Need help deciding what to get for upgrading home theater system (1 Viewer)

[SuicideBobb]

Hi all, I'm new to this forums so please pardon anything I may have done wrong in making this thread.

For Christmas, I plan on upgrading my dad's home theater system. It currently consists of a KLH sub in a ported box, altec lansing front & rear left & right speakers, and a JBL center channel that looks like this -




I would guess that the center channel is pretty good since I know JBL is pretty reputable, but I know that all the others are crap. I want to find my dad a system for under $200. I have a lot of experience with car audio, but none with home audio. I currently have a few boxes for home theater subs, they are 10" cube boxes with a downfiring port. I don't know what the best route to take would be...buy a home-specific sub in a box, or buy a nice 10" car sub and plop it in that home theater box. Next up is the other speakers...I want to get speakers from high end brands like Klipsch or Bose, but I don't know exactly what to get. There are plenty of speakers on craigslist, but I would rather hear what you guys would get under a $200 budget (that includes the price of the sub). I would prefer to get small-ish speakers in order to fit them in their current ledge placement, but what I really want is the best bang-for-buck system. In other words, my first objective is quality on a budget, second is size. I'm pretty set on buying from craigslist, so if you guys could start here - http://portland.craigslist.org/search/ele?query=&catAbbreviation=ele&minAsk=min&maxAsk=225 and poke around, I would appreciate it.

Let me know if I need to fill in some blanks, like what sizes the ledges are, where they are placed, etc. I can take pics of the room if necessary.

Thanks for any help!

-Dylan

 

[gene c]

Eliminate Bose from your list. Do a search of this, or any forum, to see why.

I know money is tight, but $200 isn't much to work with, even on Craigslist. But you can piece together a pretty good setup on the cheap if you're patient and lucky.

If you're not then I'd consider looking elsewhere for something like this Energy-Take5. It doesn't come with a sub (which you need, badly, because the KLH can't be very good) but those Energy's are very good for the price. Also, I haven't heard this one but others here recommend it and for all 5 speakers and a sub for $196 shipped you should really consider it.

Otherwise, look on CL for a complete Infinity, Polk, Klipsch, etc. system and hope you get lucky.

 

[SuicideBobb]

Oh I had no idea.

Hah I thought energy was a crappy brand like Lightning Audio

Speak of the devil - http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/ele/1421445767.html

 

[Gregg Loewen]

imo, impossible to find anything for that price point....try the used market.

Good luck!

 

[gene c]

Oh I had no idea.

You and a couple million other un-suspecting souls.

Speak of the devil

Could be a sleeper. Re-sell the Sony.

 

[SuicideBobb]

Yeah I'm hoping its actually a good system. If it is, then I will have money left over, of which I can use to buy a new receiver...Currently, my dad has a sony receiver, too :/ I figure its okay, but if I have more money to spend, I will spend it. I'm thinking something like Harmon Kardon or Onkyo...what do you guys think?

Harman Kardon AVR45

harmon kardon 230e receiver

Harmon Kardon receiver AVR 125

Onkyo Audio Receiver

 

[SuicideBobb]

Well I was never contacted back about the infinity combo, so thats a no-go. However I did just find this: Polk Audio Surround Sound Speakers 5.1

I know it says $250, but I offered $200 and he said he would do that. What do you guys think? I just tested out a polk sub against a few Klipsch subs, and to my utter surprise, the Polk one beat them all in SQ, but not in SPL.

On a seperate note, do you guys hate Bang & Olufsen just as much as you hate Bose? I heard they are overrated, but all the car magazines I read rave over the B&O system in the newer Audi's.

 

[gene c]

I'm not a big fan of the small satellite speakers but for $200 it should be decent.

I've never heard a bad word about B&O but I really don't know much about them either. I've always thought they were pretty up-scale but again, don't really know.

As for older receivers, H/K is one of the better performers but they have had their quality control issues over the last few years. Use caution if considering one (but I've had a 520 for 6-7 years now with no problems. Love it.).

Onkyo seems to be the bang-for-the-buck leader but they tend to run a little hot.

Otherwise, you can get some real good deals on CL but tragedy can strike as well.