Hey guys, I want to buy my husband a surround system for our anniversary. I have no clue about these things. Any suggestions? My budget is about $300-400.
What do you think of this one? http://www.crutchfield.com/S-aW02z4...p?g=37600&tab=essential_info&i=580hts680b#Tab
That is referred to as a "Home Theater in a Box". You many read some unflattering things about HTB here and at other forums but they make some very good ones now. I've not heard this system by onkyo makes good stuff...the specs are good. So too, crutchfield is very reliable. Onkyo makes good stuff, I don't know if you'll find any better but I'll take a look at other HTBs and post links if they look decent...Gerry Edit: By the way, welcome to afterdawn...I'm not big on manners.
Sorry, I posted thanks on the reply above without noticing my husband was signed on. :0) By the way I did read pretty good reviews on that system.
WHen I get back, I'll check some out; I'd like to know more about this subject anyway...home theater in a box was real crap at one time, just walmart and k-fart junk but now that home theater has been around awhile, things have changed dramatically; I've head some really good ones. There are a couple of brands I want to look at in particular like JVC ... I, like many, believed that JVC only made junk because of some problems in the past and their prominence in the ghetto blaster circles that raise an eyebrow but a buddy here at AD really changed my mind about a lot of their stuff and that they are often the best bang regarding quality sound and inclusion of features for the buck. Will get back.
@Kikinya ... a couple of questions for you? Are you currently using any kind of home theater system now? Do you currently own a DVD player ... if so, what make and model. Do you currently own any speakers if so, agian, make and model. I ask because if you presently own anything decent enough to incorporate into the system, you can use them while getting an even higher quality system for your 300-400 bucks.
Links: Will just add ones worth considering: http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1833027 This samsung doesn't have DTS, only DTS ready http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1892980 As mentioned earlier, JVC is often the best bang for the buck when working with a budget. What struck me as unusual with this system was the omnidirectional speakers. A frequent problem with hometheater equipment is that unless you're seated in the "Sweet-Spot" (the point where sound crosses and is at its best), it's often difficult to hear equal sound all the way around thus the full effects etc. This one claims to be onmidirectioal...not omnipolar, but omnidirectional which (if only for our purposes) is the same. With such speakers, although not perfect, it is much better for those seated around the room to hear the music or effects more clearly.
Gerry, we do not own a home theater system. This will be our first one. We don't have any speakers and we have a Samsung HDTV. Our DVD player is Lite-on ALl wrote DVD recorder model LVW-5116GHC. Hope that help. Also I wanted to ask you, what do you think of this one? http://reviews.cnet.com/Onkyo_SKS_HT540/4505-7868_7-31930496.html Thanks
You know what? Never mind those are just the speakers... I'm looking for an HTB. Which do you think would be the best for under $300?
@kikinya...how are you? Kikinya, you're not going to get one for under three hundred unless you buy a no name Walmart or Kmart brand ... in which case, I would wait. I like the Onkyo system you found in the first link but you had initially said 300-400...I think that was around 360. The JVC I posted has a DVD which you want to avoid. I found another couple of JVCs which were o.k.; I left them at the office and I'm on vacation but I'm sure I could find them online again. They were quite similar to the Onkyos. If you want to stay below 300, I would go with the samsung I listed below...I haven't heard that one but I've heard similar ones in that price range from samsung and while I can't say they were awesome sounding, the were quite nice. I deliberately looked at overstock because even though the number of choices they come up with are limited, the often have some really decent deals and shipping is only 1.00 to 4.00. Let me tell you what I would would do in your shoes but I'm going to have to go with the $400 figure but first a word about speakers. It is the sub that drives up the cost. Satellite speakers MUST have a sub because it works by cutting off the mid range at mid point and puts not just the bass but also the lower mid range through the subwoofer. In short, your sound system cannot function because the satellites only produce about 1/2 the sound of a regular speakers and push the rest through the sub. Now, bookshelf or tower speakers produce sound in its full range ... with bookshelf or towers, the purpose of a "sub" is to accentuate the lower frequencies which the bookshelf or tower speakers are already putting out at a considerably lesser volume...the sub will add some "punch" to notes and sounds that are already there. To produce a regular amplifier that would be able to produce "lows" at the same volume would mean that the amplifier is three times bigger and three times heavier ... in short, impractical. Having said that, if I had a $400 budget for a home theater system, I would buy seperate units rather than an in the box until and I would buy bookshelf or towers for the fronts and put off buying a sub until I can afford it. You sound [bold]WILL NOT[/bold] be lacking as the bookshelf and/or towers will produce exactly the same notes but at a lower volume as explained above. There are a number of bargain speaker companies but the only one I've ever heard was a company called Fluance. Now, they're no Polks or Mirages but their sound is awesome considering the cost; here is one of their speaker packages for $200: http://www.fluance.com/fluanceavhtb.html Since you can mix and match most of their speakers, you could either get the towers or the bookshelf. You could get some really decent speakers for about $200-225 and save the sub until later. I've heard this particular package and they were quite good. If you were still willing or able to go with your $400 budget, that would leave you in the ballpark of about $150 for your AVR which is do-able. This is the way I would go and get the sub later. So too, unlike your other speakers, you can vary the brand of the sub but not the fronts, center or rears. They must all be of the same makes/models or they won't be "timber matched" which a a big mistake and a very common one. Somewhere down the line, you could buy your sub and, by the way, there is a HUGE market in used subs. Some people have a real bass fetish and often trade for more powerful ones. Believe me though, having used nothing but the TV volume, it will sound like heaven even without the sub and, just as a reminder, it will still produce the same notes as the sub but at a lesser volume. When you're ready, then buy a new or used sub. Anyway, that is my two cents. Let me know what you think. You have a nice HDTV, I'd go with the better quality even if it means waiting a bit for the sub..........Gerry P.S. Do you want me to post some links to AVRs to match or do you want to stick to in the box systems with a sub? PPS: Have found a couple of speaker systems like this for about the same price and it has the sub and still leaves $150.00 for an amp on a $400 budget. It is from "Parts Express" ....I've a buddy here at afterdawn more familiar with them than I am. I'll ask him if he's familiar with them. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=302-048
Hey, I'm good. Thank you so much for all the info. I don't know much about any of this lol but the links you've been giving me are helpful. I think I prefer the HTB since it would much easier for me hehehe... PS: Enjoy your vacation! I'm going on mine next week... woo-hoo!
