$1000

[whatismouse]

i need a full ht audio setup :T

i suppose all you audiophiles consider this to be a budget setup okay, but the sad part is that of all the people in town i know i wil have the nicest sound 8)

so i need 6 or 8 speakers, 1 reciever, 1 dvd player, uhmmm... cables? other stuff?

ive got an older dvd player and an xbox. i imagine these wont be suitable for this setup or will they be fine?

this is coming from 19" crt speakers so this will surely be several quantum leaps ;x(

thinking like onkyo reciever ~ $200

athena speakers or something ~ ~~~ $xxx

some upscaling dvd player to last me until hd-dvd ~ $100

the room is somewhat small, 12 x 20 or so. im thinking 5.1, maybe you are thinking 7.1 but i doubt it. i can always go bigger later if i wanted to (will eventually move to a new house bigger room).

so therefore the reciever must be capable of 7.1.

and something called hdmi, what is that? do i want it/need it?






also heres something important i want to hear above all. i understand that all technology progresses but some much more slowly than others. i want to maximize the amount of money spent in areas that have reached a technological peak and minimize it in the other areas. this applies to certain speaker types as well. ie: subwoofers get better all the time but the sattelites have been the same for x years.

dvd player is obviously the lowest priority, followed most likely by the reciever depending on what the answer to the hdmi question is? i imagine it is safe to dump a majority of the $1000 into the speakers?

thanks, i know nothing :lol:

[revelman]

Its gonna be tough to get everything for 1k. I say start with a 5.1 and build from there. When you have more funds, add spakers for 6.1 or 7.1, multichannel amp, better cables, etc.

In the mean time, for a killer dvd player, i recommend a brand called oppo. Which runs for 150.00 to 200.00 depending on which model you want. They got killer reviews for their picture quality. Check them out at www.oppodigital.com

For a good budget receiver, go with the pioneer receivers. If you can or want to maximize quality, get a good quality 2 chanel or 5 channel amplifier from companies like parasound or rotel.

[dyazdani]

Yes, 5.1 will be hard to do with $1k. I would buy a good pair of speakers and a decent receiver to start with and add other pieces down the road. You should be able to get something nice for $1k - say B&W 601s or similar plus a receiver - maybe a used Rotel or Marantz, Denon, etc.

The Oppo is very nice PQ-wise. The sound isn't that great, but not a bad buy for $200.

[Snap]

I run into this all the time in NC. If, and this is just an IF..... But lets say that a grand is all you have, and you still want your HT. I totally agree that for the long term it is better to go ahead and SLOWLY get your HT if you can do that. But one of the things I notice is people ask about a HT on a budget, and all we do it tell them to not do it, and name a bunch of cool stuff that is out of their price range.

So I propse the following.

Yamaha RX-V459 Reciever $299
Yamaha DVD-C657 DVD Player $180
Jamo A 102HCS Sat Speaker System $450
I/C (Pure AV, or something simular) $150
Total $1080

Then if the owner would like.....

Add

Har 880 Remote $225
XM Radio Antenna $50

And bam you can a very nice sounding little system with universal remote for $1355.

You can shave it down a bit, if you use a cheaper DVD player, but the 657 from Yammy is the cheapest that they make. If you went with a denon dvd you might be right at a grand for the whole system. And no it is not going to sound like a set of B&W's with seperates. BUT..........

You would be suprised at how good this little system sounds once it is set up and calibrated. And for people that just want a good system to watch movies once a week on..... it rocks.

So if you have no desire to jump into the HT game full bore...... the above system will work just fine. You can always move it to your bedroom if you deside that you just have to have some HUGE system later on down the road.

Blessed,
Snap

[gd]

i want to maximize the amount of money spent in areas that have reached a technological peak and minimize it in the other areas... it is safe to dump a majority of the $1000 into the speakers?

At this price point, forget about looking to the future – $1K can barely get you into the here and now... upgrade piece by piece later as funds allow... I'd normally recommend $2-3K for an entry-level system.

Yes, concentrate on speakers... subs are fine as they are now.

If your DVD player works and has a digital output, you don't need a new one.

