Home Theater options...

[EclipseGST]

Well there has been a few threads on TVs and such but nothing on Surround sound.

I am in the process of purchasing a new home theater setup, just wondering who has what and what has been found to be the best combination/setup.

I will be buying everything separate and not looking for a home theater in a box type of setup. Any and all comments welcome.

Will probably put together a 7.1 system, price really doesnt matter, I just want a good quality home theater setup.

Post away...

[INTRIGUED]

I have a sony str-dg820 receiver and a paradigm 10 inch powered sub and some budget box satellite speakers set up as a 5.1 that sounds plenty decent. Soon will be upgrading them to paradigm towers and smaller rear surrounds to make it a full 7.1.

[NOT THE BLUE LAMPSHADE]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1176507037737

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1203815459521

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1209166340317

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1217030495040

SHAZAM!

If only I had the cash...

My Dad has all Denon and Klipsch and it's fuckin' tits.

[mdost03]

Definitive Technology

Nuff said.

[Would?]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882120122

Best Buy is so over-priced.

[EclipseGST]

Really not a fan of home theater systems in a box...

Looking at:

Polk RTi12 Towers x 2 for Fronts

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/rti12/

Polk CSi5 Center x 1

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/csi5

Polk FXI A6 Bookshelf x 4 for Side and Rear Surround

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/fxia6



Undecided on a power sub although I would like a 7.1 or 7.2 setup. I've heard with the RTi12's you do not need a sub with a decent external amp powering the towers but I might end up with 2 - PSW505's:

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12-...006127&sr=1-29

or 2 - PSW10's:

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-10-...006127&sr=1-25



Reciever...

I've been researching the Onkyo TX-NR906. It is kind of spendy but can be had for around $11-1200 if you really search for it. I can always add an amp later if I need it. I just really do not want to upgrade for the next few years so I'm more willing to spend the money now instead of spending more money later.


Onkyo TX-NR906

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-NR906...G6/B001AMUFG6#

or possibly:

Onkyo TX-SR876

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR876...2005366&sr=1-4

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[cmspaz]

Harmon Kardon receivers FTW. If you can afford them.

[Matt D.]

7.1 is a lot of speaker if you don't have a good sized room that you can spread the speakers out, otherwise you won't hear the definition with the extra two speakers and I'd guarantee you wouldn't be able to tell the difference over a 5.1 setup.

My roommate has four Mirage bookshelf speakers and their matching center channel and it sounds amazing.

Another friend has Mirage's Nanosat 5.1 system and it sounds amazingly good for their size.

After listening to many things at Ultimate Electronics (including the setups above) I really can't suggest anything else for the money.

[95tsi]

I'm running a 5.2 with the fronts and rears being Definititive Tech. Its not their crazy high end stuff but, it is the step or two above the Best Buy crap. I had Klipsch however, unless you listen to alot of rock music really loud you lose far too much of the crisp highs. The down fall to some of the Definitive stuff is they lack bass, unless you get the nice ones with the subs built in. That being said I have a Rokit 10" 250w sub and I built up a 500w Infinity which should(www.hometheatershack.com/forums/) hit around 20hz. The reciever is a 6.1 Yamaha htr from a few years ago. So far, I love how things sound. Everyone I know loves to come to my house and watch/listen/feel movies, everything sounds great.

What I learned... dont mix different speakers, Klipsch sound good loud but they are rated somthing like 3db louder than Infinity or Def Tech so, they drown everything out.

If you can listen to everything for a while before you but it, DO IT!!! Bring in your own cd or ipod and listen.

Do some searching on the link above, they have some great reviews on there. Best of luck.

[SnoEclipse]

The newer Bose mini-systems are very good.

For 'full-sized' gear I really like the Onkyo stuff expecially the (unfortunately discontinued) TX-NR-1000.

There are some very very good computer audio and video cards available these days. If you have any interest at all look into building an HTPC.

[cmspaz]

Originally Posted by SnoEclipse

The newer Bose mini-systems are very good.

Oh, you did not just say that Bose is good. Shame on you.

[SnoEclipse]

Yes, I did say that.

People freak out when they look at how much signal processing Bose uses, but isn't the end result (what you hear) more important than the mechanics/electronics of getting it to your ears?

I'd listen to a paper cup on a string if it sounded better than what I have now.

[EclipseGST]

Bose sucks... No highs, no lows, must be Bose!

Buy
Other
Speakers
Eventually

More here:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...1214&term=Bose

[User Name]

I wish I would've researched before buying my HT in a box. What a bad idea that was. I'll be happy when I can get a new setup and throw the HT-in-a-box in the garage.

[Would?]

My Philips ht system that came in a box sounds awesome.

[EclipseGST]

I use to think the same way. I have a decent 5.1 Sony system but I've been looking into building my own setup since I have upgraded TVs.

Tyler, go into Audio Designs and listen to some of their higher end home theater speakers. They sound 100000000 times better than my old POS Sony system. This is why I am upgrading.

Purchased a very nice TV, now its time to purchase a very nice audio setup.

[JET]

You really need to balance the speakers with the amp. The head units are a bit closer now, but if you get something like a Denon, they are really bright and you want a speaker that isn't as bright or your ears will kill you. H/K is good, but their features are usually a little behind. Best bang for the buck on a very nice system is almost always the Sony ES line. Top notch features and they use nice guts inside. They also tend to be very neutral for sound.

Speakers are subject to a lot of things, mainly your taste and your head unit. Do a lot of research at avsforums.com and you can make a good choice. Subs, you can't make up for size. I have a faily cheap Cerwin Vega 15" with 250w RMS amp built in. The thing rocks and is probably 15 years old now. A higher quality 15" (possibly 12") would be the way I would go. I had a nice 10" also and the explosions in movies just don't feel the same, even though they are as loud, they are as deep or carry as much force.

Def Tech has been the speakers that I like the most, if I had the cash. They have matched speaker systems for HT. The Mythos ST/STS series is awesome, strap a Supercuber reference sub (1800W 14") on to that and hold on!

[SnoEclipse]

Never buy an ht-in-a-box by listening to broadcast TV. Bring in a DVD/blue-ray that you really like. Hunt for Red October, even though it's almost 15 years old (already??) is a great flic to test sound systems with. Blade Runner is another.

[311evo]

Sitting at my uncles Home theater display room at his store, between the Sony's, Bose, (couple other ones) and Difinative, The Difninitive was a clear winner, once you year them you will love them. and they cost substantially less then a comparable bose system.

[95tsi]

Originally Posted by JET

Subs, you can't make up for size. I have a faily cheap Cerwin Vega 15" with 250w RMS amp built in. The thing rocks and is probably 15 years old now. A higher quality 15" (possibly 12") would be the way I would go. I had a nice 10" also and the explosions in movies just don't feel the same, even though they are as loud, they are as deep or carry as much force.

I agree. However, if you want some really good sound, the 15" drivers dont hit quite as tight as the smaller stuff. If your getting really into it, you almost need a driver/sub with crossovers for individual freq.

Btw, check out the Def Tech Trinity sub. I would love to get one of them... The Def Tech Supercubes rock, I had the 12" version for a short while and it rocked!!!