Kit or discs?

[sanejo]

If like me you're building a home cinema system on a budget, how do you split your spending?
In the last 18 months I've spent over £1300 on hardware, not a huge sum, but I only earn about £11k, so it's a sizeable proportion. I've also spent about £400 on discs, so not much of a collection, but not an inconsiderable proportion of my earnings.
After christmas I'm hoping to buy a dedicated speaker setup, so again more hardware and consequently fewer discs can be bought!
What's your priority? Kit or discs?
This hardware bias would not be so bad if I thought it would ever end, but I'm on my third player, and I've already started browsing at amps again.(My Kenwood is less than 10 months old.)
For the record:-
Panasonic tx32dk1
LG3350e (Previously Wharfdale 750 and 750s)
Kenwood KRF7030d
Pioneer surrond speaker kit(old but bold)
Home built Pioneer based sub(very big, very not popular with she who must be misled)
Happy holidays!:D

[Robby]

I know where you're coming from. I have a Digitheatre DTS, so i consider myself sorted in that department. I have a crappy 21" TV which is dying to be upgraded to something wider. Now seeing as i won't be able to afford one of them for ages i guess it's gotta be improving the size of my DVD collection.

Sorted.:D

[sbooth]

At the moment i have a widescreen tv, dvd player and dolby digital amp and am pretty happy with it. I'm always looking at new amps though but i just can't afford it and what i have does the job (I am a student). So i just buy discs at the moment. NEw hardware in a few years time when i have a job i think. Things will probably change though! :rolleyes:

[Tob]

I have a 21" telly, 5.1 digitheatre and a tosh 2109. Pretty standard as I have about 275 DVDs. Being a student i found it easier to chipo in small sums to get DVDs rather then splash loads out on a telly.

Have graduated and am working now so finally got round to start saving for some nice kit, almost got enough to buy a big, big tv. Great!

If I had started again, I may have gone with the kit route first but buying DVDs is so damn addictive!

[Bolch]

160 Discs an LG3200e and a 14" Bush.

That's all that'll fit in my room, until I get buy a house and get married (about 12 months and counting)

[Ragnar]

Since I am pretty happy with my kit now, most of my money goes on discs these days,
although I'm putting a bit by every month towards a DVD recorder, for when the format war/scuffle has sorted its self out.:eek:

[ian_davies]

Well, I'm still at school (I'm 16) but spent all Summer working to get enough cash to buy some more stuff :). I bought a 28" Beko Widescreen jobby which does it's job perfectly well IMO to go with my Wharfedale 750s and 50 odd disc collection. I can't buy a DD 5.1 setup atm as my room is too small to accomodate it :( When I move house, I might look into buying one. However, discs all the way at the moment!

[Cornelius]

Well if like me you get into 'high end' audio then you're doomed. I got the bug just over 15 years ago and upgrading is an occupational hazard. I was upgrading a major part of my kit either every year or every two years. Fortunately when the dvd bug bit me I'd already upgraded my power amps the previous year so essentially only needed to buy a dvd player. I was also lucky enough to pick up a Yamaha DSPA1 cheap off a friend who'd upgraded his kit so didnt need to buy dolby digital and dts processors.

I don't upgrade as often as i used to but for me it goes in phases between kit and software and at the moment I'm spending most of my money on software. I guess I'll start to look for a new player in 2003 and a new tv in 2004. As for the audio eqiupment i'm going to run them into the ground and replace them only if needed. I don't think I'll upgrade again unless I move to a bigger house.

[Roberto]

How to build a budget system: :D ;)

Toshiba RPTV 40PW13P from qed-uk.com: £1160
Sony DVPS735 DVD player from Richer Sounds: £349.95
Sony STR-DE445 Amp from Richer Sounds: £200
Mission 700 Rear Speakers X2 from Richer Sounds: £59.95
Mission 702e Floorstanding Speakers X2 from Richer Sounds: £99.95
Mission 70C1 Center Speaker from Richer Sounds: £49.95
Awia FX8200 VHS recorder from High Street: £130

Total: £2049.80

Oh and cables and rack about £60 ;)

[Steviey]

I am more than happy with my current setup. Although I have had 3 DVD players in the last 2 years (2 sold on) I have kept the original Videologic speakers and still use the base/amp as my .1 channel - As my room is fairly small (but cozy) I don't see the point in u/g to something bigger and better - I am always looking at new kit in the shops but always ask myself why I need a need player, amp, speakers - if it ain't broke don't buy a new one. So, I spend most of my money on building up my collection - Got over 300 now over a 2 year period - expect to slow down next year though -;)

[Dear Mr Echo]

I'm quite happy with my set up at the moment and haven't changed anything for quite a while now. I still use the first player that I bought over three years ago (Sony S715) and the only thing it doesn't do for me is output DTS. But I'm not that bothered at the moment - I may upgrade that this coming year but as long as it's working well then I've no real reason to. I've absolutely no idea how much I spend on discs in a year because a good percentage get sold or traded... maybe I'll keep an accurate tab in 2002 just so I can back up my claims to my wife that I don't spend "that much" on them :)

I guess my point is alternate between the two as and when cashkins allows.

