What was your first surround sound system?

[yoda313]

So what was your first experience in home surround sound? My very first would have been an old stereo with four speakers. It was just the same stereo in front and back but man that was cool.

Then I got a nec av250 dolby surround amplifier add on. I hooked it up and plugged in the vcr to the amplifier. It wasn't prologic. It was the dolby just before prologic. What a system though.

Next up I got a used TEAC pro logic receiver. I don't have it anymore so I can't tell you the model number. It was huge though. Very good system with tons of inputs. And my first experience with a center channel. That was what I had when I got my first sony dvd player until I finally bought a digital surround sound receiver.

I currently have a 80 watt per channel Sony 5.1 dolby digital/dts str-de475 receiver. I love it. Its perfect and has just about everything I need. Though I could eventually use a little more power

What's your home evolution of surround sound?

[BJ_M]

in 1970 - Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother - Quadraphonic

i still have it



i also have 2 of these in perfect condition

[Conquest10]

My current setup is my first. I have a home theater in a box. Everybody always bashes them but I love it.

Sony HT-DDW670

[Faustus]

I still don't have one. Cry for me...

[Epicurus8a]

I had a quadraphonic system back in the 70's. I started out with a home brew system, then upgraded to the SQ (CBS/Sony) system, and finally a SQ system with "logic control." This was supposed to produce crosstalk figures of as much as -30dB from side to side and -10dB from center front to center back. I also had a Teac 2340 Reel to Reel tape deck. That was a beauty, sometimes I wish I still had it. http://www.dantiques.com/tapedecks/22431.htm

[thecoalman]

I had a fisher boombox that was surround sound capable but I never purchased the additionl speakers for it. Guess it wouldn't truly be surround sound since it would still be stereo but I don't think they had any audio that was really surround at that point anyway. Probably one of the first with a digital readout, right around the time they went from the boxy to a more rounded style. Had detacheable speakers etc. Took 12D batteries....

[waheed]

Mine first surround system (and still using the same one today) is the 6.1 Megaworks THX 650D speakers:

[SquirrelDip]

First (and still using) is a Nakamichi AV2, Mission 770 front, PSB rear/center/sub.

Still sounds great but would like to upgrade to a decent digital system - having a kid sure does change your priorities...

[yoda313]

I still don't have one. Cry for me...

Dude you have to get your priorities straight! (you can always try for a used one )

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Technics SA-GX290 with Dolby Surround Pro-Logic and "DIGITAL Delayed Surround".
70W per channel, 5 channels total, but only a 4.0 system as the rear channels receive the exact same signal.
I still use it despite the fact that the right channel input on the "VCR 2" is 'loose' (wiggling the cord sometimes fixes the problem) and the remote does some really freaky shit sometimes.
It's got an excellent sound quality -- really "warm" and even at high volume it sounds fantastic. Almost reminds me of an old tube amplifier on some albums.
Right now it's in the bedroom being used only as a stereo unit, but when we move to our new house, it will become the surround receiver in the living room.
I'd buy another Technics receiver if they were still available in the US.

My home theatre receiver is a Sony STR-DE845 5.1 with dts, Dolby Digital, and a shitload of DSP settings.
It's nice and puts out some decent sound -- 100 watts per channel connected to 5 Technics SB-CR99's (3-ways with 15" woofers) and twin Sony SA-WM40 12" subs is EXCELLENT for pissing off the neighbors upstairs. When the submarine explodes in TWINE, it's amazing.
I've never turned it up past about 75%, and that's ******* loud.
I'd like to upgrade to a 6.1 system at some point, but I don't dig the 7.1 set ups.
8.1 would work, but I haven't seen any for the consumer market yet.
This will remain the system for the home theatre until I can find something better that I like.

also, the old lady has some piece o' crapola Phillips all-in-1 that she picked up a few years ago. sounds like a bunch of old tin cans rattling together, but that's probably because the speakers that came with are cheapo stuff in horrible plastic enclosures.

[smearbrick1]

JBL Dolby Pro Logic Analog system with 5 satellites and one passive sub.

[Mr. Dweezel]

My very first would have been an old stereo with four speakers.

Mine was about the same as yours and Epicurus8a.

In the 1970s I took a small radio that received TV and hooked it up
to the stereo with 4 speakers. It actually sounded good, with a lot
of bass.

Today I have a new surround receiver but I only have 2 speakers hooked up.

Seems like I'm going backwards instead of forward!

[ZAPPER]

My brother stuffed me headfirst into a garbage can once and banged it with a stick. Does that count?


My roomate in school was in EE and he built a killer system in 82 or so. He actually had some studio or live multi channel tapes that where killer. But i don't think it was really a modern surround setup. (Just a few channels set up for the multi tracked recordings that some guys could get) I do remember that Pink Floyd had just come out with Final Cut. There is a track called "Get your filthy hands off of my desert" It has a missle whoosh and explosion that when played on his system crossed the room and put chills in my spine!

[hudsonf]

My wife; not true surround sound but when she is angry it sounds like it.

[MackemX]

My brother stuffed me headfirst into a garbage can once and banged it with a stick. Does that count?

I think mine was my creative speakers for my PC and after that a Sony DAVS DVD player and suround sound. So nothing special though I would like it if I could waste money on a cool system 8)

[rallynavvie]

in 1970 - Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother - Quadraphonic

i still have it



i also have 2 of these in perfect condition

OMG OMG OMG

As cool as that is I don't have a system to run vinyl on so it wouldn't do me any good. I do have the SACD of Dark Side in 5.1 Dolby Surround. Now I just need to figure out how to extract the channels from the audio stream from the optical in to my PC so I can use that for my Dark Side of the Rainbow project.

My first surround system that actually used a 5.1+ signal was from the optical output of my first SMP rig to my DTS receiver. Can you believe I hooked up my 6.1 DTS system to my computer before I hooked it up to my DVD player? My DVD player didn't have optical audio so I actually used my PS2 for DVD playback until I got a better one. Still use that same Yamaha system for audio. It's only 5 years old

[richdvd]

in 1970 - Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother - Quadraphonic

i still have it

8)

[Lucifers_Ghost]

First one I got is the same one I still have 10 years later. Pretty neat system.

Marantz 5.1 receiver 400 watt (dont remember the model .. Im at work)
PSB Surround Speaker package w/ 175 watt sub.

It kicks. My dad was always a huge marantz fan. So when I was shopping and considering lesser models like Kenwood et al, he pushed me towards Marantz. While the price tag is significantly higher, it was WELL worth it. I have friends who have Sony "500 watt" systems and they are cranked and still arent nearly as loud as mine. The psb speakers are pretty insane as well. Crystal clear sound. The sub has whatever you need .. unbelievable punch or intense rumble.

I couldnt be happier with this system.

LG

[yoda313]

They've had 5.1 for 10 years???? I didn't think DVD was out until 1997?? Or was 5.1 available on Laserdisc?