h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So we got rid of our hi-fi system a while ago, including our speakers & amp (a wrench - they were the very first Bose acoustimass ones - people used to point and laugh at our tiny speakers, until they heard them)

So now we have a good enough TV (47" LED) and a blu-ray player (having dragged ourselves into the 21st century) we realised that we can no longer play our records because our (modern, converts the records directly to mp3 format if we wish) record player needs (I presume) to go through some kind of amp.

We'd like to get a home cinema thing so we have good surround sound when watching films.

I have no idea what a Home Cinema system can do. Are there any that will connect up to an audio device (CD player, record player) what-have-you, so that I can listen to music?

We got burned a few weeks ago when the guy in the Media shop told us that a compact CD player thingamajig could be used for that.

Over to the experts...

I'd be stunned if there weren't ones that can hook up to other separates units through interconnects. (in fact I know there are, I've checked it out no so long ago I'm sure)

It would be a requirement for me if I ever get around to this myself.

Should just be sockets in the back for an auxiliary unit that should connect to the amp which should be the main unit.

I'd just go down the local hi-fi shop and ask. Also what-hi fi was always a good source of what you can get, check it out.

I think you need to check if it has a working phono stage input for a record player (marked 'phono'). CD inputs would be marked 'CD' and radio, 'tuner'. In English anway.

With phono stages, apparently some units have the socket but the actual amp component is missing - you need to check whether the unit you want to buy actual inculdes the phono stage thingamijig. If it doesn't, or there isn't an input for such a thing at all (and my husband says that it might only be the very high end ones that might because it's not something that a lot of people would want), then you would need to buy a separate phono stage amp (only for record players, very small) and plug it into any of the inputs, although B says that the one marked 'aux' is best.

As a phono stage amp, this is an example of something like the one we have:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cambridge-Audio-Azur-640P-Phono-Pre-Amp-Processor-/261451057939?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3cdfb28b13

thanks - I'm reluctant to ask at my nearest hi-fi supplier because they sold me a unit that didn't work last time

I think I'm going to have to go to a high-end hi-fi store and ask.

That's what I meant, proper hi-fi suppliers will know

There are units that will play phonograph records, cassettes, and CDs. If they have input jacks, you can attach an audio cord and plug the other end into your CD system.

Hi. What you're probably after is an AV amp. Nowadays these are the heart of many people's hifi/TV/general audio visual entertainment. AV amps are typically of the 5.1 or 7.1 variety. In other words whilst they still offer conventional stereo replay, they also have speaker outputs for two (or 4) stereo rear speakers, a centre 'dialogue' speaker and a sub-woofer for the cinema-style rumbly bass (the .1 of the 5.1).

You can of course still buy conventions stereo amps, but AV amps are so good nowadays that many people don't bother with the 2-channel-only restriction.

Of course it should be emphasised emphatically here that *music* still sounds best in stereo; the surround option is for movies/TV only in my (and most audiophile's) opinion. Certainly AV amps will allow you to turn stereo music into surround, but in most cases this just sounds confused as it hasn't been recorded with this form of replay in mind.

Once you have your AV amp (common brands include Onkyo, Yamaha, Sony, Arcam, etc; around £100 upwards; decent ones for around £250 up), you need, as stated above a phono amp to bring the low output level of your record player's output, up to the line level that the amp's normal inputs will 'understand'. Phono amps can be bought cheaply for around £30 though decent ones start at about £100.

Now you just need to hook up your sources. Your DVD/blu-ray player can be connected with a single phono jack from it's 'digital out', or 'optical out'. The AV amp converts this digital signal to 5.1 surround. A scart or HDMI lead handles the picture signal (and basic stereo audio).

The AV amp will also have an array of inputs for conventional sources; CD player/tuner, Aux, etc

For a starter system you are best to buy a speaker package rather than a cobbled together collection of speakers from around the house as the speakers will be matched sonicaly and produce an even, convincing surround image. Again, for about £100, a good hi-fi store like Richer Sounds in the UK, will sell you a 5.1 speaker set. This will consist of 4 small satellite speakers (much like your bose set-up),a dialogue centre speaker which sits above or below your TV, and the sub-woofer; a biggish box which can sit anywhere in the room.

As for what a home cinema system can do... well if you're used to the weedy unnatural sound that flat-panel TV's produce you'll be blown away by even the cheapest dedicated AV amp/speaker package.

It's been a major problem since the demise of CRT TV's that thin panel TV's just *can't* reproduce decent sound, and certainly not a hint of bass. You can pay £5000 or more for an OLED, ultraHD, top of the range 60 inch TV and you're still getting a sound output akin to a £10 fisher-price kids radio. Yes, really.

Whilst I'm aware that I might now be spamming this thread , i'll also add a note about record players. They are one of the few pieces of hifi equipment where every extra pound/dollar/euro spent, brings real sonic benefits. Unlike most other hifi components (especially in this digital era) they are almost entirely mechanical, so better-built decks can make an impressive difference to sound quality. As the old computer addage goes; "garbage in-garbage out".

If you enjoy listening to vinyl, if and when funds permit, I would recommend buying a 'proper' turntable system; i.e. separate turntable, arm and cartridge, (though usually bought pre-assembled). Again a good hifi shop will be able to point you in the right direction. Some hi-er-end record players also happen to look pretty too..

