Please help: I need a complete home theater for $2-2500.00

eric the red · « **on:** 15 Jul 2003, 05:53 pm »

My friend wants to purchase a home theater set-up with subwoofer, 5 speakers, AV receiver and a dvd player that will be used mainly for movies and loud music (he's not an audio-geek). The finish on the speakers needs to be rosewood or black and the rears must be able to be wall mounted and as small as possible. Cables and wire are a non-issue as I'll get them from Rat Shack and Home Depot. The Rava sub for 400.00 seems like a good deal. What else should I look at and where do I get it? He wants new stuff with warranties and a universal remote to control everything. Help

Carlman · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 06:08 pm »

The Bose Lifestyle fits all criteria stated.

Sa-dono · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 06:37 pm »

I would recommend the Onix Rockets. He could get the package 3 (550's, 200, 300's) on sale for $1799..with a special offer to get the UFW-10 sub for only $199. So that would be $1998...leaving $502 for a receiver and remote (not taking into account shipping with the previous pricing). Maybe go for a Harman Kardon or Denon receiver and cheap universal remote..and he'd be set. Well at least all depending on his room size and his definition of "loud."

BikeWNC · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 07:02 pm »

For speakers I'd recommend the GR Research Paradox 3 for $900 pr on sale. Add a Pioneer DVD player for $100 - $200 and a Ht receiver HK or Denon for $750. Rava sub $400-$550 will bring it to $2150 - $2400. I'd ask Danny at GR Research what speakers would make for complimentry surrounds. Add a center channel later if there is a need.

Andy

beat · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 07:30 pm »

We set my buddy up with a really nice rig. It actually does music very well and HT great. I cant boast of marantz more and their remotes are medal winners too. Look at accessories 4 less
http://accessories4less.com
We got him a 110 watt 7200 amp, dvd player and mordaunt short towers with a canton sub. Well within budget, free shipping. I really don't know how you'd beat it for the money. Great prices on cable too.

byteme · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 07:42 pm »

These have been very highly reviewed - the Home Theater Direct Level THREE "Combo Y" 5.1 Set- Dark Cherry Veneer - http://www.htdaudio.com/levthre51set.html - for $1049. Spend about $700 or so on a receiver, Denon 3803 from 6th Ave (call for best price) should be right around $700. For a remote, depending on how technical he is nose around at remotecentral.com - I've got the Radio Shack 15-1994 and program it via the "JP1" interface from my PC. For $35 it was a steal even including the $20 for the JP1 cable. If he is technologically challenged or has kids / wife who don't want to screw around go on ebay and find a Pronto for $150 or so or a home theater master MX-500.

Alternatively you could also go with the Ascend Acoustics - http://www.ascendacoustics.com/Main/HT/builder.asp - which have also been very highly reviewed. Using their "builder" and throwing in an HSU VTF sub it woulld end up being $1200 shipped for 5.1 or $1400 for 7.1. Another option for sub (which I would personally recommend) is going with an SVS 25-31 sub for about $550 and the Ascend package above would go up about $50 by substituting the SVS for the HSU.

Yet a third option would be find a sale (or go internet but risk no warranty) for an all Polk setup, find some mains he likes and then go CSi30 or CSi40 for center and RTi28 for surrounds. Also then the SVS or HSU sub.

For DVD player, any decent progressive scan player would be fine. I wouldn't spend more than $250 on that. I've got a panny RP-82 which are impossible to find now but there has to be a replacement out there for it by now. Try to find a player with the Genesis FL2300 chip in it. OK after more research seems that there is little news in the $200 dvd player area. For two decent players that got well reviewed but have the Chroma bug try ecost - http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?dpno=144989 - you can get the Denon DVD-900 for $115 shipped (refurb) or the Toshiba SD4800 for about $160. I used to have the Toshiba SD4700 and loved it - other than the Chroma "bug" which for me wasn't that noticable. The denon mentioned above uses the same Genesis deinterlacer chip as the Panny RP-82 which was so highly touted.

I'll also second the Accessories for less option above. Great prices on receivers, all marantz, all refurbed but full warranty.

Good luck!

subhuman · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 08:02 pm »

Eric, I'm in Eugene as well, PM me, I can help you get a local audition of the Rocket Package 3...

