Need help picking out budget home theater

[z1ggy]

I want to keep it under $1k USD if possible. Looking for either quality 2.1 system and receiver, or a budget 5.1 system and receiver. Will be paired with a 50'' plasma TV, in a room that's approx. 15-20ft x 10ft with the seating about 10-15 ft away from TV set. Looking for advice on what to get and where to get it from. Thanks for your replies.

 

[biostud]

For that budget and room size you'll get better sound quality with 2.1.

Do you need a 2.1? or would a 2.0 do? do you need the radio in the receiver or do just need an integrated amp?

The less features you need the better sound quality you'll get.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I'd look for a semi decent 5.1 reciever, and get 2 nice big speakers and a decent sub... then eventually fill it out down the road with a couple more timbre matched rear speakers and a center channel ....

I would recommend the BIC America PL 200 sub, but it may be out of your budget ... The H100 is a very nice sub too and a decent amount less expensive...

 

[gar655]

2.1 and a decent AVR. Check Newegg or Amazon for deals on Denon, Yamaha and Pioneer. Onkyo's seem to have reports of more issues but are generally less expensive given the specs and features.

Hope your seating is at the 10' end. Even a little closer would be better for that size screen.

Figure on about $300-350 for the AVR.

HSU HB1MKII speakers are on sale for $129 plus shipping so about $300. (Skip the polk monitor series that some will push you towards- cheap looking, cheap construction etc...)
http://hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html

That leaves $350-400 for a sub. At $399 shipped this-
http://www.cadencesound.com/products/CSX12-Mark-II.html

will give you the most thump and bump for the buck. It doesn't dig super deep but does have decent output down to 25hz or so and absolutely thunders above 30hz.
Review here
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/review-cadence-csx-12-mark-ii-subwoofer

Those speakers and that sub will give you pretty good volume in that space. Then later you can add the HSU matching center a couple of surrounds and maybe another sub.

Gene

 

[queequeg99]

Following up on Gar's post - I would be tempted to cut back the dollars on a receiver and put the savings in a sub that can dig a bit deeper. The idea is that I would buy speakers that will not likely be replaced anytime soon since speaker tech is much more mature. On the other hand, receiver tech is still steadily advancing and there is a lot of model turnover from year to year (with high end features dropping down into lower priced models). I might even lurk around on Craigslist looking for something that could tide you over for the next year or so. But if you want something new that will hold its value for a reasonable period of time, you might be able to get a new Denon AVR-1712 for around $300, which is a phenomenal price for a receiver with Audyssey MultiEQ XT. You won't find this price advertised. But a lot of authorized dealers will lower prices if you call and haggle (try asking around on avsforum for the deals people are getting).

There are a lot of good ID subwoofer vendors. Hsu makes a wide variety and the Epik Legends are also very nice. There are surely others out there that will dig down into the lower frequencies if you can get your dollars up $500 for the sub.

The Hsu HB1s are very good (I have a pair). For bookshelf speakers, they are reasonably large and have a really good mid-range. With their current sale, I don't know if the value can be surpassed.

 

[Baked]

For a budget setup, you can't go wrong with the Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System.

That will leave you $600 for the receiver. While the Yamaha RX-V667 is last year's model, it's got really good reviews. And you get it at a bargain price for under $400.

 

[MagickMan]

Woot has the Pioneer VSX-1021 for $295 shipped today. That's ~$120 off from Amazon's regular price. Also, Amazon is blowing out Onkyo TX-NR509 inventory for $220. Either one would make a nice AVR for a modest HT.

 

[z1ggy]

For that budget and room size you'll get better sound quality with 2.1.

Do you need a 2.1? or would a 2.0 do? do you need the radio in the receiver or do just need an integrated amp?

The less features you need the better sound quality you'll get.

