Little Things That Make You Smile 6: Nowhere To Go But Up

[Soundwave]

I've finally upgraded my AV setup to 4K and added rear speakers. Well, I haven't yet, but all the stuff is on the way.

Since it's my birthday next week and I won't be going on holiday this year from the looks of things, it seemed like a good time.

Excited

Nice, what are you getting?

I really miss my old setup which I gave to my brother when we moved & had to switch to a Soundbar setup...which is awful compared to what went before it
I do keep looking at Atmos Soundbars now though...although they are so bloody long don't think they would fit on the mantle

Neil

[wakka]

Nice, what are you getting?

I really miss my old setup which I gave to my brother when we moved & had to switch to a Soundbar setup...which is awful compared to what went before it
I do keep looking at Atmos Soundbars now though...although they are so bloody long don't think they would fit on the mantle

Neil

I got a Panasonic 55" GZ950. I paid £1120 through Richer Sounds. Just happened to be on AVForums today though, and spotted TekZone had dropped it to £1009 when you used a code yesterday.

Phoned up Richer Sounds, and as I had bought it within the last 7 days - only just, I bought it last Wednesday afternoon - they agreed to price beat and refund me £130, making the total I paid £989!

For the rears I'm adding a pair of Dali Zensor Picos. I've actually had them for a while, as I purchased them when they were going end-of-line. I have Zensor Picos on front and centre so wanted matching rears and thought I had better get them before they disappeared, but didn't get round to buying stands and speaker wire until now.

Looking forward to setting it all up tomorrow.

Sorry to hear about your setup Neil, I actually remember writing to you apropos nothing a while back (~2 years) to ask if you still had your speakers, and whether you'd be interested in selling them. It was a really nice set.

Perhaps look into a soundbase rather than bar, with some wireless rears? Might work better from a space perspective as you may be able to position the TV on top of it, although you may need to give up Atmos.

[Soundwave]

I got a Panasonic 55" GZ950. I paid £1120 through Richer Sounds. Just happened to be on AVForums today though, and spotted TekZone had dropped it to £1009 when you used a code yesterday.

Phoned up Richer Sounds, and as I had bought it within the last 7 days - only just, I bought it last Wednesday afternoon - they agreed to price beat and refund me £130, making the total I paid £989!

For the rears I'm adding a pair of Dali Zensor Picos. I've actually had them for a while, as I purchased them when they were going end-of-line. I have Zensor Picos on front and centre so wanted matching rears and thought I had better get them before they disappeared, but didn't get round to buying stands and speaker wire until now.

Looking forward to setting it all up tomorrow.

Sorry to hear about your setup Neil, I actually remember writing to you apropos nothing a while back (~2 years) to ask if you still had your speakers, and whether you'd be interested in selling them. It was a really nice set.

Perhaps look into a soundbase rather than bar, with some wireless rears? Might work better from a space perspective as you may be able to position the TV on top of it, although you may need to give up Atmos.

Wow nice on getting Richer Sounds to price match that's a bargain

Oh do like Dali speakers & the Pico's look pretty sweet for the price

I'll look forward to pics when it's all done

Yeah sadly it wasn't to be originally I had hoped to keep the original setup & run the cables under the carpets but a few things went on & didn't get to sort it before we moved into the current abode & logistically I can't have cables running round the floor now so went to the sound bar instead

Lol yeah remember that now
Think posting would have been a massive pain lol

Sadly a Soundbase won't work with my set-up now
The mantle is no way big enough lol



I have been looking at the Samsung HW-Q90R Atmos soundbar that comes with wireless rears so might replace the Yamaha with that if I can get a good deal on one other than that the Sony HT-ST5000 looks good but regardless of how good they are the prices are massive compared to what I could build in a proper 5.1 setup

Neil

[wakka]

Wow nice on getting Richer Sounds to price match that's a bargain

Oh do like Dali speakers & the Pico's look pretty sweet for the price

I'll look forward to pics when it's all done

Yeah sadly it wasn't to be originally I had hoped to keep the original setup & run the cables under the carpets but a few things went on & didn't get to sort it before we moved into the current abode & logistically I can't have cables running round the floor now so went to the sound bar instead

Lol yeah remember that now
Think posting would have been a massive pain lol

Sadly a Soundbase won't work with my set-up now
The mantle is no way big enough lol



I have been looking at the Samsung HW-Q90R Atmos soundbar that comes with wireless rears so might replace the Yamaha with that if I can get a good deal on one other than that the Sony HT-ST5000 looks good but regardless of how good they are the prices are massive compared to what I could build in a proper 5.1 setup

Neil

Thanks Neil! Yeah it was a real Brucie bonus, I was comfortable with the price (just about, it's a lot of cash!) but now I actually feel like it was a bit of a steal at under a grand.

