Star Wars Guy

Due to my budget and the fact that I currently have no home theater system, I'm seriously looking at the Kenwood 205 Htib. K's Merchandise has it for $279 and it appears to be a very good system.

The only thing that bothers me about listening to it in the store is that the DVD volume just doesn't blow me away. (I have it cranked all the way and it's loud, but not make my ears bleed loud.) Granted all the speakers are sitting next to each other on the shelf, so I don't get to listen to it form a true surround sound standpoint.

I haven't really found anything in my searches that address the volume question. I would appreciate feedback from those of you who have this system and can offer some insight that will help me decide on it once and for all.

nchhabra

i had this system for about three days. the sound was good for the money. i think it would be difficult to get 600 watts for that little money. i ended up returning it and going with the onkyo hts650. the sounds is much better b/c of the speakers. it is a lot cleaner at higher volumes compared to the kenwood. the only problem is the onkyo is $499. after buying an s-video, monster speaker wire, and that optical sound thing it came out near $700. i guess u would need the accessories with any system if u didnt have them.

i listened to some of the other systems in the $400 range, specifically the sony DAVC450 ($380), and it was sorry compared to the kenwood. if u can afford more than $279, i highly recommend the onkyo.

tonyc3742

I *think* that's the one I've got...I've got the version from about a year back. It's got a VR505 reciever with KAM-1 on the front, whatever that is. Budget was also an issue with me. I had a DPL setup, which was fine for VHS, TV, and video games, but once we got a DVD player, I wanted something louder and with DD/DTS. We've enjoyed it, and it's got a lot of features and good sound for being under three hundred bucks.
Re: DVD volume: I have the same issue. TV, games, or radio, I usually have the volume on -60 to -50. When we first got the system, DVD's needed to be about -38 or -36 on the scale, but now, when I'm watching them by myself, and it's not a disk wellknown for sound, I have it anywhere from -40 to -46 or so. Movie disks, when we both watch, I have been setting around
-40 to -46 recently and they've been perfectly audible.
Our living room is normal sized; front and sub speakers about eight feet from the sofa, left surround about seven, right about 12 [not optimal, but that's where the wall and the wires were.]

Anyway, the issue you're seeing with DVD could be because most DVD's are mastered at lower volumes than VHS or regular TV. I do not recall the technical reason, but it's something like, the DVD is actually mastered at the volume it 'should' be, but VHS and TV are usually cranked up louder. The DVD's volume master level allows a greater range of discrete sounds [soft dialog, loud effects, etc.]. In addition, you mentioned they weren't perfectly placed, and heck, maybe they weren't even connected properly or the reciever wasn't set on Dolby Digital sound [which does make a huge difference.]

Ours doesn't 'make our ears bleed,' but on watching a good, well-mixed movie [LotR, SW: TPM, etc.] on Saturday night, I do appreciate that we are no longer in an apartment.

Again, we've been happy with ours, and the sound and volume seem to be quite good [although I haven't listed to one of those fancy six thousand dollar sets.]

I did have to spend an extra 20-30 bucks on an optical cable, it didn't come with that.

Star Wars Guy

Thanks for the feedback dtcarson! Glad to hear that you've been pleased with it.

Nchhabra, I've considered the Onkyo HTS-650 as well and most other people I've talked to have indicated I should spend the extra $200 for it since there is a noticeable difference between it and the Kenwood HTB-205. The problem still comes down to $$$ and not having enough to begin with. Right now I'm trying to decide if I should be patient and wait another few months until I can afford the Onkyo or get the Kenwood and enjoy it now. The volume level that I was concerned about probably won't be a problem anyway since the wife will most likely say, "Turn it down...." (Don't you just hate that!)

I'm more apt at talking the wife into letting me spend the $280 on the Kenwood instead of the $500 for the Onkyo because she doesn't want any system to begin with (she rarely watches movies with me and when she does, we watch them in a different room than where I'll be having the HTS.) But on the other hand, I don't want to invest a few hundred and be kicking myself a few months down the road when I could have had a better system. I've lived this long without a HTS, I guess a little longer won't hurt.

I have to admit that my addiction has grown since I discovered this site.

Decisions....decisions...

nchhabra

same thing has happened to me. money was a big issue for me as well, but i decided that i would cut back somewhere else and go for the better system. it is a tough decision. good luck with whatever decision u decide to make.

covenant

I bought the same system two years ago (or one exactly like it).
It has some compromises. Small front speakers with low wattage ratings...No DTS...passive subwoofer. But it's too loud for my wife at reference or above levels...so it's loud enough!

It's a cheap and easy way to get into the home theater scene.
Use it for a year or two and then upgrade the components you wish, step by step.

Everyone told me two years ago to wait on buying a HDTV...but I went ahead and did it, and have been enjoying it ever since. What if I had listened to everyone else and waited? I may have saved a couple hundred bucks, but I would've been missing out on two years of enjoyment.

tonyc3742

FWIW, my version of the hardware, and probably the current one, does have a DTS decoder. Same logic I used, Covenant--I *can* afford this one now, it's pretty good, go ahead and get it, and eventually upgrade. We've gotten our money's worth out of it. Next purchase, however, is a bigger/digital/widescreen TV.

dvdmovie1

While I haven't heard the Onkyo Reciever that comes as a part of the 650 HTIB, I have heard the set of speakers (SKSHT-500) that are supposed to come with it and they do sound very good and are well-built, with wood cabinets.

Star Wars Guy

I guess what I'll do is get the Kenwood, hook it up and see how it sounds in my room since that's what I can afford *now* and then consider upgrading at a later date if I like it. Having something for a year is better than nothing for a year.

Here's a tip if you're wife is balking at the idea of spending $$ on a HT, tell her about the cheaper one (Kenwood $279) and then after a week tell her about the more expensive one you're now looking at (Onkyo $499). It's amazing how we can now 'afford' the Kenwood over the Onkyo, when a few weeks ago even the Kenwood wasn't in the budget. Must be a reverse pyschology thing....Now if it'll just work on that 65" HDTV Widescreen that I've got my eye on! ;-)

Star Wars Guy

Just when I was thinking I'd wait and maybe get the Kenwood HTiB 405 system in a few months, the wife buys it for me for Christmas. Merry Christmas to me!

Now I've got to really figure out where to put everything in my limited space. That's a problem I don't mind having to figure out!

entitee

I got the 205 system a month ago from Fry's for $249 and it turned out to be just fine for my apartment needs. However, I replaced the front speakers with the speakers for my existing small stereo system and it sounds pretty good. Most of the time I have to keep the sub off but the front speakers provide a decent amount of low end that doesn't ruin the experience of watching movies.

NotThatGuy

I have one some version of the 205...whatever the model was 2-3 years ago. For the money...it was a good deal. I liked the receiver much better than my Sony DE...UGH...NEVER buy a low end Sony.

Have Fun!

-pedagogue

ps. It should be plenty loud, especially for an apartment.