LLM918
12-12-2005, 12:35 PM
Hello,
Could anyone offer any suggestions for a home audio system which uses a minimal number of speakers?
My father wants the Bose 321 System because of the fact that my mother does not want wires running everywhere. My father is an electrician (retired) and can easily set up any system, but because he refuses to drill holes in the floor to run any wiring my mother does not want him to install any system. They do have an odd set-up to their living room, with lots of doorways, so it does pose a problem running the wires.
Several years ago we purchased the Sony DDW830 for him, but when he set it up and had the wires going past every doorway, my mother told him that he could not run the wires past all of the doorways. Instead of explaining to her that he could snake the wiring around the door frames or under the carpets, etc., he got mad and put the system back in the box and hasn't touched it since. Yes, he is that stubborn!
So for the last couple of years he has been hinting that he would love to have the Bose 321 system, " just two small speakers", he says, but after reading reviews and speaking with audiophiles I feel that it is not the best choice for him.
What I need to know is what could we purchase for around $800 to $1,000, or less, that would have good quality sound, but have a minimal number of small to medium sized speakers? He has a Sony 32" Wega TV and the room is not exceptionally large - maybe 14' x 24'. He also has DirectTV, a Monster Cable Surge Protector, a DVD player and VCR connected to the TV if any of that matters.
I don't necessarily have to have a 'system' from one company, I would be comfortable purchasing components from different companies if that's the way to go. Ideally, I would like to have this by Christmas, but if that's not possible, he would just get it later. I have a friend who works for Best Buy who has offered his employee discount, so if there is anything that can be purchased there, we could possible go better quality for the same amount of money. I know from reading posts that true audiophiles suggest higher end specialty stores, but my Dad is 75 and slightly hard of hearing, so this would be more to give him a system that he will be able to hear better, not something that could rattle the windows! Although now he turns it up so loud that the neighbors could probably listen in if they wanted!
I would really appreciate any help/advice/suggestions that anyone could offer. Please include if wood speakers are better than plastic, certain companies that might be harder to deal with in case of a problem; any stuff like that. My siblings and I don't want to get him something that he'd have trouble with, but keep in mind that he is an electrician so the actual hook up is not any problem. Also, is there a way tht he could reconfigure the Sony system using fewer speakers, like use the receiver from the Sony 830 and buy other speakers?
I apologize for the long post, but I need losts of ?'s answered. I'll look for your suggestions and I thank you very much! LLM
Could anyone offer any suggestions for a home audio system which uses a minimal number of speakers?
My father wants the Bose 321 System because of the fact that my mother does not want wires running everywhere. My father is an electrician (retired) and can easily set up any system, but because he refuses to drill holes in the floor to run any wiring my mother does not want him to install any system. They do have an odd set-up to their living room, with lots of doorways, so it does pose a problem running the wires.
Several years ago we purchased the Sony DDW830 for him, but when he set it up and had the wires going past every doorway, my mother told him that he could not run the wires past all of the doorways. Instead of explaining to her that he could snake the wiring around the door frames or under the carpets, etc., he got mad and put the system back in the box and hasn't touched it since. Yes, he is that stubborn!
So for the last couple of years he has been hinting that he would love to have the Bose 321 system, " just two small speakers", he says, but after reading reviews and speaking with audiophiles I feel that it is not the best choice for him.
What I need to know is what could we purchase for around $800 to $1,000, or less, that would have good quality sound, but have a minimal number of small to medium sized speakers? He has a Sony 32" Wega TV and the room is not exceptionally large - maybe 14' x 24'. He also has DirectTV, a Monster Cable Surge Protector, a DVD player and VCR connected to the TV if any of that matters.
I don't necessarily have to have a 'system' from one company, I would be comfortable purchasing components from different companies if that's the way to go. Ideally, I would like to have this by Christmas, but if that's not possible, he would just get it later. I have a friend who works for Best Buy who has offered his employee discount, so if there is anything that can be purchased there, we could possible go better quality for the same amount of money. I know from reading posts that true audiophiles suggest higher end specialty stores, but my Dad is 75 and slightly hard of hearing, so this would be more to give him a system that he will be able to hear better, not something that could rattle the windows! Although now he turns it up so loud that the neighbors could probably listen in if they wanted!
I would really appreciate any help/advice/suggestions that anyone could offer. Please include if wood speakers are better than plastic, certain companies that might be harder to deal with in case of a problem; any stuff like that. My siblings and I don't want to get him something that he'd have trouble with, but keep in mind that he is an electrician so the actual hook up is not any problem. Also, is there a way tht he could reconfigure the Sony system using fewer speakers, like use the receiver from the Sony 830 and buy other speakers?
I apologize for the long post, but I need losts of ?'s answered. I'll look for your suggestions and I thank you very much! LLM