DanHe

Is this a good match?

I am considering purchasing a Pioneer VSX-816-K receiver and a JBL SCS136SI speaker system. I don't want to spend more than $300 for each of these, and I need to purchase them from Best Buy (gift cards & rewardzone). I already have a pair of Yamaha YST-SW105 subs. Will this setup work? I am open to other suggestions. However, at least one component (receiver or speaker) must be purchased in-store at Best Buy. The other piece can be bought on line if necessary. TIA. Dan.

Patrick Bond

Dan, purchasing the Pio from BB might be the way to go. I dont know about that model JBL speaker package but most of the ones they carry are fairly good. If you only had to purchase one in store, go with the Pioneer receiver. It's a very nice unit and it performs well. We're using the 815 Pioneer on a in-wall 5.1 speaker setup using a 50" Philips plasma, LG dvd player, 8" JBL sub, and HomeTech inwall spkrs. It's not the loudest(those speakers aren't the world's greatest)but it's clear and does fairly well in the open space it's located.

How many speakers does this JBL package contain that you're considering? Have you given a look the new Yamaha 59XX series receivers coming in at BB?

DanHe

Thanks for the response. There are six speakers plus a 100 watt sub. I'm not sure if I would use the sub that comes with this system or the two Yamaha YST-SW105 that I already own. The comparable Yamaha receiver (HTR-5940) is 6.1 and 105w/channel as opposed to the Pioneer's (VSX-816-K) 7.1 and 110w/channel. I don't know much the quality of Pioneer vs Yamaha, but these two units seem fairly similar. I don't have a lot of money and I won't be able to upgrade the system for a while so I want something that will last and adapt to new technology. Let me know if you have more thoughts on this. Thank You. Dan.

Marc L

you might want to listen to the Pioneer vs the Yamaha for yourself before you purchase. from what i understand, Pioneers output ratings are way overstated.

drobbins

I started out with a similar system the Yamaha HTR 5740 and the JBL 6.1 speakers. I don't have the speaker package number, but they look like the same ones that you are investigating. My wife gave them to me as a gift from BB.
My first theater was 12 x 14 and the system did a good job filling the room with sound. The only thing I found lacking was the dialog out of the canter. I ended up replacing the center with a JBL EC35. This was a big improvement.
After I rebuild my theater, the room is almost twice as big. 14 x 23, so I replaced the front R&L with E30s. I use the old fronts as a second set of surrounds for my second row of seats.
I have a 12" Sony front firing sub and the 10" down firing JBL that came with the package. In the smaller theater the JBL was more than enough. With the larger theater I have the Sony up front and the JBL in hte rear. I believe that both subs are rated down to about 30-35 Hz. When setting up my BFD, I found that the JBL actually played lower frequencies than the Sony. Down to the 20-25 range.
I currently have the EC35 center below the screen running in parallel with the original center mounted above the screen. I still have troubles hearing the dialog sometimes. I don't think it is a null because it was in both size rooms. I also don't think it is the speakers. That leaves receiver or the way the DVDs are mixed. Other than that the HTR 5740 works just fine. It is a 6.1 receiver and I have 9.2 speakers hooked into it with no power or heat issues.
If you have a smaller room to fill, this system is good. The THD is low on the speakers and they sound great. If you room is larger, you might want to consider buying the speakers separately. The 3" fronts won't do the trick. If your subs are good, you don't need another.

Dave

Hey, No wonder the water don't work! This pipe is full of wires!!

Jack Briggs

Since you guys are recommending specific models for Dan to purchase, the thread has been moved to Speakers/Subs. Please note that the Basics area is for general discussion of home theater issues at the beginner level. For information as to what to purchase, post in the appropriate hardware-related area.

NickSI

Hey! i have the SCS 6.1 system. it is our first HT setup and we like it. i replaced the fronts with the bigger speakers off of my Sharp AQuous LCD which are a little bigger and fuller. i do have trouble hearing speech so its the constant battle of turning it up for people talking then a car exploding and having the house shake and my mom yelling!! so ill look into a new center. but the speakers do well with music and the sub really rattles things. i have a lowend yammy hooked up to it and for what it is, it is real nice and i enjoy it. make sure you check the inputs you want and need before you purchase cause i didn't and i got screwed out of S-Video switching.

Ciao

(if there is a $200 reciever or integrated amp in your basement collecting dust or even in your living room collecting dust lemme know ill take it off your hands)

DanHe

Thanks for all the responses, and I'm sorry for double-posting. NickSI and drobbins both mentioned difficulty hearing speech out of the center channel of their JBLs. This is the problem with my current system, (which is probably 12-15 years old) and it is the reason I want to upgrade. I can't hear dialog, so I have to constantly ride the volume. The Pioneer 816 has something called "dialog enhancement". Are any of you familiar with this, and would this solve the center channel issue? Someone mentioned that I should spend $500 instead of $300 and pick up the Klipsch Quintet III system. Would this Klipsch system provide better dialog? Thanks again for all your advice. Dan.

DanHe

The more I think about this, the more confusing it gets. The center channel is really important to me. If I can't hear or understand dialog I end up turning up the volume on my 25" tv. I am now thinking more about piecing together a better speaker system over time, starting now with a good center speaker. Here is what I have right now:
Receiver: Fisher RS-727
Speakers: Fisher SPM-993
Center: Technics SB-C22
Surround: Technics SB-S29
Subwoofers (2): Yamaha YST-SW105
I am still leaning strongly towards the Pioneer VSX-816-K receiver. Would it work to bring a $200-$300 center speaker into my setup? If so, what speaker? Thank you so much for all of your patience and advice.

LanceJ

If the dialog is too low in level, just turn up the center channel volume - don't worry that this isn't what your calibration settings came up with. Also, some movie soundtracks literally weren't mixed well.

But if it's the sound quality of the dialog that makes it difficult to understand (for all movies), then the speaker itself is most probably at fault. And judging by what this page says about that center channel, I am 99.9% sure this is the problem. You don't have to spend $300 to get an improvement - don't take this personally but even a $100 center speaker from any major speaker-only manufacturer should provide a huge sonic improvement.

If you're on a tight budget & you don't mind a slightly large (ahem ) center, J&R Music is selling two different Cerwin-Vega models, the lively E-Series for only $115 (way under its MSRP) and the smoother sounding Classic center for only $120. Both are more efficient than average & the 816 should not have any problem driving them. C-V is coming out with smaller centers to accompany these so I guess this is why they're being sold so cheap now.