Need help on deciding what home theater to purchase or what configuration for building one (1 Viewer)

[DanDu]

Hi all I am new to the home theater. For years I told myself that someday I would buy a Bose system because it was top of the line. Now after visiting several forums I am not so sure that Bose would be the best system to get. I am looking for a good 5.1 system in which will be used mainly for movies and music. I would like to get small cube like speakers that I can hang on a wall. The size of the room is 12 x 25 My budget is about 1500. Any advice you can give me would help. Thanks Dan

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Hi Dan, welcome to HTF! I can't answer your question about receivers, but my friends who bought Jamo speakers were quite pleased with them. You are definitely right to question Bose.

 

[schan1269]

To narrow down the choice of AVR, it would help to know what sources you have... VCR/Wii? DVD/BD? CD/Ipod/Ipad? Do you stream? Which platforms? There are a few specific on-wall speakers, the only ones I can come up with the fit the budget are Polk(Axiom and KEF make some but they'd cover your entire budget w/o sub or AVR). Polk on-wall have OW in the model number.

 

[DanDu]

Thanks for replying. I am currently looking at the Panasonic DMP-BDT220 3D Blu-ray Disc player. I did a lot of research on it and it had mixed reviews but mostly good. I like the fact that it has wifi in which I could connect directly to youtube or whatever for music or to stream movies etc. I did some looking at the polk audio and seen that I can get a [sw111 subwoofer and tl350 satellite speakers for around 700 to 800 bucks on ebay new. So if those combinations work out good, I would just need a good receiver. Thanks again for replying Dan

 

[schan1269]

If the blackstone is more what you hand in mind than a "true on-wall"... Martin Logan MLT2 Martin logan Motion (6 I think, could be 4) KEF 1005/2005(not sure if the 2005 stays in budget) KEF T105(I think it stays in budget) The major problem with "tiny" speakers "all around" is you can't properly set the crossover. Ideally your main speakers should be capable of 80hz. Not a whole lot, outside Def Tech(won't fit your budget), will reach 80hz and be that small.

 

[DanDu]

Hi Steve Thanks for replying. I will need to find a good quality satellite speakers since I just renovated my living room and put 2x4 nail on boxes in all four corners with wire for the speakers. Dan

 

[DanDu]

Hi I will almost have to use satellite speakers since I just remolded my living room and ran new speaker wires and junction boxes in all four corners for satellite speakers. I looked at the procinema 600 and also the 800 series and could increase my spending a bit, for more quality sound. Do you think that procinema is a better speaker than polk? Thanks again for your help, Dan

 

[schan1269]

Hi I will almost have to use satellite speakers since I just remolded my living room and ran new speaker wires and junction boxes in all four corners for satellite speakers. I looked at the procinema 600 and also the 800 series and could increase my spending a bit, for more quality sound. Do you think that procinema is a better speaker than polk? Thanks again for your help, Dan

This one is, yes. http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Technology-ProMonitor-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B000V41XII/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358730726&sr=1-2&keywords=definitive+technology+procinema+1000 or http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Technology-ProMonitor-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B000TD6QLK/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358730726&sr=1-11&keywords=definitive+technology+procinema+1000 Any of the rest of the ProCinema...might as well stick with the Blackstone.

 

[DanDu]

Below is the combination I was thinking about getting. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Also really appreciate all of your responses. Dan Denon AVR-1713 5.1 Channel Panasonic DMP-BDT220 3D Blu-ray Disc player Polk Audio TL1600 Blackstone

 

[Jim Mcc]

The Pan. 220 is a great player. I have one in my theater.

 

[DanDu]

Thanks for letting me know. I checked several sites / forums and it had very good reviews. Dan

 

[schan1269]

A

 

[DanDu]

Do you think I should get a better Polk satellite speakers rather than the TL1600's? They seem to have some very good reviews. Thanks Dan

 

[schan1269]

I come from the "old school" of speaker purchasing... The "speaker equation" is... Add up EVERYTHING you are connecting to it(except for the TV) in "cost"(granted some thing like a Directv HD DVR are hard to quantify because many times you don't actually have to buy one...but consider a HD DVR to be $200). If you are connecting your Ipod and you plan on using it 25% use in the house...add in 25% of what the Ipod cost. Whatever that amount of money is...is your speaker budget. Why? Cause if you do it right, you only have to do it once every 15-45 years. And, when you do it right...you can sell your speakers to somebody else. My speakers... Living room. DCM TF series from the 80s. I bought them in the late 80s and late 90s(600 first, then the 350 when I finally found a set...cause back then...the mid 90s...5.1 itself wasn't even finalized) My two 600 with the 350 and surroundscape center(the surroundscape is a rare bird indeed) I could probably sell for $1000...all 5 included. I probably paid $1500...mainly cause I bought the 600 when they were barely "out of production". Main theatre. BIC V series. Bought floor sample V830 from Ovation in 1991. Paid around $650. Took about a year to come up with a pair of V820. When I "went 7.1" I found another pair of V820 to make it 7. The center is a V52CLRS. If I sold the 7 speakers...I'd probably net $1500. Mainly because I'm probably the only person who has 7 matched BIC V in the country. It would take $1500 to get them away from me. I "might" have $1200 total in them. Office. 4 Infinity Crescendo 3007 with what "was" a Crescendo 3006 as my center. The Plasma TV in the office sits on a stand that now holds the drivers from the 3006. I essentially made my own center. Look up prices for PRISTINE Crescendo 3007. I have 4 of them. I've had all of those speakers since no "later" than 2001. Earliest is 1988(I think, might be 85).

 

[DanDu]

Changed direction a little on my setup. Now I am going with the following below. Denon AVR-1713 5.1 Channel Panasonic DMP-BDT220 3D Blu-ray Disc player Polk Audio TL250 PSW125 I emailed a rep from Polk and was advised that the TL1600's would not be suitable for my size room. Also they suggested to use the Omni 10.0 mounts for satellite speakers but they average about 25.00 each. Anyone know of any other suitable ones that are cheaper? Thanks Dan