Mid-range-budget setup for my bachelor pad (1 Viewer)

Hi all,

I am moving into a new place and am replacing an ancient setup.

I just recently found gainful employment after many long years accumulating debt in graduate school. I have most of my debt paid off and am looking for something in between cheap and extravagent.

This will be for an apartment that has a deck, so the room will have ambient lighting.

I am looking to buy a 55" to 60" LED TV, unless there is a Plasma model that is bright enough/has a matte screen for a room with ambient light.

I don't need surround sound, at least I think I don't. I guess my biggest concern with surround sound is running cable everywhere. I am currently using two 9" studio monitors (Behringer B2031A) for my sound and I am fine with those, although they are active, running from my RCA outputs, so these will be replaced.

So here are my interests:

55" 1080P LED TV with minimal Smart TV features (I have Roku, WDLiveTV, Chromecast etc. for most of what I need). Used for movies and gaming, not much sports. What do you think of the LG LN5400?

Stereo receiver with 6 HDMI inputs, so I have room for BluRay, Roku, Chromecast, WDLiveTV, Playstation, etc. 4K passthrough is totally unecessary. Not sure where to start here. This is almost as much as the TV when looking at the retail shelves.

Excellent stereo spekers, possibly with a sub. I was thinking of getting another set of monitors. A friend of mine recommded I get Paradigm Sound monitors this time as well as a sub. I was considering just getting passive Behringer B2031P.

So, my question is, how can I get an amazing setup on a mid-range budget? I'm not looking to spend through the roof, but I can spare a few extra dollars if this is going to last me for awhile and look nice.

I am totally willing to buy refurbed or previous generation gear, especially for the stereo receiver since I don't need 4K passthrough. Maybe the TV should be new, just to have a warranty. I could go for used speakers, if necessary.

Here is the floorplan:

http://image.rent.com/imgr/f88271db3c34144b6834a29a12e68ae4/650-

You can see the living room has a large window where the deck is, producing glare and ambient light. My unit will not have the fireplace shown in the drawing.

Thanks so much for any advice. Making big decisions like this is painful when I'm still paying off those last few dollars from my student loans.

First...

Congrats on getting the debt paid...I had nearly 10 years of it...

To the grits...

If you must have LCD, good choice on the back lit LN5400 LED. Edge-Lit LED....sucks. (as you've noticed... I said LCD....and it is LCD. There is no such thing as "LED TV" no matter the bullshit the CE manufacturers use trying to spin it otherwise)

As for "matte or not"...the LN5400 is in the same boat with glare as every other "non-matte" TV there is. Non-matte is glare...regardless of LCD or plasma. If it is a problem...
http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Glare-TV-ProtectorTM-Stylish-Screen-Protector/dp/B004KEE3GO/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1398030911&sr=1-11&keywords=55+inch+anti-glare+protector

There is no such thing as "HDMI stereo receiver".

You simply buy an AVR and use in 2.1 or 3.1.

If you like your powered monitors...
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/975.html

And I know it only has 4 HDMI...but.
http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Enhanced-Powered-Switcher-Remote/dp/B003L14X3A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1398031148&sr=1-1&keywords=8x1+hdmi+switch (you don't need an 8...just a 3-1 or a 4-1)

Or...buy any AVR. The Denon X1000 is currently $300 on Amazon(today only?).

Thank you very much. It's good to be here finally enjoying the fruits of my labor. Congratulations on your debt also.

Thank you for the recommendation on the Denon X1000. That has the features I need at a great price. Do you have any recommendations on speakers if I were to ditch my monitors? If I just want two channels and a sub, and I'm looking to spend maybe $300-$500 on the speakers, what would you recommend?

When you say "the LN5400 is in the same boat as any 'non-matte' TV out there", is there such a thing as "matte" TV? Are you saying the LN5400 is particularly "non matte" or that all LCD and Plasmas are "non matte"?

Thanks for the links to the 975 and the switch. The 975 would be good with the active monitors, as a preamp

Matte screen is either a feature of the TV, or not.The LN5400 is not matte. Therefore, it is irrelevant if you bought a plasma or LCD, in regards to glare. I don't keep up with TV that have matte screens, as I don't care for them.$300-$500 is a decent budget. I'd look used first. Typically $500 can buy what was $1000 new.

Thanks. Regardless of glare, would you that backlit LCD is more suited than Plasma to a room that has ambient lighting from a window, because of the brightness of the picture? This is what many people are telling me.

What would you buy if you had $500 to spend on used speakers?

Plasma is brighter than it gets credit for. I have a Hitachi in a room every bit as bright.Depends where you are...which is?

schan1269 said:

Plasma is brighter than it gets credit for. I have a Hitachi in a room every bit as bright.Depends where you are...which is?

Click to expand...

Toledo, OH. I generally buy used stuff from eBay.

Shipping speakers is not cost effective. But local-ish is fine. Detroit should be a goldmine.You can search Ebay by distance. I'd start with CL.

Holy Hell.

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4378007653.html

Worth it, once done. I would not be surprised if it is a simple "the wire fell off" inside...

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4359215662.html

Worth the drive.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ele/4413014350.html

IF I lived close...

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4413610105.html

Excellent

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4435900805.html

Probably not your cup of tea...and inefficient isn't the correct word...

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4409673438.html

The receiver is spectacular...but the speakers...

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4421021164.html

Not bad...I'd rather have the JBL ^^^^

http://toledo.craigslist.org/ele/4386921513.html