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advice on home theater system

J

JediJorgie

Senior member
my dad and i are finishing our basement, and we will soon be buying a big screen HDTV. naturally, we want a surround sound system to compliment our new tv. my dad knows nothing about theater systems, so i'm in charge of what we're getting. we'd like to spend $400 or less on the sound system. if i had my way, we would have planned this better, and we would have put wire in for rear ceiling mounted speakers, but the drywall is up and its probably too late. now i'm not sure if we should get a 5.1 system or not. what are some good 2.1 systems? i suppose we could still get a 5.1 system, and just move the rear speakers when they are not in use, since our couch will be in the middle of the room. what would be the best 5.1 system to get for less than $400?
 
no real recommendations but if you're renovating the room, getting a huge HDTV, dont short change yourself on the sound! Watching a huge TV with crappy sound isn't fun.

I'm no audiophile but I think for movies, 5.1 surround is the way to go.
 
Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
Less than $400 with or without the receiver? A good receiver will set you back around $200.
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$200? May be good, but definitely low end for $200.

 
Originally posted by: minendo
Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
Less than $400 with or without the receiver? A good receiver will set you back around $200.
Click to expand...
$200? May be good, but definitely low end for $200.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I should have said at least $200.. My yamaha is awesome and cost me $280.. I'm sure you can find it on ebay for $200 or so..
 
i just picked up an onkyo HT650 refurb from shoponkyo.com for 320 bucks that i'm pleased with so far.

price probably hasn't changed, there's a thread on it in the hot deals forum
 
Yeah, I can make suggestions if you let me know if the $400 includes a receiver or not.. I have a pretty low cost, high end sounding system and it cost me around $1,100 with the receiver but sounds like a $4,000 system.. My parents system cost around $500 and sounds like it cost that much.. Not bad but I suggest either saving your pennies or buying the system piece by piece (spending the $400 on a good receiver and then buying the other speakers later)
 
Here's my system (for a bitchin, low cost system):
-front - Infinity IL40 floor standing speakers: $350 shipped.. These do not sound like $300 speakers.. They're incredible...
-Yamaha htr-5240 receiver: I paid $280 or so but I'm sure it's cheaper now.. Built like a rock with really warm, awesome dts and dd sound.. It's an antique (4 years old or so) but I've never had a need to replace it
-Subwooder.. Sony WA40 (or something like that.. don't feel like picking it up) - $140 from sears (price match). Good sub, a little boomy but does the job
-Rears - Acoustic Research 216PM : $50.. incredible speakers for the price
- Center. Infinity il25.. I don't know if it's not calibrated correctly, but I think it's a little tinny sounding.. May change it.. oh yeah, around $80 for these

So that's about a grand with tax and wires, etc..... A great sounding set up for not a lot of dough..
 
Spend $499 on the onkyo hts 650, widely regarded as the best home theater in a box system. If you really need to save money, get the refurb, as suggested above. I've listened to cheaper systems at best buy, etc. They really sound terrible.
 
its gonna be tough to get something decent together for under 400$. two things to make sure of, are that your sub is powered, and try to get a receiver with a DTS decoder. I would definitely try to go with 5.1.

as for a boxed set, you would want to look at sony, onkyo, or kenwood.

 
Originally posted by: tkdkid
Spend $499 on the onkyo hts 650, widely regarded as the best home theater in a box system. If you really need to save money, get the refurb, as suggested above. I've listened to cheaper systems at best buy, etc. They really sound terrible.
Click to expand...
Even better, Circuit City is apparently selling the new Onkyo HTS 760 for $449. There is a thread in Hot Deals about it.
 
Before you get the HDTV you should have a look at some front projectors. It may actually come out cheaper than the HDTV and you can use the money saved on the sound system.
 
you can get a dream system (c770) from sony from cc for 499. Although I can get it cheaper through my sony connection lol
 
Originally posted by: RayH
Before you get the HDTV you should have a look at some front projectors. It may actually come out cheaper than the HDTV and you can use the money saved on the sound system.
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Yeah, but then you have to factor in the cost of the periodic bulb replacement. Also, projectors are more difficult to see in the daytime.

 
Another vote for the Onyko HTS 760, great boxed system. You might want to think about saving up and buying a system piece by piece though as you will probably have a better end result, although a good system built that way will run closer to $1,000 for a good compliment to a HDTV.
 
if you're redoing this whole room for a movie watching area, how can u skimp on the sound, esp with this great new tv?
spend that 400 on a receiver alone, and get the speakers peice by piece....you will have a much better sounding system and be much happier than just having gone to buy one box
 
If you skimp now you will pay later. The Onkyo is the best bang for your buck as a whole setup. The reciever alone in the setups mentioned above sell for about the same price seperately.
 
i would love to buy everything piece by piece and get the best quality, but my dad doesnt want to spend that much. we will be buying a box system, spending no more than 400. and the room we are finishing wont be just a movie room, although that will be a big part of it.
 
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