HTiB vs. "budget" HT? Questions inside. (1 Viewer)

[96speed]

Hi all.

I currently have a Sony DAV-S300. I am starting to get the itch to upgrade . I don't want to spend a ton of money but would like to make a nice investment, so I'm trying to decide what my best option is.

Option a) Purchase HTiB similar to the Onkyo 790 system and upgrade speakers/subwoofer later down the road ~500 + 500.

Option b) Purchase SVS speaker setup (799 on sale) and find a budget receiver to do the job for a while ~1100.

This seems like an apples to oranges comparison, but I'm trying to figure out if the SVS setup would really be that much better.

My biggest complaint about my current setup is that it definitely doesn't have enough ka-boom from the subwoofer. Obviously, its an entry level HTiB. From the reviews, it sounds like the Onkyo 790 system would be a significant improvement. However, I had read about a couple of different people that went to upgrade the subwoofer. I'd rather pay now than pay more later.

So, the simple question is: Is the SVS speaker setup going to be done justice if I don't put a $6-800 receiver behind it? Will a cheap receiver get the job done for a few years?

TIA,
Ryan

 

[JeremyErwin]

The SVS satellites are inefficient. You could get an SVS subwoofer, and opt for another brand for your sats, though the package deal will probably save you a bundle.

Good speakers will probably have more of an effect on your sound than spending it on a pricey receiver.

 

[JohnRice]

It will depend somewhat on how big the room is and how absolutely loud you want to go. If a bit less absolute max volume, but considerably more "ka-boom" is desirable, the SVS system, particularly on sale, is absolutely the way to go. The fact is, a capable sub will have a lot more to do with how loud the system feels than max decibels. Plus, the speakers won't tennd to start falling apart when they are pushed, which the HTiB speakers will tend to do. I would go for the SVS. The fact is, you don't tent to gain much pure power as you go higher in price with receivers, unless you go to an external amp for the front 3 channels.

 

[JeremyErwin]

The SBS-1's are 4 ohm speakers, so perhaps you can factor that into your calculations when buying a receiver.

 

[96speed]

Thanks for the input, guys. I will measure the room and post the results.

Fwiw, a friend of mine has a system that I would love to have. It consists of a

 

[Nathan Stohler]

It means they take more power to get the same volume as you would with more efficient speakers. If I recall correctly, a 3 dB difference in SPL requires twice the power. So, to get the same volume from speakers rated at 85 dB/W as you do from 88 dB/W speakers, you would need twice as much power.

 

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