Receiver & Speakers < $550 ? (1 Viewer)

[Daniel Mc]

I'm in the middle of researching my first surround sound system and was looking to spend $550 at the most. I've considered the Kenwood HTB-504 (if I can find one left). However, is it possible to build a separates system that may be comparable or better for the price range I'm looking for? If so, can I have some suggestions on brands and models to look into? Thanks.

 

[elMalloc]

Probably not, I'd get the Kenwood...you will be upgrading it all later anyways.
:star:

 

[Eric_Lakes]

Speakers + Receiver for $550.. That's a tough one... If this is your first surround system and you dont want to spend a lot of money, I would suggest one of those All-in-One mini-systems. The reason why is becasue if you like this hobby and want to get into it more, you can always move this mini-system into your bedroom. If you start with entry level Speakers & Receiver, it will be too big to go anywhere once you've upgraded to something better.

But if you insist on a decent system, then go with:

JBL Northridge Series NSP1 Home Cinema Speaker Package $249 at JandR.com. I am into the mid priced $500 to $1000 Receiver, so I dont know much for the under $300 price range. IMHO, it really doesnt matter which Recevier you get for under $300. They sound quality is mostly the same, what you should look for is the extra features.

Dont spend too much on cables because in this setup, it wont make a differnce. Save the $ and buy a Sub instead!!!

 

[ThomasL]

Daniel, how about the JBL NSP-1 package + Sony WA-M40? subwoofer and the new Pioneer D411 entry level receiver? I'm not sure on currently prices but the JBL package is $250 as Eric mentioned and I know people have gotten the Sony sub for $150. The Pioneer receiver should be $200. It's a little over your budget ($600 total) and doesn't include money for cables but hopefully it gives you an idea of what is possible.

cheers,

--tom

 

[John Pine]

Daniel: The Yamaha RX-V430 would be an excellent budget receiver for $299 retail, maybe less online. Only down-side is it doesn't have A/B switching.

 

[Andrew_Sch]

You can get 5 KLH sattelites and a powered sub in a box super-cheap at Best Buy. Ours were $100 on sale, and they're totally decent for entry-level surround.

 

[Daniel Mc]

You can get 5 KLH sattelites and a powered sub in a box super-cheap at Best Buy.

Thanks for the tips so far everyone. As far as the speakers quoted above, how do you think they'd compare with the ones that come with the Kenwood HTB-504?

 

[Saurav]

Without having heard any of them, I would put my money on the JBL package, it's got rave reviews almost everywhere. I've seen many owners of the HTB pick the speakers as the first thing to upgrade. I've owned the Sony subwoofer mentioned, and I think it's excellent for the money.

Have you tried sites like eBay? You can often get great deals on used or blemished gear. You lose out on a warranty, if that's important to you, but your money goes much further.

 

[John Garcia]

The NSP1 is backordered at J&R, I had recommended them to a client and there was a delay about a week ago. Might be in right now. Still one of the best deals going. The NSP1 will outperform most, if not all, HTiB systems, however you will still need a sub... Even with the Sony SA-WM40, that is close to $500.
That leaves you with a rather poor choice of receivers. I would recommend getting the NSP1 set and a used receiver to start off with.
elMalloc - FYIorum rules state that you may not list your equipment in your signature.

 

[Thomas_Berg]

i'd go with:
JBL NSP-1 ($250 shipped)
Onkyo 595 ($286 shipped)
hold off on a sub until you can afford the ~$150 or so for a Sony SA-WM40.
you might be able to get the Onkyo cheaper from J&R, so give them a call. good luck!

 

[Daniel Mc]

I am really starting to seriously consider buying the JBL NSP1 speaker system and the Sony SAWM40 sub. I'm still a bit stuck on the receiver, though (I've been checking out the ones you guys have suggested). The JBL's handle 100watts per speaker (center handles 150), but most of these < $300 receivers only deliver maybe 75 watts per channel. Is this a problem? Is there a such thing as a $300 receiver that has component imputs, 100watts/channel, and Dolby ProLogic II? Thanks again for all the help so far...it's proving to be very beneficial.

 

[Nitin_kakkar]

I have a Sherwood AD7106 = 216$ from frys & KLH HT9900 Speakers 99$ from Amazon.com.

I tried Kenwood 505 and JBL NSP1, at least for my ears Sherwood, KLH was far superior to Kenwood/JBL for audio music.

BTW I saw JBL NSP1 open box @200$ and new 275$ at Best Buys.

 

[John Pine]

Daniel: Be VERY careful when comparing the watts @ channel of one manufacturer to another. I would EASILY choose a (low-end) 60-75 watt unit from Yamaha, Denon or H/K over a 100 watt(low-end)Sony! Ideally, try and buy from a dealer that offers a "No Questions Asked" 30 day guarantee. That way once you get it home, your not stuck with something your less than happy with. Sometimes the local dealer will match or come close to the "online" price. ASK!