ALL NEWBIES: Want a Home Theater System real cheap? There is hope! I am shocked! (1 Viewer)

[Philip_G]

Like with my system, I don't know what I'm missing

to me it's the best sounding theatre I've heard so, if the HTB's systems get people into the hobby and they enjoy it, more power to em.

 

[Chris White]

Thanks for the information Ron. I had a colleague just today ask me what he could get for $500. I started to ask him which speaker (as in - one) he wanted to start with. Actually, I told him I didn't think he could get anything worth owning. Perhaps I'll suggest he check out the JVC.
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[HiHoStevo]

Ron, please let me join the the praises that have been showered your direction. I think this is a wonderful addition to the forum. Like many here I am often asked about how to get started in this hobby.
Also I have been looking at similar systems for my bedroom. Now that I have finally built a nice HT for my home... I often find myself preempted by my wife or kids. Ergo I wind up watching TV in the bedroom. I have my older Advent speakers and receiver up there and am now looking to expand it with a DTS/DD receiver, DVD, DD Satellite, and better sub.
It would be great to see this type of a forum continued. Perhaps Steve Schaffer can find that $1500 TV and tell us all about it! Perhaps someone who actually knows what he (or she) is talking about could give us a comparative review of the Sony, JVC, and Kenwood systems.
As an addition I have also heard nice things about the Sony DAV-S300 system (supposed to have great sound, but not a lot of volume) and I read a very complimentary review of the Kenwood HTB-503 on one of the "audiophile-type" web-sites (cannot remember which at the moment).
Thanks again for this thread!!
Steve A

 

[brentl]

Ron....I to have been amazed by some very inexpensive systems. Many seem to keep up with my main, much more $ system, at lower volumes. It's obvious that most HTIB systems are meant more to "bring it to the masses" than to impresss the audiophiles out there.
WhenI first got my Kenwood 503 into my bedroom and setup I was amazed....My receiver cost more than this system I did find a shorcoming or two....bad remote, and weak center channel, but otherwise it's an incredible value.
It's quite hard to believe than in 3 short years we've gone from DVD players that avg $800CAN to whole systems for that money....amazing
Brent L
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Closing in quickly on 2000...Posts that is

 

[Mark Lee]

Great story Ron. As the trailblazer into the world of home theater among my friends and family, I've had a few years headstart with regard to moving up on the AV component ladder. Just within the past couple of months I've started to see the others coming home with DVD players, 5.1 speaker setups, etc. Besides greatly simplifying my future Christmas shopping

, it's enabled me to relive that first-blush excitement from hearing true home theater in one's own home. While there are more than a few HTIAB's in that mix, I'm not thumbing my nose at them -- after all, you have to crawl before you can walk, and with HT, crawling is almost as fun!
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Mark K. Lee
"Life is like a sewer -- what you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Tom Lehrer

 

[Douglas_H]

Awesome thread. I think that there should be some place set aside on this site for budget system info.
I put together, in my head, the HT that I want to/will buy.
I came to $6,000 minus stuff I already own, DVD player, subwoofer, 2 spkrs for the rear. (Don't forget the interconnects).
That is impossible right because where remodeling our home.
The HT room is almost done, pre-wired for surround, stand-alone 20amp circuits, cat-5, remote control lighting, wetbar, etc. I can however afford 4 to 5 hundred for something that will get me through til next fall.
It's winter, no homework til January and dammit I gotta hear Gladiator on something else besides 2 6 inch, "full range" spkrs ACK!!
Someone please throw me a bone and recommend a budget system
TIA
Doug

 

[Holadem]

Doug,
The general consensus on HTBs is the Kenwood HTB-503. While you will feel the need to upgrade the speakers down the road (as with all HTBs) the excellent receiver will probably stay around much longer.
--
Holadem

 

[Colin Dunn]

