Building/upgrading home theater - wife demands compromise! (1 Viewer)

[Wiredin]

Hey guys,

So I'm in what I'm sure is not a unique situation, but has provided me with some painful limitations.

Here are the original stipulations set by my wife:

• Brands have to match. Since we have an LG 32" TV... its all gotta be LG
• 5 disc DVD changer that will play burnt/backed up movies (home movies)
• Speakers gotta fit in with the decor
• TV stand cannot be moved/replaced

Now I've been able to get some ground. I've been able to convince her to break the branding rule... which helps a lot more than I thought... It might be the only rule broken, but it gives me enough to work with.

Currently my setup is:
LG 32" TV
LG HTIB 5-disc DVD 5.1 system with factory speakers
Xbox-360
PS3
Wii
Pace dual HD PVR
Harmony 550

My limitations set by the wife/decor:
6.2" vertical space for receiver
5" horizontal space for front L/R speakers
No allowance for upgrading of center channel or rear speakers (due to size/decor)
aforementioned 5 disc DVD player

Needs set by me:
Decent front L/R speakers priced under $300 Canadian
Decent receiver with HDMI repeaters x4
Receiver that supports self optimization

My shopping list as it stands:
Onkyo TX-SR507 receiver
Onkyo DV-CP706 6-disc DVD player
Logitech Haromny PS3 adapter

So obviously I'm stuck with the speakers....

They gotta be a max of 5" wide, 12" tall...

seems as though I'm having a bit of an issue finding such animals.

what I have found so far:
Harman Kardon HKS9
KEF C1 (5.9"...and I think I can make that work)
Precision Acoustics HD4

 

[gene c]

How big is the center speaker? The front three really do need to be from the same series by the same brand or it might sound strange as sound passes from the left to the center and then to the right. It's called timber matching. I'd look at the Energy Take Classic 5 like this one. It's only $199 U.S. for the 5 speakers. The dimensions are at the bottom.

Now, for the subwoofer....

 

[Wiredin]

Originally Posted by gene c /forum/thread/296383/building-upgrading-home-theater-wife-demands-compromise#post_3642948

Now that actually looks like something up my alley! How do they sound?

Also, if I were to look at the 5.1 kit, hows the subwoofer? Because the Onkyo has a subout and not a powered subout.... which means I gotta upgrade my sub too.

 

[gene c]

The Take 5 kit with the sub seems to be a lot more expensive. I'd stick with the 5.0 package and get a sub from PartsExpress.com. They have a few in the $100-150 range. Their website seems to be down at the moment so I couldn't supply a link .

Now that actually looks like something up my alley! How do they sound?

Of course we all have our own opinion on how a speaker sounds but I thinK they sound very good for a smallish speaker package. Keep your expectations reasonable and they shouldn't disappoint.

 

[Wiredin]

I've been doing some shopping, and have found that the Onkyo 6200 kit comes with speakers that fit my needs space wise, and they get good reviews.

I'm not too big on internet orders from the USA as a Canadian it makes it hard to get warranty out of them... so Energy might not work for me....

However, I cannot find a site that tells me what model the reciever is in the 6200 kit.

 

[Ed Moxley]

Tell your wife you demand some compromise in the kitchen or bedroom!
The receiver packaged with the 6200 is an HT-R670. It's not one they sell by itself. Which receiver it is equal to, I don't know. Best I can say is to compare the features, at their site. The 6200 is a very nice system, to be an HTIB (home theater in a box). A good reason for picking Onkyo is that they give you a real receiver, with lots of features, for the money. With any HTIB, including Onkyo, the weakest link is the speakers. They just can't give you good speakers for the price of an HTIB. The Onkyo speakers aren't bad though. At least with this system, you can upgrade the speakers later, without having to upgrade everything.
Good luck!

 

[Wiredin]

They seem to be very different receivers, each has their pros and cons.

The 6200 pro's are: 7.1 (which I can't take advantage of at this time), comes with an ipod dock (yay?), NEO:6

507 pros: 2 zone capability (which I would use)

Other than that they are very very similar. The only thing I MIGHT take advantage of is NEO:6 or the 2 zone capability.

But the price difference between getting the SR507 and an extra speaker kit vs the TX-507 is actually something that could really sway me.

Now, I could be wrong here... but the specs show power in a way that seems to make one look better than the other...

507 is rated for 80w @ 8ohm per channel
6200 is rated for 130w @ 6ohm per channel

Now... because of the impedance, the difference in power is actually very similar is it not? Also, the db increase from 80w to 130w even if they were rated at the same impedance would be maybe a 3db difference?

 

[CB750]

Luke,

You are lucky your wife could have demanded the TV to be mounted over your fire place, and some of those cute little Bose Cube speakers that woman seem to love.

Stick to your guns and the advise others have given. Tell your wife their is nothing inherently pretty with any Home Theater system. A Turned off TV has a black screen, same with black speakers, black receiver, black disk player are all pretty ugly sitting in a room turned off. But turn the power on watch a nice HD picture and some good surround sound and you have an evening of entertainment. Why on earth would you not want the best picture and sound that fits your budget. Home theater equipment is not furniture it's entertainment.

 

[Ed Moxley]

Originally Posted by Wiredin
The 6200 pro's are: 7.1 (which I can't take advantage of at this time), comes with an ipod dock (yay?), NEO:6

The only thing I MIGHT take advantage of is NEO:6.......

