All-in-one HT electronics only

[ju10503]

Hi. I'm helping a friend who wants to simplify his gear. He has 2 fronts and a center speaker, and doesn't want anymore, so all that is needed is a one box electronics solution. Basically HTIB minus the speakers.

So far, I've seen the following. Not all do more than 2 speakers:

http://nadelectronics.com/products/av-receivers/VISO-TWO-DVD/CD-Receiver
http://nadelectronics.com/products/av-receivers/VISO-FIVE-DVD/CD-Surround-Sound-Receiver
http://nadelectronics.com/products/av-receivers/L73-DVD-A/V-Receiver
http://www.aprilmusic.com/main/sub02_01_01.html
http://www.aprilmusic.com/main/sub02_01_02.html
http://www.hometheatermag.com/hometheaterinabox/607onksr800/ (comes with speakers)

[BMXTRIX]

I will say, that IMO, this is stupid.

It's 1960s thinking instead of 2009 thinking.

If you need the system to be easy to use, then get a remote that actually makes it easy to use and buy gear which will be reliable enough to last for the next 10+ years and retain that simplicity of use throughout all those years.

There are plenty of top shelf remotes avaialble including the ones from URC and Harmony as well as a long list from other manufacturers and incredibly reliable (and smart) remotes from Crestron/AMX which could fit needs of simplicity.

Then you get a solid A/V receiver - doesn't have to be expensive, just reliable.

Add to that the cable/satellite box (required) for TV and a Blu-ray disc player of decent quality.

One button: TV or Blu-ray and you are watching exactly what you want to without any additional issues related to turning things on/off or switching to the correct input.

The biggest thing is that with any all-in-one system, if the DVD player/Blu-ray player breaks, then you have to send the ENTIRE system out for repair instead of the one thing that needs to be fixed.

It doesn't simplify things if the TV still needs inputs changed, and power turned on/off and inputs aligned, and now you add an additional point of failure and aggrevation.

It does work if all someone wants is a cheap small system with the associated headaches.

[Seth=L]

Some people really want it all in one box, regardless of how simple or complicated it is. I agree that it's inferior in most all cases, but people are overly concerned with aesthetics and appearences these days. Bose thrives on this exact kind of mentality. Luckily we aren't dealing with Bose in this thread though.:)

[ski2xblack]

The NAD pieces should be inexpensive right now. If you must go this route, I would get the Viso5. That and the L73 are the only ones listed which do 5.1. The Viso is designed for table top placement, where the L73's more conventional chassis is suited for normal shelf placement. Both lack the powerdrive amps, but they should perform on par with any entry level AV receiver.

A few years ago I bought one of the L53's for my folks. It's actually a nice sounding peice of gear, for what it is, but it has begun to show bizarre behavior with the disc mechanism. Audio-wise, it is a solid performer, doesn't really commit any major sins, and has good aesthetics.

Given that these less expensive pieces (the NADs, that is) are a performance compromise (although they may suffice quite nicely in a smaller room), added to the reliability issues I've faced, I would only pick one up at clearance sale prices if I were you. Check AudioAdvisor or other authorized online NAD dealers, I've seen them on sale lately.

I'm not sold on the Aura Note stuff. For that amount of coin you can get into really outstanding gear, with likely far better values available.

[ju10503]

I will say, that IMO, this is stupid.

It's 1960s thinking instead of 2009 thinking.
...

I have a different, less intolerant take on this and life in general. I don't seek to impose my opinions on people. It is for a friend. It his his money, his house, and his aesthetics, and I can respect that. I wouldn't choose this, but, again, it isn't for me. What I'm trying to do is help him get the best product for his money, given his preferences, not to dictate to him what he should do. Oh, and IMHO is always better than IMO.

[pzaur]

I agree with BMXTRIX on this one. If one part of the "all-in-one" component fails your buddy will have to replace the entire thing. It would be cheaper to buy the pieces separate than spend extravagant amounts of money for a single exotic/esoteric/high-end unit.

