Down to three! HTIB Choices.

[cpals]

Disclaimer: Not sure if this should be in my old thread, if so, please delete and I'll modify my old one.


With the help of YoYo and others I've narrowed my search down to three HTIB setups. Which one would be a good setup for me? These prices are from Amazon:

1. Samsung HT-AS720 - $599 (Specs)
2. Onkyo HT-SR800 - $458 (Specs)
3. Onkyo HT-SP904 - $639 (Specs)

I want whatever will sound great and be the most compatible with my TV and also be upgradable in the future.

My TV (Olevia 47") Inputs/Outputs: http://www.baacktech.net/rear.jpg

** Update - System Proposal **

Here's my current home theater proposal, what do you think for dipping my feet into the home theater world?

Receiver - Onkyo 605
Fronts - Polk R50 (Cherry)
Center - Polk CS1
Sub - Dayton Sub120

Anyone know if they make a matching center for the R50s (Cherry)?

Also, I'll be doing the rears at a later time.. I just want to get the system going.

 

[Mellman]

The HT-SP904 is a great setup...though I don't know where your old thread is, I would offer some words of caution. I made the mistake of buying a HTIB, when I should've just built my own setup. Granted it was ~$250 for my 7.1 Onkyo HTIB HTS-770B I think. I would've been better off buying components separately after having had my system for about a year. I was reading things on AVS Forum, and made the mistake of trying out some really nice JBL Fronts, and then hearing a JBL Center.

If you're the type of person who see's something newer/better than what you have now, i'd suggest buying your components separately. This way you save money in the long run, and don't hvae extra crap laying around. I wish I would've done this!

But...if you want to go the HTIB route, and don't plan on upgrading things anytime soon Either of the Onkyo HTIB's I would strongly recommend. I've been using Onkyo for years and I love their stuff, and the 904 is great!

 

[krotchy]

My vote is onkyo, because ive had good experiences with them in the past (I have an SR-590 in my bedroom which was demoted from my living room when I got a TX-SR705)

Well a couple of things between the onkyos. The SP904 has an Ipod Dock and DVD player, do you need them?

The SR800 has larger front/center but smaller surrounds and is 7.1 (I personally think the speakers on the SR800 sound great, havent heard the SP904, but Im no audiophile) The SP904 speakers on the other hand are slim mountable and ships only 5.1, but ive heard good things about the slim onkyos too (again not from audiophiles, but audiophiles never consider HTIB)

The 2 receivers are the SR557 and the R550. Despite the model numbers, their backs are 100% identical with the exception of the SR800 one has a sirus/xm connector. Both are 7.1 receivers which is upgradeable and both have a sub pre-out which is nice (and not on the lower end onkyo HTIB).

My gut says go with the SR800. Then if you want a DVD player and Ipod dock later you can buy your choice of them.

For instance, if you buy the 60 dollar Philips Upconverting DVD player from costco/walmart/whatever, and JR has the the DS-A2X dock for 72.99. Together you'll end up at 590.99 and have a better DVD player and 2 more speakers. Overall though both systems are a great choice IMO.

 

[Deudalus]

Have you considered just buying a good receiver and a pair of towers to use for the time being and expanding as you can afford it?

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: krotchy
My vote is onkyo, because ive had good experiences with them in the past (I have an SR-590 in my bedroom which was demoted from my living room when I got a TX-SR705)

Well a couple of things between the onkyos. The SP904 has an Ipod Dock and DVD player, do you need them?

The SR800 has larger front/center but smaller surrounds and is 7.1 (I personally think the speakers on the SR800 sound great, havent heard the SP904, but Im no audiophile) The SP904 speakers on the other hand are slim mountable and ships only 5.1, but ive heard good things about the slim onkyos too (again not from audiophiles, but audiophiles never consider HTIB)

The 2 receivers are the SR557 and the R550. Despite the model numbers, their backs are 100% identical with the exception of the SR800 one has a sirus/xm connector. Both are 7.1 receivers which is upgradeable and both have a sub pre-out which is nice (and not on the lower end onkyo HTIB).

My gut says go with the SR800. Then if you want a DVD player and Ipod dock later you can buy your choice of them.

For instance, if you buy the 60 dollar Philips Upconverting DVD player from costco/walmart/whatever, and JR has the the DS-A2X dock for 72.99. Together you'll end up at 590.99 and have a better DVD player and 2 more speakers. Overall though both systems are a great choice IMO.

I actually didn't care for the 7 speaker setup since my room is already filled up pretty good so I was going to go for a 5.1 setup but thought that maybe the Onkyo 904 had a better receiver or functions, which from what it sounds it does not.

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: Deudalus
Have you considered just buying a good receiver and a pair of towers to use for the time being and expanding as you can afford it?