Bang for the buck ---

Go here for genuinely good entry-level sat/sub speaker systems: http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com

Go here for refurbished Marantz or Onkyo receivers, as well as sat/sub systems: http://www.accessories4less.com/

I dunno if you'll find a receiver with 7.1 capability in this price range, but that will only mean more expense for speakers... 5.1 will be a big leap forward, esp if you get as big a sub as possible.

Forget HDMI til you have an advanced TV that can use it.

Another way to get the most for your money is to buy used... but if you are, as you say, a newbie, you'll need to do lotsa homework first... no warranties on used stuff... you might also browse local hi-fi stores for used or open-box / demo items.

Happy hunting.

[aud19]

Snap and Danish both have good points. It really depends on how you intend to use the system and also if you're planning to buy, set and forget or if you plan to upgrade over time.

In Snap's scenario looka at speakers from Athena, Energy, Fluance etc... there's lot's of affordable sub/sat systems from quality manufacturer's to check out. Otherwise Denon, Yamaha, HK, Marantz etc all have affordable lines of receivers that will perform adequately, though not many are likely to include HDMI switching at that price...yet. Look at the same companies for DVD players or the Oppo as another option.

Otherwise I agree with Danish if you plan/hope to upgrade. Start with a good pair of speakers and say a used Rotel or similar receiver and upgrade from there

[revelman]

If you want real nice toys but dont want to shell out dollars, go the used route. If i was to have my current setup paying retail, forget about it. Nothing wrong with buying used. I built most of my system going used via audiogon.

Honestly, take your time. You will be more happy with your stuff in the long run.

[whatismouse]

thanks alot for all the replies.

i have figure out a few things. i will suffer with the current dvd player we have now, and that will free up some money for a next gen player somewhere down the line. or i might get win media center and use our current tower as a htpc for digital downloads and all that. im all for buying used/refurb speakers, but much more wary of a used reciever as i seem to have bad luck with all electronics (3 computers in the house died within 1 week of each other)

i dont have the money to piece together multi-thousand dollar system. we just do not watch enough tv to warrant that amount. we managed to get by on our $10 19" crt for 10 years. the speakers on the new tv we get would be a quantum leap over that, a $300 entry set would be another quantum leap over that, and the $1000 set im trying to put together yet another quantum leap. so 3 quantum leaps already, i just dont nearly have the budget for the 4th one.

its going to be tough to convince the family we need even more stuff after our initial purchase. therefore i think i will be fine with a 5.1 capable reciever. buy set, and forget, yes i know it sucks but it all i can do. i need 6 speakers now because if we only get 3, we'll never get the other 3.

a remote sounds nice, so leaving out the dvd player and adding the remote doesnt change the price much. do i need to buy cables seperately? what is I/c?

i will do some more research and check out all the links given. thanks for the advice!

edit: ill leave the remote out for now, as i think it will be an easier purchase to justify later.

edit: just got the "go" on used speakers and possibly even a budget increase but wow is it confusing looking at all these different speakers.

i understand 2 in front should be the same, 2 in back should be the same, but should all 4 be the same? center and sub need not be the same company however so im looking for either 3 or 4 different speaker/pairs.

[gd]

It's more important for the front 3 to be as similar ('voice-matched') as possible... less so for the rear 2 (or 3), but you'll likely find better money bargains if you shop for a complete matched 5.1 (or 5.0) set to begin with... the sub does not have to be brand-matched at all, but again, there are money savings when buying a complete entry-level 5.1 system, esp discounted B-stock as found on AC4L.