Andrew

[jroadley]

OK, I would suggest getting your kit sorted out first only if you know other DVD owners with large`ish collection of titles (Say 100+) this way you can "borrow" discs and watch them in the correct aspect ratio (16x9 enhanced) and in 5.1 or DTS or even DD1.0 if you like old films like me. ;)

So I am going against what other people are saying in this thread (Sort of :D ) for the record (Everyone else is posting their setup!):

Sony 28" W/S TV
Sony 525 DVD Player
Sony DB-930 DD/DTS Amp
B&W CC6S2 Centre
B&W 603S2 Fronts
Sony Rears (Begging to be upgraded to B&W 601's)
Sony 820 VHS

Been looking on another thread about cheap 43" rear projection and very tempted (£1200 'ish)

[ronski]

sanejo - I know the dilema. For me it is a quite pleasant if not somewhat painful sic *expensive* circle. The more discs I buy the more I feel the urge to upgrade the hardware to get the most out of them. Then the better hardware I get the more discs I need to test on the new kit!!! Where will it all end??

I have about 350 discs at the moment and as such my system has just gone over a major upgrade in the past 6 months:

Amp - Denon 3801 => Sony TAVA777ES
TV - Panasonic 28" Widescreen => Toshiba 40PW13p
DVD - Panasonic A360 => Toshiba SD210e
Front Speakers - B&W602s1 => B&W603s3
Center Speaker - Paradigm CC350 => B&WLCR6s2 =>B&WLCR600
Rears => Eltax HT-2 => B&W602.5s3
Sub => Paradigm PDR8 => REL Q200e

Hmmm - hate to think how all that much cost but I have managed to punt on most of my old kit to lessen the blow. I feel the upgrades have all been significant and the sysytem now has fantastic scale and detail for both movies and regular stereo.

The thing that is tickling me now is an LCD projector, screen and a dedicated Home Theatre PC - only that is a serious wedge (about 3k) so I will try and sit happy for a little while.

cheers

ronski

[sanejo]

Well I'm encouraged to know I'm not the only one suffering angst of buying decisions.
My new years resolution will be to enjoy the kit of got for at least a while longer....
Oh, I seem to have ordered some more speakers, bugger!

[SimonInd]

I'd go for spending money on hardware unless you see an unmissable bargain ( e.g. Godfather box for £25:D ). Once you've upgraded you can enjoy re-watching your favourite films on your newly improved set-up and find yourself enjoying them even more....hopefully.

It's taken me a little over 18 months to build my set-up, and it's still not complete, but each little upgrade has been worthwhile....

Toshiba 43PJ93B RPTV
Sony 725 DVD player
Denon AVC-A1D amp
Epos ES22 front speakers
B&W 601S1 rear speakers
Adire Tempest 500W DIY Sub (nearly finished)

The final piece in the jigsaw will be the Epos centre speaker when it comes out (soon hopefully), after that I'll be able to rest on my laurels and waste all of my money on software......

Simon

[Boink!]

My setup:
29" 4x3 Sony NICAM TV - had it for over 5 years and no probs with it. Would like a 32" WS tho', sorry meant to say 36" :)
Wharfedale 750 DVD player - 2 years old - looking to upgrade this.
Marantz SR5200 - three months old and lovely:p My first amp.
Speakers are Dali Blue series which I was lucky enough to win and are way above anything I would have considered buying .
Cables are Dali python - huge bi-wires for the fronts and middle;
Surrounds are some IXOS cables I had hanging about from my hifi. Video cables are home made, components sourced from CPC.
Rack is the legendary flexy.
So, the next on my on my list is a new DVD player. Possibly Pioneer DV444/545 or maybe the Marantz 4100OSE.
Thanks to Xmas and the new year sales I now have 157 DVDs and need more shelf space!

Best thing I have found is to research your DVD buying to [i]exactly what you want and what region you prefer. You can find bargains anytime. Hardware, basically as above. Pick one item to upgrade so you can improve your kit in stages. It is never ending though.;)
Boink!:cool: