Jonathan Loy

Starting Out

I'm just starting out in HT and was wandering what's peoples thought about those ht systems at Walmart K-Mart, etc.? I bought a system for $50 and in my opinion it sound really good. I've always watched movies in stereo mode until till I bought a cheap system. After awhile I would like to upgrade my 19" t.v. into a 30"-42" flat screen t.v. then buy my reciever and the rest of my system.

John Garcia

Nothing wrong with starting out with an HTiB. As long as you are happy with it, that's the most important thing. Upgrading piece by piece is a good way to end up with a little bit better of a system down the road as you progress, and that's what most people I've run across end up doing. That's what I did too. Save up, buy one or two nice new pieces, then save up and get a few more as budget allows.

I just sold my surround speakers tonight, so I will be almost going back to stereo until the new ones arrive Nothing wrong with stereo either, I listen to mostly music, and I actually prefer stereo most of the time.

"The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so." - Mark Twain

HT: Marantz SR-8300, MA500 monoblocks x 2, 5X GR Research A/V-2s, Adire Audio Tempest sub, Denon 2900, Oppo 980H, Toshiba HD-A2, RC2000MkII remote, Panamax 5100, Panamax Max2 sub, Slim PS2, PS3 60G + 320G USB

Bedroom: Marantz PM-7200 Integrated, GR Research A/V-1s, Sony 222ES SACD, RC3200 remote, Panamax M8EX

Audio: Audioquest * Video: Bluejeans

My DVDs My HT

Charlie Campisi

Welcome to the board, Bro! Just wait until you spend some time here and look back on your first HT system. One of the benefits of buying separate components when budget allows is upgradeability. For example, when HD DVD or Blu-ray is available, if your dvd and receiver are all in one, you'd have to replace both instead of just buying an HD or blu-ray player. Nothing wrong with starting where you did to at least figure out if you enjoyed a surround experience. Most people's smaller systems don't end up in the trash either. They go to secondary rooms, bedrooms or pc systems when they get replaced.

Jonathan Loy

Thanks. Someday when I look back at my humble system it will be what I've started. It's a very big improvement to used to watching movies in with 2 speakers. When I get my truck and misc. stuff get paid off I'll invest more into my ht. Hopefully it would end as nice and luxurious as some people in here. I'll use my beggining system as my for my computer when I have upgraded to newer stuff.

The questions I ask and the anwswers you all have given me will not be just my system but it will be eveybody's
"work of art".
Let's start. My budget and your ideas will be my ht for under $500.00.