$5000 USD or less, Have some fun....

[coryjeb]

Hello everyone. I've been reading through the site for a couple days now gathering some info. Great site!! Lots of knowledge and opinion.

So here is what I got. I am going to buy the following. A new flat panel, A/V receiver and Blu-ray and if suggested, possibly something else. $5000 USD or less is the budget. The lighting in the room really is a non-issue. Even at its' brightest, it's still kinda dark. I want at least a 50" tv. Veiwing distance is about 120". I was looking at the new Samsung 55" LED/LCD, as well as some Sony's. After reading through this site, seems Plasma is the preference, so I'm open.

The speaker situation is already taken care of, as I have really nice System Audio towers, surround and center. Ease of use, i.e. remote, ect, would be a concern.... wife, 3 kids.... Also, regarding the Blu-ray... I was wondering about just getting a PS3? While the gaming portion may not be used much, am I losing anything by going this way? Primarily, this "system" will be used for over the air HD, cable/sat box (though I do not have at the moment, just cable from the wall), blu-ray, Wii (gotta have my Mario) and possibly some computer connectivity. Would also like it to be somewhat "future proof" if there is such a thing in this segment???

Also, I know enough that paying for install is not part of the budget. What I know is available on this site.

Thanks to all for the help and input.

 

[AVRat]

Welcome, nice speaks, not too many people have heard them. Which models? How large is your space, for receiver amp power? Looks like you need a sub also. Something in the 55" area for the TV is a good size. The new Panasonic Plasmas TC-P54G10 or S1 models would be good options (~$2400/2200).

 

[coryjeb]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the speakers are nice and you are absolutely right... Not many have heard of them. It's hard even finding info out on them. They are a few years old. When I bought them I went completely off of how they sounded to me. Towers are model 1150, ctr is sa510av, surrounds are sa205's.

Space is about 14' x 18' with the veiwing area neeing to be the short side. As ar as models, I've read good things about the Marantz sr6003 and the Onkyo tx-sr706. My current is a harmon kardon, but needs updated as it has no HDMI for the updated tv/blu-ray, ect. I do like the h/k, but I am open to whatever. I am no audiophile, but I do appreciate when things are "right". I see you are a pro-plasma, care to briefly expand? I've really been banging my head on this one.

Thanks for any guidance.

Edit: Oh yeah, as far as the sub, I would prefer to go down that road later, as we may move in the near future, but again, I'm open...

 

[lsiberian]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the speakers are nice and you are absolutely right... Not many have heard of them. It's hard even finding info out on them. They are a few years old. When I bought them I went completely off of how they sounded to me. Towers are model 1150, ctr is sa510av, surrounds are sa205's.

Space is about 14' x 18' with the veiwing area neeing to be the short side. As ar as models, I've read good things about the Marantz sr6003 and the Onkyo tx-sr706. My current is a harmon kardon, but needs updated as it has no HDMI for the updated tv/blu-ray, ect. I do like the h/k, but I am open to whatever. I am no audiophile, but I do appreciate when things are "right". I see you are a pro-plasma, care to briefly expand? I've really been banging my head on this one.

Thanks for any guidance.

Edit: Oh yeah, as far as the sub, I would prefer to go down that road later, as we may move in the near future, but again, I'm open...

Plasma has better PQ. Anyone whose seen a side by side comparison with both tvs well calibrated can usually tell the plasmas superior PQ.

Plasmas have much better black levels than LCDs. Black Levels are the main issue we have in Home theater today. Being able to see a face in a dark picture. Now I must say LCDs are superior to the 13" tv I used to watch. So to each his own. If it were my budget i would just get a new 73" LED DLP.

DLP to me is amazing. I love my DLP projector.

Though wall mounting the plasma would be cool too.

 

[AVRat]

I'm not so much pro-plasma as I am biased against Samsung/LG. Their products still aren't as reliable as others. The new Panny plasmas are very good. http://hdguru.com/panasonic-tcp50g10-50-plasma-review/416/

Either of those receivers should work fine. I would also add the Denon 2309/2809s to the list.

