Denon/Polk Audio HT v Yamaha/Speakercraft or Niles HT?

[cookster]

Help - I think we've researched ourselves into a corner! We've been courting several retailers and installers and have narrowed it down to 3 options but have now gotten a bit stuck in making the final decision. Your opinions will make a difference!

Background: We have a small room that we want to use for a movie room that converts to a guest bedroom and want to put a 92" screen + projector + receiver + DVD + inwall speakers for front and in-ceiling rears + 8" sub. Rooms Dimensions are 2.7m (9ft) wide x 4.5m (15ft) long. There is a wardrobe at the rear which foreshortens the room to 4.1m (13.5ft) and at which point the projector can be centrally ceiling mounted. Plus the door is also at the rear of the room.

Our primary usage will be to watch DVDs with some music listening. We've committed to a Panasonic LCD PTAX100 projector and have been recommended the following to fit roughly within our budget/720p 5.1 stealth system brief:

Option 1
HT Receiver Denon 3806
In-walls-Front Polk LC265i
In-ceiling-Rear Polk RC80i
DVD Denon 2910
Subwoofer Polk 303 8"

Option 2
Yamaha RX-V1600
Speakercraft AIM LCR 1
Speakercraft CSR8
Sony RDRHX820
AudioPro 1.28

Option 3
Yamaha RX-V1600
Niles Audio HD8
Niles Audio HD rears
Panasonic DMREH65GNS
Velodyne 8" sub

I'm really keen to get the best performance out of standard DVDs right now within budget constraints hence the bet on 720p Panasonic projector and think we need everything else to fall in line to deliver on that.

So, for the size of room and intended usage, which would deliver a 'wow' result?

 

[jcPanny]

HT room

Cook,
Looks like you have picked some good options for the video. When selecting the rest of the components, keep in mind that the electronics, speakers, and sub can be from different manufacturers.

First, for your application go with a quality receiver w/out HDMI like the Yamaha RX-V659 for about $400. Get an Oppo digital upscalling DVD player or maybe HD-DVD as your main source and connect video directly to the PJ and audio to the receiver.

For quality sound from in-walls you will cost more than comparably performing bookshelf speakers. Check out the on-wall speakers from Axiom Audio for a compromise of asthetics and performance.

There are some high quality inwalls including speakercraft, triad, niles, and RBH Sound.
Check out the 10" subs from internet direct companies like SVS, HSU, and Onix (AV123.com). I recently got the SVS SB-12 Plus which is a good compromise of small size, asthetics (14" square and real wood veneer) and performance. Vello also makes some great small subs.

Good luck on the new HT.

 

[JonBaker99]

There are only a couple of product in your list that I can personally say I've used. The speakerCraft ones being part of it. If it were my money and you were going to use option 2, use AIM MT7-3 (Fronts and Center) and AIM 7-3 (Rear Channels) for the speakers instead of LCR-1s and CRS8. I've got these models side by side in my show room and they sound far superior for about the same price.

Definitly invest in a better sub.

 

[BMXTRIX]

A good sub is a good sub is a good sub... and it matters a lot. 8" is just to small IMO for almost any room just because you won't get the lowest notes. It isn't about playing LOUD - it is about playing low and accurate and easily jumps out as the biggest failing point of the system.

Now, obviously you are committed to the lack of sound quality that in-wall speakers deliver for the money... or are you? Generally speaking, a bookshelf speaker will deliver better audio for the same amount of money. If the system MUST be stealth, then in-walls are the way to go, but someone should point out that they will sound worse most often for your money.

Really, the speakers all seem to be fine as they are reputable manufacturers and will have similar qualities. The more you spend, the more you'll get with those guys.

The receiver, as has been pointed out, seems to be silly. If you have some really nice floor standing speakers than these receivers make a lot of sense, but you can get buy with a $500 or so receiver and get very high quality. If you want HDMI switching added to your system... Monoprice.com has 5x1 HDMI switching for under 150 bucks!

I would:
1. Remove the overkill A/V recceiver and put in something more appropriate.
2. Use the $$$ saved from the receiver towards a subwoofer that can actually be a subwoofer.
3. Consider going with bookshelf speakers over in-walls for improved audio quality... if possible.

Where's the screen?

 

[cookster]

This is brilliant getting all this feedback! In answer to the 'where is the screen' we're unsure on that front. We're looking at a mid-range 92" manual pull down with gain +1, white. The options available to us here in NZ are Grandview, Tasman Screens, Elite Screens, Oceania. I didn't include these as I figured they may be a bit Southern Hemisphere-specific?