Home Theater Virgins- The official thread

[ZIPPO]

Originally Posted by MattQuack

Hello all.....another "newbie" to the HT world. Not a home-owner yet....but hope to be perhaps this year or maybe next. I'm very envious of all the wonderful setups and collections I've seen. Just wondering if people have a lot of $$$$ to finance these or if they're getting home equity loans? Please school me on this! Or all of you millionaires out there and have deep pockets

I would love to be able to have an amazing home theater someday, but I by no means have a job that pays me all that much, enough to pay the bills like most people I think.

Thanks for the advice/input!

I use disposable income. Figure out your budget, set a goal & start saving( $50 to $100 a month adds up quick ). Then do your research & wait for the sales. Discontinued & refurbished gear are good places to look. You don't have to get everything at once, you can build slowly around the gear you already have( TV? ). You in your 20's? Your income will grow later in life & you'll be able to afford what you want.

Originally Posted by yhellothere

Hi-
I am a Home Theater Virgin. I have read through this post and a few others on setting up a budget home theater/surround. I have a Sony KDL 46W5100 and slim PS3 set up in a bedroom. From my understanding, what I need is a receiver and speakers. My budget for this is about 500; however, I am not especially strict on that number. Granted, the more I can save, the better; but quality is essential. I am seriously leaning towards a refurb Harman Kardon HKAVR254 (<$250). Other options would be Onkyo TX-SR607 (~390), Onkyo HT-RC160 (~330), Denon AVR-590 (~330), or Yamaha RX-V465 (~280). I am trying to balance good sound and a good price, best bang for the buck. As for speakers, what would match best with HK AVR? Polk RM6750, Energy Take Classics, or another? And should I get a separate sub? VK-12, F-12, PA-120, PSW10? Or should I slowly build the recommended Polk Monitor 60's + Polk CS2 + Polk Monitor 30's + Elemental Designs A2-300? Any help is greatly appreciated. Could someone please rate these options from best to worst? Thanks.

I think the refurb HK AVR254 or HK AVR354 plus the recommended Polk Monitor 60's + Polk CS2 + Polk Monitor 30's + Elemental Designs A2-300, would perform the best. Make sure you wait for Neweggs's best prices on the speakers.

[jomari]

ive rarely seen this thread, so im going to chime in from time to time when i can,

i like the way Yhellothere thinks, to slowly build up a decent HT setup, and keep invested components to last for a very long time.

in response as well to matts question, its not a matter of being a millionaire or have such disposable income, its a matter of how to financially hold your own to each purchase you make. ive responded to a number of threads in regards to buying cheaper components (speakers, AVR's et al), and simply 'upgrade' down the road. i always see 'upgrade' as another way for saying 'cost'.

Cost meaning purchasing something,
then replacing it a couple months afterwards,
then selling the outdated/original equipment for a fraction of its original cost
then start all over again.

lets say you purchase a HTIB set for $500, you couldve used that $500 and saved it towards buying better components down the road, and slowly build your home theater without 'upgrading'.

its difficult to say, but id rather buy something id really want, than end up 'settling' for something i know i will sell or get rid of later down the road.

[Spike Killer]

If I wanted to purchase a home theatre, with the comparable specs to what is found in a theatre? How much would that cost?

Someday I won't be living in a crappy apartment, where I can turn it up to 11 without bothering anyone else. And I want a screen that gives me a theatre experience from home. 37" is not enough, and neither is 72", I want it bigger. How much will this cost? I need to save now.

[yhellothere]

Ok, so after much more reading I am back. Thanks for the responses. Here's my idea for the setup. As for the end result, I would like m70's for the front, cs1 or cs2 center (haven't researched the differences between the two yet), m50's for the rear, and not sure if i should get another pair of m50's for more uniform rear or m30's will suffice to complete 7.1? As for the sub and receiver, I am not sure. I originally was going for the refurb HK254 but it's going for over 300 now. Additionally, it seems that the software and firmware updates are a major headache and it does not pair well with PS3. Any ideas for receivers? Also, I'm not sure if I should wait for the price on the Polk monitors to drop or buy it now. Price was 20-40 dollars less per speaker a little over a week ago. But it's a discontinued model, right? Should I just get them NOW??

[ZIPPO]

Originally Posted by yhellothere

Ok, so after much more reading I am back. Thanks for the responses. Here's my idea for the setup. As for the end result, I would like m70's for the front, cs1 or cs2 center (haven't researched the differences between the two yet), m50's for the rear, and not sure if i should get another pair of m50's for more uniform rear or m30's will suffice to complete 7.1? As for the sub and receiver, I am not sure. I originally was going for the refurb HK254 but it's going for over 300 now. Additionally, it seems that the software and firmware updates are a major headache and it does not pair well with PS3. Any ideas for receivers? Also, I'm not sure if I should wait for the price on the Polk monitors to drop or buy it now. Price was 20-40 dollars less per speaker a little over a week ago. But it's a discontinued model, right? Should I just get them NOW??