For the best HT experience a good sub is a must. The 1150s are supposed to have a -4dB @ 35Hz, but with 5.5" drivers there best/lowest output is probably around 60Hz. The other thing is that w/o a sub, you're essentially not hearing the LFE output. There are good subs <$1K that can work in your current/future spaces.

 

[lsiberian]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the speakers are nice and you are absolutely right... Not many have heard of them. It's hard even finding info out on them. They are a few years old. When I bought them I went completely off of how they sounded to me. Towers are model 1150, ctr is sa510av, surrounds are sa205's.

Space is about 14' x 18' with the veiwing area neeing to be the short side. As ar as models, I've read good things about the Marantz sr6003 and the Onkyo tx-sr706. My current is a harmon kardon, but needs updated as it has no HDMI for the updated tv/blu-ray, ect. I do like the h/k, but I am open to whatever. I am no audiophile, but I do appreciate when things are "right". I see you are a pro-plasma, care to briefly expand? I've really been banging my head on this one.

Thanks for any guidance.

Edit: Oh yeah, as far as the sub, I would prefer to go down that road later, as we may move in the near future, but again, I'm open...

Go for the 705. It's a better receiver than the 706

 

[jostenmeat]

So here is what I got. I am going to buy the following. A new flat panel, A/V receiver and Blu-ray and if suggested, possibly something else. $5000 USD or less is the budget. The lighting in the room really is a non-issue. Even at its' brightest, it's still kinda dark. I want at least a 50" tv. Veiwing distance is about 120".

No doubt about it, get a projector system. With that budget, you can have a 42", maybe even 50" plasma on the wall, with a drop down screen over it.

Let's see, something like:

$2500 projector (Epson)
$500 screen
$600 plasma (Panasonic or whatever)
$700 receiver (whatever)
$250 bluray player (Panasonic)

accessories will include a couple of long HDMI cables for less than $100 total. An RF based remote/blaster system for $80-400. (I use an $80 system). And we're still under budget, even if your remote costs $300.

Oh, for a ceiling mount, I did just get the Chief RPA, about a couple of hundred bucks, and it's a future proof mount in its flexibility.

 

[gmichael]

No doubt about it, get a projector system. With that budget, you can have a 42", maybe even 50" plasma on the wall, with a drop down screen over it.

Let's see, something like:

$2500 projector (Epson)
$500 screen
$600 plasma (Panasonic or whatever)
$700 receiver (whatever)
$250 bluray player (Panasonic)

accessories will include a couple of long HDMI cables for less than $100 total. An RF based remote/blaster system for $80-400. (I use an $80 system). And we're still under budget, even if your remote costs $300.

Oh, for a ceiling mount, I did just get the Chief RPA, about a couple of hundred bucks, and it's a future proof mount in its flexibility.

I would skip the $600 for the plasma and spend that cash to buy two extra bulbs for the projector. Then use it for all your TV viewing. Otherwise, I like your plan.
A PS3 for the BR player is nice too. Just no analog out. As long as you have HDMI, there's no need anyhow.

 

[coryjeb]

I'm not so much pro-plasma as I am biased against Samsung/LG. Their products still aren't as reliable as others. The new Panny plasmas are very good.

Either of those receivers should work fine. I would also add the Denon 2309/2809s to the list.

For the best HT experience a good sub is a must. The 1150s are supposed to have a -4dB @ 35Hz, but with 5.5" drivers there best/lowest output is probably around 60Hz. The other thing is that w/o a sub, you're essentially not hearing the LFE output. There are good subs <$1K that can work in your current/future spaces.

Thanks for the input. The bolded/underlined is over my head.

I was able to make it out to a local high-end audio/visual store today. I think I fell in love w/ the Pioneer Elite Pro-111. Awesome. Does the Panasonic compete w/that?

Also got to see/listen to similar speakers to mine ran by some Pioneer Elite receivers and some made by Rotel. These were 2k + units. Any input there?

BTW, the pull down screen/projector is not an option.

