[BaTou069]

Hello
 
I moved to a new apartment and thought getting a good pair of speakers and an integrated amp, both for music, movies, and TV.
Thinking about the Rogue Audio Sphinx and KEF LS50.
Some people said better getting a soundbar for the TV, and speakers for the music. 
 
Is it a bad idea to use the rig for something else besides music? Will the speaker or the amp break faster because of more use? Whats the idea behind not using the good speakers for TV/Movies also?
 
The rig would be:
 
Music/Movie Server (UDOO Computer) by USB to DAC, Set Top Box by SPDIF to DAC, DAC to amp, amp to speakers.
 
The DAC will be the GEEK Pulse that didn't arrive still, but maybe I'll sell it and change.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Originally Posted by BaTou069 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 

Speakers Rig, no good for Movies?

 
I don't know where you got this idea, considering the set-ups with the least compromises - whether for music or movies - use speakers (headphones are primarily a compromise for room acoustics that cannot be addressed for some reason, usually because of shared walls and sensitive neighbors).
 
When I had a 2ch stereo system I briefly had them in the same room as my 32in tube TV, and the only reason I moved it out of there was so I can listen to my music while everybody else can watch CSI and Law and Order.
 

 
Some people said better getting a soundbar for the TV, and speakers for the music. 
 
Is it a bad idea to use the rig for something else besides music? Will the speaker or the amp break faster because of more use? Whats the idea behind not using the good speakers for TV/Movies also?

 
I really can't see how a soundbar would work better, aside from the option being no separate speakers (in other words, when you don't have space for bigger speakers, get a soundbar since they'll still be a lot better than the built-in speakers). Even multichannel soundbars aren't going to create a real surround sound environment, when you have say five channels across the length of the TV vs two speakers (with a phantom center) that are farther apart. It's not like the soundbar can somehow channel the surround channels behind you despite being in front of you. Stereo gear also won't break sooner, and if anything, the better ones aren't "throwaway" gear like soundbars and cheap receivers that are cheaper to upgrade than repair, and will likely last sooner. Even their performance is a lot better and so tolerances are higher - a good 2ch amp would clip at levels way beyond what a soundbar's amp can do.
 
If anything, if I had speakers (even surround speakers) where my HDTV is, I would still have a soundbar but only to idiot-proof the main system. No sense in having the rest of the people in the house trying to figure out which remote is for what, or how to work the Logitech integrated remote, when they can just switch on the TV, trigger the soundbar, and the TV's volume control probably works on the soundbar too; also, the sort of people I share houses with aren't likely to be viewing 5ch surround content anyway.

 

[cel4145]

Agreed. Soundbars are a compromise over what you can accomplish with separate speakers. Get the two speakers you want for music, and then get the matching center channel, and you'll be way ahead than buying a soundbar.

There's a lot of love for the LS50 on this forum, but they are not the only speaker in their price range of that quality. Then the problem you would have is getting a matching center channel. The only choice for the LS50 is another LS50, and you would have to be able to accommodate its vertical placement under or over your TV. I recommend looking into the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 or Sierra-2. They do make a center channel. There are also certainly other speakers in this budget range.

As far as the Rogue Audio Sphinx, it won't handle surround sound reproduction, will it? Not a good choice for bass management (I think it only has jacks, not crossover features) if you need a sub. Do you need a sub? For movies, they are a must have to go with bookshelf speakers for good sound.

 

[yage]

I use my stereo with movies. No problems and everything sounds fantastic. The Sphinx might wear out faster, but only because it uses tubes. More likely than not it will probably give you decades of great sound.

One other thing to consider is a floor standing speaker vs a monitor such as the LS50. You might get a deeper bass response for those explosions, though it may not be as articulate as the KEF. Adding a sub might also be a good choice.