Remotes... some newer receivers may come with a learning remote that can work your dvd player (assuming it's a mainstream make)... otherwise, universal remotes can be had for under $50... http://www.remotecentral.com/

[whatismouse]

okay i just got back from a high end audio store and learned basically nothing except that i want a bigger tv and more expensive sound system lol.

okay i would really like to emphasize the front speakers and less so on the rears. if i were to buy a 5 speaker set, im worried that they would be making me pay just as much for the rears as for the front. i have seen some good deals on ebay for pairs so i was thinking to get a good pair ~$300+, then get a good matched center ~$200, and the rears ~$100 and sub ~$200 i will get independently. that leaves ~$250 for the reciever for a total of $1050.

maybe more for the sub and center and scrap the rears for now?

im mainly spending my time on ebay right now i think that is where my purchase will be made and where the best deals can be had.

what do you guys think of magnepan or martin logan?

im also wondering about the Yamaha RX-V459. i dont need 6.1 or xm readyness, so does that mean i could get a cheaper model that does everything else but those? also, is there any way to hook up the ipod or headphones to this?

is the yamaha htr-5930 @ $180 crap?

sorry for all the questions

[gd]

learned basically nothing except that i want a bigger tv and more expensive sound system lol.

Me too

what do you guys think of magnepan or martin logan?

They're great!... and they'll never make your current budget... and they will likely each require advanced amplification... $$$

is the yamaha htr-5930 @ $180 crap?

Don't care for the Yamaha receivers myself, but at the $2-300 level, most receivers will be more similar than different... look for features.

any way to hook up the ipod or headphones to this?

You'll need to check that out on a piece-by-piece basis, but if your ipod has analog outs, you're good – more advanced connections (USB etc) will - guess what - co$t more money.

im worried that they would be making me pay just as much for the rears as for the front... ebay... good pair ~$300+, then get a good matched center ~$200, and the rears ~$100 and sub ~$200 i will get independently... im mainly spending my time on ebay right now i think that is where my purchase will be made and where the best deals can be had.

Strictly my opinion, but I find Ebay to be a pit full of scam artists and criminals... for somewhat more trustworthy transactions, try Audiogon (though it's not foolproof either): http://cgi.audiogon.com/

Otherwise, I'd stick with my original suggestion... OR, simply buy a better pair of front speakers (a make that you can later match a center to) + a subwoofer... get the center and rears later... 2.1 full-range stereo will be THRILLING compared to TV speakers.

I can't recommend speaker makes at this price point... you must hit a few stores and audition, speakers are the most variable of audio equipment... maybe Energy, Polk, Klipsch... don't buy speakers made by electronics mfrs (Sony, Yamaha etc).

[aud19]

Yeah even decent 2.0 will kick @$$. Another $$ saving option could be to DIY at least the sub (if not the speakers as well, sub's much easier though)

B&W, Energy, Paradigm, Polk, PSB etc all have good budget models. For subs look try to save for even an entry level SVS unit (or DIY)

[whatismouse]

Me too


They're great!... and they'll never make your current budget... and they will likely each require advanced amplification... $$$

]ive seen pairs of magnepans for under $300, there seems to be quite a few models

Don't care for the Yamaha receivers myself, but at the $2-300 level, most receivers will be more similar than different... look for features.

will you people make up your mind, yamaha, onkyo, what is it you want me to buy?

You'll need to check that out on a piece-by-piece basis, but if your ipod has analog outs, you're good – more advanced connections (USB etc) will - guess what - co$t more money.


Strictly my opinion, but I find Ebay to be a pit full of scam artists and criminals... for somewhat more trustworthy transactions, try Audiogon (though it's not foolproof either): http://cgi.audiogon.com/

Otherwise, I'd stick with my original suggestion... OR, simply buy a better pair of front speakers (a make that you can later match a center to) + a subwoofer... get the center and rears later... 2.1 full-range stereo will be THRILLING compared to TV speakers.

will do :T you convinced me. for some reason i had this feeling that 5.1 was necessary to have a good experience.

I can't recommend speaker makes at this price point... you must hit a few stores and audition, speakers are the most variable of audio equipment... maybe Energy, Polk, Klipsch... don't buy speakers made by electronics mfrs (Sony, Yamaha etc).

i wouldnt mind getting getting speakers based on other recomendations since ive never had a nice speaker set and dont know what i want and if i did it would probably change as soon as i actually got speakers.

