Page 1 of Time to upgrade - where do I go?

Hi There...

I currently have the following equipment;

1) Toshiba 2987DB Dolby Pro-Logic TV.
2) Pioneer 626D DVD player.
3) PlayStation2.

I`d like to invest in a decent amp/speaker setup, but I haven`t got a
clue how much I`d want to spend, or what to go for. This is where you
guys come in!

My DVD player has got DTS/DD decoders built in, but the PS2 obviously
hasn`t. I`ll be using the Pioneer for watching DVDs, but I don`t know
what direction PS2 games are likely to head in, and whether we`re
likely to see DTS enabled games.

The room I use this machines in is relatively small, and the TV isn`t
central in the room. The one thing I notice with the majority of the
DVDs I play is that I have to play with the volume constantly -
watching normal TV, the volume is typically at 20-21, whilst watching
a DVD, we have to crank it up to around 30 for dialog, and then down
to around 26 for action scenes - is this likely to just be a balance
issue with the TVs current speakers? If I move onto a complete
surround set of speakers, will I be able to control the volume levels
so that they`re more well spread, and so that I don`t have to keep
lowering and highering the volume all of the time?

Hope you can help!


Bablos.

I assume, from what you say, that you do not have any hi-fi in the room if you are using the telly for sound from DVD. Therefore, you need some kind of Amp/speakers. There are two alternatives. Either a separate Home Cinema amp and separate speakers, or something along the lines of the Videologic DTS Home Theatre which gives you amp and speakers in one package.

The separates route is dearer, but gives you more choice over your speaker selection and more flexibility with your connections. The Videologic setup is neater and cheaper and would probably be okay in a small room. It all depends how much you are willing/able to spend. Have a look at the Videologic thread on this forum.

Most modern home cinema amps let you set volume and delay for the speakers independently. As to the overall volume question, I think thats fairly common. I find that have to turn up the volume when playing DVDs through my setup compared to all my other connections. Its something that seems to be unavoidable, though more knowledgeable guys on this Forum can probably explain why.

Nope, I don`t have any hifi separates in the room - it`s a direction
I`d like to head in too, so it looks like indulging in an amp and
speakers, as opposed to an all-in-one solution. Having said that, I`ve
been reading alot about the Videologic Digitheatre, and it seems very
highly thought of - what could you achive in separates for the same
price?

Price-wise, I haven`t got a clue - does it vary horrifically, or is
there obvious kit to aim for if you have a particular amount to spend?
If I spend 300.00, or spend 800.00, what kind of difference can I
expect? I wouldn`t know how much to aim for - ideally I could do with
a `here`s a 300.00 system, here`s a 500.00 system, and here`s a 700.00
system - see what`s best`.