5.1 Speaker Recommendations for an Onkyo tx-nr809 7.2 (1 Viewer)

Hello,
I'm brand new to "real" home theater, having an older Sony KF-50WE610 HDTV (Component/S Video inputs), with Direct-TV box (HDMI/Component/S outputs) run through a Magnavox MDR533H/F7 DVR (with only an S Video input, but HDMI/Component/S outputs). I have a 15 year old Sony receiver I've used with two Boston A-100's, a small (old) Klipsch center, and two Infinity Primus 160 bookshelf speakers (probably 6 or 7 years old).
We live in the mountains with no cable access and most of our viewing is recorded from Direct-TV with some purchased DVD's.
I just ordered the Onkyo (last year's model, deeply discounted, but still having S inputs as opposed to this year's 818) and, with no experience at all other than hodge-podging the above together, I'm looking for a decent sub-$1500 5.1 speaker setup. The little research I've done on-line highly rates the Pioneer SP-PK52FS package as a $630 budget setup. The towers are rated at 130w, the center at 90, the rears at 80, and the sub at 100. With the Onkyo rated at 135 per channel is the Pioneer a poor choice?
Our rec room is roughly 24 x 24 x 8 high, and the viewing distance about 9 - 10'. We don't (and can't) crank the volume up much, even for action movies, but it'd be nice to have the option.
If the pioneer package, which sounds like a great deal, is simply a poor match for the receiver what else might work in the under $1,500 zone?
Thanks so much for your advice.

Don't worry about the wattage ratings of receivers or speakers. The Pioneer package would work but with a $1500 budget, and a pretty good receiver, you can do a lot better. Especially with the subwoofer.
Since you already have a set of Primus 160's you could get a pair of Primus 363's from Fry's for $218 a pair (on-sale for about 3-4 months now), a Primus 351 center channel http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108PC351BK/Infinity-Primus-PC351.html?tp=189 and either a BIC F-12 from Amazon or PartsExpress.com http://www.parts-express.com/term/bic-f-12?srch=bic+f-12 (about $200)
Other speakers to look at are the Polk RTiA's, refurbished Polk LSI's on their ebay store, Mordaunt-Short Aviano (getting scarce) and Carnival's, Axiom.com AscendAcoustics.com and so many others. Browse the Speaker forum for more choices.
Generally, speaker companies only make so-so subwoofers. If you want a really good one look at SVS.com HSUResearc.com Lava.com Epik.com and a couple of oythers I can't remember at the moment.

petown said:

Hello,
with Direct-TV box (HDMI/Component/S outputs) run through a Magnavox MDR533H/F7 DVR (with only an S Video input, but HDMI/Component/S outputs).

Click to expand...

Is this a non-DVR DirecTV box? Either way, you are losing HD resolution by using this type of connection.

Thanks for the reply - yes it is a non DVR Direct TV box. Its the self recorded stuff, I assume that would suffer due to the
S Video input on the Magavox. Unfortunately that Magnavox is a very recent model and the only make I could find that offers a hard disk drive with a DVR.
Ed

Thanks a lot, Gene. Sounds like I should do some additional research, starting with your suggestions. Just didn't know if any of the speakers I had were worth staying with.
Thanks again.
Ed

Have you thought about using the DirecTV DVR? They work great. And your existing high def receiver will work with the DVR if you choose the whole home network.