Thanks

 

[bhodge]

I would like to second lsiberian's comment on plasmas having a better PQ and deeper blacks. IMO, Pioneer KUROs are by far best TVs one can own (unfortunately they are stopping production). I own the 50" KURO and its perfect for me. The blacks are so deep that I cannot tell where my tv ends and the wall begins when watching at night but the shading is so good you can still see every detail in low lit scenes.

The main knocks on Plasmas are burn-in and glare. Burn-in is pretty much a non factor with the new technology on any decent TV set. And as far as glare goes, this is because of the glass on top of the TV. However, with your dark room that should be a non issue. I got around this by mounting my TV with a wall mount that allowed me to tilt the TV. When glare is a problem, I just tilt the TV slightly up or down to reflect it out of my line of sight.

I would go the route of the PS3 for the BR. Its going to be the highest quality player (gets regular s/w upgrades) and it will also be a media center hub for streaming media from your PC and gaming (if you so desire). The only draw back is it does run a bit loud for some people.

 

[AVRat]

For the best HT experience a good sub is a must. The 1150s are supposed to have a -4dB @ 35Hz, but with 5.5" drivers there best/lowest output is probably around 60Hz. The other thing is that w/o a sub, you're essentially not hearing the LFE output. There are good subs <$1K that can work in your current/future spaces.

Thanks for the input. The bolded/underlined is over my head.

I was able to make it out to a local high-end audio/visual store today. I think I fell in love w/ the Pioneer Elite Pro-111. Awesome. Does the Panasonic compete w/that?

Uh-oh! Yeah, that Pro-111 just about eats up your budget. No, the Pannys don't quite compete with the Pioneer Elite Kuros. Nor does anything else for that matter. But the Pannys are really stepping up according to the article I linked.

Regarding the speakers'/sub frequency response: The specs of the 1150 say that they will have a certain amount of volume drop (-4dB) at the given frequency (35 Hz) after the frequency response starts to decay on the low end of the frquency spectrum. This means that they will play most of the frequencies that music offers. However, human hearing can pick up frequencies down to 20Hz. As I said, the 1150s will play most of the frequency spectrum at a relatively even volume level until it hits probably around 60 Hz on the low end and the frequencies below start to diminish in volume. This is where the sub takes over to play the lower frequencies at the same volume.

The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) is a separate encoded signal, the .1 channel, that plays much of the thunderous, low rumbling bass you hear in movies. Generally, w/o a sub, receivers/processors don't integrate much of the LFE signal into the mix that goes to the L/R speakers.

Hope this helps.

 

[coryjeb]

Thanks for the last two posts.

Thanks for the sub info.

The Kuro is between 3000 - 3500. The picture is incredible. I may have my mind made up there. That link did offer a good argument for the Panasonic though.

As far as the receivers I mentioned, is that overkill for what I'll do? I see through Best Buy, you can get some great deals on the Pioneer Elite stuff. That Rotel made newer version of my speakers sound incredible, but it does have all the "bells and whistles" of the Elite (ethernet, sat radio, ect). There is also the Yamaha RX-Z7 priced in between the Elite SC-07 and the Rotel? Best Buy has the Elite @ 1400 right now. Most of the features I don't see using, but is it more "future proof" that way?

As far as the BR, what am I losing by going with a PS3 instead of a stand alone of roughly the same price? I'm not concerned with the noise level of the player, unless it's just ridiculous.

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[AVRat]

For your purpose, speakers, and room size, I see no reason to go overboard on the receiver. The Pioneer SC-05 would fit your needs and save a couple hundred $. I just checked Amazon and a Denon 3808 can be had for under $1100.

I'm not up on the BR gear too much and don't do any gaming so I'm not much help there.

Just saying it one more time. To really kick things up a notch, the best bang/$$ (pun intended) will be from the addition of a sub.

 

[axle_rose]

DLP to me is amazing. I love my DLP projector.

Though wall mounting the plasma would be cool too.

Not meaning to Hijack this thread but, I prefer DLP as well...it looks more film like to me then LCD or plasma.

