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Go Back   Blu-ray Forum > Home Theater > Home Theater General Discussion


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Old 11-09-2014, 05:08 PM   #1
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Default Starting from Scratch -- My New Home Theater Thread

All right, we moved in August. Been focusing on some other aspects. But I want to hit the ground running in 2015.

Starting over. There's a HUGE room available that is the perfect location for a home theater (20' by 30').

I enjoy choosing components, but I want to choose a self-consistent set of elements that works well together -- i.e, nothing is really "too much" quality held back by a bottleneck elsewhere in the system.

These are the paramenters:

Budget: Lower end of high quality, the value zone. Think Polk floor speakers that cost $500 a piece. Projection TV that costs $700 for the projector. So all in, the budget is probably less than $5,000.

I'd like to go separates on the amplification, with perhaps a value-priced professional post amp like a Crown.

Any specific model recommendations for:

1. Pre-processor
2. Amp
3. Projector
4. Screen
5. All speakers.
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Old 11-09-2014, 05:08 PM   #2
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Any suggestions appreciated. I started this thread to share each time I make a selection and order something.
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Old 11-09-2014, 05:36 PM   #3
x melio x x melio x is offline
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You can't go wrong with Polk. I believe I have the TSI300 series and they got a lot of bang for the buck. If your budget is $500 each then I'm sure you could make out good.
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Old 11-09-2014, 07:17 PM   #4
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Leaning towards a BenQ projector, maybe W1070.
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Old 11-09-2014, 11:40 PM   #5
Starkscream Starkscream is offline
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Are you going to look into getting any used equipment?
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Old 11-10-2014, 12:33 AM   #6
bigshot bigshot is offline
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My mains are custom made studio monitors from the 70s... not easy to find today. But I am happy with my Klipsch center and rears and my Sunfire sub. Not cheap though.
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Old 11-10-2014, 12:37 AM   #7
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starkscream View Post
Are you going to look into getting any used equipment?
No. If I had to say what I'm leaning towards, it would be Denon Pre-pro, Crown Post, Polk speakers (except for subwoofer), and SVS subwoofers, and that BenQ projector.

So that's the general plan. I just get paralyzed with where to start.
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Old 11-10-2014, 03:01 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Race Bannon View Post
No. If I had to say what I'm leaning towards, it would be Denon Pre-pro, Crown Post, Polk speakers (except for subwoofer), and SVS subwoofers, and that BenQ projector.

So that's the general plan. I just get paralyzed with where to start.
Start with the room, not the equipment would be my suggestion. Otherwise the equipment may just end up sitting around in boxes while you work on the room. If it is an unfinished room you could have months of work ahead of you and with the changing of technology being so rapid in this hobby I'd hold out as long as you can to make equipment purchases.
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Old 11-15-2014, 01:11 AM   #9
Mr.Poindexter Mr.Poindexter is offline
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Absolutely start with the room. It is very easy to upgrade equipment later, but difficult to upgrade the room.

Sometimes you can get a hell of a deal with used gear. I would not ignore that segment of the market - especially for items that can maintain their life through several upgrade cycles, like speakers, subs and amps. You may not see something that is what you are looking for, but you can still browse the classifieds.
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Old 11-15-2014, 02:31 PM   #10
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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The room is finished. This is a 40 year-old house.
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Old 11-23-2014, 06:54 PM   #11
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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All right, I got tired of price shopping, comparing, looking for things that would be compatible with this or that.

I just pulled the trigger on a new Polk speaker set -- RTiA7's for fronts, RTiA3's for rear, CSi6 for center channel.

Will get these in and go from there.
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Old 11-27-2014, 12:41 PM   #12
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Ordered a Crown XLS1500 and an Emotiva UXM 200. Some cables and speaker wire (from Monoprice).
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Old 11-28-2014, 12:57 PM   #13
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Used a "Polk Friends and Family" coupon to order a PSW125 sub for half off.

It's coming together.
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Old 11-28-2014, 02:37 PM   #14
Billy13 Billy13 is offline
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Congrats on the Polk set! I really like Polk.

Can't wait to see the system all together, I'm sure you'll post some pics when it's time.
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Old 11-29-2014, 06:40 PM   #15
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Still waiting on some components, but the Crown came today.

My noob is coming out. Can someone point me to a most basic wiring diagram for a 5.1 to this Crown? I thought it would seem plain to me, but now I'm not understanding how the Center will still be the center, the left will be the left, etc.

It's got the Channel 1 and Channel two, but that's about some low pass, high pass thing. How will the 5.1 signals stay separate from one another? (I'm starting to think I have to buy another amp or two -- one for center, one for front, one for rear?).
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Old 11-29-2014, 08:17 PM   #16
bguzman bguzman is offline
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Yes, you are going to need three more amps for a total of eight channels unless you get one mono amp.
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Old 11-29-2014, 08:41 PM   #17
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bguzman View Post
Yes, you are going to need three more amps for a total of eight channels unless you get one mono amp.
Three more, or total of three for a 5.1?

Powered sub -- can it go directly off the pre-amp signal?
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Old 11-30-2014, 10:43 PM   #18
bguzman bguzman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Race Bannon View Post
Three more, or total of three for a 5.1?

Powered sub -- can it go directly off the pre-amp signal?
Sorry when you mentioned rears I thought you meant Surround Backs. You will only need two more amps.
1st Amp - Front - L & R
2nd Amp - Surround - L & R
3rd Amp - Center
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Old 12-01-2014, 11:14 AM   #19
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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I think I've decided to get two more Crowns instead of the 3 channel Emotiva. Not only will it match, but I've got other rooms where I may install a "lesser" system using older equipment. The crowns are more flexible, could be used to fire the mains in any system.
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Old 12-07-2014, 02:58 AM   #20
Race Bannon Race Bannon is offline
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I hooked everything up today for a function check and it sounded great. The wires are just running across the floor, and there's cardboard boxes everywhere. But the sound is really crisp and clear -- lots of body without really sounding loud.

I do think there's a bit of hum at low volume. Those Crowns probably. I'll play around with gains and hookups later.
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