Recommend a 2.1 setup for a 50" plasma

Feb 16, 2005
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My wife doesn't want the wires running all over the bedroom, so I am looking for a decent 2.1 system to hook up to a 50" plasma. The panasonic we're looking at is supposed to be one of the best pictures but not the best sound.
Second thought is getting an Onkyo 5.1 (i have one already and it kicks butt), and use it as a 2.1, or is that not a wise thing to do.
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
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Go wireless on your 5.1. Or run the wires through the ceiling. Or rip out the molding on the bottom, run wires, then reattach molding. Wire problem solved.
 
Feb 16, 2005
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I've never heard anything good regarding wireless, and I'd rather not rip up molding. I've thought of every possible way to run wires, and there doesn't seem to be one that meets our needs.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Strata Minis + see if it's enough bass. If not, then add a BMF when they come out :p

Receiver / amp might depend on how many sources you have planned and what your usage would be.

Ok... budget? :D

Is this your primary viewing space and where you're going to be when watching movies at high volume, or is this more of a casual system?
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
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What's your budget? Don't listen to yoyoyohowsdajello, he'll make sure you don't have any money left...
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What's your budget? Don't listen to yoyoyohowsdajello, he'll make sure you don't have any money left...

Dude, you know you want them.
 

Hyperlite

Diamond Member
May 25, 2004
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Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What's your budget? Don't listen to yoyoyohowsdajello, he'll make sure you don't have any money left...

oh come now, thats not true. ;)
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: Hyperlite
Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What's your budget? Don't listen to yoyoyohowsdajello, he'll make sure you don't have any money left...

oh come now, thats not true. ;)

Yeah, I mentioned the word "budget" in my post :p

:shiftyeyes;
 
Feb 16, 2005
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Not gonna spend a mint on them, our primary system is in the den with a 5.1 system. I can't see spending over 250
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti
Not gonna spend a mint on them, our primary system is in the den with a 5.1 system. I can't see spending over 250

If you only have one source, the Klipsch iFi set is about $200 at some places. I don't know if you're into silver or Klipsch though :p

Putting together a receiver/speaker/sub system of your own would be pretty difficult on that budget as even a budget receiver tends to be around $100 on its own.

You could buy a 5.1 HTIB and run it as 2.1 or 3.1 and that would work. The speakers tend to be the weakest link in HTIB systems though.

If you'd consider going used, you might be able to get something pretty good going for that amount.
 
Mar 11, 2004
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For that budget I would maybe consider going with a fairly inexpensive reciever and maybe grabbing a couple of Polk R50 speakers when they go on sale at Outpost. You might look into some different speakers, but I think the R50s (well floorstanders with two drivers per speaker) would do a better job of compensating for the lacking bass with not having a subwoofer.

I guess you could grab a set of Logitech Z-5500s since it has the decoder built in (no need for a reciever, just plug right into the control box). They sound decent but full speakers would definitely be the way to go in my opinion.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
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Logitech Z5450 THX 5.1 WIRELESS rear speakers $254 Shipped
Now you can have loud, thumping, 5.1, match THX certified suround side and no cluttered wires at the $250 range. If they are anything like the Z5500 you should be extreamly happy for it is what I use for my Hometheater set up.

Logitech Site about the speakers themselves.

Small review on them

Much Larger In Depth review

Another one

And another

Well you get the idea either 4/5 or 9/10 stars. To bad sh doesnt want wires the Z5500 can be had much cheaper and has more bass from what I read. Food for thought though you can get the Z5500 for loud chest pounding sound for around $200 and just run it in 2.1. Once she hears it, if shes anything like my wife, she will come around and then you can hook up the rest of the speakers.

And Yoyo you just know I had to plug these. I just love them and the price. I heard and owned them all from cheap to expensive and these are great and a steal at $250 or below. Hell they dont even advertise them as computer speakers anymore. More leaning towards home theater and HTPC.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: funboy42
Logitech Z5450 THX 5.1 WIRELESS rear speakers $254 Shipped
Now you can have loud, thumping, 5.1, match THX certified suround side and no cluttered wires at the $250 range. If they are anything like the Z5500 you should be extreamly happy for it is what I use for my Hometheater set up.

Logitech Site about the speakers themselves.

Small review on them

Much Larger In Depth review

Another one

And another

Well you get the idea either 4/5 or 9/10 stars. To bad sh doesnt want wires the Z5500 can be had much cheaper and has more bass from what I read. Food for thought though you can get the Z5500 for loud chest pounding sound for around $200 and just run it in 2.1. Once she hears it, if shes anything like my wife, she will come around and then you can hook up the rest of the speakers.

And Yoyo you just know I had to plug these. I just love them and the price. I heard and owned them all from cheap to expensive and these are great and a steal at $250 or below. Hell they dont even advertise them as computer speakers anymore. More leaning towards home theater and HTPC.

I think they're closer in performance to the z-5300s than tha z-5500s. It seems like the slapped on "wireless" speakers you have to plug in and the digital input capability to a system with actual sound producing parts similar to their ~$100-$150 set.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,311
395
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I agree with you as far as power goes but from all of the reviews they say it sounds as good as the Z5500 and as loud to them, just the bass is smaller and doesnt have that big a "punch" as the 10" the Z5500 has.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
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A 50" plasma paired with craptastic computer speakers just seems like a waste. I'd just stick with the build in speakers if you went that path. I'd just go with a cheap receiver and maybe toss in some budget bookshelves (Infinity P150/Paradigm Titans/Atoms). If you need a sub bad, grab an Athena AS P-300/P4000. Sub would put you over budget a bit.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,311
395
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Unless you have a pair in your house or have owned them at one point you would never of called them "Craptastic". Please feel free to search google and find one review on either the Z5500 or the Z5450 where they dont call them Home theater speakers or wouldnt recommend them to be used as such, are not highly rated or not recommended in a game, movie, or music atmosphere, and sound like crap :disgust:

You dont have to buy name brand to have good quality stuff. 90% of the name brand stuff you buy was cheaply and poorly made in china and had a brand name slaped on it (and suck still), I go with my ear, what I research and read on, and what others have to say. And then I make a comment based on facts and ownership.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: Imp
A 50" plasma paired with craptastic computer speakers just seems like a waste. I'd just stick with the build in speakers if you went that path. I'd just go with a cheap receiver and maybe toss in some budget bookshelves (Infinity P150/Paradigm Titans/Atoms). If you need a sub bad, grab an Athena AS P-300/P4000. Sub would put you over budget a bit.

That would be a good route to take if the budget was higher. The speakers alone would take up pretty much the whole budget though especially if you went th paradigm route.
 

Old Hippie

Diamond Member
Oct 8, 2005
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My wife doesn't want the wires running all over the bedroom, so I am looking for a decent 2.1 system to hook up to a 50" plasma.
WOW, this is a bedroom system? Congrats! :thumbsup:
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: Old Hippie
My wife doesn't want the wires running all over the bedroom, so I am looking for a decent 2.1 system to hook up to a 50" plasma.
WOW, this is a bedroom system? Congrats! :thumbsup:

I'm kind of wondering what the other display is, and if it's better than a 50" Plasma why it's paired up with an Onkyo HTIB :(
 

richardycc

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
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Philips has a 2.1 system called sonowave that is like the KEF kit100 but only around $300, and the dvd player can upconvert to 1080i, I am actually looking into it for my 50" plasma TV in my bedroom too.