Need home theater help.

[ander]

My current budget is unfortunately only $300 right now.

I want to get a set of mains and a center for this price. I'd prefer to find a pair of floorstanding speakers and a matching center but I guess if there's a good deal for 5.0 or 5.1 speakers in bookshelf form, I'd consider that.

Any thoughts other than increasing the budget?

 

[fyleow]

Don't get floorstanding speakers unless you are going to spend a lot more than you are. Get a pair of bookshelf speakers instead and add a subwoofer later but it won't give you the bass that you want without a sub for a HT setup. For bookshelf speakers take a look at the Sound Dynamics RTS3 they are pretty good and if you check around they are as low as $149 a pair.

Increase your budget

 

[Atrail]

One

Two

These are decent speakers, the second set has more punch to it, but the first is adequate.
You can find a center for in between 70-150 pretty easy.

 

[dolph]

as most people will tell you, buy the best speakers you can afford right now, which are most certainly not bookshelf 5.1s. you can get good front speakers (bookshelfs, but different than the small ones that come with home theater in boxes) and a center for under $300, but they'll just be decorative until you can buy the receiver for at least another $300.
increase your budget

 

[ArmenK]

get 5 of these http://ww2.onecall.com/PID_1104.htm

 

[Rallispec]

get a set of kilpsh promedias and wire them up to your tv.

 

[kami]

Paradigm!

I think with $300 you could get a pair of Titans and a CC-170 center if you looked around enough (also if you go to a dedicated theater shop, you can talk them down, especially when you are buying more than one thing), or at least a pair of Atoms with the center.

specs

 

[UberDave]

awia makes some good stuff

 

[ander]

Looking into these, any more suggestions?

 

[Garion]

I'm a big fan of Cambridge Soundworks speakers. IMHO, they have some of the best deals on speakers around. They have a website at hifi.com where they advertise a lot of specials. They have a complete 5.1 set for $250, their New Ensemble III's (in their "classic speakers" sale section), regular about $500. I've got their big brothers, and really like their sound. If you just want to start with a pair of fronts and a center, they have good deals, too.

What do you use your stereo for? If you are going to mostly be watching movies, bookshelf speakers are fine, as most of your bass will come from a subwoofer, so a set of loor-standing speakers isn't really necessary. lf you like music, spend the cash on larger floor-standing speakers and wait to buy your center later.

Anyhow.. Cambridge Soundworks speakers are good, but, unless you live in Boston or the Bay area they don't have any stores outside of those areas. That's the catch. If you don't like them, however, you can always send 'em back.

- G

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: UberDave
awia makes some good stuff

Riiiiiiight!

 

[StattlichPassat]

Originally posted by: UberDave
awia makes some good stuff

ROTFLMAO!!!

 

[StattlichPassat]

Originally posted by: ander
My current budget is unfortunately only $300 right now.

I want to get a set of mains and a center for this price. I'd prefer to find a pair of floorstanding speakers and a matching center but I guess if there's a good deal for 5.0 or 5.1 speakers in bookshelf form, I'd consider that.

Any thoughts other than increasing the budget?

Sorry man, I tried, but I couldn't come up with a complete 5.1 setup for you. Check out the following leads on eBay, and you might have to go used:

Front and Surround channels: Polk Audio R10 $75 per pair = $150 for 4 speakers
Center channel: Polk Audio CS175i $80
Subwoofer: use the rest of the money left over and buy what you can... maybe a used Yamaha 8" or something.

This will give you a perfectly acceptable speaker system until you can afford something later on down the road. Just please, don't go buy a new Aiwa '5.1' system for that price- this will be infinitly better. Check out the reviews on my recommendations at AudioReview.com and good luck!

EDIT: I use a set of R10s as surrounds and a CS175i and I love them both- great units for the price that can't be beat. They sound wonderful and do their job!