Originally posted by: funboy42
Originally posted by: nsafreak
Originally posted by: bluewall21
Another vote for the Z-5500 here. They do the job extremely well considering their low price.
That + a nice DVD player = Home theater pleasure.
Arrrrrg. Please people stop recommending bloody computer speakers for a home theater application. I guarantee you folks that any of the HTIB solutions mentioned so far will blow the Logitechs out of the water.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh god I need to take a breath HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I have owned several Legit home theater amps. Sony, Harmon, Denon, Pioneer, JVC, KLH, Panasonic and I will tell you this from EXPERANCE the Z5500 would of smoked every one I had before. This includes having all matched speakers and a powerd sub (KLH, MTX, Polk to name a few Ive owned) and for $200 the Z5500 are super hard to beat. Granted with the top of the line recievers they have more power and can make your ears bleed but as far as sound quality and the way the sub reproduces the low ends I am never going to buy a stand alone set UNLESS I have alot of money to aford much better units and much better speakers but I can say without a doubt you will not find anything in the $500 range that can sound as good as the Z5500. Yes maybe louder but not as good. I am am talking from experance and if I had not hooked up the Z5500 as a HT set up myself I would probably say they same thing as you. But since I have and it tottaly threw me for a loop I wont replce it unless I buy a $2k system or beter.
But dont take mine or other people using them as such. Read some of the reviews that made me buy them and try them out. I was originaly going to use them for my PC. After I tried them as a HT set up I had to buy another set for the pc.
Review
Taken from above review:
This system is an absolute mind boggling bargain
for those looking to eliminate the need for a separate A/V receiver. The Z-5500 SoundTouch Control Center handles everything except video switching - which typically isn't needed (or found) in a lower-priced setup.) If you're getting into surround sound for the first time, or you'd like a system that can also handle DVDs and CD playback, then you will have a very hard time finding this type of integrated system at this level of performance for less (it's as if you're getting a mini receiver for free.) We congratulate Logitech on the innovation and performance this system delivers at such a reasonable value.
Review
Taken from above review:
Play any DVD movie with an Earth shaking explosion and the answer will be HELL YA!
Not to mention they are sold as Pc/Hometheater speakers
And most importantly your missing he is set at no more then $300 and would like to be at $250. Just deals has them for $190 and can easily pick up a dvd player keeping him at $250 or below. And in that range there is NO HTIB that can touch the sound quality and I dare you to google the Z5500 and come up with one bad review or even one that doesnt say playing dvd's on it doesnt sound kick ass or they wouldnt reccomend using it as a home theater reciever.
For him to buy a decent stand alone the cheapest reciever is going to be around $150 then hes going to need 5 matching speakers and good luck finding that that are not Jensen or KLH POS'S. Not to mention hes going to need a powered sub woffer because a passive one wont do sh!t and a cheap 100 watt one is going to be over $100 and again he is going to need a dvd player. You just cant put it all together for under $300 that matches the Z5500. And the Onkyo. OOOO didnky crappy speakers and a crappy sub. Friends are going to be impressed when they watch a movie on thoes. Every one that comes watche a move at my house cannot belive what they are hearing and most went and bought one.It great if you live in an apartment or have super close neighbors and not like the feeling of explosions in your chest but if not..........every review written on these speak for themselves. And yes some claim they have attached speakers but the new sets being shippied do not so you can use what ever wires you like.
Here matching THX cert speakers with a 188 watt rms sub that will knock the stuff off the walls and plaster from the celing for and sound damnd good doing it, $190 and a $50 dvd player ftw in
his price range.
I forgot to also mention if you decide to spend more later you can then migrate the set to your pc and it wouldnt of gone to waste.