Help with a system for a friend please

warnerwh · « **on:** 14 Dec 2005, 05:18 am »

She needs a home theater receiver and two speakers to start. Her budget she says is 650 but it took me less than a minute to convince her 250 isn't enough and I think more may be possible. What I want to do is get two decent speakers and some sort of a home theater receiver like maybe one of the digital ones. My problem is I have no knowledge of receivers or speakers in her price range. Used is fine. I remember reading about the Panny digital receivers everyone seemed to like. Maybe one of those and a pair of ?????? Thanks for any help.

bubba966 · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 05:54 am »

Is ease of use important?

If so take the Panny off the list (as well as any Sony or Denon). Pioneer's are rather easy to use (and even easier to setup w/the auto setup & calibration of the MCACC on the $400 or so on up models). Yamaha's & HK's are moderately easy to use.

How 'bout the Onix Ref 0.5's at $300 per pair? I haven't heard them myself. But I hear they should sound a lot like the ELT's I've heard. They should look damn nice as well. Not too big either. A friend of mine has ELT's in her HT setup. She loves the sound & the finish of them. She's also more than pleased with the Pioneer VSX-1014TX that's running everything.

kfr01 · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 05:59 am »

I helped my parents pick out a basic HK receiver + Polk Rti system a few years back. Every time my wife and I visit I'm still impressed that (1) They know how to use the receiver and (2) How good the 5 channel setup sounds, for the price.

That Pioneer 1014Tx is a great receiver for the money. I don't think you can find them easily anymore.

bubba966 · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 06:06 am »

Yeah, the 1014TX probably isn't easy to find anymore since it was replaced with the 1015TX 7 or 8 months ago. Not much difference between the two in functionality/quality.

warnerwh · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 06:24 am »

Bubba: Thanks much for the Onix idea. I know they have look excellent. Sound quality counts for alot though too. Anyone heard these?

Dave G · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 02:54 pm »

Another possiblity for speakers would be Ascend Acoustics CBM-170s. Outstanding sound at the price -- $328/pair, $344 delivered.

Ascend CBM-170

I agree with the Pioneer 1015TX recommendations.

Dave

JLM · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 12:26 am »

I own the CBM-170s and love them. Content value is very high and sound quality is outstanding. Not much to look at though without spending alot more than $328/pair.