Yeah even decent 2.0 will kick @$$. Another $$ saving option could be to DIY at least the sub (if not the speakers as well, sub's much easier though)

B&W, Energy, Paradigm, Polk, PSB etc all have good budget models. For subs look try to save for even an entry level SVS unit (or DIY)

DIY sounds like a great idea. now that i got my xbox 360 i replaced frustrating projects with relaxing gaming. time to shake it up a bit :lol: im trying to find a project that will make sub that on my first try will sound as good as a $300 sub. at the same time id like my first build to be as easy as it can get, and also not spend too much money on it.

im going to go ahead and buy a nice pair atleast and maybe a center. i will look into building a sub and depending on how that goes possibly the rear sattelites.

okay.

[revelman]

If you haven't checked it already, try http://www.psbspeakers.com

You can find them very easily and for cheap. I just looked on audiogon right now and they have a brand new pair of PSB alpha T for 350.00, PSB stratus C6 and C5 for 350.00 used.

If you are patient, you can find some good deals on PSB image 4t.

It might be a little out of your budget but if you can squeeze it, you will be pleasantly suprised with the PSB. Plus you wont have the urge to upgrade. Get a good speakers up front and get some lame cheap stuff for the rears.

[whoaru99]

I put together a "budget" system for some friends that does a damn good job.

It consisted of....

Panasonic XR-55 reciever
Athena B1.2 fronts
Athena C1.2 center
Athena Point 5 surrounds
Mirage S12 sub
Sony DVD player
Panasonic VCR

All for something on the order of $1200.

It sounds pretty good, IMO...

I tried the Pioneer 1015 receiver as first choice in this setup, but in all honesty, it was a letdown considering all the hype I heard about it. I ended up sending it back in lieu of the Panasonic receiver and a better sub (from Athena P6000 to Mirage S12). A much better value, I think.

The Pioneer looked nicer and had more features, but as far as performance where the rubber meets the road, Panasonic XR hands down, IMO.

Is it TOTL? Absolutely not, but it was never intended to be. Excellent bang for the buck system? Yes, and that IS what it was intended to be.

[Burke Strickland]

what do you guys think of magnepan or martin logan...

Amazing sound -- coherent top to bottom, great imaging plus wide and deep sound stage. Although Magnepan makes some very appealing "high end" (and high priced compared to your budget) floor standing speakers, Magnepan also makes some "entry level" panels that hang on the wall and would fit within your price range, yet would still acquit themselves nicely with just about any level of electronics you can afford to use with them (all Maggies sound better -- or at least are able to play at louder volumes with their magical sound -- when driven by very powerful, meaning "expensive", amplification). Unless someone gives them to you Martin Logans will be out of your price range at the moment.

[whatismouse]

good price for the xr-55, i will check it out.

i have looked at athena before, for the money it seems like they will do well however i think i would rather spend significantly more on a used 2.1 and build from there.

i am interested in these magnepan's. dead sexy being only a thin sheet, light and mobile, and only $300? whats your take on these? really old? awesome?

http://cgi.ebay.com/AWESOME-Magnepan-Magneplanar-SMGa-Speaker-System_W0QQitemZ180011871690QQihZ008QQcategoryZ14993QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

what center would pair well with magnepan anyways? what requirements would it have of the reciever?

[whoaru99]

Ahhh yes...

Not even the first piece in house and already upgradeitis.

Good luck in your hunting. :T

[whatismouse]

okay DIY speakers wont be cost effective at this price point.

Ahhh yes...

Not even the first piece in house and already upgradeitis.

Good luck in your hunting. :T

[whoaru99]

okay DIY speakers wont be cost effective at this price point.

I would not say that.

If your decision is to not go with a full surround setup at this time and instead spend that money on a better 2.1 setup, then for that kind of dough you can do better than the Athenas with DIY.

My comment about upgradeitis whas that it seemed you were looking for a complete system for ~$1000, but now are contemplating spending most of that on a 2.1 speaker setup. That is upgradeitis, IMO.

[whatismouse]

I would not say that.

If your decision is to not go with a full surround setup at this time and instead spend that money on a better 2.1 setup, then for that kind of dough you can do better than the Athenas with DIY.

