Rate my Home Theater

[0ne]

I plan on using the JBL northridge series speakers, in combination with a Yamaha reciever and Cerwin Vega! sub. I love Yamaha's recievers, and JBL's speakers, but when demoing everything i heard, the Vega had the best bass reproduction.

JBL Center Channel
http://jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.asp?ProdId=N%2DCENTER&SerId=NOR

JBL n26 Front Speakers
http://jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.asp?ProdId=N26&SerId=NOR

JBL N24 Satellites
http://jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.asp?ProdId=N24&SerId=NOR

Cerwin Vega Sub
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11064085&m=1&cat=15&scat=18

Yamaha Reciever
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11050064&m=1&cat=3&scat=4

JVC progressive scan DVD
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11064092&m=1&cat=32&scat=244

Clean energy line conditoner
http://monstercable.com/product_info/infosheet_hts2500.html

Speaker Wire
http://monstercable.com/home_av/speaker_cable1.html#originalmonster

I later plan on picking upone of these tv's

Pioneer Widescreen HDTV
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11017473&m=1&cat=24&scat=1470

Toshiba widescreen
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11063952&m=1&cat=24&scat=1470

I like the Pioneer better for the reason that it has a VGA input and could be used as a CPU monitor(!) imagine counterstrike or UT in 50+ inches of glory.

I was planning on picking up the reciever/speaker/sub this coming weekend, any reccommendation's on changes to my set-up?

In case you noticed a lot of the Best Buy links, I work at Best Buy part time, so everything i buy will come from there as i get most audio products fo 40-60% off. So everything I buy will come from there. Monster Cable also gives employees discounts on their products so i am getting the clean energy line contioner and speaker wire as well as their high end optical and component cables for the price of the cheap RS cables. Alot of people are predisposed against Monster, but when your components with both and A/B switch them, you can definetly tell a difference and at the price you cant really argue.

If you have any suggestions please try to keep them within the realm of Best Buy. Sony/Yamaha/Bose/JBL/Cerwin Vega/Pioneer/KLH (:P) for speakers, add Technics and Aiwa to that list for recievers.

[M i c h a e l]

Originally posted by 0ne
If you have any suggestions please try to keep them within
the realm of Best Buy. Sony/Yamaha/Bose/JBL/Cerwin
Vega/Pioneer/KLH (:P) for speakers, add Technics and Aiwa to
that list for recievers.


That doesn't leave room for much. :)

IMHO, an employee discount on average/low quality gear will
bring you an inexpensive average/low quality home theater.
Not a good value in my book. Conversely, a fair price on high
quality gear will bring you a high quality home theater. Money
well spent in my book. :)

Can't you throw some Paradigms on the credit card? :)

I bought my first system while still in college when I had zero
funds, and had Paradigm, Mirage, and Yamaha gear. I ate less,
for awhile, but it was worth it. :)

[Jin E]

That's a OK system. Of the stuff in best buy the JBL's and Yamaha's are definitly some of the best is a very limited selection. I'm not to sure about the Cerwin Vega sub though. Every Cerwin Vega sub I have ever heard has put out a lot of SPL's... but they tend to be boomy and have a lot of distortion. I have not heard the new JBL subs... but their subs in the past were pretty decent. If it was me I'd get two Sony SAWM40's (~$199) and run them stereo. For the money these little jems can't be beat. With in room response you should be able to get good SPL down to 20hz. THe long throw woofer in the sony does a very good job of moving a LOT of air. They tend to to a little boomy as well, but this can be fixed by stuffing the enclosure with a little polyfill. If you can pull yourself away from Best Buy for a moment take alook at Adire Audio's Rava sub. It uses the VERy good Shiva driver in a well constructed MDF enclosure with a modified version of their 250Watt plate amp. Damned good sub for the money ($400).

http://www.adireaudio.com/rpd/rava.htm

This is the sub I use. $399 but I had some extra amplification laying around (it's passive)

http://www.svsubwoofers.com/2531description.htm

[0ne]

In response to the previous to messages, being limited to Best Buy isn't set in stone, but the fact that i can get most of the equipment there at least 40% off retail price is just too good to pass up. Im definetly set on the reciever, DVD player, and one of the 2 TV's not so certain on the speakers.

Best Buy may not have the best selection, but ive been to some of the other shops and you have to spend almost 3x more to beat the quality of the JBL speakers. Here is another alternative for the fronts.

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11000188&m=1&cat=15&scat=17

[speedzon21]

If you are going with JBL and plan to use these for music at all (as opposed to just HT), step up to the studio line. They have far greater dyanmic range and clarity, particularly in the midrange, and for the price you're paying, its worth the extra bucks. The S38s have received really great reviews, but if you can, I really like the S312s for fronts.

Good Luck with the new system!

[skar]

Originally posted by 0ne
In response to the previous to messages, being limited to Best Buy isn't set in stone, but the fact that i can get most of the equipment there at least 40% off retail price is just too good to pass up.

Online, you can get almost all brands for 25-40% off. What is your budget for the audio portion of your system?

[hypeiv]

i always use shop.yahoo.com and mysimon.com to find the best prices on ht gear... shop.yahoo normally gives me the best prices.

[skar]

I use Pricescan a lot:

http://www.pricescan.com

Better than Yahoo or Mysimon IMO.

[hypeiv]

thanks for the tip... price scan does look a little better.

[reverb]

Keeping it to Best Buy,

I would definitely select the Onkyo 595 reciever over the Yamaha (or Technics and Aiwa). It's better built, has better processing circuitry, and most would concur that it sounds better.

I would also choose the Sony SA-WM40 sub over the Cerwin Vega. It sounds better, and it's cheaper.

Not keeping it to Best Buy, I would prob select Home Theater Direct Level III speakers over the JBL Northridge line, but if choosing speaks from Best Buy I would select the exact JBL's you list.

I would likely not use Monster speaker cable. I would select the inexpensive Audioquest F-14.

[skar]

LA BB's have Onkyo? None around here seem to.

[reverb]

If I'm mistaken about Onkyo availability at Best Buy I apologize. I may be in error in my recollection of seeing it there. If that's the case, I would look for an online deal as opposed to settling for something just because you perceive a better employee deal. Such is often not the case.

[Bru]

you are correct...... BB does carry Onkyo and more than one reciever!