OBF · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 08:03 pm »

I know you said he wanted all new stuff with warranties, but I've got a friend here in Salem that is looking to sell an entire Diva setup of 5 speakers for a little over $1,000. They ARE Rosewood (very nice looking) and are a little more than a year old and I suspect the AV123 people would take care of any warrany issues with the reputation they have. It's built around the Diva 4.1s and will play very loud with his Outlaw receiver. Then you'd just need to find a sub (heck, I could sell my Velodyne Servo 12 for a cheap price) and electronics with plenty of budget left.

What your friend REALLY needs is a front projector, like the one I need to sell because I moved

audioengr · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 08:18 pm »

Can't you do something with Rotel at this price point?

They deliver very nice sound for mid-prices, including their multichannel amps and SS processors.

You should also consider an Outlaw 750 5-channel amp. And look for this stuff used, not new.

DVD transports - get a used Sony DVP-S7700 for around $300 - you can get this modded later and have a world-class transport.

Brad · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 09:29 pm »

Sony AVD-C70ES for amp/tuner/DVD/SACD.
Now selling for about $600 new.
LOTS of room left for good speakers/sub.

eric the red · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 09:44 pm »

Sa-dono: Where on the AV123 website does it list the 199.00 sub when you buy the open box Rocket HT package for 1799.00? Can you give me a link as the email address on the AV123 site does not work for me-thanks. You guys are coming up with some great suggestions.

subhuman · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 09:52 pm »

You don't get the sub for the special $199 with the open box, only on the package discounts. Click on Packages on that page.

KeithR · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 10:12 pm »

I would go with an M&K satellite setup, a used SVS non-powered sub, and a Denon reciever.

Sa-dono · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 10:15 pm »

Quote from: eric the red

Sa-dono: Where on the AV123 website does it list the 199.00 sub when you buy the open box Rocket HT package for 1799.00? Can you give me a link as the email address on the AV123 site does not work for me-thanks. You guys are coming up with some great suggestions.

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=12

They're brand spanking new too..not open box.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Jul 2003, 10:20 pm »

During an electronics segment, Corey Greenberg recommended a Cambridge system as the least expensive HT-in-a-box package. That system has bigger brothers, one for $2K and this one for $2600--
http://www.hifi.com/store/category.cgi?category=ht_systemsrec&item=k1pk673xx

Cambridge's most expensive systems lack a source (though the Marantz includes a DAC); they DO have some $1K+ systems that include everything.

Den · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Jul 2003, 04:45 am »

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=2297

http://www.reliableaudiovideo.com/sonavdvdcdsa.html
Sony AVD-C70ES

http://store.yahoo.com/reliableav/sonavnewinst.html
Sony AVD-S50ES

Sean Parque · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Jul 2003, 10:11 pm »

Hi.

>>>Can you give me a link as the email address on the AV123 site does not work for me<<<

Could you please let me know which e-mail address you were trying so I can see if there is a problem?

Thanks!

Sean

JonPugmire · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Jul 2003, 10:48 pm »

Drive yourself up to Portland, out to Home Video Library on Division (heading East towards Gresham). Pick out the Yamaha or Onkyo receiver of choice and some black NHTs. Just did the same for my father-in-law. Yamaha 3300 plus ST-4's in the front, SB-3's in the rear and an SC-2. Total came to $2500. The NHT's are great home theater speakers. Smaller package or smaller receiver will get you under budget when you add sub of your choice.

Jon

8thnerve · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Jul 2003, 03:03 pm »

In our retail store my recommendations would be the Acoustic Energy Aego P5 as the absolute budget route at $999. It comes with 5 satellites, a sub and a processor. You could add an AE Aegis Sub which matches well for $599 and have a damn good HT setup on a budget.

The next step would be an Arcam AVR200 (incredible for only $1200) with the AE Aegis One for front and rear, the Center and the sub mentioned above. That would list for $2600-$2700, and it sounds incredible.

Of course, if you really want to impress your neighbors, get 5 Avantgarde SOLOs, two Avantgarde 230 Subs, and an Arcam AV8 and go balanced out to the speakers. It may run around $35,000, but you could probably charge admission...

Best of luck!

BlackCat · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Jul 2003, 07:55 pm »

I'm interested in the ATI equipment (see thread called ATI anyone?) for my upcoming HT room. Thinking about Thiel in-ceiling or in-wall speakers, already have good DVD player. The ATI / Theil setup should be in this price range (assuming you are not including the TV). The ATI website is

www.ati-amp.com

The amps are "pluggable", amps on a card. You can put as many as seven in a chassis, so you can upgrade as you like (or can afford).