NEED HOME THEATER SYSTEM FOR $500
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| I need a good 6 peice home theater system for about $500 and nothing more. I'm looking for a minimum 100 watt subwoofer. |
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Anonymous | get the Onkyo HTS-650 .. $499 at Circuit City. Best out there .. sub is 150 watts .. should make your house shake. Check out the specs for yourself or read the other threads on it for more details |
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Anonymous | I think CC raised their price to $530... |
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Anonymous | Looks like CC still has the price at $499 to me. |
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Kelli Britton | Just bought Onkyo 650 at Circuit City. It's $499. The store didn't even have the thing set up right and I still bought it. When I installed at home with all the proper settings I couldn't believe how great it sounded! Great deal for $500 |
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Anonymous | The Kenwood htb-505 is a very good buy. $399.00 The Kenwood htb-205 is also a good buy. $299.00 Both have 100 watts |
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Anonymous | Samsung DM150 or 550 $300 and $400 respectively; good deal for an all-in-one and nice looking too. get it at Best Buy. just grab and go, don't talk with the sales guys. |
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Anonymous | I recently ordered component based systems Pioneer HTP-725DV, it comes with VSX-D811S receiver, which has been rated very good by a bunch of magazines. Total price including shipping 608. This receives offers Dolby Dig EX, DTS ES, and DTS:Neo, 6.1 channel sound, with capability to hook up 7.1. I have already seen some of these new formats on a couple of DVDs |
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| just bought the onkyo ht-s650 refurbish for $330 +tax, no shipping, at onkyousa.com, took 5 days to arrive system looks brand new, i am still setting and tweaking, but so far i like it |
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Anonymous | DON'T BUY THE SAMSUNG!!!! See the following threads for more information: https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-theater/1015.html https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-theater/1184.html |
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Anonymous | Get the Onkyo HTS650. Best Home Theater for $500. Purchased from SoundCity for $399. Others on this site got it for $434 with free shipping. Be sure to call Peter Green at Sound City X 701. Can't remember their number right now but do a search. With 150 power sub, nothing else comes close. Good luck |
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Anonymous | The samsung is fine for an all-in-one starter or second-room system. However, Onyko is the way to go if you have your own good quality DVD/CD/MP3 player. Especially because of the powered sub-woofer and speaker switching capabilities. www.onecall.com/About_00001000_87_312_0_41_0_0.htm#FID_1105 Only suggestion about the Samsung is upgrade the Sub to powered . . . it lacks . . . um . . . , oomph. |
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Anonymous | I was excited about Onyko based on all the positive reviews I've read on the web. So I took a trip over to Circuit City. All I can say is that this system is huge. The speakers are huge. I have towers but they are towers. The speakers and subwoofer don't look all that attractive either and wouldn't match my silver cabinet or silver Toshiba TV. Sound quality really couldn't be verified as only the radio was playing but the appearance of the system was definitely a downer. Although I haven't ruled out purchasing the system, I'm really leaning toward something like the JBL Cinema Propack which sounds awesome. The speakers are the right size too. Although I have a large enough room to put all the Onkyo speakers, they are still too bulky. Well, off to Circuit City to check out a few more of the HTIB options. |
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Anonymous | the speakers look good on nice stands .. wall mount the surrounds up high (in a big room you don't notice em after a while) .. sub can sit beside TV unit (blends in fine). looks cool to me set up properly .. usually at CC they have the stuff stacked up and crowded together looking pretty sh*tty. believe me, you'll forget all about looks once you turn it on  |
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Anonymous | Are there any good systems out there that have a 5 disk DVD/CD player in the $500 to $650 range...System will be install in family room that's about 15' X 15'. I have been looking at the Sony products...because system will be hooked up to Sony Wega TV... I've been tempted by reading the reviews for the Onkyo 650...but I too think the speakers are a bit larger than I would like (heck I can always get a separate 5 disk DVD/CD player...) Playing on Cnet electronics pages has only confused me more... So any suggestions/experiences will be appreciated |
