Extremely tight budget - All funds blown on Basement finish

[alumiu90]

Forum members:

I recently finished my basement and blew all funds on the project. My AVR / speaker budget is between $1000 - 1500. I want to build a 5.1 system now instead of piecing together a system overtime, with 3 kids and college for one quickly approaching I don't see any excess funds coming available in the future anyway.

I would like to get forum members input on what I am thinking of piecing together now. Primary viewing is Sports / TV and then movies with little music listening. The room is 15' x 24' with an 7' ceiling for 5 feet of the room due to soffit and then 8' for the other 10 feet of width of room. Room is like a tunnel.

I was going to purchase a Yamaha receiver that would allow me to one day add two more speakers to create 7.1 when 7.1 was more widely utilized. Then do to room size I was going to go with Floor Standing speakers, etc.

Components I was thinking of were:

Yamaha rx-v673
Pioneer SP-FS52 (Local MicroCenter has them on-sale for $90 each)
Pioneer SP-C22 Center Channel
BIC PL-200 Sub
Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS surrounds due to size or something equivalent in size due to mounting restrictions.

Just looking to piece together a decent system so the family can enjoy their projector in the very near term.

 

[ImcLoud]

$1500 can still buy decent stuff... you just have to spend the budget in the rite areas...
$140 DENON AVR-1513 5.1ch Home Theater Receiver 3D ready | Accessories4less
tow of these 460 Amazon.com: Polk Audio PSW505 12-Inch Powered Subwoofer (Single, Black): Electronics
68 Amazon.com: Sony SS-B1000 5-1/4-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair): Electronics
thats a total of around 668 leaving a little under $1000 for your front 3

you can go with EMP Tek E5Ci Center Channel Speaker and a pair of these EMP Tek E55Ti Tower Speakers
or
my favorite the front 340se set comes in under $900 CMT-340 SE Mini-Tower Loudspeaker after the discounts and shipping..
or a kef q series with the matching center would come in a little over budget but would be decent... KEF Q500 Q Series 5-1/4 inch Walnut Floorstanding Speaker, Each | Accessories4less

I would skimp on the surrounds and the avr, get dual subs either the polks or the bics from amazon, then grab a decent front 3, that is what is important front speakers and subs and when going with a cheaper sub duals is a good way to get them to sound awesome, I think 2 decent subs for under $500 is way better than a quality $500 sub... the threshold for that theoory is up to about $600 where a vtf2 starts to look appealing... but before that budget dual polk 505s or bics are the way to go.... the avr is only going to cost you money, I have heard all kinds and brands, just get the cheapest on with the features you want.... that denon will take care of a good 5.1 just as well as most others for much more money... easier to use too...

 

[j_garcia]

I agree on most points (except the Polk subs, even at that price lol) Room size has nothing to do with going with floor standing speakers. Get a speaker that has enough sensitivity to play loud with the level of receiver you can afford on that budget, coupled with 1 or 2 subs as mentioned, and you should be fine. Spend more on the front 3 speakers and the receiver and budget on the rest, but if the AVR is intended to be used for a long time, I'd skip the second sub and get a better receiver.

 

[ImcLoud]

J, what would you call better? Better brand, more power, more features? I have heard a lot of avrs and I can't tell the difference between the $900 units and the $300 units, that denon for $140 does a lot and makes around the same power as the others... I don't see why to spend more? I think the bulk of the budget should be front 3 and subs... them polk subs sound really good for the money, and 2 of them will smooth out the room better... I hat spending a ton of money on an avr because they change too much, there is no such thing as a long term avr, if its not broken in 5 years it will be outdated, lose lose... of course this is just my opinion...

 

[j_garcia]

Better meaning more powerful basically (or at least pre-outs), and I realize on this budget a lot more power isn't going to happen and features aren't going to change much either. Soundwise, I agree there's not a lot of difference in AVRs these days, just features and power.

No more AVRs for me either I got 10 years out of my last AVR and I still wasn't happy about that after what I paid for it, but live and learn.

 

[alumiu90]

Guys what about the Denon 1912 or 1913 to at least gain the 7.1 option for the future? How does Denon compare to Yamaha?

Also what are your thoughts on the Lava Subs 12 Inch Powered Subwoofer - LSP12?

 

[j_garcia]

I'd take Denon over Yamaha personally, but in the price range, they are more similar than not. The 1912 is actually about the level I had in mind, and going above that really doesn't buy you huge benefits like Imcloud said. I bought a 1912 for my dad and he's very happy with it.

