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Help me build my Home Theater sound system.....? (1 Viewer)

cgcinc

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I am turning my downstairs living room into a "home theater" and need some advice.


I just bought a 60" LCD and now I need some sound equipment. In our old house we had a Sony 5.1 setup that we bought from Walmart and it was decent for our little house but I am wanting something with more sound quality and power. I FOR SURE need some bass you can feel, not boomy but something that will move your pant legs when the Transformers walk by!!

Help me build a nice setup on a budget......

I'm thinking about going with Polk Audio TSi500 towers, TSi100 rears, a CS20 center and PSW125 Sub(or two). As far as the reciever, I have no clue.

Something in the range of $800 to $1800 or so
 

mikeabt

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Based on the speakers you specify, you're looking at about $1400. That will leave about $400 for a receiver (on the high side of your range).

Amazon is currently selling a Pioneer VSX-1020-K receiver for about $380. This is a 7.1 channel receiver that will give you more flexibility for expanding the 5.1 system you are proposing (if that is something you want to do). The 1020 also gives you a lot of connectibility. Since you didn't talk about BluRay/DVD, Cable, Satelite Radio, Gaming, I Pod/Phone....(the list goes on) - this one let's you connect them all.

However, once you look at the total of all above that leaves very little for wires, etc.
 

cgcinc

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My budget is flexible somewhat.

I have a bluray player and a few HDMI cables. The wire for the stereo will need to be bought but thats not a big deal.

I'm really wondering about speaker systems I guess. I like Polk very much but I'm not to up on all the different brands and which is better (guess that's dependant upon the listner :) )
 

Jim Mcc

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I don't like towers for home theater, it's wasting money. There's no need for towers, because your bass will be handled by the your sub/subs anyway. Get a nice pair of bookshelf speakers for the fronts, and let the sub handle the bass.
 

cgcinc

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Towers are For sure going to be my L/R channels. last towers I had were Yamaha and they were nice but I want a Really nice pair of towers, either Polk or Definitive. I'm a big fan of towers....Not big and bulky towers but nice, sleek and sexy towers!!
 

mikeabt

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I think the towers that you propose are fine. You recognize that the towers of today are not at all like the towers of even five years ago - today we just call them / categorize them as floor standing speakers. Floor standing speakers have a place in Home Theater for those that have a need.


You started out talking about Polk - I also like Polk. You mentioned Definitive Technology - they have a great line of floor standing speakers. Klipsch and Yamaha also make more than decent floor standing speakers that fit into your price range. A friend of mine once had a pair of Focals that were excellent. His front sound field was phenomenal when it came to movies and music.


I don't know what kind of access you have to listening to different speakers, but that is the best way to satisfy your selection process. Definitive Technology has such a wide line of speakers that you could spend a full day of listening there. Their MYTHOS line is really good but might exceed your price range. The smaller CINEMA PRO line is an exceptional value - A lot of sound for a low to moderate price range (bookshelves). A lot of speakers in between.


I have always been a Cerwin Vega kinda guy (I come from that era of hard driving speakers built for Rock and Roll). I have an older pair of those in the basement HT where I listen to a lot more music than cinema. I am looking for those that have witnessed their new line of speakers. I would also say you need to see their new site.


Well, I have rambled for a while. Stick with your heart - go with the towers/floor standers and satisfy that urge.
 

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