Polk recommends the CS2 center speaker with the Monitor 60's & Monitor 70's.
The Polk Monitor series are constantly on sale at Newegg.com . Over the course of a month, you should be able to get the lowest prices on each speaker. Also give the Yamaha RX-V665 a look. It should fit the job, until you decide to add an amp( Emotiva XPA-5 ) for more power.

[aSQUIDsurvives]

I have always wanted to get surround sound. I was just wondering if it matters wat type i get? is wireless really worse than wired? If I get a PS3 will all surround sounds work fine with it? Thanks for your help

[yhellothere]

This is my first time setting up a home audio system. Here is my setup:
Sony KDL 46W5100 1080p LCD
Slim PS3 HDMI
Polk Monitor 50's
Polk CS2
Polk Monitor 30's
14 AWG CL2 rated speaker wire from Monoprice
ED AD300
The only thing missing is a receiver..(My speakers are just sitting there)
I've read through probably thousand of posts, reviews, etc. on the web and now I find myself overwhelmed and confused by all the information. So I decided to create this post to help me in my situation specifically and maybe others who may be in the same boat.
I am looking for a receiver that includes/is capable of:
-Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA
-HDMI (Not necessary to have 5; 2 or 3 should suffice)
-7.1/7.2 receiver
-Pre-amps
-Video upconversion is not essential
The system will be used primarily for blu-ray movies. I will be adding Polk Monitor 70's. I need a receiver that SOUNDS GOOD.
I am not looking for all of the new features. (Ex: To me, a cell phone is a phone. That is its primary function. Make calls, take calls.) All of the internet browsing, texts, music players, cameras, etc. is not needed. Yes, it would be nice if it came with the package, but is not necessary.
I would like to only spend ~$350. My budget is ~$500.
Can someone recommend a receiver?

Questions about receiver wpc:
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. How much RMS/continuous wpc would be the right amount to power my setup: Polk Monitor 70's, Polk Monitor 50's, Polk Monitor 30's, ED AD300?
Pioneer 1019 specs show 120 wpc over 7 channels. Alot of people bring up Home Theater Mag showing ~29 wpc over 5 channels. However, on the same site Home Theater Mag, the Pioneer 1019 is still one of the top recommended entry level receivers?

Thoughts on receivers:
Refurb Marantz 5003 - It seems that this is the perfect receiver for me. No longer in stock.
$350 - $400
Pioneer 1019 - No pre-amps. 30 wpc really a problem? Great reviews and recommendations on all sites.
Onkyo 607 - Same thoughts as Pioneer 1019. Add on to it the heating issue.
Yamaha 665 - Recommended by Zippo. Has pre-amp. Step down from 663?
$250-$300
Refurb Harman Kardon 254 - Firmware updates an issue? Great sound? True wpc ratings. May have problems/headache connecting with PS3.
Onkyo 160 - Could be a possibility. 607 - ~10 wpc and front HDMI port.
Sony 800 - Considered.

Any that I missed (Denon 1910)?

What would be the best receiver for my setup?? How much does wpc really matter for my setup? When is the best time to buy a receiver (price-wise)?
Please..help.

[yhellothere]

So, I just purchased a refurb Pioneer 1018 for $370 + FL tax for $396 total from HookedonTronics. Should I cancel it?
I can get a new Pioneer 1019 for $409 + tax from Best Buy.
Is HookedonTrronics a reputable dealer?

[king_e_dawg]

I'm slowly putting together an HT setup that I believe will be capable of playing the 192 KHz/24-bit Japanese TrueHD soundtrack on the Akira Blu-Ray. But after reading about the hard time everyone else has had with it and not getting a clear answer, I'm not so sure. Here's the setup (bearing in mind that I don't know too much about this stuff):

Player: PS3, the old 60gb model. It has the latest firmware (the PS3 Slim firmware), which I understand makes it capable of bitstreaming and LPCM output (these options are available in the setup menu).

Receiver: I bought an Onkyo TX-SR507 receiver and should have it in the next day or two (suppose I should have asked this before I ordered it). It takes audio from HDMI (1.3a) and supposedly supports 192 KHz/24-bit DACs, and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD.

Speakers: Here's the tricky part - I don't know what speakers to buy. With a budget of about $100 - $200, I'm looking for a set of 5.1s, preferably the bookshelf type, wood construction... My old Yamaha RX-V363 receiver came with a set like this that I really liked, but I haven't been able to find them seperately and not knowing anything about frequencies, I wouldn't know if they'd be compatible with the Onkyo receiver.

