HT for the Student (1 Viewer)

[Rotard12a]

Hey guys, I'm not new to the home theater experience, but I am new to creating it. I figured I'd go where the knowledge is (here) and talk to the people who can give the right advice (you).

Here's my position: I'm a college student and technology is something of an obsession of mine. I live in a dorm suite and don't have a huge amount of cash to throw around (actually, very little at this point).

Here's what I'm working with:

A strangely shaped room, with the north half being 8x14' and the south half being 7x8'. I'll get a picture/floorplan up soon.

TV: Panasonic 42" 1080p
Receiver: Ancient Yamaha RX-V800
Speakers: Fluance AV-HTB+ (Fronts: 3-way 3-driver, Center: 2-way 3-Driver, Surround: 2-way 2-driver). No sub as of yet.
Components: PS2, PS3, N64, PC (for music)

What I am thinking about is a receiver upgrade. I've got a source where I can get an Onkyo TX-SR705 for only a couple hundred bucks. The thing is, that same couple hundred could get me a good subwoofer, which I'm lacking. I can only buy one or the other at the moment. Basically, which would give me the most gratification *now*? Future value is completely aside from the point. My TV has several HDMI ports, and the only one I use is for the PS3 (which does everything I really want HDMI for). If a sub is the way to go, where should I look and what should I look for?

And finally, my floors, ceiling, and walls are all smooth, flat, and hard. Would it be worth it to throw down some area rugs and maybe fabric posters/wallscrolls? Would it make a noticeable difference?

Any advice you guys have would be good, as I'm trying to make the most of what I can from my room, which amounts to little more than a small studio apartment. Look forward to hearing from you all

 

[Rotard12a]

Well, I've got most things set up here. Bi-amped my floor standers (had an older Yamaha stereo receiver laying around with no better use). Still not sure on whether to go with a sub or with the better receiver. The fronts have some pretty decent 6.5" woofers, and are good for most music, but movie effects seem lacking in power. After some research, it seems the HSU STF-2 subwoofer would be a good choice. I hear SVS makes some good units as well. Any thoughts?

Question: I noticed that my RX-V800 was made before Pro-Logic II, but obviously the SR705 would have it. Is the difference between PL and PLII worth the switch?

 

[Robert_J]

I'm not sure about the jump from PL to PLII. I went from PL to DD and DTS. Have you thought about used receivers? There are a lot that pop up here from time to time. A few months ago, a Pioneer VSX-1014 (same as mine) went for $200.

You can't go wrong with Hsu or SVS. But since you stopped by the project section, have you thought about DIY? Does your school have a woodshop? You can get a killer sub on a tight budget.

-Robert