[Audio Redneck]

My wife is after me to get smaller speakers in the "TV" room. I've little time to do what I'd like (build) which is ok because I lacking another critical componet as well (talent). So, I am looking a at doing a major overhaul of the room and pull my favorite components (Adcom GFA-535 & GTP-400) into my bedroom or living room with bookshelf speakers, dump my old Sansui SP-5000's and get a HT package for the TV room. Anything high end will be out of the question for several years and what I am looking at are something in the $400-500 range.

The only componets that will be connected will be a DVD player, VCR, Gamecube, and a PC Jukebox I'm playing with. I doubt I'll even use headphones with it as I use cans mostly at work or through the jack on my tape deck which is mostly used as a headphone amp these days.

I'm looking mostly at systems by Onkyo, Yamaha, and JVC and honestly because they come in black (I hate silver plastic and unfortuanately I will be looking at this system more than listening to it, so looks will matter.) As it will be used almost exclusively for movies, background music, gamecube sound, I'm not looking for the ultimate audio experience, just something that hopefully won't make be wanna puke if I put in my favorite Alison Krauss or Earl Klugh CD while doing my taxes or typing a report for work.

So do any of you have any experiece with these packages, (particularly the brands I've mentioned)?

Your experience is appreciated. - AR

 

[ooheadsoo]

That's a tough budget to work with, but I would still stay away from a boxed kit. If you can wait for fry's/outpost to go on sale again, and you can get slim floorstanders for the front speakers, you can nab the Polk R30 for $100 (+tax and maybe shipping if you don't have a local fry's.) This speakers is normally around $220+ish. This will save you money on getting bookshelves for fronts because you can postpone your subwoofer purchase with these speakers given the right room. I don't need a sub for an adequate HT experience in my room since it gives me plenty of low end response down to the mid 30hz range. A sub that will significantly beat that by a meaningful margin will eat up your entire budget. For the rest of the speakers, when Fry's/outpost.com goes on sale, you can get the Polk R15 for $50/pr. This speaker is normally $100+ish, I think. If you can't do the R30 on the front, get the R15 all the way around and get a used sub off of audiogon or something. I would recommend a 10" driver size or larger, but for your budget, and not diy, I don't think there's anything that great in the $100 range. For a receiver, perhaps try to get a panasonic XR-10, which can be had in the <$200 range on ebay/audiogon when you can find it.

IMO, you can go without a center with the R30 to save money especially if you don't plan on having a large group spread out all over the place when watching a movie all the time. The imaging on the R30 is halfway decent, really.

4 channel
Floorstander route:
R30 - $100
R15 - $50
Panasonic SA-XR10 - $150
Tax - ~$24
Subtotal - $324
With shipping - ~$364

6 channel floorstander (another pair of R15 for center and rear surround)
Floorstander route:
R30 - $100
R15 x2 - $100
Panasonic SA-XR10 - $150
Tax - ~$28
Subtotal - $378
With shipping - ~$428

All Bookshelves 6 channel
R15 x3 - $150
Subwoofer (Dayton 10"?) - $130
Panasonic SA-XR10 - $150
Tax - ~$34
Subtotal - $464
With shipping - ~$524

If it were me, having heard the bass extension of the R30 and suspecting poor performance from <$350+ subwoofers, I would not go for a subwoofer route on this budget if I could avoid it.

If you have a local fry's you can get the cherry finish on sale. On outpost, usually on the black oak goes on sale. Either way, these speakers are going to beat the pants off of any home theater in a box or kit that you will be able to afford at this price. Probably even a few times this price.

Now, I think the panasonic receiver is silver. I'm using a cheap JVC for the time being and it is more than adequate, so if you find some amazing deal, go for it.

MSRP on the polk R30 is $399 and MSRP on the R15 is $179. You can look them up on polkaudio.com. The R15 in black is available right now from outpost.com for $50. http://shop3.outpost.com/product/329...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
I prefer the cherry myself, but...
The R30 is not currently on sale ($240 for the black, $200 for the cherry at outpost. Circuit city is selling the R30 for $399 right now.)

P.S. I may have underestimated the shipping costs.

 

[bundee1]

AV123.com has their Onix Rocket Tykes 5.1/Kenwood VR7100 digital receiver combo for $499. That should fit your bill except the receiver is silver.

 

[swiego]

I own and have sold several people on the Hsu Research Ventriloquist VT-12 speaker system. This is a 6 speaker system, including center, that is simply fantastic for the price of $200. Pair it with the receiver/player that fits the remainder of the budget, then look for an affordable subwoofer when funds permit. You'll get incredible sound in a package that is likely to stay "in the family" for a long time. I rarely see these things for sale on the used market, and I can tell you why: they're so good, you have to pay quite a bit more to beat them.

No, I don't work for Hsu, but I'll advertise for them anyway. That's how satisfied I am with their stuff....

 

[ooheadsoo]

I'm hesitant on the 2.5" driver plus 8" sub idea, but the hsu sub isn't bad. For the ventriloquist, you need to buy the sub in order to get the $200 deal. I went to hsu's research and heard the ventriloquist a couple years ago and it wasn't bad at all. Don't look as nice as the polks though. If space is a concern, it might be a great choice.

 

[Audio Redneck]

This is one of those smaller is better situations. The speakers will need to sit on top of or inside of the cabinet that holds the system/tv. The doors on it can fold all the way back, but they will cover/block speakers on the (out)sides (the Sansui's are big/wide enough its not much of an issue -but that's why this is happening: they are too big being 7-way speakers with 15" woofers).

Again, this is why I was looking at a package as a solution.

Thanks for your suggestions guys. I'm already looking some of them over. Any other recs on a low end receiver in black?

 

[ooheadsoo]

Preorder for new JVC digital receiver: http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4026165