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Anonymous | I just got my Pioneer HTP-725DV. I absolutely love it. Even though i had to pay about $100 more than 500, but this pioneer is worth it. This system rocks and music never sounded better, It took me about 2 hours to set it up last night, but when i watched few scene of LOTR, it felt as if i was watching this movie for the very first time. This model also support Dolby Dig EX, which is what LOTR has been recorded in. I cannot even think of running this monster even at half of the max level, as i live in a partment, but with 600W of power + additional powered sub, it shakes the walls. At present I am running this system with standard cables provided by Pioneer, haven't felt the need to change the cable, but will do so may be in a month or so. Before settling on this unit, I read review about it on Cnet, Amazon, consumerreports and other such places. I even went to BB to see how the receiver VSD-D811S performs (and how 6.1 channel sounded). |
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Anonymous | I'm thinking of getting the HTP-725DV as well, but I can't find it locally. I see it for a good price over at eTronics, but I've never bought from them. Where did you get your system? And how's the quality (not just the volume, though that, too) of the subwoofer. I wonder if an 8" 100 watt sub is enough (I'm a novice at this). Our room is probably 18x20. Thanks. |
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Anonymous | I got my HTP-725DV from etronics. You will have to experiment with various settings as per your room specs, but so far I'm quite pleased with it. I returned a Sony dream system to get this pioneer model, and I am glad I made this choice. I have set my crossover freq. for the sub to be 200 and it rocks. Last week I watched Lord of the rings and lot of times I had to turn the volume low as it started getting too loud for an apartment. It also has a nice one button feature of 'Midnight' where the loud noise is slightly suppressed. Ideal for watching movies late night. I think you would love it, as this model (with 6.1 channel) gives you an option of connecting two additional back surround speaker or an additional powered sub, which can be placed behind your listening position. The package comes with a total of 6 speakers + 1 powered sub. The receiver VSX-D811S has expansion slots (7.1 input) for future format. You can read it's reveiw on cnet.com |
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Anonymous | I'm very, very new at this. What's the crossover frequency? I assume that determines which LFE goes to the sub, and which to the other speakers? The receiver does look great, and I notice it has a ton of inputs, including video inputs. Does that mean you can do the video source switching at the receiver, rather than having to do it at the television (which I do right now)? I assume your experience with etronics was a good one. My only concern is with their not being an authorized dealer; Pioneer says I wouldn't get the Pioneer warranty in that case. thanks again! |
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Anonymous | Crossover Frequency: From Crutchfield's web site: A circuit that divides the frequency spectrum into two or more parts. A crossover acts as a filter, allowing certain frequencies to pass through to the speaker while blocking others. It's the crossover's job to send only high frequencies to the tweeter and only low frequencies to the woofer. (And midrange frequencies to the midrange driver in a 3-way speaker.) A high-pass crossover allows only frequencies above the "crossover frequency" to pass through, while a low-pass crossover (common in powered subwoofers) allows only frequencies below the crossover frequency to pass through. A "bandpass" crossover combines a high-pass and a low-pass so that the driver (often a midrange unit) only sees a restricted band of middle frequencies. You are right about switching the video source from the receiver. The package had all the warranty information and original warranty sheet from Pioneer, so I don't know how Pioneer will not honor this warranty. |
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Anonymous | How do you do the video switching from the receiver? I have the HTS650 and have the TV and DVD both hooked to the receiver, but I still have to change the video source on the TV to "Video1" to watch DVDs. What am I doing wrong? |
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Anonymous | You are correct that you have to change the video source on the tv to video 1 if that where you plugged the receiver into. That's where the signal goes. Now say you have your dvd player plugged into the reciever on video 1 and a PS2 into video 2. Set you tv to video 1 (the signal source for the receiver) Now you can use your receiver to go to video 1 to watch a dvd or video 2 to play PS2. You are not doing anything wrong as that's where the signal from the receiver to the tv is going. |