I, too, have no reservations about suggesting a good HT-in-a-box for someone who's just getting started in home theater, or is on a limited budget. For many of us hard-core enthusiasts, it's easier to design a cost-no-object HT setup than an entry-level one for our friends.
Usually I recommend a good ~$500 receiver, five of the Optimus LX5 speakers from Radio Shack ($75 ea. when on sale, but they use the Linaeum tweeter, making the highs much less objectionable than their similarly-priced peers), and a subwoofer. If that's still too expensive, I point people to the better HT-in-a-box solutions. Maybe they'll upgrade later, but for many, getting past that initial investment is the biggest challenge. And even a mediocre HT-in-a-box is infinitely better than built-in TV speakers.
Those entry-level receivers actually can sound quite decent when matched with speakers that complement them well. Room setup also plays a tremendous part. While at the first Austin HT meet, one HTF member was driving some home-built speakers with a Technics receiver. That setup was clean and crisp, even at near-reference volumes. The imaging and dynamic punch were arguably better than my more expensive separates setup. He had an advantage in that he could tweak his speakers' performance to match the receiver, as well as getting more performance for the $$$ by building his own speakers. But that experience changed my perceptions about the performance a basic DD/DTS receiver can offer.
A couple of things I observed that maximize performance of entry-level equipment...
- Get the least 'boomy' sounding subwoofer. It may not seem as bassy in a store demo, but you'll be happier with it in the long run. The more reserved subwoofers may not win an SPL contest, but they won't drown out the music and dialogue with an artificial "boom car" effect.
- Experiment with placement of the sub. Go for tightness and accuracy ahead of output. Entry-level setups don't cause earthquakes and digestive disturbances the way a high-end SVS does ... but that's always open to you as an upgrade later on.
- Make sure speakers are placed properly in the room (left, center, right, rear-left, rear-right) and facing as suggested. I've seen many homes where speakers just face randomly due to oddities in the room.
- Get the satellites up onto high stands, or mounted on wall brackets. For reasons I don't understand, small speakers image much better than big, bulky ones. This tightens up the mid-bass and maximizes the imaging potential.
- Make sure "Video Essentials" or "Avia Guide to Home Theater" is one of the first DVDs you buy. It's well worth taking an extra hour to adjust your TV controls and sound levels. Many people report dramatic improvement well worth the $40-$50 one of these DVDs costs at retail.

 

[Douglas_H]

Holadem & Colin,
Thanks for the fast replies.
While I haven't taken the HT plunge just yet, I have been involved in music & hi-fi gear for too long to admit.
I will admit to a somewhat snobbish attitude that I'd rather go without rather than spend a dime on lo-fi anything.
Well, I can't hold out much longer. Until this remodel is done, I can't sneak in any expensive boxes. My wife's Star Trek like sensors would lock-on & photon torpedos would be flying.
I suggested the HTB concept when she got home a bit ago and it didn't go too bad. So I'll be spending the rest of tonight surfing for specs and deals.
I know I'm cooked. After I plug the stuff in and watch a couple of favorite flicks I'll be lying awake in bed rationalizing the next upgrade.
Thanks again for advice.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

If anyone has made it this far.....

The model # of the JVC package that this
entire thread is about....
JVC Theater Pack
DSTP230
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Ronald Epstein (pronounced like the English "Ronald Epstein")
Circa 2000
Home Theater Forum Administrator
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[L. W. Cobb]

Ron-
This is exactly the kind of useful information that makes the HTF the premier site of it's kind. I'm sure many members of the Forum have been asked by friends, co-workers, family members etc., how they might assemble a quality entry-level system. Isn't it amazing what $350 can buy these days? Ten years ago a system of that capability and quality was unthinkable at twice the price.
I'm sure most of us here started out simple, and then upgraded as technology (and finances) allowed. DTS and DD 5.1, with speakers and a subwoofer for $350 is a tremendous bargain in the entry-level realm. If only it had been that inexpensive for those of us who dived in a few years before. Home Theater has truly reached the masses, and I'm sure it's in everybody's best interest.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Ron.
P.S. How long do you think it will be until the subject of your tale wants to upgrade his video display? I'm guessing not very long!