My comment about upgradeitis whas that it seemed you were looking for a complete system for ~$1000, but now are contemplating spending most of that on a 2.1 speaker setup. That is upgradeitis, IMO.

i think ill pass on the DIY speakers. i was hoping to make a sub, which will end up costing more than a sub would cost.

and yea, i knew what you were talking about, i had no comment :W

[aud19]

i think ill pass on the DIY speakers. i was hoping to make a sub, which will end up costing more than a sub would cost.

and yea, i knew what you were talking about, i had no comment :W

For around $400...maybe $500 though you can build a DIY sub comparable to one's costing over $1000 in retail. Honestly your average $300 retail sub isn't going to give you all that deep, articulate or accurate bass. But a $4-500 DIY sub will kick some serious @$$ and do a better job bridging the gap to the smaller speakers it looks like you'll likely be getting.

[Nick M]

Lol, my first post outside of TTP in a long time! :lol:

Okey-dokey... here is my $0.02 fer'ya.

1. Increase budget slightly to around $1500 or so. The difference in system quality takes a massive leap. Less than $1k for an entire audio setup is pretty much going to win you a glorified HTIB (home theater in a box). I really think you will kick yourself in the end. If you're absolutely strapped to $1k, go with a respectable 2.1 setup. A decent 2.1 setup will blow the doors and interior right out of budget HTIB systems.

2. For $1500 you can get a really nice 2ch setup (that will still sound decent with movies), or a respectable pro-sumer 5ch setup. Sounds like you're really aiming for a home theater, so I'll continue with that route.

With home theater, the two biggest factors that give you the theater @$$-kicking are bass and screen size. Hopefully the room you're planning this for is smaller that 20x20 (with normal ceilings, and no open floorplan designs). Your biggest bang for the buck pieces are going to be either internet direct sources, or used pieces. If you want to go new for $1500, I'd recommend the SVS 5.1 package (look up SVSubwoofers). You'll get solid response in medium/small rooms down to 20Hz, identical front & rear bookshelf speakers (important) and an MTM style timbre matched center. I've used the PB-10 sub that comes with this setup in my room, and nothing at the hifi dealers under $1k can touch it (except perhaps DIY). The PB10 along with the 5 speakers will run $999, say $1100 with some Walmart wiring and wall brackets.

http://www.svsound.com/products-sys-sbs.cfm

Seperates are going to be out of the question at this pricepoint, so I guess next you'll need a decent receiver. I find most consumer electronics to be real trash. Make sure you purchase the receiver from an authorized dealer so that you won't be stuck with a lemon. Crutchfield is decent for consumer level stuff. Yamaha makes some decent receivers. Honestly, I was kinda suprised by how good they can clearly power some paradigms I listened to a few weeks ago. I'd snag an RX-V559. It has a front input for your iPod too (and an optional $100 RF wireless dock you could pickup down the road if you wanted to). It's also XM ready if you want to get satellite radio (all you need is an antenna and subscription). The warranty usually says alot about a product, and Yamaha gives 2yrs, longer than most other brands. It has a dot-matrix display and nice n' clean face panel too. It's $399w/free shipping from crutchfield.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-GzzcjdCcydQ/cgi-bin/Prodview.asp?readmore=true&g=10420&tab=essential_info&i=022RXV559#Tab

Keep using your old DVD player so long as it has a digital out (either coaxial or optical) to feed audio to your receiver. At this price point along with a 19" TV you really aren't going to pick up serious differences in sound or picture quality, even if you used Denon's $3500 flagship unit. The next step would be another $1500 to upgrade to an 80"+ front projector/screen combo. Great 720p 3-chip LCD units are available such as those from Panasonic and Sanyo. Once you have that, then you'll need to get that second job to go further...

Good Luck! :T

EDIT: Couple more things. If after a while you find that you want a cleaner sounding setup, buy the AVIA calibration DVD along with an SPL meter (package is about $80 from most internet shops).

Also, the Yamaha unit above has six channels of amplification. SVS sells the bookshelf speakers in the above setup individually, so you could also pick up an extra one of those down the road if you wanted 6.1 sound.

