Best way to improve the sound of my VCR/DVD Combo player?

Posted by: Jaybar on 24 February 2002

I have what most would consider a fairly high-end 2 channel system in my living room Spectral, Naim, Linn, Sonus Faber, Ikemi etc). A/V is definately an afterthought and is religated to the BR where space is very limited.

Until today we had an old VCR and a "mono" TV. The VCR died so we purchased a VCR/DVD combo unit as we thought it might be nice to play the ocassional movie, which we have none at the present.

To be charitable, the audio quality coming out of the TV sucks. We have no stereo in the BR at the present time. What is the best way to upgrade the sound? Should I replace the TV to get a stereo TV or should I get a modest compact system for the BR and plug the audfio out of the VCR/DVD combo into the AUX input? Is a Linn Classik overkill?
Space is the key concern here. Any speakers would need to be wall mounted and we will be watching/listening from bed. What are our options? We have no DVD's at this time and we spend about 4-10 hours a week in watching. I hold no illusions that the audio quality will ever reach my two channel system, but any significant improvement would be nice.

Suggestions?

Thanks,

Jay

Posted on: 25 February 2002 by Steve G

quote:
Originally posted by Jaybar:
I have what most would consider a fairly high-end 2 channel system in my living room Spectral, Naim, Linn, Sonus Faber, Ikemi etc). A/V is definately an afterthought and is religated to the BR where space is very limited.
Until today we had an old VCR and a "mono" TV. The VCR died so we purchased a VCR/DVD combo unit as we thought it might be nice to play the ocassional movie, which we have none at the present.
To be charitable, the audio quality coming out of the TV sucks. We have no stereo in the BR at the present time. What is the best way to upgrade the sound? Should I replace the TV to get a stereo TV or should I get a modest compact system for the BR and plug the audfio out of the VCR/DVD combo into the AUX input? Is a Linn Classik overkill?
Space is the key concern here. Any speakers would need to be wall mounted and we will be watching/listening from bed.

In my bedroom I have an output from the main satellite system downstairs feeding into a Panasonic VCR. The VCR is linked by phonos to the stereo system in the bedroom and the sound quality is very good indeed - vastly superior to the tv by itself.

The stereo system currently consists of Micromega Leader II, 32.5/SNAPS2/140 and wall mounted Mission 731LE's but even with an earlier, simpler incarnation (Arcam Alpha 1 CD, Arcam Alpha 5+ amp) the sound quality was still pretty good. Ultimately I intend replacing the Missions with Kans.

I use my bedroom system for music a lot so it warrants having a decent system there - if you do the same then something like a Linn Classik would be good although for the same money perhaps a used CD3, Nait 3 would be better. If you don't use the system all that much then spending a couple of hundred quid on Ebay should get you something usable.

Regards
Steve

Posted on: 25 February 2002 by Martinm

If you don't want to run stuff through your two channel as i do at the mo. You could try the Videologic Digitheatre system which I heard at the show. For £399 I thought i sounded really good.

Speakers are small so wouldn't cause to much problem in your room and it seemed like a simple solution.

Their web site is www.videologic.com

Martin