Well I was thinking I would get 2.1 setup, but perhaps spend the money for a 7.1 or 7.2 receiver so that in years to come, I can keep everything and just add on a center, rear and perhaps an additional sub if the new room is large..maybe even side speakers, too. If that route is too expensive, I could settle for either 2.1 or a cheaper 5.1 with just a 5.1 receiver. The radio would be nice to have and maybe even wifi or ipod use, too.

Seems like mixed feelings on getting a 2.1 vs a 5.1 right now from the posters here. I am leaning towards 2.1 and adding the remaining speakers later..just because I know they will be higher quality than if I cheaped out a bit and got a 5.1 right off the bat...

I forgot to mention, the room is already setup with 4 jacks in each up the upper corners of the room for speakers, so ideally I would want speakers I could mount right on the wall so there isn't cable showing all over the place.

 

[biostud]

Is it mainly for movies or do you intend to use it for music as well?

If you plan to use it for music as well I would spend my money like this:
~$400 receiver
~$200 Sub
~$400 Front speakers

If it's mostly movie I would spend more on the sub, and save on the front speakers.

But if it was me I would skip the sub until I could get the 5.1 spending $600 on front speakers, but I mostly use my setup for music.

 

[z1ggy]

Is it mainly for movies or do you intend to use it for music as well?

If you plan to use it for music as well I would spend my money like this:
~$400 receiver
~$200 Sub
~$400 Front speakers

If it's mostly movie I would spend more on the sub, and save on the front speakers.

But if it was me I would skip the sub until I could get the 5.1 spending $600 on front speakers, but I mostly use my setup for music.

Depends on what avr I get. I would like one where it has the ability to sync with my home network.. or at least be able to play music from my iphone. If that is the case, I'd say the system would be 80% TV/movies and 20% music.

 

[gar655]

Depends on what avr I get. I would like one where it has the ability to sync with my home network.. or at least be able to play music from my iphone. If that is the case, I'd say the system would be 80% TV/movies and 20% music.

Nearly all the 2012 Denon and Pioneer AVRs have a front USB that will take your iPod/iPhone and can be controlled with the AVR remote. Not sure about Yamaha and Onkyo but I would think they would.

Definitely get a decent sub if you plan on watching that much TV and movies.

Gene

 

[z1ggy]

I was at BJs Wholesale Club this weekend and I saw a Bose system there for $800. It was similar to this 5.1 set up plus an Onkyo AVR.

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=...home_theater_speakers/acoustimass_6/index.jsp

Good deal for the price??

 

[thelastjuju]

I'm going to copy and paste what I actually just said in another thread:

I always say that for $1,000 you can either get two phenomenal floorstanding speakers (so each speaker is worth $500 each) and create a much better soundstage than 5 very average sounding speakers will be able to with that same budget (which would come out to about $175 each once you factor in the sub) .. Two $500 speakers > Five $175 speakers.. add a sub if you like, but many floorstanding speakers already provide more than adequate amounts of bass if you'd be interested in that route.

The 2.1 setup is the way to go.

If you are even considering a BOSE system though. You have a LOT to learn.. I suggest doing far far more research before you make a purchase, because only the biggest suckers on the planet buy BOSE. They have the absolute worst reputation among audiophiles than any other brand besides MONSTER CABLE..

 

[SithSolo1]

Receiver ($320 shipped):
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-RC360.../dp/B004UR487U

Sub ($200 shipped):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-82269026-L02B

Speakers ($538 pair shipped):
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cmt340m/cmt340m.html

Alternate speakers (170s $326 pair shipped, 5Bs $225 each shipped, Verus Grand $299 each shipped):
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html
or
http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/Intimus-5B-Bookshelf-Speaker,108,90,250.aspx
or
http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/Verus-Grand-Bookshelf-Speaker,268,89,804.aspx

All speakers fromm Ascend and Aperion come with 30-Day in home trials. If you don't like them you can send them back for a full refund.

 

[z1ggy]

I'm going to copy and paste what I actually just said in another thread:

The 2.1 setup is the way to go.

