HTIB including Reciever $500 or less

[Dr. Detroit]

Partner at the firm I work for has requested some recomendations for a Home Theatre in a Box including the Reciever for $500 or less.

Would prefer HDMi compatibility
Likes Onkyo & Yamaha
Wants to buy from a B&M ( Fry's Circuity City Best Buy Magnolia)

Will be matched to a 50" Plasma


My only other option was to steer him to a low level reciever and the Radiient $299 speaker set-up, but there is no subwoofer with that set-up.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

The Onkyo units offer good value so I think that would be the option to beat.

As an alternative to Radiient, you could also put together something based on Polk R-series + a Dayton sub for about the same budget.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

For $500 you really don't get much do you:

The Onkyo HT 904 & HT 908 both look to be the best options but are $700 and $800 respectively.

He is a procrastinator and was hoping to have these under the tree by Xmas. I may try and talk him into ordering one of these more expensive sets from Vanns and save the sales tax as they look to be a huge step up from the $500 systems.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

The 908 especially is very full featured for a HTIB set since it comes with an Onkyo 605 as the receiver. The think the 904 is the Onkyo 505 which is rather basic in comparison.

Alternatively you could get an onkyo 605 on its own for about $400 and then have $300-$400 to get speakers that should be a step up from the ones that come in these sets.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I'm going to recommend the Onkyo HT800
$460 @ Circuit City

Meets his budget and has 2-HDMI inputs.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Yeah, that would do the trick.

 

[SithSolo1]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
I'm going to recommend the Onkyo HT800
$460 @ Circuit City

Meets his budget and has 2-HDMI inputs.

Also they give you 10% off if you use in store pick-up when you buy it on or before the 22nd(Saturday). Link