If he's worried about sipmlicity, buy all the components (AVR and DVD player) from the same company. The universal remote that comes with the AVR will most likely (99% of the time) be programmed to work the DVD player of the same brand.

-pat

[anamorphic96]

I have a different, less intolerant take on this and life in general. I don't seek to impose my opinions on people. It is for a friend. It his his money, his house, and his aesthetics, and I can respect that. I wouldn't choose this, but, again, it isn't for me. What I'm trying to do is help him get the best product for his money, given his preferences, not to dictate to him what he should do. Oh, and IMHO is always better than IMO.

Then talk some sense into your friend and make him realize the benefits of two matched componets.;):)

All in one units will fail and then your whole system is in for repair or needs to be replaced.

Something like the Onkyo TX-SR507 and an Onkyo DVD player will match and let you control the system with one remote if you like. Plus if one componet fails then you replace that componet and not the system.

You can go this matched componet route with all the major companies.

[BMXTRIX]

I have a different, less intolerant take on this and life in general. I don't seek to impose my opinions on people. It is for a friend. It his his money, his house, and his aesthetics, and I can respect that. I wouldn't choose this, but, again, it isn't for me. What I'm trying to do is help him get the best product for his money, given his preferences, not to dictate to him what he should do. Oh, and IMHO is always better than IMO.
You aren't trying to help him get the best product for his money with your experience, you are letting him be manipulated by marketing to pick a product which is ill conceived and universally of lower overall quality and reliability instead of helping him to achieve a product which truly is a better overall value and quality prospect.

While you may not appreciate my experience on this, it is not even my opinion. This is ten years of installation based upon fact and customer after customer who has complained, whined, and openly been hostile about their own poor decision. So, not IMO, or IMHO, it is IME, this decision is stupid. It's the decision of someone who knows little about A/V and the failure of disc mechanisms and is setting themselves up to be aggrevated instead of actually getting a product which marries the best of the technologies they are looking for.

A decent receiver, a well built DVD player, and a universal remote that can control everything 100% without headaches.

Whether your friend wants that advice or not, it would be silly not to at least put the knowledge of experience out there.

Very similar: Good friends don't let good friends buy Bose.

Make sure your friend understand the true headache and the lack of ease he is setting himself up for. What he is buying is aesthetics without convenience or necessarily quality.

[anamorphic96]

You aren't trying to help him get the best product for his money with your experience, you are letting him be manipulated by marketing to pick a product which is ill conceived and universally of lower overall quality and reliability instead of helping him to achieve a product which truly is a better overall value and quality prospect.

While you may not appreciate my experience on this, it is not even my opinion. This is ten years of installation based upon fact and customer after customer who has complained, whined, and openly been hostile about their own poor decision. So, not IMO, or IMHO, it is IME, this decision is stupid. It's the decision of someone who knows little about A/V and the failure of disc mechanisms and is setting themselves up to be aggrevated instead of actually getting a product which marries the best of the technologies they are looking for.

A decent receiver, a well built DVD player, and a universal remote that can control everything 100% without headaches.

Whether your friend wants that advice or not, it would be silly not to at least put the knowledge of experience out there.

Very similar: Good friends don't let good friends buy Bose.

Make sure your friend understand the true headache and the lack of ease he is setting himself up for. What he is buying is aesthetics without convenience or necessarily quality.

Nicely put. Lets hope he gets the picture.

[ju10503]

Ok, so I see the majority of this is fairly pointless. I'll look elsewhere thanks, and not to spoil people feeling like they are very clever, but nothing in this thread is news to me or anyone who has researched the issue for more than half an hour. So, not impressive at all.

[agarwalro]

Hi. I'm helping a friend who wants to simplify his gear. He has 2 fronts and a center speaker, and doesn't want anymore, so all that is needed is a one box electronics solution. Basically HTIB minus the speakers.

I believe that Bose 321 will be a perfect solution for your friend.

Irrespective of what people say about the cost vs quaility of the product, as far as simplifying things is concerned, it does not get any better.