Advice on audio setup and equipment for beginner

I would get a sound card with digital output, if you don't have one.

Whether you want two channel, or multi-channel, a AVR is your best bet.

Speakers would very much depend on what you want for a setup, be it stereo, or multi-channel for watching movies. There's another forum here for speakers, and it's a complex topic, so I won't address it here.

Nothing can make up for lost detail. Lost detail is lost. If you can tell the difference, use a higher encoding rate, or switch to lossless encoding like FLAC. I am not saying those MP3 modes are total gimmicks, but it's incorrect to assume they can somehow magically restore lost information.

p.s. A receiver definitely has amplifiers! An external amplifier's advantage over a receiver is often power - they will have a bigger power supply. An external amplifier is perhaps beneficial, but that would depend on your speakers, your distance from the speakers, and your preference for volume level, to name some factors.

I know nothing about the Cambridge, except it's not an up to date receiver from a feature set perspective. Don't know that the power supply is too amazing on it, it only weighs 20 pounds.

If it was me, I would get the Pioneer. But I have never owned a Pioneer. I like Yamaha receivers, because they have a good track record for me personally. I have owned quite a few.

One good rule of thumb: 1/3 budget on receiver, 2/3 on speakers and sub.

+1 vote for the Pioneer 1120 as a great starting point. (It's worth much more than it actually costs, and it has all the 2010 bells and whisles!)

But, if HDMI 1.4 (3D compatibility) isn't wanted or needed, then there are some really amazing deals going on right now for Denon 3310's, Pioneer SC-25's, and a few other 2009 models...

You'll want a sound card with a reasonably good DAC (digital to analog converter). I don't know much about these though. The built-in DAC in my Mac mini is not bad. That gives you an idea.


Yes, even receivers less than $200 will be wasted on MP3s. Meaning, higher bitrates really help. Money won't help.


No, those restoration features don't work. They make interesting pop and click noises though.


I disagree that a great amp is necessary. For your stated goal--to get the best sound possible out of your MP3s and to a lesser extent HD video--you could do perfectly well with a $45 Dayton DTA-1. Not much power, but it produces nice sound--as nice as anything I've heard. For more power, there's a $100 version. The point is you can get really good sounding amps for not much money.

(The proposed system here is: sound card --> DTA-1 amp --> 2 speakers. No receiver. This is a 2-channel system.)

Speakers are much more important to sound quality. Some speakers have special requirements related to impedance or high power. My off the cuff advice would be to avoid those, but I have not heard them, so I could be missing something.

Another option, for amplification, is to get a 2.1 (or 5.1) satellite system. This is a subwoofer/amp plus 2 satellite speakers. Example: Energy RC Micro.

Another option is to connect computer to a preamp or integrated amp through USB. (Example: PeachTree Audio Nova.) No sound card needed.


Discrete doesn't matter if it doesn't sound better. I'd bet that other factors matter 100x more than discrete, or a 5th foot, or separate power supplies, or cross bracing to "lessen vibration". What matters is the sound: send in a good source, and don't mess it up.

On distortion: consensus seems to be that less than 1% is inaudible. So what's the difference between 0.1% and 0.5%? Nothing. It's inaudible.

On power: suppose you're comparing a 100W per channel, two channels driven, and a 110W per channel, two channels driven. Those additional 10W will give you less than 1 dB additional loudness, which is inaudible. It doesn't matter. Go to 200W, however, and you get 3 dB more, which is perceived as slightly louder by the ear.


A receiver is used for decoding Dolby/DTS bitstreams, neither of which may be necessary in your case. Not sure. And, the other thing receivers are good for is mixing channels (if you have no center channel for example) and establishing a crossover to the sub when you use satellites. Don't have satellites? No sub? No bitstream? Don't need a receiver.

Do you want good sound quality or do you want to spend a lot of money? It's the speakers that matter. And the source: those MP3s are probably not going to sound better no matter how far you go over $100 per speaker.

If I could just save you from making a lot of expensive errors, how about take a look at Cambridge Soundworks. Look at the P300HD sub and MC630HD satellites. With 2 satellites and the sub I think you can manage to spend $1000. That plus a nice PeachTree Audio DAC is probably the best system you can get, never mind MP3s. You probably won't be able to spend your total $2500, so you can give the extra to me.

Or, a more realistic option is to get a $45 amp, plus a pair of Model 6 speakers. Total, $200. It will blow you away and you will be so thankful, until you try to figure out where to put those bulky speakers.

You don't need a sound card with a DAC I think? Simpler to run digital audio to a receiver.

geeze. why not just get a PS3 and PS3 Media Server? You can stream FLAC lossless audio easily and free, plus get a great BluRay Player, awesome gaming system and online capability?

As for the recevier, the Pioneer is good and priced well with TONS of features, also look at Onkyo. The amp can always come later if you need to save some cash.

I would STRONGLY suggest you put more of your money into your speakers and sub than the electronics. The Pioneer is MORE than enough, has great sound and awesome features. your BEST money will be spent on quality speakers though...