$25k home theater setup includes a $500 Sammy Blu-Ray player?

[allargon]

Guys (and Dina!), I love your site. However, I have to ask why on earth you picked the beyond buggy Samsung BDP-1400? I know the MSRP is $500. However, you can get a (less buggy) LG combo player for around that price, a Sony playstation 3 or a Panasonic BD30 (upconversion isn't a factor since you mentioned the Oppo) plus throw in an extra $100 or so for a Toshiba HDA20 or A30/35 for those good looking and good sounding dead format movies that aren't on Blu yet.

 

[GlocksRock]

Anyone dropping that kind of scratch on a system should do their own research on the gear they buy. Once they research that player, I doubt they would get it.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Thats funny....


I've owned a Sammy1400 for nearly 5 months now, and never once did act in an inappropriate manner. There is apparently a lot of bad info being endlessly regurgitated 'round-n-round' the web by individuals lacking first hand experience.

 

[Dezoris]

It does need to be updated.

Also they recommend the Epson 1080p unit and as an alternative they recommend the 720p Panasonic projector and not the 1080p version.

So its just little stuff.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That is one of the most absurd $25,000 I have ever seen.

$6,000 on speakers, and $4,000 on room acoustic + $1,600 on seats?

$450 power conditioner, and $600 on a blu-ray player?

$666 on cables and wires? The number of the beast?

If I had $25K, you bet your a$$ I would get the Denon AVR5308Ci for $4K, Denon DVD-3800BD Blu-ray for $1,800, Denon DVD-5910 for $1,300 (B-Stock), $3K on that Epson 1080UB, $700 Carada screen, $200 on Blue jeans cables & wires, and $14,000 on SPEAKERS.

 

[adk highlander]

What player has not needed to be updated? With the moving target that is the Blu-Ray standard I don't see how this could be conserderd a negative. The playstation 3 has had more updates than any player and that has been looked at like a positive.

I too have had this player for over 6 months and am yet to have any complaints. I know it will never be 2.0 spec which could be an issue someday but for me it was the bitstreaming, 1080p output and a under 300 price that sold me.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Give me 25k for a budget and set back and watch me get some B&W D's, a bryston amp, PS3 and a lawn chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Give me 25k for a budget and set back and watch me get some B&W D's, a bryston amp, PS3 and a lawn chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exactly. Sounds a lot better than what they listed!

B&Ws and Brystons are worthy of a $25K HT, not some $500 Samsung BD or $1,000 receiver!

I would but that $1,600 "chair" budget and $4,000 "acoustics" budget into the much needed "speakers" budget.

 

[Penny]

Exactly. Sounds a lot better than what they listed!

B&Ws and Brystons are worthy of a $25K HT, not some $500 Samsung BD or $1,000 receiver!

I would but that $1,600 "chair" budget and $4,000 "acoustics" budget into the much needed "speakers" budget.

$14,000 speakers will never make up for bad acoustics, ever. Although I do happen to agree wholeheartedly with pretty much the rest of what you wrote. BD1400? RBH? Carada? $1,000 receiver?

You could just as easily go with the Integra 9.8 or Onkyo PR-SC885P (which I have and couldn't live without) and pair it with the Emo MPS-2 or XPA-5 depending on the amount of speakers being utilized (5 or 7) and end up with a much better sounding final product. But, then again, I'm not sure this exercise was to portray the very best $25,000 would get you. I did happen to notice a great deal of companies that are either sold by Audioholics or else advertise here.

 

[Cruise Missile]

I second the lawn chair! One with the built in beer holder.. I mean cup holder.

 

[gene]

B&Ws and Brystons are worthy of a $25K HT, not some $500 Samsung BD or $1,000 receiver!

I would but that $1,600 "chair" budget and $4,000 "acoustics" budget into the much needed "speakers" budget.

The Signature Series speakers from RBH are quite good in this system regardless of price. Anyone spending more money (even this much) on speakers without first addressing their room acoustics isn't shopping wisely.

For those wanting more power they can either use the Emo amps we recommend which are excellent based on my testing, or later buy an external amp.

We only put equipment in these systems that we either reviewed or have personal experience installing.

 

[Penny]

The Signature Series speakers from RBH are quite good in this system regardless of price. Anyone spending more money (even this much) on speakers without first addressing their room acoustics isn't shopping wisely.

For those wanting more power they can either use the Emo amps we recommend which are excellent based on my testing, or later buy an external amp.

We only put equipment in these systems that we either reviewed or have personal experience installing.

That's the fun of this though. It's like being asked by a co-worker what you'd do if you won the lottery. We're all going to have opinions and many that differ from what you and your staff feels to be right. Again, that's the fun in this exercise.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

$14,000 speakers will never make up for bad acoustics, ever.

Well, that Linkwitz Lab guy is pretty smart when it comes to speakers and sound reproduction, and he totally disagrees with you.