Clueless...Need Sound System (1 Viewer)

[Mike*S]

I am extremely new to the whole home theater thing, but Best Buy is running a 12% off sale, so I thought that I would pick up my sound system/speakers this weekend. I know absolutely nothing about home audio(other than that I like bass)but am looking to get a moderatly priced setup with good quality audio. Any suggestions?

 

[Brian Harnish]

The best advice that I can give you is to go to Best Buy, demo their speaker setups and listen. Buy the speakers that you think sound the best to you. That said, I do have some recommendations:

JBL speakers should be a pretty nice setup for an entry-level home theater system. Get two speakers for your fronts, one for your center, and two (or even three for 6.1) surrounds, and of course a subwoofer and you're all set. I've also heard some good things about Yamaha receivers as well. Receiver should have support for the following features:

Dolby Digital EX 5.1/6.1
DTS Discrete 5.1/6.1
Dolby Pro Logic II (for music)

And, most of all -- do NOT buy Bose. Bose is extremely overpriced and you can get far better quality speakers at a much cheaper price than theirs.

 

[Frank Zimkas]

Mike,
I can understand your desire to start shopping, but please don't get to fired up just yet. Do yourself a favor and start doing some research and learn as much as you can before you start making any purchases.

Start with the primer.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=120328

Buying without learning first is not a very wise move. Believe me, BestBuy will have another sale next weekend.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Please do not start the same thread in multiple areas. Just pick one, and if you want it moved at a later time, contact a moderator.

I've consolidated two of your threads to which there were replies. The third (in Receivers) has been closed.

M.

 

[Mike_J_D]

I second Franks and Brians advice. Don't hurry, read and learn.

Listen to as many different speakers as you can.

DO NOT for any reason but BOSE. Trust me, you can get a much better sounding system for half the friggin price.

Do a search to find some places in and around your local area...go listen, learn, ask questions, bring music you like and most importantly have fun.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Also, if this thread is to end up getting into specific model recommendations, it will be moved to the appropriate hardware-related area. If on the other hand you simply want to discuss what your priorities and budgeting should be, then it can remain here (Basics is for general discussion at the beginner level).

 

[Mike*S]

I was actually originally intending to get specific hardware recommendations, I'm sorry for all of the confusion this thread has caused. Also, now that I've read the primers, I have a better understanding of how the sound system operates. But I have one more question: is there really that big of a difference between 5.1 and 6.1 surround sound?

 

[Ted Lee]

mike -

what's your budget? i work at bb and can probably give some decent rec's.

off the top of my head, i bet a yamaha/jbl combo will be more then adequate for you.

a decent yammie will run you around 300. the jbl sub/sat system (which i have in my bedroom - it sounds really nice, especially for the price) is about 500. a decent dvd player is another 100. get some acoustic research cabling (you do NOT need monster) - that may run you another 50 bucks or so.

also, (at that price point) sign up for the member rewards program. you'll get money back from bb in the form of gift coupons -- probably about 30 bucks or so (i'm guessing...)

finally, if you have good credit, think about doing the bb card - they offer 18 months same as cash.

[edit] about 5.1 vs 6.1 -- don't worry too much about it. there's a handful of titles in 6.1, but it's not like 6.1 titles are flooding the market. (besides, the gear i recommended above is set for 6.1 anyway. )

 

[Mike*S]

I went to Best Buy, and I looked at a lot of different setups (although they were somewhat difficult to hear, and I noticed a lot of entire 5.1 and some 6.1 home theater systems by respectable brands (Yamaha, Klipsch)with higher wattage than the JBLs for half the price. Are these really that much worse quality than the JBLs, or for entry level will they be suitable for someone like me to purchase?

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well, now that you're getting into specific model recommendations, the discussion has been moved to here.

 

[Iver]

The wattage ratings are not irrelevant, but you should take them with a grain of salt. When a mfr talks about "100 watts," what that means, exactly, can vary quite a bit from one company to the next.

Also, keep in mind that with some receivers and pre-packaged HT systems they give a number that adds all the channels except for the subwoofer output (which is line-level, meaning very low power, anyway). When you see a number like 600 watts that's usually the case.

I would second the suggestions that you take some time to learn about the various options.

But if you really want a system right away, the home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems are a convenient way to get a pretty good system. I prefer the systems that include a receiver, a set of surround speakers, and a subwoofer. Some systems of this type also include a separate DVD player. Reputable manufacturers who market these include Yamaha, Denon, and Onkyo.

There are also systems, notably from Sony and Panasonic, which include a DVD player, AM/FM tuner, and amplification, all in one box, plus a set of speakers. Selling at around $400 on up, these are best for people with very tight budgets and/or very little space. If you go with an off brand, you can find these little systems selling for less than $200. An okay option for a second system or a backup.

Another option is to start out buying a receiver, a nice pair of speakers, and a powerful sub (since you said you like bass). Then, over time, you can decide what you want to add next. All DVD soundtracks will play back just fine through a pair of front R/L (stereo) speakers.

When it comes to subs, you might find something more in line with your bass needs at a specialty A/V retailer. Also, a couple of popular sub lines are sold only through mail order: Hsu and SVS. Do a search on either and you'll get plenty of info here.