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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 339 Registered: Jun-04 | Im looking to design a system for my room at school for next year. Id also like to be good enough for a condo or townhouse also. Id like to get a good receiver and some decent speakers but the receiver is more important. Ive been looking into Danon receiver, polk speakers, harmen kardon speakers, infinity speakers. The issue comes with the fact that I only have about 500 to spend..... can anyone give me some ideas? |
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Bronze Member Username: Thx_3417Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom Post Number: 20 Registered: May-05 | Grmncrsnbr, hi there, well there is only £500 or $500 to spend I like to be honest hear, that's a start and if you save just a little bit more onto it, the Denon Kenwood and Yamaha, have some good THX select ones and don't turn your nose up on these gold dust, look for one at an affordable cost. Budget cost for the loudspeakers the fonts must be and I must, stress this out as a top importance, there can be no mismatching go to a "home cinema specialist that's if you what to call them "home cinema specialist" ask for a demonstration of three matching loudspeakers, if there say do you like to try and listen to this centre channel, say no, if it was a centre channel then the professional cinemas would have all ready been using it. It will not be up to the task you go to any dubbing stage or cinema you will see nothing less than matching loudspeakers behind the screen. So matching, I have been using JBL control 5 studio monitors for the best part of 15 years three matching ones for the front, when the salesman asked why do I need three, I said three matching ones please, and he made it so. The surround loudspeakers like any thing else is a loudspeaker so don't be fooled, in believing, you must trust me, please trust me, I will try and lead you not in to deception and end up with a turkey home theatre on your hands. The surround channel array, if you home theatre is small then good bookshelf loudspeakers, easy to place and good on performance too, when done correctly. Sub bass now, if you what lows to go low there adding the same sub bass onto another will extend the frequency range and double the sound pressure level as well. Over taxiing the sub bass, with today's motion picture soundtracks and THX cinemas pushing the boundaries to the limit of excellence, I will say one sub bass for each screen channel left center and right, that's three sub bass units, now for the real fun, the LFE place two in-between the left and right, that's a total for five sub bass units. The ones for the bookshelf loudspeakers are to extend there range, giving size and weight to them. There are some good 12in ones on the market, but if you have the means then a 18in JBL cinema professional THX approved one is the ticket, hell two will do, and with some mixing and engineering techniques you can achieve one small home cinema with a might big sound, but it's all down to the room it self, and the planning out of it that, makes all the defences. So after reading this and thinking suicide, might be a better option, stick with me mate, and being a former cinema projectionist for UCI and Warner Village cinemas UK. I'll show you the way, but seeing £500 0r $500 is a small figure it's a good start, don't blow it on one of those cheep ones at the K-mart stores... As for sub bass I using a JBL 4645 THX cinema approved and this baby boom can hit 120dbc, if the sound mixes as got the power, this will deliver the goods with, kick slam rumble and depth of abyssal low end. Ashley |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 340 Registered: Jun-04 | HAHAHA yeah see id have to save for a good while to afford all of that Im just looking for something for now that will work for a say a year or two until I have the money and the space to put a nice system which I surely dont right now as i am still in college. |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 343 Registered: Jun-04 | can I get some ratings on receiver brands? Onkyo, Denon, Kenwood, Pioneer, Yamaha. and speakers Harmon Kardon, Acoustic Research, polk, infinity. |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 347 Registered: Jun-04 | can anyone give me snything atleast on the receivers? pros and cons from their own experiences? |
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Bronze Member Username: Thx_3417Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom Post Number: 34 Registered: May-05 | Go for one that has "THX" THX select is very affordable, I have had the Kenwood KRF-X9050D "THX" select for 6 years now and is very engaging with films like "tears of the sun" in Dolby six-track. Though I only use my Marantz 1050 and 1030 for the amplification and a Pioneer VSP-200 for the center surround and the height surround as well, this is a fine unit for a package of grand affordability. So hunt down a AVR with "THX", but I suggest this as a former cinema projectionist, first check out a professional "THX" cinema in your home town if it hasn't got one then go to the next town that does, "Star Wars" episode 3 is playing on many "THX" screens in the USA so get a feel for it first as, it can be very overwhelming and is a whole better than the cinema that does not have "THX. Some new cinemas are about to install "THX" D20, to slowly replace "THX" 3417, which has been in cinema use for many years. Any way go for "THX" and stop beating around the bush! |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 348 Registered: Jun-04 | i have $500 for speakers and a receiver those are out of the question for the time being |
