Advice on speakers/receiver

[MrPiggie]

Hi,
My dad wants me to setup a Home theater system for basically HD MOVIES, Karaoke, and Music.

Currently, I'm thinking about the Infinity TSS-1200 speakers and Onkyo TX-SR605 receiver. I'm wondering if these would be a good match. I see that the receivers will give about 95w per satellite and the TSS-1200 should be need about 100w per satellite. Please correct me if I'm wrong because i'm a totally nub on this matter.

I have never set up a Home Theater System and this will be my first time.
Our budget is around 2000 Plus or Minus USD for everything including cables or amplifiers if we need one. We are planning to do a installation by ourselves as he knows the installation very well. He just wants me to do the research.

If you think this is an overkill just for the above, please do recommend something else you have in mind.

Our current HDTV LCD supports up to 1080p/i whichever is the better one, i forgot already. Thanks in advance for everyone's help.

 

[mazersteven]

You will get better sound quality if you do bookshelf speakers, over satellite speakers.

And for $999 you could do a lot better.

 

[MrPiggie]

Would you happen to know any book shelf speakers you'll recommend?

Thanks!

 

[mazersteven]

Would you happen to know any book shelf speakers you'll recommend?

Thanks!

I might be able to recommend something.

http://www.svsound.com/products-sys-sbs_black.cfm

This system has a killer sub. With proper calibration and placement it will blend very nice and not be over powering. But when called upon for movies it will make your viewing experience an awesome one.

 

[mazersteven]

Or these

AV123 x-series bookshelf speakers (you can order these risk free and try them before you purchase)

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=82.1

with this center channel

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=91.1

and this subwoofer

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=subwoofers&product=12.1

They are even coming out with a sub call the x-plosive for $399 that you can inquire about.

 

[jcPanny]

Onkyo 605

FYI,
Don't expect to get 100 Watts per channel output of the Onkyo 605 (or most other mid-fi receiver) you will need a high end receiver or an amp for that. Also you wont be able to add an amp to the 605 because it doesn't have pre-amp outputs. However, the 605 should be adequate unless you have a huge room or like to play it really loud.

I second the recommendations for the SVS or AV123 5.1 system. In your budget you couple get floorstander main speakers from AV123. Also keep in mind that the sub doesn't have to be from the same manufacturer as the speakers.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I would make certain that the AVR has pre-amp outputs just in case you want to add an amp later down the road. Just go get the Yamaha RX 659 and be done with it; you can find one for 300 bucks.

The SVS and AV123 systems that JC and Master told you about would do quite well for you.

 

[MrPiggie]

WOW, this forum is so helpful. I want to thank everyone for giving me their advice and opinions. I checked out the speakers from AV123 and the subwoofer from them. I have yet checked the Yamaha receiver recommendation.

I just have a question about the AV123 speakers and center channel. Does that mean this is no longer a 5.1 setup? Or should i be buying 4 of the AV123 speakers and a center channel + the subwoofer.

The advertisement from AV123 makes it sound like it's just a 3 channel audio system with a center and sub.

I will definitely check out the Yamaha receiver. Other than the pre-amp output, how does the Yamaha receiver do compared to the SR5605 though?
Does the Yamaha receiver do auto-calibration as well?

I should really do some research about it before posting these questions; i'm truly not feeling well today and i'm pretty sure none of you want to know what i went through today.

Thank you everyone!

 

[mazersteven]

5.1 means

5 speakers, and a subwoofer.

Main left, and right speakers. Center channel. And two rear surrounds.

The .1 is the sub.

 

[jcPanny]

Yamaha receivers

The Yamaha RX-V661 includes HDMI switching and audio and is more comparable to the Onkyo 605. The older Yamaha RX-V659 does not include HDMI and only costs about $300.

 

[MrPiggie]

Hi guys,

Thanks for such wonderful information.
I thought about what to get for my house.

I've almost decided to get the SVC speakers with the 10/12 inch sub.
Then am thinking of buying the SR705 as the receiver. Currently Yamaha doesn't do the latest features and the SR605 doesn't do preamp which most of you recommend.

I calculated the total and i would probably spend about 2k+

Now what i really want to know before i hit the buy button is that if anyone here owns the SVC speakers, how long do you think they'll last. My dad believes that made in china speakers won't last long. His long is approximately 8 years or more.

1. Does anyone know if the SVC will last long?
2. If there is a problem with the speakers or sub, how's the service for repair/return/exchange?
3. Would they give a full refund if we in return it within 30 days?

