4K Options Suggestions

[Chadd Bock]

Hello All,

I am new here and I’m trying to sort through what my best options will be for a new sound system.

I currently live in an apartment in California and I recently bought a new 4K Samsung TV and my goal is to be able to upgrade my sound system with a 4K receiver so I can have the ability to have 4K with components that pass through the receiver.

Currently I have a Sony sound bar and subwoofer that has a receiver and hdmi connections. I have been looking at the new Bose lifestyle 650 which would offer this plus the rear speakers are wireless which is nice. The problem is, it’s super expensive as I am sure you all know.

I wanted to check here with you experts to see what you thought about mismatching a system or what you thought the best way of going about this would be. What kind of receiver should I go for and what speakers are best to pair with it that might be better or more cost impactive than the boss unit. I don’t necessarily need anything crazy but I don’t want to spend my money on something I will regret later.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Ok, so $4k is "super expensive", what is your realistic budget target?
Knowing the size of your entertainment/living room would also help in sizing the system.
It's hard to say for sure if you could reuse any current components, but unfortunately, in most cases of Soundbars & HTIB, the answer is no.

 

[Chadd Bock]

Alright. Super expensive was probably a bad way to describe the boss system. It’s not necessarily super expensive. It just seems expensive for what you get and I understand that better quality equipment can be had by piecing a system together.

My living room is 13X18. Here is a picture of what we are looking at. Budget wise, I don’t really know. If it’s goung to cast 3k it’s understandable. I just want to make sure I get the best bang for my buck.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

One option would be this:
Speakers: Hybrid 5.1 system with VTF-1 Mk2 sub : http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hybrid1pkg.html
AVR: https://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVRX3400H-Channel-Network-Receiver/dp/B072Z9ZGSZ/ref=dp_ob_title_ce?dpID=41Km75L9HkL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail
If you don't mind open box, you could save a bit buying it ElectronicExpo or Amazon Warehouse deals - both cases you'd get full 3 years official Denon warranty. Keep in mind any refub - you only get 1 year.

You'll need some cables: order them from Monoprice.com or if you like extra fancy from BJC (especially if you need longer HDMI cables, like over 25ft)

 

[Chadd Bock]

One option would be this:
Speakers: Hybrid 5.1 system with VTF-1 Mk2 sub : http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hybrid1pkg.html
AVR: https://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVRX3400H-Channel-Network-Receiver/dp/B072Z9ZGSZ/ref=dp_ob_title_ce?dpID=41Km75L9HkL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail
If you don't mind open box, you could save a bit buying it ElectronicExpo or Amazon Warehouse deals - both cases you'd get full 3 years official Denon warranty. Keep in mind any refub - you only get 1 year.

You'll need some cables: order them from Monoprice.com or if you like extra fancy from BJC (especially if you need longer HDMI cables, like over 25ft)

Awesome. Thank you very much for the reply. I will look into these.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Awesome. Thank you very much for the reply. I will look into these.

I don't know how far are you from Anaheim, CA, but if you're nearby - you could stop by their factory/store and listen to their speakers. Dr. Shu is very nice guy. I had pleasure to meet him at AH GTG 2012.

 

[lovinthehd]

The system BSA recommends is far better than anything Bose offers. SVS also offers sub/speaker packages that are very nice as does RSL. That said, there's no particular reason to have speakers and subs from same brand. Accessories4less.com is a good alternative for receiver shopping, and sometimes speakers, too...not so much for subs.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

The system BSA recommends is far better than anything Bose offers. SVS also offers sub/speaker packages that are very nice as does RSL. That said, there's no particular reason to have speakers and subs from same brand. Accessories4less.com is a good alternative for receiver shopping, and sometimes speakers, too...not so much for subs.

AC4L is a solid source, but If OP is interested in 4k HDR etc..., latest model (vs last year model) is the way to go in this case. Agreed on mixing sub and speakers - it doesn't have to match, it's just HSU subs are nearly unmatched in terms of value/performance and their bookshelf speakers are nice too. I personally would take HSU HB-1 over SVS Prime bookshelf. That said Elac Debut 2.0 sounds promising so far, but it's a bit too early to say for sure. NHT is another solid speakers brand, but no so much for subs.

 

[lovinthehd]

AC4L is a solid source, but If OP is interested in 4k HDR etc..., latest model (vs last year model) is the way to go in this case. Agreed on mixing sub and speakers - it doesn't have to match, it's just HSU subs are nearly unmatched in terms of value/performance and their bookshelf speakers are nice too. I personally would take HSU HB-1 over SVS Prime bookshelf. That said Elac Debut 2.0 sounds promising so far, but it's a bit too early to say for sure. NHT is another solid speakers brand, but no so much for subs.

Is there a difference in 4k/hdr/hdmi feature set between 3300 and 3400 Denons? I thought they were the same in that respect, that HEOS was the difference.

Otherwise just throwing some more options out there.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Is there a difference in 4k/hdr/hdmi feature set between 3300 and 3400 Denons? I thought they were the same in that respect, that HEOS was the difference.

Otherwise just throwing some more options out there.

According to Denon comparison tool:
HDMI Outputs: 1 vs 2
HDMI: 3D/4K/CEC/ARC/InstaPrevue [-] vs [V]
HLG/Dolby Vision [-] vs [V]
DTS:X is an update for 3300w, but standard for 3400h
also, these music streaming services listed as supported on 3400h:
Amazon Music / TIDAL / Deezer / iHeart Radio / Napster / Soundcloud / Mood Mix

Dolby Vision is probably biggest one if you care about HDR, while HDR10 is most common, Dolby Vision is technically superior format and why not have AVR which supports both?