Newbie - $1500 for AVR and Speaker

[nycmusicman]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie and I've got a little cash to treat myself to my 1st real home theater set up. I'm hoping that some of the more experienced on this forum will be willing to offer any advice or thoughts. My budget for a receiver & Speakers is $1500.

My room is 12 feet by 18 feet with the screen and speakers on the long wall.
40% music / 60% movie watching and I listen mostly to classical, a little jazz and rock.

After reading a lot over the last month I'm thinking about investing in:

Yamaha RX-V673 7.2-Channel Network AV Receiver $475
Klipsch RF-42 II Reference Series 5.1 $1145

From what I have read I am anticipating that the sub will be the main issue for many of you. This speaker set is on a deal at buy.com and I can't seem to find anywhere to buy them separately at the same price in order to add a more specialist sub like HSU etc.
I also expect some folks may have alternative suggestions for receivers.

Once again thank you in advance for any tips or thoughts you guys have and I can't wait for the first time I sit down with everything tweaked and ready to go!

NYCMusician

[hizzaah]

Is the room enclosed or open to other rooms? The klipsch are gonna be pretty decent speakers, but you're right, most people here would recommend a different sub.

Are you set on having a 5.1 right away or would you be open to say starting with a nice 2.1 and adding pieces as budget allows? Do you listen to multichannel audio regularly?

For an awesome 2.1 system you won't be able to beat this Focal 814v pair ($750), HSU VTF2.4 sub ($520) and the Denon 1912 receiver ($350 refurb).


With a 1500 overall budget, I'd say cutting back in the receiver area would be a good idea. You don't need to devote 1/3 of the whole budget to it if you want better 5.1 options right away

Edit: $1145 isn't a terrible deal on the klipsch. They're priced individually on amazon

300 for fronts (x2)
300 for center
240 for surrounds (x2)

Maybe buy the deal, sell the sub when you get it and buy another sub if you really like the Klipsch

[ImcLoud]

I am not a fan of Klipsch speakers, and you are correct about that sub....

I would start from scratch, for $1500 look into the Pioneer series 2's {$450 or so}, with a decent Denon from A4L {$300 or so}, and an HSU sub VTF2 $583....

If you don't like the pioneers you can step up to a really good bookshelf system from Ascend {cbm170 fronts with a decent surround like the fluant bipoles for around $600 for all 5}....

but look around and go take a listen to the pioneers they are very easy to audition {BEST BUY stores}....

[AcuDefTechGuy]

AVR: Denon 3312 Amazon Open Box (Not Refurbished, Denon will give 3yr warranty for Open Box from Amazon) for $585 delivered.
Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Denon AVR3312CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver

Speakers: NHT SuperZero x 5 = $500 delivered (30-day home trial).
http://www.nhthifi.com/Bookshelf-speaker-SuperZero-2-0

Sub: SVS PB1000 for $500 delivered.
http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/po...0#.UMn_MWt5mSM

[nycmusicman]

Thanks to you guys that replied.

Hizzah: After doing some listening today I think I'm happy to go with a 2.1 or a 3.1 and in answer to your question my living room is enclosed.

ImcLoud: Went to Best Buy but they didn't have the Pioneers.

AcuDefTechGuy: How will those bookshelf speakers perform with classical music?

So today is my day off and I went to JR in Manhattan to do some listening. Unfortunately they have given half of the audio floor over to dj equipment and the guys that worked there seemed pretty bummed about it - It was a pretty poor set up they have now. I managed to listen to a pair of Klipsch RF 52's with Yamaha receiver but wasn't that impressed.

Next I went to Best Buy on the Upper West Side and the guy was very helpful. They didn't have the Pioneers suggested by ImcLoud but his suggestion for my price range was Energy CF -50's. I listened to the CF-50's & 70's. They got harsh at higher volumes and they were very mid-range heavy. For example: a piece by Richard Strauss has a French Horn solo coming out of the texture but the flute accompaniment was lost.
What I did realize is that a 3.1 system would be great for me for for now. So I've spent the rest of the day researching and reading this and other online forums.


So this is what I'm thinking at the moment following Hizzah's advice of spending less on the receiver. (Unless $300 is too much of a downgrade??)

Focal 814v pair and FOCAL CC814V - $1100 delivered.
Bic America Formula F-12 - $200 delivered
Denon refurb from A4L - Approx $300
Total - $1600

Or if I buy the Energy speakers front 3 from Best Buy
CF-70 x2 ($279ea) & CC-10 ($319)
I could upgrade the sub to a HSU STF-2. ($362)
Total with receiver $1539

Any thoughts, suggestions or hints are again greatly welcomed for a newbie trying to find his way through all of the options!

[hizzaah]

I think the BIC would be disappointing to go with the Focals. In your position, I would go with 2.1 and add the center later. They'll be able to create a phantom center effect on their own. Then devote the extra 300 to the sub. The Focals originally listed for $1800 and are a really good deal on close out price. Get a sub to match and you'll be blown away

[zieglj01]

Focal 814v pair and FOCAL CC814V - $1100 delivered.
Bic America Formula F-12 - $200 delivered
Denon refurb from A4L - Approx $300
Total - $1600

Or if I buy the Energy speakers front 3 from Best Buy
CF-70 x2 ($279ea) & CC-10 ($319)
I could upgrade the sub to a HSU STF-2. ($362)
Total with receiver $1539

Any thoughts, suggestions or hints are again greatly welcomed for a newbie trying to find his way through all of the options!

Focal is a good one - skip the Bic sub, there are better options,
even if you have to save-up for the sub

Also some Focal bookshelves, with a good price here
http://www.dedicatedaudio.com/inc/sdetail/34397

[AcuDefTechGuy]

AcuDefTechGuy: How will those bookshelf speakers perform with classical music?

Yes. I think the NHT perform great with classical music. They are pretty great when you have subs that are great from 20Hz-120Hz. I would set the XO to 100-120Hz for the SuperZero.

The Focal speakers are great too.

But those NHT are great. They also have the 30 day trial with free shipping.

[BoredSysAdmin]

Yes. I think the NHT perform great with classical music. They are pretty great when you have subs that are great from 20Hz-120Hz. I would set the XO to 100-120Hz for the SuperZero.

The Focal speakers are great too.

But those NHT are great. They also have the 30 day trial with free shipping.

5 identical speakers are more than great for music - it's actually the ideal setup for surround music - and yes - there are surround sacd/dvd-a disks with classical music

Amazon.com: DVD Audio - Classical: Music

[sholling]

If it were me I'd start with a pair of Ascend Acoustics' excellent CMT-340SE speakers for $608 shipped.

Outlaw Audio has their LFM-1 Plus subwoofer on sale for $500 with free shipping.

Add a factory refurbished Onkyo TX-NR709 receiver for $450 plus shipping and you're only $50 over budget and will have a kick butt 2.1 system. Add a CMT-340SE center and CBM-170SE (or HTM-200) as surrounds when money allows.

If you must have 5.1 you could substitute five Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE bookshelves ($750 shipped), use the same subwoofer ($500 shipped), and a refurbished Denon AVR-1713 for $330 and be about $100 over budget. I would start with the 2.1 option and build on that as money allows but this would still be a really nice system.