Home Theater Poll

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herm0016

Diamond Member
Feb 26, 2005
8,478
1,097
126
What is your display type?
lcd monitor

What is your display size?
19"

What is the aspect ratio of your display?
4:3

What most closely matches your display resolution?
1280x1024

What is your sound system like?
kinda bright, but thats how i like it. great sound stage. i have a little weirdness in the lower mids around where the speakers are crossed over.

Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
nope

What is your system used for?
Music, TV, Movies

What do you enjoy more?
Music

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
watching downloaded tv shows and movies about 30 % rest is music

How much did you spend total?
speakers ~ 100
sub ~ 200
receiver ~ 150 used
cables ~ 30
tuner ~ 30
TT ~ 100
preamp for TT ~ 50
total ~ 660

How is your placement?
near field about 6 feet apart on my desk. i sit about 4 feet from each cabinet usually. they are on books to get them up off the desk a bit more.

sub is in half space because i do not have any corners left in my room. bed, desk, dresser, door. a good spot for my listening position though.

What kind of room is it in?
my living room/bedroom/ etc..

How did you pick out your components?
research and demoing

Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
most. def.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
39,079
9,103
136
What is your display type?
lcd rear projection

What is your display size?
5' horizontal used dimension (of 7' wide screen)

What is the aspect ratio of your display?
16x9

What most closely matches your display resolution?
720p projector (Sanyo PLV-Z2)

What is your sound system like?
AV receiver, 5.1 speakers, subw

Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
No (what's that?)

What is your system used for?
Music, TV (HDTV), Movies

What do you enjoy more?
Everything

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
4:1

How much did you spend total?
speakers ~ 250
sub ~ 125
receiver ~ 225
cables ~ 30 (?)
TT ~ 400 (professional TT)
DVD player ~200
projector ~1800
screen ~50

How is your placement?
decent, pretty optimal for my projector. The room dictated the components considerably.

What kind of room is it in?
Computer room

How did you pick out your components?
research online

Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
Yes
 
Jun 4, 2005
19,723
1
0
What is your display type?
Dual direct-view LCD displays.

What is your display size?
2x19".

What is the aspect ratio of your display?
Hell if I know.

What most closely matches your display resolution?
2560x1024 :)D)

What is your sound system like?
5.1

Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
No.

What is your system used for?
Mostly music, but I watch a lot of movies. I picked out the components for the sound quality.

What do you enjoy more?
It depends. I enjoy watching movies on my own computer because I can adjust my video/audio to suit my preferences. If I'm with a friend, the theater.

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
$2000+ on sound. $500 on video. (Not including the computer itself.)

How much did you spend total?
$2500+ (Not including the computer).

How is your placement?
As perfect as my room allows. I did as much research as possible.

What kind of room is it in?
Bedroom.

How did you pick out your components?
I went to a store owned by some friends of my dad/uncle. My dad as well as the store owners helped me pick out what I needed.

Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
FUCK YES!
 

walkur

Senior member
May 1, 2001
774
8
81
What is your display type?
Sharp LCD (LC-42XD1e)

What is your display size?
42 inch

What is the aspect ratio of your display?
16:9

What most closely matches your display resolution?
1080p

What is your sound system like?
crappy 2:1 system (waiting for a poineer model to come out)

Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
nope

What is your system used for?
Games/video

What do you enjoy more?
50/50

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
100:1 atm

How much did you spend total?
depends... If I include the PS3 it's about 3500 dollars

How is your placement?
TV is ok, sound ain't

What kind of room is it in?
Living room

How did you pick out your components?
narrowed it down to 2-3 choices and got demo's for those units

Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
I think so, yes(as soon as I get my new sound system)
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,505
3,627
126
What is your display type?
Mitsubishi MDY-57 Rear Projection DLP

What is your display size?
57"


What is the aspect ratio of your display?

16:9


What most closely matches your display resolution?
1080P


What is your sound system like?
5.1


Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
No


What is your system used for?
Everything but computing


What do you enjoy more?
It depends


What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?

The question is a bit off for me since I was able to buy really cheap clearnaced items from the place I work for but it would be about even


How much did you spend total?

$3500


How is your placement?

Front placement is good. Rear placement is bad. I rent so they won't let me drill as many holes as I would like :(


What kind of room is it in?
Main room


How did you pick out your components?
A mix of researching, what was available from vendor accommodation programs and the clearance of BA's 2007 speaker line-up


Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
$145 total for 2 BA VR2s and $50 for a Velodyne VRP-1200? - Beyond a shadow of a doubt
 

konakona

Diamond Member
May 6, 2004
6,285
1
0
suggestion for another question: what do you wish to improve in your system in the most immediate future?

What is your display type?
Soyo Topaz P-MVA / KDS Avitron 195TF FD Trinitron

What is your display size?
24'' / 19''


What is the aspect ratio of your display?
16:9 / 4:3


What most closely matches your display resolution?
1920x1200 / 1152x854


What is your sound system like?
Modded EMU1212M -> Swan M200 + Diamond S2 HPM-4100
Monica USB DAC -> PPX3 -> HD650/K701/HD580
AV710 -> Aura Aspect30


Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
I only have a vaguest idea of what they are, could be wrong at that, too.


What is your system used for?
Anime - roughly about a dozen shows a week
Music - mostly (99%) game/anime OST/OP/ED
Some gaming


What do you enjoy more?
I am a type that needs to stop whenever I miss some things (many comedy series I watch are too dense with information at times) or feel like getting an instant replay. Taking screenshots had been another hobby of mine, cant do it at the movie theater. I got in a habit of having a meal or snacking a lot while watching, kinda hard to do at movie theaters. Visuals at home are definitely more than satisfying, doubt I would prefer seeing characters faces blown up to x20 size than usual.

