my brain hurts

[pwray]

Must..... have ...... surround ..... sound.......

I currently have a 43" 4:3 Tosh RP (which is lurvly) and pioneer 545 DVD (which is grand too), but my sound system doesn't cut the mustard - just a pair of 12 year old Mission 70s driven by an equally aged Rotel stereo amp. I have a budget of £500 or so but can't decide which way to go :confused: I think something like the Marantz 4200 receiver would do nicely (more than enough power for a modestly sized room methinks) but for the speakers do I:

1. Keep my existing fronts and add in a Mission M7C centre and M7DS surrounds - looks good, main concern would be how the old 70s would blend with the new centre.

2. Buy a new fiver speaker system (there are just too many possibilities here for my small brain)

3. Keep my existing fronts and add in the Wharfedale WH2 center + bipole rears (seems a steal at £83 from QED), which leaves me with some dosh for a subwoofer....

4. Something dead clever that I haven't thought of yet....

Any comments, suggestions would be much appreciated :)

[MikeK]

Depends how big the old Mission 70s are - can you use them as rear speakers.

If so, I'd do that and get a set of fronts with a matching centre.
Something like Kef Cresta2 and Cresta centre from Richers - about £140 all in, or Eltax Monitor3 and Monitor centre - about £120 all in.
Add a Paradigm PDR10 subwoofer for £150, and an SR4200 for £250, and the whole lot comes to £520-£540.
You'd need to get some reasonable cable too - as a basic budget cable, Gale XL189 from Richers at £1 a metre is OK.

[pwray]

Mike - thanks for your comments. Unfortunately the old 70's won't do as rears because they're just too chunky, and one of them needs to go above a doorway :-(

I'm going off getting a sub for now because I'm not sure where I would put the beast and also I fear it might keep the kiddies awake.

I'm veering towards getting the SR4200 and the mission m71 cinema set (and maybe setting up the old amp and speakers in a bedroom). Does this seem like a sound choice? Or should I fork out the extra for the m72 set which would give me a little more bass?

If anyone can help deliver me from my procrastination that would be great :clap:

[pip&pop]

I have a 43inch tosh too, and you are going the right way. It makes a huge difference to have a decent sized soundstage.

I used to have a 28inch with a big soundstage (opposite prob) its only now I'm happy.

BTW Didn't you get the free sub offer with your Tosh?

Mine's still in the shed gathering dust...

[pwray]

I got my tosh after the free sub offer had expired :( but perhaps that's a blessing...

Originally posted by pip&pop
I have a 43inch tosh too, and you are going the right way. It makes a huge difference to have a decent sized soundstage.

I used to have a 28inch with a big soundstage (opposite prob) its only now I'm happy.

BTW Didn't you get the free sub offer with your Tosh?

Mine's still in the shed gathering dust...

[davey1970]

i got the mission m72 set, plus a m70as sub, and it sounds fab. im particularly impressed with the rears, maybe it is to do with them being designed to throw the sound in all directions rather than just straight forward, but they r fab.

i think it would all still sound fab even without the sub.


hope that is of use!

d