 

[ImcLoud]

The 1913 is a good option if you want 6.1 but thats my roof unless I need other options like dual hmi outs, preouts, ect... I thought you said no upgrading, but if 7 ch. is in your future , then go for it, but keep in mind its twice the price, so if 7.1 is in the 3 year future, then I would get the cheaper avr and when its time to upgrade by another avr, by then the 1913 will be $100 lol....

As far as more power goes, avrs don't differ much, 80w vs 100w is not very much, I would be shocked if you could tell the difference...

So I would go with the $140 denon, because if upgrading takes away from your sub choice or your front 3 quality, then you are losing SQ. If you are just raising the budget, then again, that will put you in a position to get a better sub and or front 3.. You see where I am going with this...

I get around $2500 before I think you can go with a $400 avr which IMO at that price point should have preouts {denon 990 was recently on sale for $379, would have been a good choice, but now I think they are all gone}... I just don't see the point in spending that big of a chunk of your overall budget on something that is going to make very little difference... Thats as bad as spending $300 on surrounds speakers.... The $70 surrounds will do the same thing... If you are not goin 7.1 rite now get the 1500 series and call it a day, 7.1 is such a waste, theres a reason most people go 5.1

 

[afterlife2]

For some reason I think I've seen this thread before by the same OP? or am I going nuts?

 

[alumiu90]

I really appreciate all of your advice. So what is the lowest level Denon I could go with that would offer Airplay? Then I would take the difference between the new Yamaha $399 and apply to the Sub. Given my room dimensions and viewing preference of Sports / TV and movies which Sub would you recommend if my sub budget now is approaching $400?

Thanks

 

[afterlife2]

Yep same person. Same questions. Phew.
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/beginners-audiophytes/86808-avr-recommendation-question.html

 

[ImcLoud]

Denon 1613 will be around the cheapest with networking /airplay.. DENON AVR-1613 5.1ch Networking Receiver w/AirPlay 3D ready | Accessories4less

I would look closely at my post with the list in it, you won't find better choices for the money.. go with bics for 200 each instead of the polks but get 2 and then get a good id company front 3 and some cheap surrounds...


yes afterlife, I remember too now, he should have bought that 990, they are all gone now, that would have been an avr worth having for the money... future proof for the next 8 months anyway..

 

[j_garcia]

Yes, but semi-new info here and at least some feedback from the OP. Would have been better to just follow up in the original thread, but we can let that one die and use this one instead OP - Please don't repost the same question multiple times.

I say, in a room that size, 7.1 isn't necessary. My previous room was larger than that and 5.1 worked fine. My current room is MUCH larger than that and still 5.1 So it comes down to features - you can check Denon's site to find ones with airplay.

I disagree that two lesser subs are better than one good one, except in this price range that is likely the case and I would stick with the recommendations.

 

[panteragstk]

I'm going to add a different opinion. I got a Pioneer VSX-521 because the center channel in my aging Kenwood died and I had to have something. That little receiver for $140 was fantastic for the money. It even had pre-outs for 7.1 or height channels. Plenty of power for my little (13x17) room. The MCACC is awful for room correction, but I own an SPL meter and a measuring tape so I was able to correct it's mistakes.

In some ways it was actually better than my Onkyo 809. It locked on to signals VERY fast. No video processing made it switch inputs just as fast.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Call Electronics Expo for the AVR. They have the Denton X2000 they can sell over phone for ~ $400-450. Haggle a little. Then get NHT SuperZero x 5. They had the SZ on sale for $75 each few weeks ago. Talk to them and see if they would still give you the sale price. Then get the Rythmik LV12 for $589 shipped. Set speakers to small & XO to 120Hz.

 

[alumiu90]

How important is the jump from Audyssey MultlEQ to MultEQ XT?


Thanks

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How important is the jump from Audyssey MultlEQ to MultEQ XT?

Thanks

Probably NOT that important. What's important to me is the Dynamic EQ (DEQ), which MultEQ also has. I actually use Audyssey Bypass L/R + DEQ. So I just use DEQ & bypass Audyssey for my L/R speakers.

 

[lsiberian]

L-R speakers are the most important thing. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. Get the best pair of speakers and a receive even if you never add to it you'll still have the better system long term.

 

[alumiu90]

What do you guys think of the Bic DV64 or DV84 Floor Speakers for my L/R fronts. These would both keep my front's under $300 a pair. Also what center channel speaker would you suggest be paired with the Bic's if I was to go that route? How do these compare to the Pioneer FS52's? I know these are completely underneath what you guys would buy, but I am not looking for something spectacular.

Thanks

 

[tmurnin]

I would check out the Aperion Intimus line. They are discontinuing the line so everything is 25% off, and they've always gotten solid reviews - ESP for the price. They offer free shipping both ways, so if ou don't like them return them. Pair those with the 1513 receiver and you've got a pretty nice setup.