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Bronze Member Username: Thx_3417Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom Post Number: 36 Registered: May-05 | Grimncrsnbr, Robb a bank and get some more money, for the home cinema, no, no, no just kidding. Can't you add just a little bit more to the $500.00 say $400.00 to $500.00 that will get you a THX select AVR and hopefully some JBL loudspeakers has they are the best, of the best. The sub bass will come later, and some cinemas in my home town don't even have sub bass, the peasants, one cinema blow there sub bass up! KABOOM, they should have installed 8 sub bass units. So there you have it don't be in such a rush to get it you will get it soon, and saving just a little bit more for THX and JBL glory halleluiah. |
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Usman_Denver Unregistered guest | On that budget, an HTIB system would probably work best. I have bought an Onkyo S770, and although it hasn't arrived yet, I can vouch for its sound quality after trying it out at various retailers. Even there, with their high ceilings and open space, the sound was spectacular to say the least. On these forums as well, you will see it mentioned a lot in the HTIB threads. Read its review and those on others at www.cnet.com and decide. From the ridiculous amount of research I've put into this, both on and offline, there simply isn't a better system for <$500. Hope that helps! |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 349 Registered: Jun-04 | Thanks for the help I ended up with a Kenwood Receiver and Infinity Speakers for 550 from vanns.com |
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Silver Member Username: DmwileyPost Number: 701 Registered: Feb-05 | Hate to say this but you would have been better off with Onkyo. The HT670 system is very difficult to beat for the money-less than $400. You may find that you quickly "outgrow" the Kenwood. Good luck. |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 350 Registered: Jun-04 | From what i understand though the onkyo speakers are very tinny and the sub on the 770 system makes weird sounds when going into auto shut off or whatever.... ill get back to you wall once ive listened to it and really gotten a feel for it. |
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Usman_Denver Unregistered guest | Tinny? Hmmm...if they could fill the retail showrooms I have visited with what seemed like an amazing amount and quality of sound, then my one-bedroom apartment, or even practically ANY house would surely benefit from them. Best of luck with your system, though. |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 351 Registered: Jun-04 | Got the system today and it sounds great. The center channel produces great vocals and the sub hits nice and tight. The controls on the receiver are easy to use and navigate. Couldnt be happier. |
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J Stone Unregistered guest | Here's s ques... I have a Sony STR-DE697 7.1 receiver and just bought an LG DVB418 dvd player. I am connecting the dvd player to the amp via optical cable into the Video 2 slot. The problem is that the amp won't detect the multi-channel like it once did w/ my piece of crap Sharp dvd player. It will only accept Left ffron, right front, and sub....what the nuts? |
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Silver Member Username: GrmncrsnbrVA Post Number: 352 Registered: Jun-04 | If you have a question start your own thread dont post in someone elses unless its a similar question/problem |
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Bronze Member Username: Javmo200Michigan Post Number: 52 Registered: Mar-05 | For $500.00? Humm--truly you get what you--I believe when it comes to a low end equipment--unless if you buy use, you are stuck with subopt. stuff, with that said if you want to get a receiver for 500 I think either Yamaha or Denon have the best power supply. I believe the THX is overrated..Get DTS, Dolby ig PLX2 etc. Good Luck.. |
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New member Username: DaedilusPost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-05 | Grmncrsnbr $500 is not a lot of money... £500 isnt either. I'm not sure where you are from but if it's America your best bet is the Pawn Shops. The most important thing when using a pawn shop is to know your equipment inside and out. If you really REALLY know what you are doing you will find that frequently you will know more about what an item is worth or capable of than the pawn shop operator. case in point: bought from pawn shop: German K-98 mauser $120 sold 5 days later $850 Bought from pawn shop Bang and Olefson Stereo amplifier $250 Sold same day $1100 My basic point to you is that you can find some amazing deals from people who have no idea what they are selling. If product quality for the long haul is truely important to you, the Denon 1905 is $500 well spent. |