What could I get for around $1,000?
08-11-01, 10:09 AM
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What could I get for around $1,000?
Hi everyone. I've owned a DVD player for almost a year now, but so far have just been using my tv speaker for sound. I've watched a couple dvds at a friends home on his HT system, and have been wanting to purchase one of my own ever since. The thing is, I only have a $1,000 budget to use for this. I know that they can go way over this, but I was wondering if any of you HT gurus might be able to suggest the best receiver and speakers for around this amount. I think from what my friend said, the receiver I get will need a digital decoder, because the player I have (RCA RC5215P) has a dolby digital and dts bitstream out, but not a built in decoder. Thanks for your help!
08-11-01, 11:35 AM
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Well my setup for audio was under that and sounds GREAT in my opinion.
Sony 333ES receiver (paid $450 when retailed at $799)
JBL NSP-1 speaker package (paid $279 retails at $499)
Subwoofer (was going to keep my olp one but actually BROKE yesterday) so I bought:
Sony SAWM-40 ($199 at Best Buy, needed the "quick fix")
So that puts you under your dollar point and in my opinion SOUNDS GREAT. I'm sure there is a variety of similar receiver you could also go with.
Sony 333ES receiver (paid $450 when retailed at $799)
JBL NSP-1 speaker package (paid $279 retails at $499)
Subwoofer (was going to keep my olp one but actually BROKE yesterday) so I bought:
Sony SAWM-40 ($199 at Best Buy, needed the "quick fix")
So that puts you under your dollar point and in my opinion SOUNDS GREAT. I'm sure there is a variety of similar receiver you could also go with.
08-11-01, 11:49 AM
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Receiver:
Go with a high current amp. A 55 watt Onkyo will sound a lot better than a 100 watt Technics. Decent models by Denon, Onkyo, and Yamaha can be had from $200 to $300. I know Onkyo's new entry level receiver (the 494?) has Dolby Digital and DTS decoder plus the new Pro-Logic 2 which imitates 5.1 from Pro Logic sources. They're all well made and will give you more than enough power for any avg. sized room.
Speaker:
2 come to mind the Energy Take 5 and Polk RM6600 prices range from $600 -$700 at the Good Guys. Maybe cheaper on the net. These are satellites, and I feel sats do a decent job for movies but for music those tiny speakers cannot produce good midrange, otherwise known as "the gap" oft complained about satellites. Personally I'd go with standard bookshelf speakers, they may not look as cool or decorative but they'll sound fuller.
Bookshelf setup:
Center: Polk CS245i $200
Front L/R and surrounds: 4 Polk RT25i $130 each or $520 total. RT35i's will be better for front left and right and you can get any cheap old speakers for surrounds since they are not so critical. You can always upgrade later. What is important is that all the front speakers are timbre matched.
Subwoofer: Currently, Polk has a free $250 sub offer for purchases over $579. Okay sub for a small room but you can upgrade by paying an extra $100. (the free sub offer from Polk also applies to the Polk RM6600.) What's great about going bookshelf is you can mix and match and go with what works with you.
This is very similar to my setup except I do have the RT35i's for the fronts and bipole surrounds. Its a good low-midrange setup but I don't feel envious of more higher end systems. I just need to be more careful and try to set it at more "moderate" volumes so I don't damage my hearing
.
After you get all the speaker wire, connections (go optical!), and any other accoutrments it'll come out "a little over" $1000 but it'll be worth it.
Also go to www.audioreview.com and do some research!
Go with a high current amp. A 55 watt Onkyo will sound a lot better than a 100 watt Technics. Decent models by Denon, Onkyo, and Yamaha can be had from $200 to $300. I know Onkyo's new entry level receiver (the 494?) has Dolby Digital and DTS decoder plus the new Pro-Logic 2 which imitates 5.1 from Pro Logic sources. They're all well made and will give you more than enough power for any avg. sized room.
Speaker:
2 come to mind the Energy Take 5 and Polk RM6600 prices range from $600 -$700 at the Good Guys. Maybe cheaper on the net. These are satellites, and I feel sats do a decent job for movies but for music those tiny speakers cannot produce good midrange, otherwise known as "the gap" oft complained about satellites. Personally I'd go with standard bookshelf speakers, they may not look as cool or decorative but they'll sound fuller.
Bookshelf setup:
Center: Polk CS245i $200
Front L/R and surrounds: 4 Polk RT25i $130 each or $520 total. RT35i's will be better for front left and right and you can get any cheap old speakers for surrounds since they are not so critical. You can always upgrade later. What is important is that all the front speakers are timbre matched.
Subwoofer: Currently, Polk has a free $250 sub offer for purchases over $579. Okay sub for a small room but you can upgrade by paying an extra $100. (the free sub offer from Polk also applies to the Polk RM6600.) What's great about going bookshelf is you can mix and match and go with what works with you.