If you are even considering a BOSE system though. You have a LOT to learn.. I suggest doing far far more research before you make a purchase, because only the biggest suckers on the planet buy BOSE. They have the absolute worst reputation among audiophiles than any other brand besides MONSTER CABLE..

Ok good to know. I think $500 per speaker is overkill for me, because I don't yet have the AVR. I was looking at the Polk TSi300 speakers, which got good reviews, and were $210 per speaker, which allows me budget to get a nice receiver, and later on I could sell these and purchase the $500 ones.

Which AVR would you recommend? Will I need an amplifier since these have a power range from 20-150W? Most of the mid range avr's I'm looking at woulnd't be able to handle a 150w load.

 

[SithSolo1]

The AVR I linked will be enough for any speakers you gets as long as they are 6 or 8 ohm speakers. Anything over 70watts per channel should be fine in that room.

EDIT:
If you want to go Polk might as well go with the Monitor line and save money. The drivers/cabinets are the same as the TSi line.

You can get 5 speakers for $550:

Front ($150 each, same as TSi 400s):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290207

Center ($99):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290213

Rear/Side ($150 per pair):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290203

Newegg also has all of these in black instead of cherry. Those with the sub and AVR I posted earlier should be more than enough to satisfy your needs and will blow any BOSE system away.

Alternate Rear/Side ($119 per pair):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290201

 

[thelastjuju]

The AVR is way less important than the speakers are, especially in your price range. Any of the entry level Denon's, Onkyo's, or Yamaha's will do. But I would insist on hearing the speakers first. Everyone has different preferences, and the speakers make the biggest difference there. You can get incredibly good sound quality from a $1,000 budget as long as you avoid the 5.1 craze.

Best Buy's Magnolia is a decent way to sample different brand speakers to see if any stand out to your ears.. but the best places are the smaller shops that will carry brands like "Mcintosh" and "B&W" for example. If you live in bigger city you should have no problems finding a place like this, but they are much harder to find in more rural areas.

If you do, you could get something like 2x B&W 685's or Paradigm Monitor 5's (my recommendations for example.. but simply go with whatever sounds best to you) for $600, then a $200 subwoofer, $300 receiver and they can probably knock $100 off to fit your $1,000 budget. These types of places have always cut me a deal when I bought a complete setup and even thrown in all the speaker wire for free. That'll never happen at a major chain.

 

[gar655]

You NEED a subwoofer for movies. A $200 one won't cut it. Spend a little less on the speakers and a little more on the sub.

And as others have mentioned just get the best AVR that's on sale.

Gene

 

[z1ggy]

The AVR is way less important than the speakers are, especially in your price range. Any of the entry level Denon's, Onkyo's, or Yamaha's will do. But I would insist on hearing the speakers first. Everyone has different preferences, and the speakers make the biggest difference there. You can get incredibly good sound quality from a $1,000 budget as long as you avoid the 5.1 craze.

Best Buy's Magnolia is a decent way to sample different brand speakers to see if any stand out to your ears.. but the best places are the smaller shops that will carry brands like "Mcintosh" and "B&W" for example. If you live in bigger city you should have no problems finding a place like this, but they are much harder to find in more rural areas.

If you do, you could get something like 2x B&W 685's or Paradigm Monitor 5's (my recommendations for example.. but simply go with whatever sounds best to you) for $600, then a $200 subwoofer, $300 receiver and they can probably knock $100 off to fit your $1,000 budget. These types of places have always cut me a deal when I bought a complete setup and even thrown in all the speaker wire for free. That'll never happen at a major chain.

I live in a somewhat rural area, but a Best Buy is fairly close. As far as a smaller store that carries the good stuff.. I would have to ask around. If I can't locate a small store like you talk about, where is the best place to buy them online? Newegg..Crutchfield..other??

 

[z1ggy]

You NEED a subwoofer for movies. A $200 one won't cut it. Spend a little less on the speakers and a little more on the sub.

