HiFi system to fill out living room in college townhouse.

[Pbm3303]

Budget is flexible but ideally under $600

Preference is for high quality sound to entertain full house without causing noise violations. Volume not priority.

 

[markw]

Two channel stereo of multi-channel home theatre?

 

[Pbm3303]

Probably. We dont need the surround quality as it probably wont be hooked up to a TV/Theater system. Just filling a large room without being too loud anywhere. High quality over volume.

 

[markw]

Probably. We dont need the surround quality as it probably wont be hooked up to a TV/Theater system. Just filling a large room without being too loud anywhere. High quality over volume.

this sounds like you want a receiver that can handle more than one pair of speakers. Consider that you want at least two speakers and an amp. If you want coverage of a large area, you'll need more than one pair of speakers. If quality is your main concern, that $500 won't go very far.

Assuming one pair of good quality speakers, these would be great.

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html

You can drive them with this, which can handle two pairs of speakers if one isn't enough.

http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-RX-4105-2-Channel-Remote-Controlled-Receiver/dp/B0002EPWC0

That's about $100 under budget. For that $100 you can find a pair of lesser quality speakers if you wish.

Or, you could go for four of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Two-way-Bookshelf-Satellite/dp/B0045NCB32/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1438454549&sr=1-9&keywords=bookshelf+speakers

 

[Pbm3303]

Thank you for all off the feedback. Where would these fit in to those suggestions just as they are close and obviously a bit off full price. https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ele/5100948504.html

 

[agarwalro]

Preference is for high quality sound to entertain full house without causing noise violations. Volume not priority.

Does not compute? Pulling up my two decade old college memories, the priorities were, Loud, Bass, Loud bass . Seriously though... $600 is enough for a decent college setup, mine was a hand me down freebie that I bequeathed to the next person .

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ele/5100948504.html

You gotta ask yourself, do you really want to buy from someone who wears (or dates someone) wearing Uggs?! That stuff is crap and not worth $450 new.

(I'm assuming you're mainly pushing digital audio from a computer.)
So, here are my picks.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LSR308

 

[Pbm3303]

or these https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ele/5144550199.html would they come in as a better deal then the above as it would be similar price? Or if volume isnt the problem I have found an acountimass 5 for a similar price.

 

[Pbm3303]

Haha I agree. I am tempted to go for big base but As its a townhouse that makes it much easier to piss off neighbors.

 

[markw]

I would go for the Denon. Hopefully, some surround speakers come with it.

If you get the Bose speakers, there are only two teeny tiny speakers and the far end of the room won't get the sound. ...and you'll have to buy a receiver to drive them.

The trick to evenly dispersed sound is several speakers playing softly as opposed to one pair playing loud enough to fill the entire room. Those by the speakers will have a lot of spound while those at the other side might mot hear it as well.

 

[zieglj01]

or these https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ele/5144550199.html would they come in as a better deal then the above as it would be similar price? Or if volume isnt the problem I have found an acountimass 5 for a similar price.

The Boston speakers would be nice - however, the subwoofer would be the weak link

Skip the Acoustimass 5

 

[herbu]

The trick to evenly dispersed sound is several speakers playing softly as opposed to one pair playing loud enough to fill the entire room.

Agree. And with that in mind, why not an AVR played in All Channel Stereo with 4 speakers?
This is a refurbished Denon, 5.1 w/ 75wpc for $149, (and a 1 year warranty).
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavr1513/denon-avr-1513-5.1ch-home-theater-receiver-3d-ready/1.html

That would leave $450 for 4 speakers... and I'll let those w/ more knowledge about budget speakers give their suggestions.

The AVR would also allow for expanded usage, like plugging in a phone to play your music and plugging in the TV for MUCH improved sound.

BTW... where are you? Somebody here may have some old stuff to unload.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Does not compute? Pulling up my two decade old college memories, the priorities were, Loud, Bass, Loud bass . Seriously though... $600 is enough for a decent college setup, mine was a hand me down freebie that I bequeathed to the next person .
You gotta ask yourself, do you really want to buy from someone who wears (or dates someone) wearing Uggs?! That stuff is crap and not worth $450 new.

(I'm assuming you're mainly pushing digital audio from a computer.)
So, here are my picks.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LSR308

Agree, jbl lsr308 and some small mixer with usb input is what you need

 

[herbu]

Agree, jbl lsr308 and some small mixer with usb input is what you need

Wouldn't that limit his usage?
2 of those speakers would be ~$500. So he'd have 2 speakers and still have to provide a separate source, (ie. phone or computer).

With the AVR, he would have Pandora and all the internet sources, plus TV, still be able to plug in a separate source, and have $450 for speakers. He could still get 2 of the JBL Monitors, (almost), or could get 4X something else.

What would be the advantage of a "small mixer with usb input"?

 

[Ponzio]

BTW... where are you? Somebody here may have some old stuff to unload.

good idea. I bet half the people here are audiophile hoarders, like myself. I currently have 7 AVR's and only employ 4. the Dept. of War is not amused.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Wouldn't that limit his usage?
2 of those speakers would be ~$500. So he'd have 2 speakers and still have to provide a separate source, (ie. phone or computer).

With the AVR, he would have Pandora and all the internet sources, plus TV, still be able to plug in a separate source, and have $450 for speakers. He could still get 2 of the JBL Monitors, (almost), or could get 4X something else.

What would be the advantage of a "small mixer with usb input"?

It's better to get two good speakers, rather than more features.

Mixer with digital input is obviously a dac plus volume control

 

[herbu]

It's better to get two good speakers, rather than more features.

BSA, I'm with you on that. But the OP said he wanted to fill the room w/o being too loud in one place. As Mark pointed out, it's hard to do that w/ 2 speakers.

So I think Pbm3303 has a decision to make. Better quality w/ 2 speakers, or more evenly dispersed room-filling sound w/ 4 speakers.

When you're on a tight budget, there are always compromise decisions to make. This is one of them. Another one is limiting his system utility to a phone or computer input and 2 speakers, or providing for TV, Bluray/CD player, internet music, and multiple speakers. Decisions... decisions... decisions.