Any hifi shop worth its salt will also let you bring in a few favourite records to listen to the equipment. Any hifi shop that doesn't let you try before you buy is best avoided.

It'll probably come as no surprise to many, to learn that one can easily spend as much as, or more on vinyl replay equipment than the sports cars that Top Gear drool over. But even 'just' spending £2-300 will make an obvious difference to sound quality over the £60 argos usb plastic things, that all but those with the clothest of ears will appreciate

blimey, it's all so expensive. Until recently we had our TV running through our old hi-fi system amp but that gave up the ghost so it's gone. Which is why we can't play our records (we have a turntable, not a brilliant one but it's not bad)

I'll have to try 2nd hand I think

2nd hand is a very good idea, yes . Amazing what you can pick up on ebay or local freecycling type websites Almost all my kit is second hand, which is why I could afford much better stuff than I otherwise would've.

It's also relatively safe to buy hi-fi 2nd hand as things like speakers and amps tend to either work, or not; there's not really a wear issue with many amps and speakers from the 60's and 70's still going strong! There can be intermittant faults I suppose, but as a buyer on ebay (other selling and auction sites are available ) you have fairly strong protection from faulty goods.

I recommend you do some quick online research for reviews of anything you fancy bidding on, but sound quality doesn't tend to improve that much in a few years, so I wouldn't worry about having 'out of date' equipment. Just check the amp has basic surround decoding technology; current standards your bluray will send to the amp are 'Dolby Digital' and 'DTS'. Avoid an amp which only has 'Prologic' as this just sends mono sound to the rear speakers which it has made up from a stereo signal. For TV sound, 'prologic II' and IIz are the current standards.

So equipment-wise, I've probably confused matters, but essentially you just need an AV amp (they all have loads of inputs to work with a range of equipment), a set of 5 speakers for your surround and a phono/pre-amp box for your record player. Hope that helps.

Definately spend 'some' money on a decent phono preamp. I got a handmade one, which didn't actually cost the earth (about £150 I think, which equates to, roughly four nights out to the pub.). that takes teh input from a hmm.... half decent but not very expensive turntable (morantz at the moment), which I bought new, into a second-hand Arcam stereo amp The preamp made eck of a differnce though, compared to the eitehr cheap preamp I was using earlier, with the same amp, or using the in-built preamp in some of my other amplifiers (having said which, a £36 plus free delivery, second-hand, circa 1980's Pioneer hifi amp with inbuluilt phono preamp is so* damn good, actuall.... that was a bit of a lucky bargan though ) Next step is discovering what differnce one of William's spare £3K turntables (second hand resale value, aparently, err, can't remember what make they are), makes to the set up

Two words: Richer Sounds. Excellent, skilled, non-patronising advice and a wide range of kit at all sorts of prices. Ask there. I wouldn't buy AV kit anywhere else.

(Disclaimer - I have no personal or professional connection to Richer Sounds other than as a satisfied customer. I have bought from them over the last decade or so four 50" televisions, a DVD player, two AV amps, two subwoofers, a frankly brilliant Bluray player and two multiple remote controls. Everything has been great.)

I always see their ads in the back of Private Eye. I might ask them what their shipping costs are, thanks.

btw: 4 50" TVs?? Four?

(and "harumph, not one of them is one of mine " )

As an aside, kinda... but very much related... ouch. ouch. ouch... Just had a seriously painful experience; randomly picked up a CD that I noticed, which I'd not listened to in ages and ages... and put it on, on the main HiFi. that physically hurt my brain can't remember when I got the CD, but I know I've had the same album on vinyl for err, about twenty years I guess that was so* wrong on CD... just sounded so* aweful I must* tidy up the bedroom, so I can get to the vinyl and turntable again I think I'm gona have to just dump that CD or take it to a charity shop... truely aweful 'mix' or 'mastering' of it V vinyl just works so much better for certain sounds...

I notice that movies are starting to show people playing phonograph records, and not just period movies. These would presumably be movies set in the present day -- movies like "Warm bodies" and "Transcendence." Vinyl is starting to seem cool again.

People who truly love sound quality often have something good to say about vinyl, especially if they have high-end audio equipment.

There are machines that can be used to transfer sound from vinyl and cassettes onto CDs, but I think doing so would be misguided. Every time you copy a recording, the quality loses something. The exception would be digital recordings, which are copied exactly. But vinyl and cassettes are not digital.

Oh, some of us never ditched our vinyl entirely, when CDs MD and wahtever else came onto the scene CDs like MP3, and other digital formats are all compressed to a certain degree (though CDs of course, less than MP3 and its kin). I've not exactly got meggaexpensive HiFi stuff, just 'reasonable', and I can go from an origional CD recording of a few albums I have, to the same, on origional (albeit quite old), vinyl, and the differnce doesn't take an audio expert to notice; Especially in the midrange frequencies and high frequencies, and especially on anything with brass in it, the vinyl just blows away the CD version of the same song/album...

I think* though I'm certainly no expert, a lot of it has to do with the sampling frequency and playback on CD, being kinda restrcited, in comparason to vinyl, which just sort of means it 'fills out' the sound better, as there are less 'gaps' in the sound played back, compared to the origional playing of the instuments/songs concerned... having said which, for a lot of music, the bass response is often a lot better on CD than vinyl, though I guess that must have soemthing to do with one's hifi set up too, to an extent