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
I am a holdout for SED with not much faith in LCD tech. Being in a smallish dorm room doesnt help, and currently have no desire for anything much bigger. Sound, I tend to be very keen on looking for higher end stuff and the cost sunk in it have compounded to a seizable amount. So I would say it is close to 4:1 for audio:video just counting what I have ended up with ATM.


How much did you spend total?
$1500 ~ $2000 is my guestimate


How is your placement?
The screen is about 3 feet away from where I sit, things look just right to my eyes. One set of speakers are about 4 feet apart, with other two sets a tad bit farther away sitting a few inches away to each side of the first set


What kind of room is it in?
A typical dorm room


How did you pick out your components?
Mostly head-fi for all audio needs
anandtech and other hot deals sites for video


Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
I am sure the rule of diminishing returns applies here, but I happen to like the headphone sound a lot, was definitely worth it to me. Video dept was one helluva deal that everyone would agree on (soyo topaz, monoprice cable and $10 7300gt)
 

The-Noid

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2005
3,117
3
76
What is your display type?
Pioneer Elite PRO-151FD

What is your display size?
60"


What is the aspect ratio of your display?
16:9


What most closely matches your display resolution?
1080p


What is your sound system like?
Integra DHC-9.9 -> Adcom GFA-7805 -> B & W 802D L,R : 805S SR, SL: HTM2D Center: ASW825

Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
Room has had work done to walls for audiophonics.


What is your system used for?
Music daily, Movies Friday and Saturday night, TV during the week and some video games when nothing else is on.


What do you enjoy more?
Both about the same and serve different purposes.

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
Good question, sound is more important and I had a cheaper TV until a week ago (52XBR4). Purchased the Elite off Newegg as it was a good deal. Bought the 802's as new off Ebay, probably without warranty, and purchased the others used off avsforum. Spending ratio around 4.5-5:1 after price of preamp/processor and amp.


How much did you spend total?
A nice car's worth.


How is your placement?
Screen setup at 9 feet. Speakers trimmed to reasonable levels according to Dolby or THX schematics.

What kind of room is it in?
TV room.


How did you pick out your components?
TV was on sale at Newegg, other components based on AVSForum and a room mate in college had B & W speakers and I fell in love with them.


Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
Somewhat it is nice because we listen to music on a daily basis but in the end it is extravagant like many things in the American lifestyle. I do believe however it is nice to hear what reference should sound like once in your life.

 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,348
30,385
146
What is your display type?
Plasma

What is your display size?
42"

What is the aspect ratio of your display?
16x9

What most closely matches your display resolution?
720p

What is your sound system like?
5.1

Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
nope

What is your system used for?
90% film. mostly HD

What do you enjoy more?
I voted Theater as I still love the inconveniences that come with it (though I fucking hate stadium seating:|). But it depends. Sometimes I just like to chill at home.

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
closest to 3:2 I'd say, not counting the PS3 as I suppose that counts as both...

How much did you spend total?
voted 1500-2000, but should have voted 2000-2500 (forgot the PS3 & HD-A2 :eek:)

How is your placement?
I measured. more or less where they're supposed to be. Room kind of forces the fronts and center, but it works out well. I'm about 1 foot further from where I need to be for the size of TV, but it makes my eyes hurt any closer :p

What kind of room is it in?
pretty much dedicated. Though I have my desk and computer at the back wall. A second bedroom that is actually guest bedroom/TV & Movie room. No guests yet after move, so it is currently my official man cave :)

How did you pick out your components?
TV: BF deal that I really wasn't planning in advance. Basically, what was on sale (Samsung offered to replace the Panasonic set that had sold out)
PS3: upconverting POS DVD player from Woot fried. off to buy a PS3 for me :D
HD-A2: fire sale of BB/CC/Walmart = $120 A2 for me :D
Receiver: research and advice (thanks, YoYo)
Speakers (-sub): research, Fry's sale, and advice (thanks YoYo)
sub: this year BF deal; so sale, basically. shitty Polk :( still better than without, though. I feel like the Bass is going to set off the Hayward fault before it's time :eek:
Overall, YoYo helped a lot by answering my endless PM's. class act, all the way
:beer:

Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
Yep.



 

ZetaEpyon

Golden Member
Jun 13, 2000
1,118
0
0
I wonder if it would be worthwhile to redo this, the home theater market has changed a LOT since the original post, and I'm sure many of us have upgraded in that time.
 

The-Noid

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2005
3,117
3
76
I would like to see a redo of this post. I think it would be pretty interesting to see what people are running.
 

iRONic

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2006
7,714
3,013
136
Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon
I wonder if it would be worthwhile to redo this, the home theater market has changed a LOT since the original post, and I'm sure many of us have upgraded in that time.
I'll repost mine:

What is your display type?
Samsung HL-S5087W DLP

What is your display size?
50"

What is the aspect ratio of your display?
16:9

What most closely matches your display resolution?
1080p

What is your sound system like?
5.1

Klipsch Heresy II, RC25, RS25, KSW10
Bass shakers / some kind of tactile sound? (subwoofer doesn't count)
No

What is your system used for?
HD DVD/DVD/HD TV/SD TV/Music

What do you enjoy more?
I hate going to a theater!

What was your spending ratio like for video vs. sound?
40/60

How much did you spend total?
~$4000

How is your placement?
Display / Speakers are in good positions (measured distance from listening position, followed dolby guidelines, etc.)

What kind of room is it in?
Dedicated family room in the basement.

How did you pick out your components?
Researched on my own extensively.

Did you / are you getting your money's worth?
Yes!