$600 to spend at Bestbuy - speaker help.

[Shortsord]

My brother just got a $600 gift certificate to bestbuy. He's been wanting to get a HT system for a while, and I think that this is going to be his best time to do it.

So, I need help. Budget is $600 that must be spent at bestbuy plus I'd be willing to throw in around $200 additionally to be spent wherever.

His main room is small, maybe 14x18. I figure at that size, a subwoofer isn't necessary to begin with, though I'm open to opinions, if he gets a pair of floor-standing fronts, which he really wants. Music more than movies, though not by much, and music will be acoustic and elctro while movies will be a mix of sound effects and spoken word.

To sum it up, $600 at best buy + $200+/- elsewhere for two fronts, preferably floor-standing, two rears, and a good center, and a receiver. Small room, but impressive and immersive sound is important for him.

Thanks a lot for any help at all.

 

[Matt34]

That's a tough one. $800 isn't going to get you much especially with Best Buy's weak selection.

I think the JBL floorstanders with probably give you the best sound. Since he is more concerned about music than movies, get the best mains you can and add the center, rears and sub later as money comes in.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7706495&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03044&id=1138085816079
$199 each

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7694122&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03031&id=1138083770470
$299
This or the Panasonic.

So $700 for your mains and a decent receiver. That leaves plenty for interconnects.

 

[j_garcia]

14x18 I would want a sub.

 

[Sheep]

Take that 200 to Circuit City and buy as many Infinity Primus 150s as you can. Use the 600 from BB for a receiver, and maybe a sub if theres anything decent.

SheepStar

 

[Shortsord]

Well, I guess I'd be willing to go up to $300 extra, and I figured that could get a fairly good receiver outside of bestbuy, so that the speakers could all fall under his gift card. Or vice versa, I guess.

Cables and connects don't matter, as I've got tons lying around my place.


I figured no subwoofer for now, as he could upgrade to that when he has the money, or maybe as a christmas present. Besides, getting a fairly good sub would knock out half of that gift card as it is.

Thanks a lot.

Edit:// What about this, since everyone seems to be down on bestbuys selection(obviously). Getting these(http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7706388&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03044&id=1138085815844) better JBLs with the gift card and then using my 300 to get a nice yamaha off of ubid? I spoke with my brother, and he'd be fine with something like this, as long as he had a clear upgrade path. Any thoughts?

 

[Matt34]

Will the gift card work in a Magnolia store?

 

[Shortsord]

Nope, it specifically says so on the back. A major bummer.

 

[Matt34]

I think those JBl's are the best thing he's going to fine at Best Buy then.

They also sell the insigna's at BB so he may want to check those out. Could get an entire 7.0 setup plus a receiver with the $600. Use your $300 for a sub ie. BIC H-100, X-sub etc.

 

[Shortsord]

Ok -Update.

I found a decent deal and bought him an Onkyo 604, more than I wanted to spend, but just barely. So a decent receiver is out of the way.

For his $600 gc, is there anything worth it quality wise at bestbuy, sans magnolia?
Does anybody have experience with that JBL series worth talking about?
If they're ok, I figure starting him out with those and a Klipsch center would be good, and he could pitch in to get some of the matching JBL rears. A sub could come later.

But would this be worth it at all? I don't want to buy the gc off him, as I don't know what I could get at bestbuy really(maybe a new dishwasher?), but if the Bestbuy JBL or Klipsch options really suck, I guess I could do that and get him some online set. I really want to avoid that, though.

Thanks a lot, all.

 

[rikmeister]

the center must match the mains. must be same timber

so a klipsch center with jbl speakers is a no no. will sound terrible.

 

[Seth=L]

You should timbre match all front speakers. So if you get JBL left and rights get a JBL center.

 

[WmAx]

Sell the $600 Gift Card on Ebay for $500-$530. Use the money to buy much better value equipment else where.

-Chris

 

[Seth=L]

That is the "Best" idea I have heard yet.

 

[Shortsord]

Alright, I know when to accept defeat. I think I'll just buy the card off of him and get a new dishwasher for the miss. It will at least make getting a new power supply for my amps easier. *sigh*


So, with the 604 already, what would you recommend for a nice 5.1 setup for $600? Floortstandings are what he wants for fronts, but at this point I think he'll live without them. He'll probably have to, at any point.

Thanks for all the help guys.