[whatismouse]

the RX-V559 is a great idea, i think im settled on the reciever. i searched on nextag.com and several reputable dealers have it in stock at ~$300.

if i were to spend 80% on 2.1 and 20% on the other 3.0, with no intention of an eventual upgrade, does that seem logical:

Now:

reciever $300
pair $300
sub $400

= $1000

later:

center $150
rears $100

if i wanted 5.1 now, i would have to sacrifice only the sub and be able to gain both the center and the rears.

[Nick M]

Like I said, screen size and bass are the cornerstones of great home theater. If you plan on going with bookshelf or small satellite type speakers (which you most definetly will be at this price point), a sub is an absolute necessity as these speakers tend to lose it around 60-70Hz.

If you're really tight on cash, but want something to start out with for $1000, get the RX-V559 (specifically ask if the dealer is a "Factory Authorized Dealer", or roll the dice on getting a lemon a few months down the road without a factory warranty), the SVS PB10-NSD Subwoofer ($429), and a pair of the bookshelf speakers from the above SVS setup ($225). Then all you will need is some cheap speaker wire, mounts/stands for the speakers, a subwoofer cable, a digital audio cable, and a cheapo RCA cable for video to your TV. Thats about $1000. When you get the money, buy another pair of the bokshelves for surrounds (maybe an extra for the rear surround), and the timbre matched center. You won't get the savings of purchasing the speakers as a 5.1 package though.

Good Luck!

EDIT: Don't buy a $150 sub. Buy a receiver, a good sub, and a decent pair of bookshelves to start. If you can afford it, get the 5.1 speaker package, or save up longer until you can. It will save you money in the long run.

[whatismouse]

i think i will stick with the 2.1 and forget about sacrificing the quality sub even if it means being able to get the whole 5.1 now.

then if you had the choice would you go for the center or the rears first?

[Nick M]

The surround pair would be next. Most receivers have a setting for a "Phantom" center, which really is just stereo sound across the front. It actually doesn'ty sound all that bad... but getting the surrounds you will pick up the ambient sounds that really put the "Surround" in "Surround Sound".

Without a good sub I think your expectations will be shorted and you will feel deflated. Bookshelves/satellites absolutely can not get by on their own in any home theater worth it's tuna... even budget ones.

In your case, if you had less than $1000, I'd get the receiver, the sub, and then search your local flea markets/tag-sales/classifieds for a cheap pair of stereo bookshelves. Again, for home theater bass and screen size rule the way.

[Nick M]

You won't be able to properly set everything up without the AVIA DVD and an SPL meter ($80 package), but you can tune it by ear and live with it until you can get those items. To be honest, I would probably get the AVIA DVD and SPL meter before I got the surrounds and center. Proper calibration can make a budget setup sound like something that cost hundreds more.

Theres' a hot tip for you that most regulars here will probably agree with me on...

[gd]

a sub is an absolute necessity... Without a good sub I think your expectations will be shorted and you will feel deflated. Bookshelves/satellites absolutely can not get by on their own in any home theater worth it's tuna... even budget ones.

Worth repeating...

a sub is an absolute necessity... Without a good sub I think your expectations will be shorted and you will feel deflated. Bookshelves/satellites absolutely can not get by on their own in any home theater worth it's tuna... even budget ones.

Yeah --- he said tuna. :twisted:

[whatismouse]

i see the yam reciever requires the optional ipod mount to actually work, which is another $60

if the tv has an ethernet port, can it connect to my network, access pc's on the network, and play music movies, and other files? this would eliminate the need for an ipod obviously.

how do you guys play your music through HT speakers?

[dyazdani]

how do you guys play your music through HT speakers?

I have several ways:

• DVDp for CDs or DVD-As
• iPod connected via patch cable (mini to RCA)
• Sirius music channels on Dish

If I was setting up something now, I would buy a Squeezebox or similar wireless music player.

[Burke Strickland]

To get started on a tight budget, 2.1 is a lot better way to go than 5.1. Save the center and surround purchases until later. Phanton center with better left and right front speakers sounds a lot better than crappy center from a really cheap speaker.