 

[Jim Short]

I want to 2nd Colin's comment about speaker placement and setup as being important. In fact, I'm a little surprised that this post went so long before someone mentioned it!
For example, our family room 5.1 system sounds really great when I spend 3 minutes "preparing" it for surround sound, but sounds amazingly different when set to "asthetic mode" (to satisfy the WAF). Asthetic mode has the center channel pointing straight forwards from on top of a rear-projection TV, and both L and R fronts pushed up against the TV, with the fronts flush with the front of the TV. Then for 5.1 or stereo "listening mode", I move the L & R out from the TV about 1.5 feet, add a slight tilt up and some camber in, and the center channel gets a slight tilt downwards.
The "gear" for my comments is decent stuff, but having swapped low end speakers and amps into the mix reveals the same truth -- placement is very important!
Furthermore, speaker placement and setup is also important for low end stereo only setups. Just pulling bookshelf speakers out a little bit (try 1" past the end of the shelving), and adjusting the tone controls can make a big difference to my ears!
If you haven't listed much to good full range speakers, I encourage you newbees to have a friend or installer who has help you get started with your placement and setup. And don't be afraid to experiment, especially with placement!
Jim

 

[AaronP]

Inexpensive stuff CAN sound good, it's just a matter of buying the right inexpensive stuff. One manufacture's 200-500 dollar system isn't the same as anothers. My dad has a Kenwood Dolby Digital reciever that runs about 200 bucks along with a pair of 9 year old Jenson tower speakers that were about 90 bucks a piece when he bought em, and his system sounds fine. It's definatly good enough or better than anything he needs it for.

 

[Steve Millward]

Thanks for posting the model no. Ron. Now if I can find a dealer close by to give this system a listen. BTW, I saw a model 330 by JVC listed for about $100.00 more than the 230. It features a 10" Woofer and 100 watts rather tan 60 per channel. It also has liquid cooled 3" domed tweeters. Have you or any of our forum members ever heard this model? Thanks again for sharing your findings.
Steve Millward
"Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

 

[Chess Martin]

review of the kenwood HTB-503:
http://www.hometheatermag.com/printarchives.cgi?38

 

[Jim Benard]

Great topic. I was in a similar situation. I had a couple of friends who didn't have the cash to spend on a premium system. I helped them get the Pioneer 309 in one case and the 409 in another. It's got your typical DD and DTS. The 309 is 60watts and the 409 is 100watts. The 409 is available at Costco for only 199.00. I hooked the 309 up to a Cinema 5 brand speaker set from the Recoton Factory Outlet store for only 199.00. These speakers were very impressive. 5 large square cube style (built very solid) with mounting brackets and a powered sub. I put in the DTS demo disc and played The Haunting. That track will tell you right away if the system can handle DTS sound. It sounded amazing. On the sub I was able to turn the volume all the way up and got no distortion. The price for the complete system was a mere 400.00 plus cables. And the look on people's faces was priceless. The JVC speakers at Costco didn't seem as heavy and were smaller than the ones I picked up at Recoton but I couldn't give you an opinion as to which would be better.

 

[Suz]

Due to advice from members on this forum, I purchased the Kenwood HTB-503 a few months back. I count this as one of my two best purchases of the year (the other being Sony's TiVo) and am frankly so pleased with it that I believe it'll be at least a couple of years before I even think about an upgrade.
My friend Bruce has a more expensive system he pieced together himself (for quite a bit more money) and he swears that mine sounds at least as good as his - if not better. Truthfully, my only complaints about it were that the box weighed about a ton and we were barely able to squeeze it into (or out of) the back seat of my Camry. I think "Home Theater in Three Boxes" would be a lot better in that regard. But I guess that doesn't sound as cool.

Anyway, kudos to you Ron, for being open-minded enough on this to give the system a listen. It's not easy to get rid of all those pre-conceived notions, is it?
Suz