opinions on my idea for a system? (1 Viewer)

[Drew Wimmer]

I've just found out I'm going to have a decent internship this summer, and therefore will have enough money to build a decent sound system for myself (first system btw, I'm pretty sure this pos Cambridge DTT2500 doesn't count)
removing what I plan to save for college the following year and other summer spending, I figure I'll have about $2100 for everything (speakers, receiver, wire, interconnects, etc)
here's what i've come up with:
kit281's for main's $339
kit81's for surrounds and center $259 + $129.50
~$200 for building material for the speakers (how accurate is this? I've already got access to every tool known to man though my dad)
$450 for materials/components to build a sonosub with a tempest and an ava250 plate amp
$100 for cables, extra wires, etc.
this leaves about $600 for a receiver
i've been looking at the yamaha rx-v1000, will this be able to drive the 281's and can i do any better for the money?
also, my monitor is going to have BNC input, are there any limits on the resolution for RGB (i think i can convert between the two)? I'd like the video output for the system, even after I add a component DVD player, to be my monitor, but not if I have to drop my desktop resolution to route the video signal through the receiver
sorry if any of this sounds a little convoluted, it's past my bed time, thanks in advance

 

[Dustin B]

Everything looks good. Don't know what to say about the amp though. My only recommendation in that area is make sure you get something that can be used as a preamp when/if you get the money for some decent seperate amps.

As for your cost estimate for building materials for the speakers. $200 isn't a lot for 5 speakers. Should be enough for a simple paint finish, but I don't think a nicer laminate or veneer finish will be possible on that budget. Although a grille clothe finish with hardwood top and bottom might be possible and would look really sharp.

For the sub looks like your estimate is good. I would recommend dropping the AVA250 in favor of the PE equivalent though. All it takes is two really cheap resistors to modify it to have the same rumble filter as the AVA250 and it's $40 less.

 

[Drew Wimmer]

hrm...then maybe the rx-v1200 would be a better option since it's got preouts for every channel

 

[Dustin B]

Another option, if you can stretch your budget another couple $100 could be a refurbed Harman Kardon SIGNATURE 2.0 pre/processor as a preamp and then pick up a used Parasound HCA855 on Audiogon (85Wx5 8ohm, 125Wx5 4ohm). Each are going for $400-$500 on Audiogon right now.
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[Drew Wimmer]

*bookmarks audigon* thanks for all the advice Dustin, I'll be looking at audigon as another purchase option (not going to actually start shelling out money for another month or so, I'm still at school right now so no cash flow yet)

I should be able to augment my budget a bit, assuming I co-op, I only need to set aside enough money to last me a semester this summer, so my total budget is flexible within a $500 range (my budget now sets aside enough spending money for 2 semesters)

I should also mention that this system is going to be moved into a dorm room (15' x 12.5') for at least 2 semesters so, while I don't need a lot of power immediately, the ability to add it later with minimal cost and effort would be nice (so I'm leaning more towards a receiver with powered outs and preouts)

 

[Brian Bunge]

Drew,

You might want to check out the Sherwood Newcastle receivers. They can handle 4-ohm loads all day long. There's a dealer over in Lilburn, Audio Alternative. I don't have a clue what their lower lines run. I've only checked out their flagship receiver lately, which is $2K retail. The guys at AA are great. My dad and I have bought several of the Newcastle receivers from them.

Brian

 

[Dustin B]

That being the case then definately check out Brian's suggestion. If you can find a good one with preouts then later you could add in a pair of Parasound HCA1203 (200Wx3 at 4ohms) or 2003 (300Wx3 at 4ohms) amps.

Another option for a receiver that could serve as a prepro later would be the Outlaw 1050, I seem to remember a person or two using this to driver Adire 281s.

I'm not sure, but I think the Denon 2802/3802 or the Onkyo 696 or 797 (or is it 87) would work as well.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Dustin,

BTW, I have reason to believe that the SN and HK receivers are very similar. I've noticed some older models having identical back panel layouts, front panel controls, and remote controls. Both are recommended quite a bit as being very musical. I know my old SN DPL unit beat the pants off of a Denon AVR-3300 for 2-channel audio. So I took it back and got my current SN receiver. If music isn't as much of a priority then I think Denon receivers would be fine.

 

[Drew Wimmer]

Thanks Dustin and Brian
Brian, I don't suppose you know of a dealer in the Dallas, TX area, do you? I'm not from Georgia, I'm just here for school so I'd like to find a somewhere a wee bit closer to home (not 820 miles away )
Also, does anybody have any ideas about my video signal question? Since this system is going to be built around my PC for a while, I'd like to be able ot just route the video signal from my PC though the receiver, so long as there's no resolution cap on RGB that'd force me to run at a low resolution

 

[David A. Frattaroli]

Drew, I think the system you've layed out is a real good one. You might even spend a little less on the MDF for the

speakers.

Have you considered the Outlaw receiver? I don't own one but at $499 new you can't beat it with a stick.

Good luck.

 

[Todd Stout]

Drew, keep in mind the 281's are going up to $184.50 each and the 81's are going up to $144.50 each starting April 1st.

 

[Drew Wimmer]

David - the 1050 is tempting, the only thing that bothers me about it is it's lack of a component video in/out (perhaps that's because I listen too much to hype about component video being so much better than s-video)
how much of a difference is there in the quality of the picture created from a component video and s-video? assuming a device that has both outputs and a ~32" HDTV (which will most likely be my first purchase as soon as i move from living in a dorm to an apartment in a year)
Todd - thanks for reminding me, that's what I get for doing math at 1 in the morning do you know if the price for pairs of kits is going to change as well or just the price for singles?

 

[Dustin B]

Also check out HTT's DIY section. There is a thread on another Kit281 group buy. $300 for a pair.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Drew,

No, I don't know of any dealers in the Dallas area. I can tell you one thing though, if you buy something from Audio Alternative they will take excellent care of you should you have a problem. Alan Jones and his wife, Shawnn, are the owners and if you told them up front that you were from Texas and were a little concerned about service should the need arise I'm sure they'd be very up front with you as to what they would and would not do.

I will tell you in advance that they do charge full retail, but you have to take into account the level of service they provide. I've found some cheaper prices on equipment elsewhere but have been sorry a few times I didn't buy from them later on.

Also, I could be wrong as I don't look at receivers' specs much, but I don't know if you'll find a receiver with component level switching (at least not with enough bandwidth for HDTV) in your price range. The only receiver in Sherwood Newcastle's entire line that can handle HDTV component level switching is the $2K flagship R-963T.

Brian

 

[Drew Wimmer]

Brian - thanks for the info, I may have to check 'em out before I go home

I still consider the rx-v1200 to be within my price range, and it's got component switching, but I haven't heard it so I don't know how it compares to other receivers in that price range so far as te quality of the sound is considered