An amazing bargain available directly from Magnepan, the MMG W, $299 USD per pair;
(pictured here as a surround ensemble with two additional panels and a matching center you can add later) well worth the extra $74 over the SVS front speakers. Go with the SVS sub, however. Like many "book shelf" or "mini" speakers (and even a lot of larger speakers), these wall mounted Maggies only go down to 80 Hz. You'll be amazed at the open, detailed sound you'll get from these. When you are ready to spend with a bigger budget later, these will make excellent surrounds when you move up to bigger Maggies in front.

[dyazdani]

The Maggies are quite nice, at $299, hard to beat - if you can swing the size (WAF).

I do agree with Nick though, that a good sub is a must. The Maggies in stereo plus a SVS sub would be a killer system.

[Nick M]

That Yamaha has a front panel auxillary input. You plug your iPod into it, and select the auxillary jack as the audio source.
-----
I was thinking of the SVS speakers/sub as a package. Purchased all at once, you get a pretty good discount, essentially getting the center channel for free. You could definetly buy much better speakers, but I was trying to keep it cheap. $1000 - $430 for the PB10 Sub means you're getting four bookshelf speakers and a center for $570 bucks. If you can swing a few hundred more, you could definetly step up to the Maggies, dispersed sound from Mirage, or simply better bookshelves from companies like Ascend Acoustics (what I own, a bargain at $350/pr, plus $300 for the Center).

If you do plan on buying piece by piece (meaning no package discount from SVS), you proably would be better off piecing together your 5 channels starting with your mains, then surrounds, and finally center.

[whatismouse]

wow those maggies man. :rollhead: :spin: ..hard to pass up. you know i think i just might have to do that.

i'm wondering what is a good distance from the tv on either side to place the fronts? reason i ask is i have a perfect spot just on either side of the tv placement to hang these. i figure ideally you would want them farther away from center, but without having a center speaker it doesnt much matter?

nicholas im not ignoring you...i might get the SVS sub if DIY doesnt work out. just havent made up my mind yet about the full set. leaning towards 2.1 especially with these magnepans.

yamaha rx-v559 is settled then.

[dyazdani]

Ideally, you wouldn't want the speakers right on either side of the TV. They need to be far enough apart to create a decent soundstage, depends on how far away you are seated. My speakers are about 7ft apart and I sit around 10ft from them.

To think of it another way, the closer together you have them, the more they act like a single speaker, so basically you'd have a center channel only instead of a stereo effect.

[whatismouse]

yep thats what i figured. but it is a big enough deal to warrant getting floor standing speakers as opposed to wall mounted seeing as how the wall is only 2 ft to the right of where the tv will sit.

on the other hand, while $300 magnepans might be a steal, they are still new. im not sure if they are so good a deal as to pass up the chance to get speakers that would cost 2 & 3 times as much used.

edit: i just re-read what you said. they can easily sit 7ft apart on the wall, that is not very much, so i guess that is not a problem.

"You want to spend ONE-THOUSAND DOLLARS on speakers?!!! Why not just use the ones on the TV?! I'm fine with our tv speakers!" - the woman

[dyazdani]

"You want to spend ONE-THOUSAND DOLLARS on speakers?!!! Why not just use the ones on the TV?! I'm fine with our tv speakers!" - the woman

Just wait until she hears it...

[whatismouse]

Just wait until she hears it...

hopefully i can get that far

[Azeke]

If you can stretch a couple of extra dollars you can do one of these systems:

HT Express Pro Complete Home Theater

This is a good bang for the buck system, I recommend it to friends who are on a budget. Just another option to ponder and great WAF.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke

[Nick M]

Actually, without a sub you're going to have a 2.0 setup, not a 2.1.

The ".1" signifies the LFE channel that is piped to your sub, as well as all the sound below the crossover that your other speakers can't reproduce. In other words, it fleshes out everything. With just mains, your deepest sounds are going to be a low frequency male voice, or a screen door slamming shut. Gunshots, explosions, demon laughs (lol), will sound like a bunch of quarters shaken in a shoe box (or a flyswatter hitting target) without a sub.

Good luck.

Oh, and try to make sure the mid-range drivers in whatever you choose are atleast 4-6" (unless you go with flat panels like the maggies). A 2" or 3" cone is not going to hit deep enough to seamlessly blend with a sub. You'll end up with the B-O-S-E effect.