I have, but I don't even know where to start... that's what I liked about the HTIB setups - they already have everything matched up and should integrate nicely.

Someone on another website suggested getting the Onkyo 605 receiver and a Denon 7.1 Surround System. So $350 + $100 = $450

What would be a better choice if I decided to get the Onkyo 605 and then whatever was left ($200-$300) whether it be a 2.0, 2.1, 5.1, etc setup.

 

[krotchy]

Originally posted by: cpals

Originally posted by: Deudalus
Have you considered just buying a good receiver and a pair of towers to use for the time being and expanding as you can afford it?

I have, but I don't even know where to start... that's what I liked about the HTIB setups - they already have everything matched up and should integrate nicely.

Someone on another website suggested getting the Onkyo 605 receiver and a Denon 7.1 Surround System. So $350 + $100 = $450

What would be a better choice if I decided to get the Onkyo 605 and then whatever was left ($200-$300) whether it be a 2.0, 2.1, 5.1, etc setup.

First off, the Onkyo 605 is amazing. I have a 705, which is an essentially upgraded version of it with some features that I desperately desired. However the 2 HDMI ports + Audio and other features on the 605 are impressive to say the least.

A quick and dirty addition to the 605 is the Onkyo SK-HT540 speaker set. Its essentially identical to the speakers that come with the SR800 and can be found for $262 (Amazon). This will give you a system similar to the SR800 but with alot more features and HDMI audio processing is priceless for me.

However buying speakers + 605 individually is going to be your best option. I dont even begin to claim knowledge of where to start here, but YoYo is a good choice and avsforum has whole forums dedicated to this (Check the HTIB alternative thread on avs for speaker suggestions)

 

[Mellman]

if your room is already filled up, i'd strongly recommend getting the Dayton 12" sub from PE for $130 shipped, some nice front speakers (the polk R50's were on sale for $50+shipping each this weekend not sure if its still on) they make decent front's and will work as great surrounds for later when you want to upgrade again, and then find a center channel. Many argue that the center is your most important speaker so you should spend the most on this, I tend to agree if you're going to be watching a lot of 5.1 content.

That is the route I would take if i was doing it all again. The HTIB's are great and easy - but you can spend a little time on AVS forum and get an idea of what some good low budget speakers are, and you'll end up with better quality than the HTIB for similar money.

 

[cpals]

Here's two pictures of my current setup:

http://www.baacktech.net/pana.jpg
http://www.baacktech.net/olevia.jpg

 

[SlickSnake]

If anyone is really serious about quality HT they should not get a HTIB. You can allways get a better HT system putting it together yourself. Just make sure all the speakers you get are the same brand and model or series. Otherwise, you may have a mismatched surround system and you will notice things like one set of speakers is more pronounced on treble effects, where another speaker set might be more pronounced on midrange.

But some people like to mix and mismatch speakers on purpose to achieve a certain sound effect. Like using a different type center channel than the other speakers, or different types of surrounds.

The easiest speaker choice will be in the sub woofer department, as long as it performs up to your expectations. A HTIB usually has a underpowered sub, and it's frequently powered from the receiver, and not amped in the sub. One problem with this is the fact you may not be able to add a decent sub to the HTIB system down the road, unless the receiver has a sub output on it.

Harman Kardon makes Infinity and JBL. They make excellent speakers and components, including HTIB flavors. But they are usually a bit behind the latest tech curve on the receivers, not sure why, but they usually are. However the power amplification they use is second to none. They also make Mark Levinson if you really want quality and price is no obstacle.

You can also get some incredible deals on HTIB here Harman Audio Ebay Store but you can also pick up the components separately, too. Nearly all my 20 plus Infinity speaker purchases from here bought as refurbs were actually new in the box. But I think you might have more of a chance getting the various electronics as actual refurbs, like receivers, though. All the products have a full factory warranty, regardless.

 

[iRONic]

YASSPHKSP

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Mellman
if your room is already filled up, i'd strongly recommend getting the Dayton 12" sub from PE for $130 shipped, some nice front speakers (the polk R50's were on sale for $50+shipping each this weekend not sure if its still on) they make decent front's and will work as great surrounds for later when you want to upgrade again, and then find a center channel. Many argue that the center is your most important speaker so you should spend the most on this, I tend to agree if you're going to be watching a lot of 5.1 content.

That is the route I would take if i was doing it all again. The HTIB's are great and easy - but you can spend a little time on AVS forum and get an idea of what some good low budget speakers are, and you'll end up with better quality than the HTIB for similar money.

This is what I'd do.

If you need a decent 5.1 or higher set right away and don't get upgraditis easily, then the HTIB deals are a good idea.

In all other cases, I think going a route like this gives you better performance and more upgrade options / choices down the road.