I'm not a real audiophile or anything, just looking for a solid, budget-friendly system (got the Onkyo pretty cheap) that can produce the Akira experience everyone talks about, though I don't need top-shelf performance. Also, it would be nice if I could have it set up before the Super Bowl. Any advice? Thanks!

[yhellothere]

Originally Posted by yhellothere

So, I just purchased a refurb Pioneer 1018 for $370 + FL tax for $396 total from HookedonTronics. Should I cancel it?
I can get a new Pioneer 1019 for $409 + tax from Best Buy.
Is HookedonTrronics a reputable dealer?

So this morning I receive an email stating the Pioneer 1018 is out of stock. Now I'm back at square one!

This is my first time setting up a home audio system. Here is my setup:
Sony KDL 46W5100 1080p LCD
Slim PS3 HDMI
Polk Monitor 50's
Polk CS2
Polk Monitor 30's
14 AWG CL2 rated speaker wire from Monoprice
ED AD300
The only thing missing is a receiver..(My speakers are just sitting there)
I've read through probably thousand of posts, reviews, etc. on the web and now I find myself overwhelmed and confused by all the information. So I decided to create this post to help me in my situation specifically and maybe others who may be in the same boat.
I am looking for a receiver that includes/is capable of:
-Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA
-HDMI (Not necessary to have 5; 2 or 3 should suffice)
-7.1/7.2 receiver
-Pre-amps
-Video upconversion is not essential
The system will be used primarily for blu-ray movies. I will be adding Polk Monitor 70's. I need a receiver that SOUNDS GOOD.
I am not looking for all of the new features. (Ex: To me, a cell phone is a phone. That is its primary function. Make calls, take calls.) All of the internet browsing, texts, music players, cameras, etc. is not needed. Yes, it would be nice if it came with the package, but is not necessary.
I would like to only spend ~$350. My budget is ~$500.
Can someone recommend a receiver?

Questions about receiver wpc:
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. How much RMS/continuous wpc would be the right amount to power my setup: Polk Monitor 70's, Polk Monitor 50's, Polk Monitor 30's, ED AD300?
Pioneer 1019 specs show 120 wpc over 7 channels. Alot of people bring up Home Theater Mag showing ~29 wpc over 5 channels. However, on the same site Home Theater Mag, the Pioneer 1019 is still one of the top recommended entry level receivers?

Thoughts on receivers:
Refurb Marantz 5003 - It seems that this is the perfect receiver for me. No longer in stock.
$350 - $400
Pioneer 1019 - No pre-amps. 30 wpc really a problem? Great reviews and recommendations on all sites.
Onkyo 607 - Same thoughts as Pioneer 1019. Add on to it the heating issue.
Yamaha 665 - Recommended by Zippo. Has pre-amp. Step down from 663?
$250-$300
Refurb Harman Kardon 254 - Firmware updates an issue? Great sound? True wpc ratings. May have problems/headache connecting with PS3.
Onkyo 160 - Could be a possibility. 607 - ~10 wpc and front HDMI port.
Sony 800 - Considered.

Any that I missed (Denon 1910)?

What would be the best receiver for my setup?? How much does wpc really matter for my setup? When is the best time to buy a receiver (price-wise)?
Please..help.

[gatomalo]

Hi everybody...I have a dumb question!!! How do I add pictures to my gallery from my computer?

[ewsjr]

Originally Posted by gatomalo

Hi everybody...I have a dumb question!!! How do I add pictures to my gallery from my computer?

If you have a site in the community area of the forum go to it and just click on
upload images under gallery options. you will get a page that will give you instruction on how to size etc. (smaller is usually better) then just select choose file and choose pic from your computer and add whatever description or title you want. Only one shot per upload slot so just add the five or six or whatever all at once and then hit upload at the bottom of page when you are done. that's all it takes. You do need to be signed in though and have a community site.

[techfreak85]

So, Virgin here.... As for speakers, I was gonna get the Polk RM6750s, but I read some reviews that made me decide to turn away, mainly because they said that they are not up to par with "Good" sound for Music. Music is a big thing for me.

Could you guys suggest some good speakers that would work great for Movies and Music?

I'm 17, just getting into this stuff, and am on a pretty tight budget. Maybe like $300-500 (not including amp) for a 5.1 (and possibly 7.1 if I doubled the surround ones(?) ).

I Would like the back 2/4 to be mountable, but the front can be on the floor, and as for the center, I'd like it to be mountable, but flexible on that one.

I already have a pretty decent sub that I could take from my current living room set up. My parents wouldn't miss it. (Honestly, It's off 95% of the time.)

Thanks..