means that my stereo sounds amazing, deeper tighter bass and generally a better overall sound, i'm using a pair of Mordaunt Short MS45Ti's and was going to change them until i stuck em in the basement setup, now i don't think i'd part with them especially considering i only paid £30 for them and they're mint, i tried a pair of Rega RX5 down there and couldn't see apart from the nicer finish any major improvements sonically over my £30 MS speakers.

However if you're going to change the setup and want to add TV and streamed music into the mix, i'd suggest an A/V amp that can connect to your internet to allow you to stream media such as spotify and listen to net radio, i use the Yamaha RX777 in my A/V setup, it's a great piece of kit, very musical and very well built, speakers will depend on your personal taste, but i think you'll find that if you can try some in your room you'll be surprised, finally tanking shouldn't be broken or punctured so if you are planning on bolting the tv to the wall think again and maybe get a floor stand for it

[Crackles]

Firstly, you have a good set-up.

I would personally look at Naim Uniti. Naim generally works well with Rega speakers. The only issue I can see with Naim is they don't a built-in phono stage for vinyl.

The main issue will be for you is to discover if the basement, with carpets, is going to be reflective. If so you'll need to look at smoother amplification or speakers or both.

A home demo is going to be a must.

Also have a look at Leema:

https://www.leema-acoustics.com/product.html?prid=85What do you mean about carpets being reflective? I thought carpets were good for absorbing sound?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[KindOfDaz]

Hegel's integrateds enjoy some great feedback on their cooperation with KEF's LS50s (which amplifier doesn't like these brilliant passive KEFs anyway), and they (Hegels) are just perfect for mixing two channel TV and sole audio. Excellent DAC chip installed, namely AKM 449X series. Network abilities so handy for streaming. The slight issue is there is no phono stage in place, so separate one would be required, or at least one built into a turntable.

[plastic penguin]

What do you mean about carpets being reflective? I thought carpets were good for absorbing sound?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Not the carpets reflective. But basements generally, because of their enclosed nature, are reflective. So carpets may not be enough to tame any brightness the basement produces. Depending on what furniture is going in the OP may have to budget for some sort of acoustic panels. That can't be determined until he tries out a system.

[Beobloke]

Why not just keep the equipment you've got and add an A/V receiver that has pre-outs for the front channels, which you can run through your Rega amp, leaving the receiver to run the other channels?

[MarginWalker]

Why not just keep the equipment you've got and add an A/V receiver that has pre-outs for the front channels, which you can run through your Rega amp, leaving the receiver to run the other channels?

The whole idea was to improve on my current speakers. Although i really like them i was planning to get something which would fill the room better and I like the idea of the DSP functionality that the LS50W has. Also, the QDAC doesn't have a remote which is something i would want if my system was doubling up for TV duties. Plus, i stream music using a Google Chromecast so i would have to factor in getting a streamer as well.

Ultimately i want to work out if the sound i liked from the LS50W can bettered using separates.

[Jac Hawk]

But basements generally, because of their enclosed nature, are reflective.

Are not all rooms enclosed:scratch: if your basement is tanked the way mine is, then there is a poly membrane then rockwool then plasterboard attached to a wooden frame, this makes in my case for a very quiet, sonically unreflective environment, perfect for music.

[Macca]

The low ceiling in most basements does exacerbate things, reflection-wise.

[Manicatel]

I’d also add my vote for a Naim uniti with some decent speakers over active LS50’s, which I don’t personally rate that much. It may also be worth looking at running an Ethernet cable down to the basement if possible for the streaming. The Uniti has digital inputs for your tv. Add a half decent phono stage & job done.

[MarginWalker]

The uniti atom does look interesting, but it doesn’t look to have a sub out which I would want to use for watching films

[Manicatel]

You could use a REL sub with its Neutrik cable, negating the need for a sub out socket.

[Yomanze]

I like your girlfriend’s style, allowing you to indulge in a dedicated music and movie room. :)

[Yomanze]

Personally I would just grab a Raspberry Pi with a suitable digital out HAT board, and then get something like the new BK Double Gem sub, and connect it to your Brio-R speaker outs. Well under £500 all in.

...or if you are feeling a bit more adventurous, need more than 1080p, and don’t mind building a computer, then I can recommend the fanless ASRock J4205-ITX, it has an integrated processor, which will do 4K films at 60Hz. It’s what I use for my own silent media server. Easily built for under £300.

[Mark Grant]

Hi all, early next year I am planning to move in with my girlfriend. She has a basement room in her house, tanked carpeted and decorated but unused other than for storage. The plan is to turn it into a music and film room. It is approx 15’ x12’ with a ceiling height of 7’.

My plan is to change my system entirely to move to a setup that I can watch films through as well as listening to music. Currently I have a Rega Brio-r, audiolab q dac, Rega RS1 speakers and a Thorens TD160. My initial thought is to ditch most of my gear and pick up a pair of KEF LS50 wireless, a sub and a phono stage.

My question to you all is can I make better use of my £2.5/3k to get a set up that works for streaming, records and films?

Thanks
Phil

I would keep everything you have to start with so you can hear what it sounds like in the basement.

Then make changes to suit.

Films and TV on a really good 2 channel system can sound better than on an entry level AV system, in my opinion.

Also in a smallish basement you might be sat too near the rear speakers, that can be annoying sometimes.

For active speakers also consider some of the studio brands such as Adam Audio, https://www.adam-audio.com/en/ Can be expensive for the high end 'S' models but they are excellent.

Front ported speakers should be better than rear ported near the wall in a small room. The KEF are rear ported and might not be ideal near the wall.

A DAC with remote control input selection and volume and balanced XLR outputs into a pair of active speakers might be all you need for two channel music and films, apart from the turntable of course...

Sound like a fun move :)

[Stryder5]

You could use a REL sub with its Neutrik cable, negating the need for a sub out socket.


Any sub as long as it has high level inputs, you don't need a sub out socket.

Gary

[MarginWalker]

Finally moved in! Here is the room with my current kit...

https://i.imgur.com/2lYIKZX.jpg

The TV will soon be upgraded to a nice 65inch and shelving for records will be added to the alcoves. My current kit is sounding so much better than it did before so I plan to just enjoy it for a few months before the upgrade path starts in earnest!

[Barry]

That looks lovely - well done!