You know that Neo:6 is simulated surround?
Pro Logic II is Dolby's simulated surround.
Neo:6 is DTS's simulated surround.
To use Neo:6 you need six speakers. If you can use six speakers, you should be able to use seven. Takes up the same amount of space behind you, just further apart from each other.

 

[gene c]

Now, I could be wrong here... but the specs show power in a way that seems to make one look better than the other...

That's exactly what they're supposed to do.

The 507 competes with other receivers in it price range which are "advertised" to have 50 wpc on the low end (H/K-which more accurately states it products performance) to 110 wpc (like Pioneer which greatly exagerates it in their standard line) with most in the 65 to 90 wpc range.

The 6200 is a htib and therefore must compete with the cute Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, etc. systems which claim 1000 to 1200 watts of "total power" when in reality are closer to 15-20 wpc of usable power. Thats why Onkyo rates it differently even though they are pretty simular. It's all part of the game.

Now... because of the impedance, the difference in power is actually very similar is it not? Also, the db increase from 80w to 130w even if they were rated at the same impedance would be maybe a 3db difference?

I haven't looked at the spec sheets for either of these but it's more than impendance that causes the big difference in the rated power. THD, number of channels driven, frequency at which the measurement is taken, these will also have an effect.

All things being equal, and honest, the difference between 130 wpc and 80 may not be that noticable most of the time but depending on the impendance of the speakers, and their efficiency (SPL) that extra juice may come in handy with explosions and such while watching movies. Even when a powered sub is in use. Some action scenes have been known to send whimpy receivers into protection mode! But the difference in power between the 507 and 6200 wouldn't like ever be noticable.

To get a more accurate rating of Onkyo products look at the spec sheet in the back of it's owners manual.

 

[Parker Clack]

The only other suggestion that I have, since your wife has her demands, is a sound bar that goes under the monitor that handles your front, left and center channel. This would leave the surrounds to have to deal with. Or you could try to talk her into inwalls. But she probably won't want you cutting any holes in your wall but she wouldn't be able to see them.

Something like this with its built in Blu-ray player might work.

Parker

 

[Wiredin]

yea, I think I'm done with LG , Samsung, Sony HTIBs... no flexability or upgradability for me.

I also know about the simulated sound stuff, I currently don't know what I have that would need to use it (as my 4 most used items will all use the HDMI 1.3a repeaters), but something to have if I needed it.


Anyways, an interesting, and down right exciting new compromise was given to me today.

32" LG and the current LG HTIB system go to the bedroom

The family room turns into the sitting room. The den becomes the TV room. (computer would move to the "sitting room"

I then get to get this!



The Onkyo HT-9100THX!

I'm very excited, as this is pretty much what I want.

I get to keep the LG 32 in the new TV room until I can find a replacement for it.



Now, before I put this bad boy on order (which will be a month from now, so I still have plenty of time to firm up my decision... what else should I look at for $1000 CAD (which I can get this system for)

 

[Brett DiMichele]

I just don't "get it" (Being single and 33, I really don't get it....)

See the way I am if someone gave me a list of demands, I'd do the same.. "Honey, the washing machine and dryer are too large and take up too much space in the laundry room, I think we should get rid of them and wash the clothes at the laundramat think of what we could do with that space".

(I'm guessing my marriage wouldn't last too long) LOL

An HTIB wouldn't cut it for me, but at leas the Onkyo setup you are looking at is one of the better setups.

 

[gene c]

Not sure about "$1000 Canadian" but there should be something else to at least consider. Newegg.com has great prices on the Monitor series from Polk right now. Add a PartsExpress/BIC type sub and a decent receiver and maybe you can do it for under a $1000 CAD. Or, maybe not. That 9100 isn't bad for what it is, though.

(I'm guessing my marriage wouldn't last too long) LOL

I'm guessing you're going to single for a lot longer than you thought!

I am too, btw. I have lots of hobbies that help keep me out of the bars and Wedding Chapels.

 

[Wiredin]

The wife has to issue compromises so I don't get outa hand. she keeps me in line... or so we would like to think. Lets just say that I too have many hobbies, and none of them are inexpensive... She said shopping for me for Christmas is so hard because she can't afford half the stuff I'm interested in.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Luke,

I'm LOLing! It's a dang shame that any hobby worth having, isn't affordable, heck even stamp collecting can get outta hand when you decide you need the stamp with the upside down airplane!

 

[gene c]

I'm LOLing! It's a dang shame that any hobby worth having, isn't affordable,

Tell me about it! I have an old Mercedes, an older Fiat and a set of golf clubs! Ya, perpetually single

The good thing about HT is if you buy the right stuff the first time you can get a lot of enjoyment out of it before it's time to up-grade again. I didn't. I have a room full of the stupid stuff.

Here's a a link to a factory refurbished Onkyo-9100txh from ac4l.com an Onkyo authorized dealer. $699 + shipping.

 

[AaronPo]

I guess I'm lucky, My wife doesn't care...She complained a little bit, but as soon as we watched an hd movie in full surround all she could do was smile. She told me the other day, when we do finally build a house, I want to make sure it has a dedicated home theater!

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Aaron,

That's what we call a "Keeeepur"

Gene,

Real guns, Toy Guns (Air$oft) computers, Hi Fi, Cars, Boats... Yep.... Broke! I couldn't afford a woman even if one would put up with me!

 

[Ed Moxley]

LOL, I can't afford one either. But somehow we've been together for 27+ years. I don't tell her how to do what she does, unless she asks, and she don't tell me how the HT is going to be. She knows that I know more about it than she does, so she trusts that I won't do something stupid with it. She has no complaints so far.........