And as others have mentioned just get the best AVR that's on sale.

Gene

Those Polk Tsi300 that I describe ( and the better models) have subs in them that reach all the way down to 30Hz. I mean.. I am on a budget and anything like that is going to be better than the speakers in my TV, right?? As far as cost effectiveness goes, wouldn't it be better to spend $600 on speakers I know I will keep for years, and $200 for a sub I can easily replace in a year?

 

[SithSolo1]

You NEED a subwoofer for movies. A $200 one won't cut it. Spend a little less on the speakers and a little more on the sub.

And as others have mentioned just get the best AVR that's on sale.

Gene

Yes a sub is needed for movies and if his budget were larger he could get a better sub. The s10.3 is $200 shipped. Other comparable subs: ed a2-250 and the HSU STF-2 both of which are $150 more for roughly the same performance.

To see a sizeable jump in sub performance you'd have to jump to the $500+ range which Is half the given budget and more than likely overkill for what the OP is looking for.

 

[SithSolo1]

Those Tsi300 that I describe ( and the better models) have subs in them that reach all the way down to 30Hz. I mean.. I am on a budget and anything like that is going to be better than the speakers in my TV, right?? As far as cost effectiveness goes, wouldn't it be better to spend $600 on speakers I know I will keep for years, and $200 for a sub I can easily replace in a year?

They don't have built in subs and will only go down to 35hz. It doesn't even matter because once setup the Avr will send all audio bellow 60-80hz to the sub only. That's why many people recommend bookshelf speakers for the fronts for movies.

 

[thelastjuju]

I don't agree at all that you "NEED" a crazy expensive subwoofer for movies. That is totally a preference.

Some people like that earth shattering, rumbling bass in their movies.. others such as myself just find it overdone and almost annoying at times. I keep my subwoofer at like 1/4th power as a result.. but like I said, its all a preference. To me, the clarity of the dialogue and instrumentals are far more important.. and oddly enough, my threshold for bass seemed to go down as I got older.

I'd say if you listen to a lot of hip hop and electronic music, and are more bass happy by nature, then maybe increase the sub's budget a bit and cut back on the speakers. You also said you live in a more rural area, so you DO get to benefit from being able to blast a subwoofer without annoying the hell out of your neighbors :thumbsup:

But for a $1,000 budget, there are plenty of nice $200 subs out there:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882269026

 

[Howard]

My personal experience:

- the Behringer B2031P are excellent speakers in their own right. Even more fantastic when you factor in their low price (can be had for $200/pr or less, on sale)
- the fronts need to have good bass response*
- decent subs can be had fairly cheaply (like the one SithSolo1 linked to; $250 or less will buy a pretty good one)
- a nice receiver isn't mandatory, but...**

*I can localize the sub in my system when its high-pass filter is as low as ~50 Hz. If you don't listen to music, you can get away with a higher crossover and front speakers with poorer bass performance, but if you do listen to music that's miked with musicians in situ, you will find it very strange when cello is all over the place (depending on where the sub is) or if an acoustic guitar keeps moving but its lowest string comes from the same spot, etc.

**A receiver with MultEQ XT/MultEQ XT32 is truly amazing. It definitely helps prevent boomy bass and is the quickest, easiest "line of defense" for bass treatment.

 

[Howard]

So, if I had to put together a sound system for $1000....

B2031P on sale - $225 (including shipping)
Denon AVR-1911 - $420 (including shipping)
BIC V1220 - $180 (including shipping)*
Pioneer SP-BS21-LR - $100 (including shipping)**

Total so far - $925

Leave the center for when you have more money. Also, if you don't entertain often (i.e. you get center seating), it really isn't necessary; it just helps voices track to the screen when you are in different positions.

*Alternatives include the Premier Acoustic PA-120 for $220 ("Make an Offer" on eBay), the Bic F-12 for $200, the S10.3 linked above
**Alternately, build these: http://www.zaphaudio.com/ZMV5.html