 

[cpals]

Are the R50s on par or better than the Onkyo SK-HT540 5.1 speaker set or simliar HTIB setups? What would be a matching center to go with the R50s?

If you looked at my pictures of the room; do you think this setup would look/sound too overpowering?

Thanks.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Even budget speakers like the R50s should be a step up from virtually all HTIB type speakers. I have actually never heard the R-series from Polk so I don't really have an idea of what they're capable of. I have listened to several of the entry level ID options though and know the kind of step up in quality you'd get from those compared to the speakers that will come with HTIB sets. Whether or not you'd find the difference worthwhile would be a personal decision, but after experiencing the difference good speakers can make, I'd have a very hard time going back.

It would probably be a good idea to try to get out and listen to some different options to get an idea of what speakers at different pricepoints really sound like and what kind of difference it makes to you.
(Auditioning section in my sticky thread)

 

[cpals]

What stores have speakers like the R50s or the like for auditioning? Can you find these at your typical Best Buy or Circuit City?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: cpals
What stores have speakers like the R50s or the like for auditioning? Can you find these at your typical Best Buy or Circuit City?

BB / CC should have some speakers for you to listen to but they might not actually be models you'd actually want to buy. Also depending on the particular location and how they have things set up, the listening environment may not be the best for getting the most out of the speakers or be representative of what they'd sound like when you get them back home.

If you can find a more specialized audio / home theater type store, that would probably be a better bet. The issue with that is that a lot of these specialty type stores wouldn't really carry budget options to compare against. I don't know how much time and effort you really want to put into this.

Especially when you're spending several hundred on a pair of speakers, it makes a lot of sense to go out and listen to some different options to try to figure out if you're getting the set that's right for you. With budget options, it's almost not worth the hassle to do it as I think in most cases people are pretty satisfied with their purchase (until they hear something better or whatever the case may be).

 

[cpals]

** Update - System Proposal **

Here's my current home theater proposal, what do you think for dipping my feet into the home theater world?

Receiver - Onkyo 605
Fronts - Polk R50 (Cherry)
Center - Polk CSR
Sub - Dayton Sub120

Anyone know if they make a matching center for the R50s (Cherry)?

Also, I'll be doing the rears at a later time.. I just want to get the system going.

 

[Muadib]

Did you know that Outpost has the R50 on sale for $70 each?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: cpals
** Update - System Proposal **

Here's my current home theater proposal, what do you think for dipping my feet into the home theater world?

Receiver - Onkyo 605
Fronts - Polk R50 (Cherry)
Center - Polk CSR
Sub - Dayton Sub120

Anyone know if they make a matching center for the R50s (Cherry)?

Also, I'll be doing the rears at a later time.. I just want to get the system going.

Outpost / Fry's has alternated between cherry and black for the R-series. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a cherry CSR though.

I think since the newer R-series speakers are black, that the CSR is black only as well, but I could be wrong.

 

[Mellman]

i believe yoyo is right, and based on your pictures the R50's won't be too much for you.

HOnestly I think you''ll be extremely happy with that 3.1 system you priced out, over something like the HTIB. The R50's are much better than the HTIB fronts, and when you want to upgrade, you can move your R50's to the surrounds, and get better fronts.

FWIW the HTIB onkyo's DO have powered subs, so upgrading them later isn't an issue, or if you're like me you can buy a second sub and have two subs running off the amp.

I don't think they have a cherry Polk CSR. you can paint the cherry boxes black with good results. Frys alternates between cherry and black r50's being on sale though.

I'm glad you are considering building your own setup -- I honestly think you'll be much happier in the long run and save money!

 

[cpals]

Home theater here I come!

I don't like the idea of having the cherry boxes with the black center since I'm anal about that kind of stuff... is Outpost pretty much the only place that has good deals on R50s?

Thanks again guys for the help... I'll be ordering the stuff soon.

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: Muadib
Did you know that Outpost has the R50 on sale for $70 each?

I thought that was the regular price at Outpost? I've always seen these advertised in the Hot Deals forum for $70.

 

[cpals]

Crap, I swear shoponkyo had a 605 refurb on sale earlier but it's not listed now. Trying to decide whether or not to spend the extra $100 for a new one.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: cpals

Originally posted by: Muadib
Did you know that Outpost has the R50 on sale for $70 each?

I thought that was the regular price at Outpost? I've always seen these advertised in the Hot Deals forum for $70.

It's a regular deal that comes and goes, but has been going on for years.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: cpals
Crap, I swear shoponkyo had a 605 refurb on sale earlier but it's not listed now. Trying to decide whether or not to spend the extra $100 for a new one.

They had some 605s last week for $299, but I haven't seen any there lately.