Circuit City has the Onkyo SKS-HT500 Home Theater Speaker System for $199- (1 Viewer)

[Gary_O]

Anyone have these, or have an opinion on these?

 

[steve nn]

For the $ I think they are worth it. Many would look down on these speakers but put in the right context they are a value and will serve that price point very well. I herd they had a in-store special on for the Onkyo 650 for like $399 the other day to. Compared to all the other HTiB's this is the best bang for the dollar system imo.

 

[DavidQc]

i just picked them up from friday morning after
Thanksgiving!

they sound so so at the store.... but i have yet
to test them out at my apartment.
still waiting on the Pioneer VSX-D811S.
but i believe it's more than adequate for my
small living room.
i think it was a steal at $199.

they're not the best looking speakers... as long
as they sound decent.
my other package that i may get to compare... is
the JBL NSP1II speakers with the PB12 sub, all for $499 at www.etronics.com
i think the JBL's look better... but not sure which one will serve my purpose.
$199 or $499....
mmmm......decisions, decisions.

 

[steve nn]

They will sound much better at home with perimeters. The JBL will sound better to most. I would rather have the JBL but if $ comes into play? You did say $199? Do not use the wire they provide if they do? It's pencil lead crap!

 

[Debbie K]

Hi Gary and David,
We tried those Onkyo speakers and ended up returning them to get some JBL speakers instead. I actually thought the Onkyo's sounded pretty nice in the store near us (Fry's) but when we set them up at home the center channel sounded too muffled to us. Hard to describe the actual problem but just really lacking clarity to us.
If there is any way you can swing it, please try to at least listen to the JBL package to compare. You may be perfectly happy with the Onkyo speakers, I think some people are. I my opinion though, the JBL's are much clearer and much less "speaker-y" sounding. I know that is not an actual term.
We actually ended up with an S-CenterII and 2 N38II's and 2N24II's and really love them! I know the N-CenterII is much clearer sounding than the Onkyo center (to us) as we had the N-Center before we went with the S-Center.
Hope this helps! Have fun! Debbie

 

[DavidQc]

Debbie!
why did you guys choose to go with the S center II with
your N speakers????
shouldn't you maintain the same line with your speakers???
i actually found out that www.etronics.com has a retail outlet store near us!
it's in lower manhattan.
perhaps i will pick up the JBL package and compare them.
yes, money is a factor. our wedding is coming up in 9 months. but i would like the speakers with more clarity.
how did you guys like the plastic speaker units of the JBL's???? i had more preference with wood units.
thanks for the info!
but for $199, i thought the Onkyo's were a steal!

 

[Debbie K]

David,
Yes, you really should maintain the same line for your speakers, especially the front 3. That said, we didn't.
I would have liked the S-series speakers for the fronts but couldn't find a "perfect" one like the N38II is. I would have really liked the S-312II tower but WOW too large. The other one I looked at was the S-38II bookshelf but didn't really want a bookshelf on a stand. They are sitting next to an entertainment center deal and speakers on stands just didn't look as nice to me as towers. I know, probably not the best way to pick a speaker, but hey, decor counts for something, doesn't it?? So, based on size (and also price) we decided on the N towers. Yes, I can tell a difference sometimes in the tone but not enough to really bother me. If JBL ever makes a smaller S tower I think I will have to upgrade though!
I am so jealous you have an etronics store near you! We got our N24II stands from them, UPS of course. So, you have etronics and J and R! Lucky you.
I cannot really comment too much on the plastic case (maybe someone else can) as we don't have much experience with different speakers. All I know is they sound really nice to me, not like they are in a case at all, wood or plastic, just real "open" to me. Of course this is compared only to the Onkyo speakers and then the really old giant Sanyo towers we just got rid of. If you meant how do we like the way they look, I think they are fine, no problems I actually prefer the looks of the N24IIs as surrounds compared to the Onkyo surrounds. Those Onkyo speakers are really a great price though, if they sound good enough to you, they may make a nice speaker set for you until later when you can upgrade to something else. (After wedding!)
Hope this helps, Debbie