Looking for some advice please (1 Viewer)

[Kabobi]

First off, thank you for accepting me into your community. I've been looking for a nice and friendly home theater forum and i'm glad that i found it and can be a part of it as well

I'm looking to get a complete home theater system, including an AV receiver, speakers, wires, and maybe a Blu-Ray player. My price limitation is $2000, and i live in an apartment with minimal space (and other limitations) so i need satellite speakers that are preferably wall mountable. Currently, i have a 46" Hitachi projection TV (46F500) without an HDMI connection, and a Sony DVD Player.

Here is what i have been looking at for now:
Receivers:
1- a few Denon such as 788 / 789 ($600) / 1709 / 1908 / 888 ($500)
2- Yamaha RX-V663 ($525)
3- Onkyo TX-SR606 ($390) / TX-SR706 ($675)

Speakers:
1- Mirage Nanosat 5.1 / Nanosat Prestige 5 / MX 5.1
2- KEF KHT1005.2 / KHT2005.3
3- Klipsch Quintet III w/ 420W sub ($700 if i buy a Yamaha receiver with it)

I included prices for parts that i have been able to find in local stores (after discounts/coupons/etc.) since i dont know of any credible online retailers.

Apart from these, i am mostly clueless, so i would greatly appreciate any other recommendations as well. The Blu-Ray player isnt a current necessity, because i am willing to wait, and for the wires, i need the best bang for the buck with respect to my price limitation.

thank you in advance for any help

 

[Robert_J]

Credible internet direct retailers would be SVS and AV123. Both sell speakers and subs. I think AV123 sells receivers as well. Use Monoprice for all of your cables.

Pick the speakers that sound best to YOU. If you want to go internet direct, then you might need to take a chance but both of these companies (as well as others that later posters will recommend) make very high quality audio components.

-Robert

 

[Kabobi]

Thank you for the reply!

I guess the problem is that i havn't actually heard the speakers in person, so i guess i should start there

but still, i'm always eager to hear other people's perspectives, so please make recommendations based on your personal experiences as well.

 

[David Willow]

Axiom (axiomaudio.com) is another place to find good speakers. SVS for subs.

Check for closeouts on last year's Onkyos - the 705 and 805 can be had for a few hundred dollars.

For wires, check Monoprice and Blue Jeans cables.

Since your TV is 1080i, the HDMI is not that important. You can use component cables.

 

[Ed Moxley]

I agree with SVS for speakers and sub. See here: SVSound - Complete Systems
Scroll down the page and they have wall brackets for mounting the speakers. A little expensive, but you'll know for sure they'll work well with those speakers. Most already know that SVS makes one of the best subwoofers.

You mentioned the Onkyo TX-SR706. Here is somewhere to get it much cheaper than the price you listed:
Amazon.com: Onkyo TX-SR706 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black): Audio & Video They have the TX-SR606 a little cheaper too:
Amazon.com: Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black): Audio & Video

As Robert said, monoprice.com is a good place for cables:
HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!
Another good place is Blue Jeans Cable:
Blue Jeans Cable -- Broadcast-Quality Cables at Reasonable Prices

Amazon.com also has a good price on the Sony BDP-S350 blu ray player. Everyone seems to love this player.
Amazon.com: Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player: Audio & Video
Good luck!

 

[Kabobi]

Thank you so much for the responses!

Helps more than you know

 

[Kabobi]

Thank you so much for the responses!

Helps more than you know

As for the SVS system mentioned, based on what i read on the SVS site, i will need 6 total wall brackets for 5 speakers? Because i think it mentions that the center piece needs two brackets.
And overall, i'm not too concerned with the subwoofer because i live in an apartment so i cant have too much bass channeling through my walls

I've personally never heard of SVS, but you guys seem to recommend it over my suggestions and i see that its won some nice awards as well, so i may end up going with the SBS-01 system after further research.

 

[Ed Moxley]

SVS is an internet only company. They have some of the best customer service you'll find anywhere. They also have a good return policy, since the only way to hear them is to buy them, unless you know someone with some. I doubt you'll return them though.

With small speakers, you need a subwoofer. It's the difference between night and day. You don't have to turn it up loud, but it really needs to be there.

I didn't realize that about the center needing two wall brackets, but it makes sense. It is wider than the others. I learned something new from you tonight.........

 

[Kabobi]

Alright. Thanks for the advice. Glad i could help

 

[Kabobi]

How about the JBL CS6100 ?
I'm unable to find a local store carrying these JBL speakers, and i cant listen to SVS either, but i did find a store carrying the KEF KHT1005.2.

So i'm going to head over and listen to the KEF, but in the mean time can anyone comment on the JBL?

 

[Robert_J]

All of the speakers mentioned in this thread are very good. If you haven't formed an opinion of the type of sound you like, you will probably be happy with any of these. But whatever speaker you get, you want to get the most out of them. If your receiver has an auto calibration routine, then you need to run it. You may even need an additional EQ for your sub. You can spend 10's of thousands of dollars on a system but if you don't set it up correctly then you will have an expensive pile of crap. A properly set up inexpensive system can sound amazing.

-Robert

 

[Kabobi]

Regarding the receiver.... i looked at the specs for both and frankly i can't make too much sense of it, other than the basics....so based on your experience:

should i got with the Onkyo TX-SR706 for $530
OR
Denon AVR-988 for $550

or should i spend $100-$150 more and go another model up in either brand?