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Anonymous | I'd like to make sure I understand. With my current setup, my receiver doesn't have video inputs, so I have my cable box hooked to my VCR, and the VCR connected to the TV's composite inputs. I also have my DVD player connected to the TV's s-video input. Both are also connected to the receiver's audio inputs. When I want to watch the DVD player, I have to switch the receiver to the corresponding audio signal and switch the tv's input. Now, if I do get a receiver with video inputs and output (like the Pioneer 811S, which I'm looking at), would I simply switch the receiver, rather than both the receiver and the tv? I checked etronics today, and they're out of the HTP-725DV, but I'm going to keep watching for it. I may at least buy the receiver and dvd player, and get different speakers, though I've read that the Pioneer speakers are plenty fine for my house. |
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Anonymous | If you get the 811S and connect all your units audio and video inputs to the 811S and have one video out going to the tv you will still have to switch the tv to that signal source. Then you would have to switch the receiver to which source you want to watch. |
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Anonymous | soundcity.com has their 13% off sale again. i want to buy the hts650 from them for 434.00, but i am having trouble putting it in the cart through their checkout process. the ad says that the sale is only through internet orders. do you think that if i call them to place the order by phone, that they will still apply that sale to me? |
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Anonymous | The Onkyo HT-S650 blows everything away that is $2000.00 or less. |
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Anonymous | I like the HT-S650, but honestly, it doesn't have the same range of connections that the 811S does. I may wind up getting the S650 (still doing some research, and trying to get to actually listen to the systems soon), but right now I do like the Pioneer more, for the component switching and the additional decodings (unless I'm mistaken, the HT-S650 supports just Dolby Digital and ProLogic II). |
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| What gauge are the wires that come with the HT-S650? Is it really worth it to buy after market wires and how much of an improvement in sound do you get? |
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sooteal | John in Ohio The Onkyo HTS 650 comes with 22 gauge wire-VERY thin. I've had the system since September & thought it sounded wonderful. Just upgraded to 16 gauge wire ($19 for 100 feet at Target)& bought a better sub cable from Best Buy made by Acoustic Research & most important thing I noticed was the receiver does not get as warm as it used too. |
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Anonymous | Denon 483XP or 683XP. Or maybe a separate Denon receiver(883) with a good set of speakers(JBL SCS150SI or FLUANCE AV-HTB) What do you think? |
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Cyrus | Onkyo has released two new home theater models which the price is so exciting Onkyo HT-s760 contains Onkyo HTR-510 A/V Receiver and 6.1 speakers. (Circuit City price this as 499$) Onkyo HT-S767C contains Onkyo HTR-510 A/V Receiver and 6.1 Speakers and Onkyo DV-CP701 progressive scan 6 Disks DVD Changer! I was thinking on buying a PIONEER HTP-725DV but the THD (Total Harmunic Distorion) of this unit was very high in tests. So I wait a little more to see if i found a better one. THD of these Onkyo systems is rated at 0.08% which is an outstanding. Had anybody here chance to compare new Onkyo models with pioneer 725 DV and guide us which one to buy? Also the Onkyo HTR-510 A/V receiver has not listed in Onkyo web site so actually no exact specification has yet released, please if anybody know if it has all the DTS, DTS-ES, DTS:NEO6, Dolby EX, Prologic II and both Descret and Matrix DTS, write for others to review. Thanks to all. |
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VegasGuy | To Cyrus: I purchased the HT-S760 on 5/19 for $499 at the new Fry's we have here in Vegas. To answer your question, yes, it has all the surround listening modes you mentioned. It also has a few DSP modes. It comes packaged with the HT-R510 and the SKS-HT200 speaker set (which includes the SKW-200 subwoofer). The speaker wire is very thin and should be replaced. I had started out my hunt by looking at the HT-650. But, it lacked component video and we plan to get a plasma HDTV in the next year. The 760 has the bloodlines of the 650 with more modern features. I am completely blown away by what a $500 system can sound like. Even my wife, who says she has a tin ear, loves the sound from this system. I have been having a ball listening to old material and hearing things I never heard before. We live in a huge house and I still haven't turned it up past 65. The normal range for us is 30-45. With a total of 750 watts this thing has way more power than I will ever use. PROS: I feel the 760 ranks a 10+ for value. CONS: No one could seriously complain about what this system offers for the money without sounding petty and whiney. |
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