Ah yes, right you are with the mantelpiece. I know what you mean regarding bang for buck on soundbars versus separates. Obviously I went the separates route and what you can get for the money in terms of sound quality is pretty incredible really.

On the other hand though, there are some very good soundbars around now, and at least you aren't messing with cutting speaker wire, fitting banana plugs, routing the wire around the room and all that jazz. I do really like my separates, but can totally see why soundbars are so popular - the setup is infinity easier!

Maybe when all this madness has calmed down, a trip to Richer Sounds is in order to start listening to soundbars and see if there's anything that would work for you

[fuse]

Do we not have a dedicated hi-fi / setup discussion thread? Not trying to be an armchair mod here, am genuinely curious how there isn't one I can remember having seen. I'm taking mental notes from a lot of the above, and I'm soon to be wading back into this side of things myself...

[Soundwave]

Thanks Neil! Yeah it was a real Brucie bonus, I was comfortable with the price (just about, it's a lot of cash!) but now I actually feel like it was a bit of a steal at under a grand.

Ah yes, right you are with the mantelpiece. I know what you mean regarding bang for buck on soundbars versus separates. Obviously I went the separates route and what you can get for the money in terms of sound quality is pretty incredible really.

On the other hand though, there are some very good soundbars around now, and at least you aren't messing with cutting speaker wire, fitting banana plugs, routing the wire around the room and all that jazz. I do really like my separates, but can totally see why soundbars are so popular - the setup is infinity easier!

Maybe when all this madness has calmed down, a trip to Richer Sounds is in order to start listening to soundbars and see if there's anything that would work for you

Yeah always nice to get something that good for cheap
The Panasonic you see in that picture is a DX750b does HDR & 3D
At launch it was £1300 I got it at end of line for £750 which was a bargain

Totally I mean most good quality soundbars would buy you a very good 2nd hand separates setup.
Mine was only £450.00 so it's not at the top end by any stretch of the imaginiation

Yeah would love something with a bit more weight to it...that said the Soundbar doesn't do a bad job at doing Surround Sound (it's a Yamaha YSP-2700 & is well reviewed by What Hi Fi & others which is why I went for it) but volume has to be up loud to get it to work it's magic which means it doesn't get as much use as it would because any movie viewing has to be done when Chloe is out of the way...late night viewings definitely not on the cards lol

Think a good listen to a few different options is a must going forward, the cost to improve what I have in a Soundbar isn't something to be taken lightly

Do we not have a dedicated hi-fi / setup discussion thread? Not trying to be an armchair mod here, am genuinely curious how there isn't one I can remember having seen. I'm taking mental notes from a lot of the above, and I'm soon to be wading back into this side of things myself...

To be fair buddy I'm not sure.
I know we have one for Tellys but as you said don't remember seeing anything dedicated to AV/Hi-Fi
Perhaps we need to start one?

Sorry for derailing the thread a bit as well

Neil

[JazzFunk]

That recentish YouTube vid of the pig drunk on corn-based moonshine mash dumped at the side of a field.

I *PROPER* howled. High-pitched like Gary Klar in 1985 DAY OF THE DEAD.

Pure mirth. The sow was unharmed. Three times I cackled.

Search it out if you wanna howl.

[charlesr]

We normally use the setup thread for hifi I guess

[Cepp]

Won a free copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 on Twitch. Sub only raffle and I had a gifted sub

Still haven't played the first game though, feels like I should run through it first.

[wakka]

Ehhhh...I reckon just play the new one. It's a beefy enough game as it is!

I bounced off it hard when I got it on release, after maybe ~10 hours. I've recently returned to it as it's on Game Pass, and it's really clicked with me this time. It's an absolutely superb game.

[Neon Ignition]

Petrol going under £1 a litre finally! Noice!

[Cepp]

Ehhhh...I reckon just play the new one. It's a beefy enough game as it is!

I bounced off it hard when I got it on release, after maybe ~10 hours. I've recently returned to it as it's on Game Pass, and it's really clicked with me this time. It's an absolutely superb game.

I'm very particular about going through things in order. Might give it a go though, just to see how the old 290 handle it.

[Soundwave]

Petrol going under £1 a litre finally! Noice!

Hope it stays that way.
Fingers crossed I'll be buying a new car once the dealers open up again & I'm moving away from Diesel back to Petrol

Even diesel though is £1.04 round here

[kryss]

After the beautiful 59.9c/L we had a few weeks back, it has settled at 79.9c/L here.
That is nothing to be happy about considering the government moved all public sector workers' pensions into oil and gas at the start of the year.
Alberta is still massively reliant on O&G revenue, of which there basically is none right now. Stupid UCP voters.
/rant over

[charlesr]

These are too funny! https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...00007626047479