Crap... Need a new plan and need help so I can pull the trigger today! (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Stevenson]

Hi All, I got the go ahead from the wife to buy my system this morning and of course prices went up so I am having to rethink my plan. This is what I was planning on getting: Onkyo TX-NR609 Pioneer SP-BS21-LR X2 Pioneer SP-C21 Dayton Audio SUB-1000 10" Now I can still get the above but I would have to get a referbished receiver instead of a new one. Or do I get a new receiver and rethink the speakers? I found the Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1-channel Home Theater Speaker System referbished for $149.99 I have a tight budget of $700 and I am afraid if I wait any longer I'll miss out again.

 

[John Garcia]

I don't see a problem with the refurb receiver. If you are looking at AC4L for example, the refurbs still come with a full 1yr warranty. On a slim budget, I often recommend just starting with a 2.1 or 3.1 setup so you can allocate more funds to the most important speakers (fronts). Then add the surrounds once funds allow. You tend to be able to build a better system that way IMO.

 

[Jeff Stevenson]

Based on what you said I'll move forward on getting the referb receiver but you do bring up a good point. Should I then look at different fronts/center/sub and just wait on the rears?

 

[John Garcia]

I would, yes, if it were me. On a $700 budget, shifting $100 or more of that to the mains instead of having surrounds is likely to make a pretty decent difference in quality. I would take the improvement in sound quality over more speakers in a case like this, and as mentioned, you can always add more speakers down the road and/or find some super cheap speakers to use for surrounds temporarily. The Primus P162s at $85/ea seems like a steal to me at crutchfield as mentioned in another thread. Here's a slightly better deal on the 152: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108P152BG/Infinity-Primus-P152.html?search=p152 And the PC250 or 350 center to match which are also both on sale.

 

[gene c]

And maybe you can drop down to the Onkyo 360 refurbished ($279, similar to the 609) or even the 509 ($189) to save a little money. Biggest difference between the 509 and 609 is the 609 does video processing/up-conversion (so does your display) and is 7.1 instead of 5.1 like the 509. Looks like there's some new Onkyo receivers list as "coming soon" on their website.