What components for home theatre system? (1 Viewer)

[desastrux]

Hey everybody, I am planning on getting a 46" Samsung Smart TV soon, so I want to get a home theatre system with it.
I am also going to get the Denon AC-1612 Receiver to hook it up to. I was.looking at the Samsung HT-E6500W 5.1 HTIB, but I heard I could do better for same money. The one thing I do like is the rear wireless speakers though.
I am looking at about $500 to spend on the components for this system. Just wondering what your thoughts were.
I have alsp read that maybe I dont need a 5.1 setup, especially in an apartment. So maybe just a good set of speakers for under $350-400.

 

[schan1269]

Have no idea where you are, but for a $500 budget, if you want anything of quality, I'd start checking out the used market for a receiver. Or if you must have new, Newgg or A4L for a refurb.
You are only going to get(which you'd get even less with HTiB) minimal functionality.
It would help us to know if you need/want...
Ipod/Iphone support
Networking
Android
Or if you plan on connecting a Wii or VCR.

 

[desastrux]

The budget doesnt include the receiver. I am in the us. I will have dvr, xbox and blu ray plugged into the receiver, then output to the tv.

 

[schan1269]

By the way, there is this...which is almost going to be impossible to beat with anything else...and it is as good as you are going to find...
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S5400-7-1-Channel-Theater-System/dp/B004O0TREC/ref=sr_du_3_map?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344051125&sr=1-3# (by the way, I'm seeing a $330 price...which I won't even bother trying to come up with anything else...cause this is good for $330)

 

[desastrux]

That looks amazing, but for an apartment is that sub going to be too much?

 

[schan1269]

This includes a much better receiver, with fewer actual speakers.
Improvements include...
If you have a Wii or VCR, this has HDMI upconversion.
It can also upscale 480P with Marvel Qdeo.
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S7400-5-1-Channel-Network-Receiver/dp/B004VK0IPC/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344051386&sr=1-2&keywords=ht-s6400

 

[desastrux]

That looks nice too, would it be better to get those, or just a set of nice speakers? Wiring throughout the room isnt something id prefer, but if I had to for quality of course i would.

 

[schan1269]

The subwoofer has a volume knob, turn it down.
The speakers(of both these Onkyo HTiB) are the weak link(like all HTiB. Denon, Yamaha etc don't give you speakers that are any better).
The good news...Once you can find "other speakers", you can swap them out.

 

[desastrux]

What about a good set of speakers for right now, and i can build upon it. Adding more speakers and a sub later.
That way the whole system would be good quality components, when I finish.
Is the Denon 1612 a better receiver than the one in the HT-S7400?

 

[schan1269]

One of the best speakers(and they should be around a while)...
Mordaunt Short Carnival...
The big one... http://www.amazon.com/Mordaunt-Carnival-Floorstanding-Speakers-Pair-Calvados/dp/B004H6OZMW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344052496&sr=1-2&keywords=mordaunt+short+carnival
Speakers to "stay away from" if "adding in the future" is a goal...
Polk Monitor(they've been on "clearance" for over a year...who knows when they'll really be gone)
Pioneer SP(I might have this series wrong, it is a speaker that didn't sell well over in Europe, then they were brought over here to be "sold cheap", who knows how long they'll be around)
A good speaker that belies its price. The Sony SS series(c for center, b for bookshelf...etc), much better than their "garage sale price" would indicate.
BIC makes just about the only subs that are worth buying below $250.

 

[desastrux]

What about the Energy Take classic 5.1 setup?

 

[schan1269]

You need to look at the efficiency of a speaker. That Pioneer is 85db efficient...that is extremely low.
The Mordaunt Short Carnival 2(yeah, basically twice the price) is 90db efficient...
What that means...
The Pioneer need almost twice the power to produce the same volume as the MS-C2. The less power they use turns into less heat the AVR generates to run the speakers...which extends the life of the AVR.
As an example...most people listen to movies around 95db...
Pioneer...
1 watt is 85db
2 watts is 88db
4 watts is 91db
8watts is 94
16 watts is 97...
The MSC2 requires...
1 watt is 90
2 watts is 93
4 watts is 96...

 

[schan1269]

Oh yeah, the 1912 is more "even" to the receiver in the 7400.

 

[schan1269]

The problem with the Take 5(and all speaker systems like it) is the "woofers" are too small in the satellites.
A 3" "midrange driver"(even they call it a mid-woofer) has no chance of producing anything under 120hz...meaning the subwoofer can't sit down at 80hz and below "doing its job"...