5.1 system on college budget (<$350) (1 Viewer)

[Phil_G]

I'm looking for a receiver/speaker setup for my dorm room (about 12'x15'), and I don't really want to spend more than $350 on the setup. I'm not looking for absolutely top notch quality, just good sound for occasionally watching DVDs, Xbox, and music. Only 2 components I plan on hooking up to the receiver are my Xbox (for games, movies, and CDs), and iPod dock. I thought about starting off with a 2.1 setup and adding on later, but I really would like to have the whole setup now if I can. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[derekBannatyne]

I've read the Athena Micra 6 is a pretty good system... there's one on Audion for $189...

 

[Dick Knisely]

Mild understatement if you believe this...

http://www.audioholics.com/productre...sMicra6p1.html

And they've gotten rave reviews from a number of folks on various AV forums. However, they're going to blow the budget it you go for the full 5.1. Could probably get a 2.1 set and a budget receiver. Something like a Panasonic or Pioneer -- not bad for the money and you can get something for ~$150-$200 online. Below that I'm just familiar with enough of them to know what's worth buying.

----------
Clifton, VA? Well, howdy neighbor (Centreville).

 

[Matt Rohr]

I own the Micra 6. I use it for my bedroom setup. It might be a little overkill for some....but it is alright to me! Sounds great you may also want to check out the Hsu Research’s Ventriloquist VT-12 and the Paradigm Cinema Series. I am a large fan of Paradigm speakes. I own the Studio Series speakers and enjoy them in my main system. Check them out!

 

[Jimi C]

http://www.fluance.com/fluan5speaks.html

Dont forget about Fluance...

 

[derekBannatyne]

hey that's pretty close to here. I'm actually looking at a very similar situation (upgrading from an htib).

 

[Phil_G]

Yeah, everything that has been mentioned so far is a little out of my price range. Both the Fluence and Athena systems looked nice, but are pushing my price range as I am also needing a receiver, especially considering that I feel confident that shipping on all of this will be quite expensive. I am thinking that my only 2 options are a HTiB solution, or a 2.1 system plus receiver. Do ya'll have any suggestions for either? I think i remember reading that Onkyo had a pretty decent HTiB, do they still make it? Thanks!

 

[Mike~Sileck]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?EdpNo=1068250

Use them in a dorm and love them!!

 

[LanceJ]

Mike: didn't think about the PC speaker idea. Some of those systems I've listened to sound very good & for a dorm room their small size comes in handy. I wonder if they are priced lower than equivalent "normal" audio systems because they aren't expected to be used much for music?

Phil: there's quite a few receiver + 5.1 speaker packages out there. Here's a Panasonic for $250 and a Yamaha for $300.

Though to be honest, that Logitech system still seems like a better answer for your space situation (very small, though the sub is kind of large but you could use it to stack books on or something).

 

[GregUVA]

Onkyo 5.1 HTIB for $299. I can't post the URL, but go to shoponkyo.com.

 

[Phil_G]

So, I now have a $550 budget, and am no longer looking at HTiBs. I have been reading that the Athena Micra 6 system is good for the price ($300), so thats what I'm leaning towards for the speakers. As far as receivers, I am looking at the Pioneer 515 for $179, Panasonic XR55 ($230), and refurbished HK AVR-135 ($248 at harmonaudio.com). I have reading a lot about the Panasonic receiver and it seems like people are flat out amazed with it as a digital receiver, is it really as good as people say it is and will outperform the Pioneer and HK in sound quality? Thanks!

 

[Raa Vango]

Onkyo HTIB's are good. My friend has the Onkyo HTS-780 and it is really good. The speakers are a little big but overall it will serve your purpose. It is $399 at circuitcity's online site and circuit city sends out 10% off coupons sometimes.

 

[Raa Vango]

Onkyo HTIB's are good. My friend has the Onkyo HTS-780 and it is really good. The speakers are a little big but overall it will serve your purpose. It is $399 at circuitcity's online site and circuit city sends out 10% off coupons sometimes.

 

[Phil_G]

I have already looked at two Onkyo HTiBs at Circuit City (one a 5.1 for $299, and a 7.1 for $499), and I wasn't too happy with the way the speakers of either (the 5.1 speakers just sounded weak and I wasn't impressed with the passive sub, and the 7.1 speakers didn't look very wall mountable, which is one of the things that attracted me to the Athena Micra 6). There may be some way that I can find space for the speakers for the 7.1 system in my small dorm room, but I am not sure of it now. Thank you for the suggestion though!

 

[SamNavy]

Phil, forget about that Pioneer, and for the record Onkyo speakers are not very good.
My piece of advice:

Check out ECost for an Onkyo TX-SR503 7.1(refurbished) for $191 (and a half dozen other Onkyo/Denon/HK's in that $$ range). For now, shitcan the 7.1 speaker idea, in a small room you wouldn't notice the extra channels anyways and there is no respectable 7.1 for that price. But that receiver will allow you to upgrade later and it has the power to push much larger speakers.
As for a dorm-perfect 5.1 and coming in right on budget:
Crutchfield has Polk Audio RM6005 for $299 or Infinity TSS-450 for $349. Those will get you an 8"sub and matching wall-mountable satellite system.

If you're willing to be a a little creative and wait a month or two to complete the system... try this...
Just about all the time on EBAY you can find a Velodyne VX10 or VRP1000(same sub, different name) for BuyItNow at around $150+$50 shipping. Then just save up for a month or two and hook up also on Ebay a Klipsch Quintet II for $299 (get one with free shipping). That would spread out the cost but you would have a very sweet speaker setup for $500 bones.
Also, even 5.1 may be a little overrated in a dorm. You can get a lot better sound right now if you decided on a 3.1 system and went with seperates. I'd still go with one of those Velodyne subs, and Circuit City online has a Polk CS1 Center channel for $89 and M10 Bookshelf's for $105 pair, which would get you in there for about $400 shipped and have much better sound than that Polk or Infinity I first mentioned or the QuintetII. You could add another set of bookshelf's a month or so down the line when cash became avail for the rears. Of course those aren't wall-mountable, but the sound is so much better in that price range with a set of small bookshelf's over satellites. And there are quite a few good options for $100 a pair bookshelves with a matching $100 center channel. Do some homework on Polk, Infinity, and JBL's.
Good luck and let us know what happens.