 

[jostenmeat]

I would skip the $600 for the plasma and spend that cash to buy two extra bulbs for the projector. Then use it for all your TV viewing. Otherwise, I like your plan.
A PS3 for the BR player is nice too. Just no analog out. As long as you have HDMI, there's no need anyhow.

Fair enough. All I have is a PJ too, but I didn't want to assume certain things, like # of hours of TV viewing, gaming, poor overcompressed sources, etc. I have no TV programming, or gaming, and watch 100% BD and HDDVD. No DVD since '07.

I would like to second lsiberian's comment on plasmas having a better PQ and deeper blacks. IMO, Pioneer KUROs are by far best TVs one can own (unfortunately they are stopping production). I own the 50" KURO and its perfect for me. The blacks are so deep that I cannot tell where my tv ends and the wall begins when watching at night but the shading is so good you can still see every detail in low lit scenes.

Yeah, PJs are good at that too. In a completely pitch black room, where I cannot even see my hand in front of my face (with PJ off), I can turn the PJ on, put my hand over the light where black bars are, for instance, and you just barely make it out, and that's with a screen with 2.8x rated gain.

I would go the route of the PS3 for the BR. Its going to be the highest quality player

False. The Panasonic from three iterations ago already outperformed the PS3, which of course costs more too.
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=460889&postcount=1

Then you have some other reasons why a standalone could* be more desirable.
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=557253&postcount=25

In any case, if gaming is desired, then you only have one option. Otherwise . . .

Thanks for the input. The bolded/underlined is over my head.

I was able to make it out to a local high-end audio/visual store today. I think I fell in love w/ the Pioneer Elite Pro-111. Awesome. Does the Panasonic compete w/that?

The new 09 line is suppose to be pretty darn sweet for pana, but larger sizes are still around the corner. There is one issue I have with your selection: Even with 20/20 vision, at your stated viewing distance, you cannot even begin to appreciate the benefits of 1080p. My personal vote is to go bigger, even with some sacrifice of PQ. I mean, after all, it's not like you are shaking your head in disgust with a 6020 or perhaps a Pana 58". Or I guess you can go for the gold, and try the 151!

With a 60", 7.5 viewing distance will get you the full benefit of 1080p with 20/20 vision. With a 50", 6.5 ft viewing distance gets you the same effect.

FWIW, THX recommends a 90" 16:9 screen at your viewing distance, and my personal preference is even closer than that, however, I only watch native hidef BD and HDDVD at home, with AR's that are often wider than 16:9, and the rarer times that they are indeed at 16:9, half of those happen to be spectacular animation transfers.

BTW, the pull down screen/projector is not an option.

That's too bad, especially considering that you already seem to have good light control.

 

[coryjeb]

A little update... I am the proud new owner of a Pioneer PRO-111FD. Seeing this on the same wall, same lighting, ect., with the newest Pana plasma, newest Sony XBR, and newest Samsung LED/LCD.... It was an absolute no brainer. Unreal.

So, the now that the TV is taken care of, I shall move on.

BTW, after spending countless hours in this high-end show room, my salesman reinforced what a few of you did in saying that a Sub was an absolute necessity. So, that's in the mix now.

Regarding the receiver, after seeing/hearing many high end ones, I'm not opposed to dropping more coin on that. So, if I were to spend, say 2k ish, does that change some opinions? (And yes, I know I'm over budget... oh well)

 

[bhodge]

A little update... I am the proud new owner of a Pioneer PRO-111FD. Seeing this on the same wall, same lighting, ect., with the newest Pana plasma, newest Sony XBR, and newest Samsung LED/LCD.... It was an absolute no brainer. Unreal.

CONGRATS! You won't regret it. Thats the same one that I have.

I just bought a sub and asked around what I should get (here). I ended up getting the SVS PC13-Ultra...gets here Friday.

 

[AVRat]

Congrats! I've been heming-hawing for the 151. For the sub, I'd suggest the HSU VTF-3 MK3 or the Epik Sentinel.