Thanks for all the help guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[Johnd]

First off, I think you mean SVS (just to be sure you purchase the correct thing).

1. More than "eight years" if you don't abuse them.
2. Great. See link below.
3. Yes. 45 days actually. See link below.
http://www.svsound.com/questions-buying.cfm
Welcome to the forum...and good luck.

 

[mazersteven]

Now what i really want to know before i hit the buy button is that if anyone here owns the SVC speakers, how long do you think they'll last. My dad believes that made in china speakers won't last long. His long is approximately 8 years or more.

1. Does anyone know if the SVC will last long?
2. If there is a problem with the speakers or sub, how's the service for repair/return/exchange?
3. Would they give a full refund if we in return it within 30 days?

SVS's IMO is an outstanding company with excellent customer service. Have your Dad e-mail Tom at SVS and ask some questions to put your Dad's mind at ease.

tomv@svsound.com

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The $400 Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 THX-Certified/2 HDMI 1.3/Dolby TruHD/DTS-MA would be great. I think the SR605 has plenty of power so I wouldn't worry at all.

For Speakers, I would recommend the Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000, which is $1,230 for a 5.1 HT System or $1,555 for a 7.1 HT System.

So either way, they are under $2,000 total. Read the reviews on the Def Tech Speakers.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

But Def Techs sound like crap...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

But Def Techs sound like crap...

Ouch. That's kind of a harsh statement, though.
I think everyone has difference experience because speaker placement and room acoustic play a huge part.
When I first got my BP700SC, I had it too close to the back and side walls as well as my wooden TV stand. Yes, it sounded like crap! But then I moved the speaker 3 ft from the back wall and 3 feet from the side walls and faced the active subwoofers toward each other instead of the wall, they sounded great.

The DefTech Procinema 1000 had two great professional reviews--both gave it an "Excellent" rating.
Personally, I have never listened to the DefTech PC1000.
I suppose they could still sound like crap if you hooked them up to a bad sound system or placed them wrong in a bad acoustic room, but I would think two great professional reviews should count for somthing.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Man you took all the fun out of it; I was just pulling your leg. I am stuck at work, bored and it's slow on here so I thought I could get some talk going on. I know, I know...I need to get a life.

I have only heard one set of Def Techs and they sounded really good to me.

Ouch. That's kind of a harsh statement, though.
I think everyone has difference experience because speaker placement and room acoustic play a huge part.
When I first got my BP700SC, I had it too close to the back and side walls as well as my wooden TV stand. Yes, it sounded like crap! But then I moved the speaker 3 ft from the back wall and 3 feet from the side walls and faced the active subwoofers toward each other instead of the wall, they sounded great.

The DefTech Procinema 1000 had two great professional reviews--both gave it an "Excellent" rating.
Personally, I have never listened to the DefTech PC1000.
I suppose they could still sound like crap if you hooked them up to a bad sound system or placed them wrong in a bad acoustic room, but I would think two great professional reviews should count for somthing.

 

[Johnd]

but I would think two great professional reviews should count for somthing.

Hmmmmmm. The mere allusion of an authority.

Here's what some self-appointed authorities had to say as just recently posted on the forum (in the past couple of days):
"Think this way...the more metal your music passes through, the more altered the sound becomes.", and

I just e-mailed the editor of "The Audio Critic" regarding all these sound formats.
He wrote me back and said, "multi-channel music is over-rated, and all multi-channel formats for movies are GOOD ENOUGH."

To wit, I asked if he understood that stereo is, in fact, multi-channel.

I'm just having some fun with you AcuDefTechGuy. I mean, they can't hang you for liking DefTech, can they? If you like the sound of DefTech, that's o.k. by me.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

"Good Enough Multi-Channel"

I have to admit I was quite disappointed when I got that answer from the editor of TAC!

As far as "multi-channel" is concerned, I suppose you could say that there is "mono" and there is "multi".

But to me, there is "mono"," stereo", and "multi"----meaning One, Two, and More Than Two Channels (3 or more channels).

And yeah, if someone asked each of us to recommend a speaker system, I bet we would each come up with a different system.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Man you took all the fun out of it; I was just pulling your leg. I am stuck at work, bored and it's slow on here so I thought I could get some talk going on. I know, I know...I need to get a life.

I have only heard one set of Def Techs and they sounded really good to me.

Oh, okay. In that case, all the speakers suck except for Def Techs

Bose really suck. Pioneer speakers really suck. Sony speakers and Yamaha speakers really suck.

NHT speakers are pretty good since I used to own some.

In other words, the only speakers that are truly good are the speakers I own.
Well, except for the Bose