onkyo ftw

 

X2!

 

I think I may have found my receiver: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-hGtJa1b...705B&s=0&cc=01

Anything I may have missed that you guys think is a "must have"?

Off to find some speakers. Any reccomendations? (I'm hoping to keep total system cost around $1500)

Thinking about a new tv also. A 42" Panasonic plasma sounds about right.

 

Don't have time right now to address the other questions, but good call on the Panny 42 inch plasma. It IS the best bang for the buck for a QUALITY HDTV out there.

 

$1500 is a tight budget for a good home theater. You also need to think about the size of the room your putting this in. That makes a big difference on your reciever need and speaker needs.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned Harmon/Kardon? Did they fall off or what?

Anyway, I'm biased to Klipsch since I have my home theater in all Klipsch Audio as well as my office set up with all Klipsch. Just my preference on sound. They aren't the most expensive speakers, but for me I want clear and crisp sound at all volumes, and Klipsch delivers this at a good price point.

BTW that Playstation 2 is going to look terrible on a big HD TV. I tried it at my house, very dissapointing once I got it all hooked up. Now I need a PS3 right?

 

Each person's ear is different, and what sounds good to you now may not later. Find yourself a dedicated audiophile facility that has numerous options to allow you to listen. Bring your own CDs, the stuff you're familiar with, and listen to that.

And listen, listen, listen. Then listen some more. Find what sounds good to you. Do not be swayed by hype, marketing, large advertising budgets, etc. Also don't go for the lowest price. If you prefer the sound of something that is a few hundred bucks more than the cheaper item, and you get the cheaper one, you'll be kicking yourself in the pants later on.

Me, I am not a fan of 5.1 or 7.1 or the undoubtedly soon to arrive 16.1 or 29.1 or the hyper 1,253.1. I like good old fashioned two channel stereo. My amp has my CD player hooked up to it, of course, but also my DirecTV box, my dvd player, blu-ray player, turntable, and tape machine. Yes, even the dvds and blu-ray I play 2 channel, and with my amp and speakers it sounds great. I'd put it up against anything and it will hold its own nicely.

My stuff, which I highly recommend:

Amplifying equipment = McIntosh
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/
Speakers = Magnepan
http://www.magnepan.com/

As for monitors, I'd do a plasma over an lcd, however, at present, I have an older CRT HD monitor that I got from one of our distributors when I was doing telecine. Still looks great, but when it dies out (which will eventually happen, then I'll probably go 50" Plasma). If it died tomorrow I'd give serious consideration to the Panny TH-50PZ750U. That would be the 750, not the 700.
If you're a fan of lcd, the Sony Bravia XBR 46" is a sweet screen. 1080P or nothing dude. Each has their pluses and minuses, look at both and see what looks good to you.

They're your eyes and ears. Go find out what pleases them.

 

Check out the reburbs @ Onkyo. They are usually good deals. Something like this setup will be good enough for anyone who does not yet have a home theater setup. Something with HDMI 1.3a switching like this one might be better long term.

 

Its all up to your budget

I would go with Denon if you are looking at the receiver
They are the best in the receiver section, Pioneer, Yamaha Onkyo can't even compete with them (don't take me wrong they are great receivers)

I'm running Anthem D2 with A2 and A5 power amps and they are driving Paradigm two of S6, one of C5 and 4 of S4's
Happy hunting
Don't for get its what your ears like not ours
Go Anthem or go Home
http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference...-2-17.paradigm
http://statement.anthemav.com/index.html

 

I'll disagree with you about Denon better than Yamaha (Like Denon, Yamaha builds lower spec units for mass box retailers and both build higher end models, lets not confuse the lines in this discussion, apples to apples) but also say that if you are building a system for music, I would consider Denon but if you are building a theater, I would go with Yamaha. The sound processors in Yamaha are far superior of those in Denon. We sell 10-1 Yamaha over Denon for theaters in my business. But what do I know?

To the OP, you have seen a lot of opinions and that is great, but the best advice I have seen over and over here...your eyes and your ears. It doesn't matter what we think.

BTW, those Paradigm's are nice speakers. Quick Quiz, anyone know who started that company? Answer: A senior Technion at Klipsch left in the early 80's and started his own company, everyone thought he was crazy for leaving the Klipsch family.

 

Now the important question is how much is the F-150 Online discount?

 

As for discount, sure but Shipping is going to kill you.

 

When it really comes down to it, it's your system and your ears.

http://avsforum.com

You can get great input there, along with some good deals as well. If you research there enough, you'll often find people that spent a lot of money on something they replaced with something much cheaper and like the sound quality of the cheaper units as much if not more.

I think Kobiashi had some great input. Half of the crap you read and look at it nothing more than hype and marketing. You can sometimes buy a "lesser" name with the same major internals as the hyped up "big" name.


I still like jamming in two channel sometimes myself, just more of a pure old style sound.

 

Is it the shipping or the handling?

 

i recently started to install a home theater system in a small room i just refinished (around 10 X 12).

i just finished wiring the 5.1 speakers (two internal wall mount fronts, the rest were external wall mounts + the sub) which were all boston accoustics. i wanted this to be functional, and as inconspicuous as i could make it.

i also ran a hdmi cable from the tv (32 inch lcd) to a closet where i will house the audio stuff. i think that hdmi cable alone was over 150.00 dollars.

i am also looking at onkyo and denon for receivers.

what was sort of interesting is that popular science just came out with a 'best of whats new' issue, and under audio listed hdmi 1.3 as 'the best tv connection yet'.

 

Ok, the "New Receiver Bug" has hit me. My old Sony is starting to show its age and lacks many of the connections that are needed for the new A/V equipment. My early leanings are for Yamaha equipment, but this is not a definite. I would like at least 5.1 but 7.1 or more is ok. What would y'all recommend given this list of wants/needs and where is the best place to buy?

Price: $1000 or less
Use: 70% movies 30% music
Inputs: HDMI for DVD, SAT, Blu-Ray or HD-DVD plus room to grow; CD; Satellite radio; VCR
Output Power: Lots, I do like it loud

It will be driving Cerwin-Vegas E-312s across the front with the matching center channel. With these as the fronts I have never seen the need for a sub so that is not much of an issue. I already have a 50" Samsung 1080p plasma TV with an up converting DVD player (for now) that are using HDMI interconnects. Now the weak link is the receiver, let me hear your opinions.