This is very similar to my setup except I do have the RT35i's for the fronts and bipole surrounds. Its a good low-midrange setup but I don't feel envious of more higher end systems. I just need to be more careful and try to set it at more "moderate" volumes so I don't damage my hearing
.After you get all the speaker wire, connections (go optical!), and any other accoutrments it'll come out "a little over" $1000 but it'll be worth it.
Also go to www.audioreview.com and do some research!
Last edited by Ian11; 08-11-01 at 09:43 PM.
08-11-01, 12:18 PM
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Here is my take:
Receiver:
Onkyo TX-DS595 Online Price $369 (Express Cameras)
Speakers:
Fronts: PSB Alpha A/V Online Price $187 a pair (Speaker Hut)
Center: PSB Alpha Center Online Price $149 (Speaker Hut)
Rears: PSB Alpha Mini Online Price $142 a pair (Speaker Hut)
Sub: Sony WM-40 Online Price $139 (Inet Shopping)
Total Price = $986
Receiver:
Onkyo TX-DS595 Online Price $369 (Express Cameras)
Speakers:
Fronts: PSB Alpha A/V Online Price $187 a pair (Speaker Hut)
Center: PSB Alpha Center Online Price $149 (Speaker Hut)
Rears: PSB Alpha Mini Online Price $142 a pair (Speaker Hut)
Sub: Sony WM-40 Online Price $139 (Inet Shopping)
Total Price = $986
08-11-01, 03:42 PM
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i was recently in the same position. for about $900 i got:
Harman Kardon AVR110 Receiver
JBL NSP-1 5-speaker set
Sony SA-WM40 Subwoofer
I've just been tweaking it and it sounds excellent. The HK receiver is a high current receiver as someone previously suggested and I definitely reccomend it. The Sony sub is not the best, but is definitely a great value.
Harman Kardon AVR110 Receiver
JBL NSP-1 5-speaker set
Sony SA-WM40 Subwoofer
I've just been tweaking it and it sounds excellent. The HK receiver is a high current receiver as someone previously suggested and I definitely reccomend it. The Sony sub is not the best, but is definitely a great value.
08-12-01, 06:11 PM
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A friend of mine just got a set up like this:
Pioneer
VSX-D810S $285
JBL
NSP1 $270
N-center $ 89
PB12 $188
------------------
$832
He picked up all the stuff locally and used his AMEX Blue to pricematch. The receiver isn't as good as some of the other ones sugested here but its 6.1 (thats why he got the extra N-center)and has componet switching.
Pioneer
VSX-D810S $285
JBL
NSP1 $270
N-center $ 89
PB12 $188
------------------
$832
He picked up all the stuff locally and used his AMEX Blue to pricematch. The receiver isn't as good as some of the other ones sugested here but its 6.1 (thats why he got the extra N-center)and has componet switching.
08-12-01, 08:19 PM
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Fone Bone, No matter what you decide, your set up will be such an improvement over your tv speaker that you'll have to watch all of your DVD's again and they'll be totally different with the system. Even bad movies turn out pretty good with a great system.
Good luck
Good luck
08-12-01, 10:20 PM
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thats true.... and if you are going to build a stereo in pieces i would start with a powered subwoofer. Just adding a sub to your TV's speakers makes a huge improvement. I ordered some speakers and havn't gotten them yet (next week) but i couldn't wait so i hooked my sub up to my tv and watched Rules of Engagement, after correct tweaking of the sub the difference was like night and day. If the sub alone made that much difference I can't wait to get everything else hooked up.
08-13-01, 10:05 AM
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Don't forget to check out the used equipment market. You can pick up some great stuff that is only a couple years old. If you don't need the latest and greatest you can get better sound for the same money.
A good example is the reciver I have, Denon 3600DTS. It was $1800 about three years ago and will bring $500 or so today.
Steve
A good example is the reciver I have, Denon 3600DTS. It was $1800 about three years ago and will bring $500 or so today.
Steve
08-18-01, 05:38 PM
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Well I just ordered the Onkyo TX-DS595 but I'm still unsure on what speakers to get.
Ian11, I'm thinking about the Polk bookshelfs, but I couldn't find an online store that has the prices you mentioned with the free sub offer. Where did you get those figures? Circuit City has them, but their prices are too high. I saw them on speakerhut for a really nice price but it doesn't look like they have the subwoofer offer. Anyone know where I could get these for a good price + the free sub offer? If not, my second choice will probably be skar's solution. Thanks again!
Ian11, I'm thinking about the Polk bookshelfs, but I couldn't find an online store that has the prices you mentioned with the free sub offer. Where did you get those figures? Circuit City has them, but their prices are too high. I saw them on speakerhut for a really nice price but it doesn't look like they have the subwoofer offer. Anyone know where I could get these for a good price + the free sub offer? If not, my second choice will probably be skar's solution. Thanks again!
