Opinions, please, on new Home Theater options! (1 Viewer)

[dnphilli]

Hello all,


Yet another noob here with looking to set up a modest new home theater with the meager returns from my income tax! My tv is a 50" LG 1080p plasma, and I am looking for home theater options for approximately $500. I was leaning toward a Onkyo HTiB, possibly the 7300 which I've found for about $540 shipped, but the general consensus seems to be that this would result in a good receiver, not so good speakers. I really want a nice sounding system to enjoy my 800+ movie collection on, so am I better off trying to piece together a system on such a limited budget? I have a very old Pioneer receiver I am replacing (VSX-3600) which has been solid and lasted for many years, and I have a couple of Advent Baby II bookshelf speaker that still sound good, so maybe I could still use these as the rear surround? If so, through much digging I discovered these:


Polk Audio M10 2-way bookshelf speakers $79.99/pr @ Newegg

Polk Audio CS10 center speaker $99.99 @ Newegg

Polk Audio PSW10 10" powered subwoofer $99.99 @ Newegg

Pioneer VSX-920-k HDMI Receiver $259.99 shipped (new) on eBay.


Total cost for about: $540, or the same as the Onkyo system.


Would this setup be superior to the Onkyo 7300 home theater in a box??


Another possibility, slightly more expensive, is on Amazon I can also get the same Pioneer receiver with a Klipsch HD 500 Compact 5.1 Home Theater System with 8" Sub for $599.


Really not sure what to do! I've read up on the Onkyo receivers which seem to have a good reputation, except for some overheating issues. I know Klipsch speakers also have a good reputation... The Pioneer however, seems to have a better upconverting method (Anchor Bay) which is a big consideration to me since I have an extensive DVD collection.

Any advice appreciated!


Dan

 

[Jason Charlton]

At $500 it's really hard to put together a separates system that will outperform the Onkyo HTiB. Yes, the speakers are always the weakest link in a HTiB system, but that's not to say they're crap, either.


The system you priced out (with the Polk speakers) is just a 3.1 system (you're missing the surrounds), and Polk subwoofers are really not very highly regarded.


Edit: Whoops - re-read your post and missed that you had speakers you could use as surrounds...


The separate receiver and Klipsch speaker set is another possible option, but again, if you're going with separate speakers to improve performance, you're better off NOT going with an 8" Klipsch subwoofer. I'm also not a huge fan of satellite-sized speakers and prefer bookshelf


The Onkyo 7300 at least comes with a 10" subwoofer that reaches below 30Hz. It's no slouch.


Really, to put together a separates 5.1 or 7.1 system requires a budget of roughly $1k, and even at that price point, you're unlikely to get your "final" speakers anyway (most of us upgrade at one point or another, and speakers are far and away the costliest part of a HT).


IMO, going with the Onkyo, even if you upgrade the speakers at a later point, is a much safer (in the long run) and cheaper entry point into HT.

 

[CB750]

Dan


Jason is correct in saying that speakers are the weak link in HTib, Not knocking Polk, but the arrangement of speakers you have put together tend to be bottom line models. If you are putting your system together using Internet searches without doing any actual listening you are buying blind with no idea of what they will sound like. The only reliable judge you have is to listen to Onkyo 7300 and the Polk speakers you have selected and let your ears be the judge. We all process sound differently and a speaker Jason or I may like you would not.


I also wonder why those who are putting together a HT for the first time have no problem drooping $$$ thousands on a large screen set and then want to go cheep on their receiver and speakers. Half of the HT experience is the sometimes dynamic sound experience it produces. One thing for sure if you are serious about HT these will not be your last speakers.


BTW my guess is those old Baby Advents may be a better speakers than any of those you are looking at. If you can locate one to use as your center speaker they might make for a better front stage than you are looking at. This would allow you to spend more on a sub and you could find something else for your surrounds, perhaps the Polks M-10

 

[dnphilli]

Jason & Bill,


Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it! Since speakers are likely going to be getting replaced in the future anyway, which Receiver would you recommend between the Onkyo or Pioneer 920? I can get the speaker set (Onkyo) separate from the receiver if need be, do you know which of these are better in terms of upconverting to HD? I know it's difficult to put together a decent home theater on such a limited budget (the plasma is a 50" LG for $800), but it will be leaps above my current setup of 27" and 15 yr old stereo receiver. I like Pioneer because the one I have has held up for so long, and my TV doesn't support the HDMI audio return anyway that the Onkyo does, so if the Anchor Bay upconverting is better than the Onkyo's Faroudja I may go that route!


Thanks,


Dan