5k System...Advice Please!!

[avaserfi]

Those are some nice looking speakers. But the fronts are only rated down to 200Hz. How are you supposed to integrate a sub in with that high of a crossover point? The center is rated down to 50Hz. Am I missing something?

They are rated lower they just aren't as flat at the lower end:

RS450 (Front) Frequency Response: ±1.35db 200Hz to 20KHz; ± 3 dB 38 Hz to 20 KHz

RSC200 (Center) Frequency Response: 50 Hz to 20 KHz (± 3 dB)

The specs are broken up to show the higher accuracy of the fronts at frequencies higher than 200Hz.

 

[mazersteven]

Those are some nice looking speakers. But the fronts are only rated down to 200Hz. How are you supposed to integrate a sub in with that high of a crossover point? The center is rated down to 50Hz. Am I missing something?

Read Post #123. Mark hits a little on the 200Hz point.

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=22894&page=9

 

[emorphien]

Read Post #123. Mark hits a little on the 200Hz point.

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=22894&page=9

He misses a lot too

 

[mazersteven]

He misses a lot too

Yes he does. But he touches on why they don't list measurements past 200Hz's.

Read post #118 to see why.

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=22894&page=8

 

[bigdaddyfajita]

Sorry, I deleted my response. It was covered in other post.

 

[dem beats]

Hi my name is Patrick and I am an Audioholic, actually more like an AudioVisualoholic. I just got my first real job out of college. Pay is pretty good, more than twice what I was getting working full time a starbucks, haha. I am saving half my pay while living at home till the end of this year. Hopefully I will have about $5,000 to spend on my new system. I don't have a TV so need some input there, the speaker selection is what I need the advice and guidance of you experienced audioholics on.

How much do you think prices will drop between now and January 2008?

TV
I want a plasma/lcd with 1920x1080 native res. I like Samsung, Panasonic, Pioneer the best. $2500 is my limit on tv. I will be using a PS3 and I always sit close when I play videogames so I think the 1080p res will make a difference. I have never seen a blu ray or hd dvd hooked up to a nice plasma with 1355x768 res how do you think it would compare to a tv with 1920x1080 with the same source?

AV RECIEVER
I think this is the one area where I have my mind set. Onkyo TX-SR805. I think this has all anyone needs for a few years. But I am open to suggestions...try and sway me.

DVD
Oppo DV-981HD nuff said.

SPEAKERS
This is where I get overwhelmed and frustrated. There are so many options: PSB, Paradigm, RBH, Axiom, Athena, Mordaunt, Jamo. IDK WHAT TO DO!! I would really like to stay with the THX certified theme and get the Crystal Acoustics TX-D10 system. What do you guys think?

If I dont do that I would like to get a set of 5 speakers and then get a Hsu sub or an SVS sub. Again what do you think?

BUDGET
This is a rough estimate but lets break it down visually:

TV..................2500
AVR..................800
DVD..................200
SPEAKERS........1500
CABLES.............150
STAND..............200
TOTAL.............5250

Please let me know if you think my money can be spent better or if I am wasting or forgetting anything.

Thanks a lot people. Just another sufferring Audioholic.

-Patrick D.

Patrick....

I think we need a bit more info. I have something in my mind but i'm not tossing it out there untill I have some more info.

I know you are still at home but what do you expect for your room. Will it be dedicated? Are you going to have a darkened HT room for games etc, or will this be a "family room" with lots of sunlight and lots of traffic through it.

It sounds like we don't know size of room, but that helps us out quite a bit.

Also what are your tastes? I wanted towers for the fronts I would not compromise. I just needed to lok up front and have towers. It may be all in my head but bookshelves couldn't own up... Do you have the same bigger is needed up front condition? Do looks matter?

Someone said audition audition audition, and I would take that advice to heart I think I had spent over 10 hours of listening before I made a choice.

I think I went to fast to be honest, but being this is my first set up and i'm young I could wait no longer and I truely did fall in love with my speakers.

If you want some hints on where and what brands to look at read the reviews or ask, but even better. Go listen to some in your price range and find out what you did not like, then what you did, and if you could change the sound how would you. Then you will know what to say when the sales man asks you "what do you think?" I listened hard and was able to say "too bright. I don't like the mids on this. Sounds choked off up high. Not enough imaging... etc". i.e. I was criticaly listening to B & W (i honestly don't remember what series) Energy RC and monitor. The B & W sounded a hair better but I couldn't afford the tower, The Monitor was much less in the bookshelf and the tower had this terrible chuffing noise I could hear and for me.. it was like nails on a chalk board. Reminds me of a poor made slot port in a cheep car audio subwoofer, and the step up had even more port. I did think the highs were better. SO I said to the guy what I would change he popped over to the Rc's and my heart went pitter patter...

Just audition audition audition, you will be happier that way.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If you have the PS3, you don't need another DVD player.
That would give you a $1,700 speaker budget. Shave off another $175 on the TV to get $1,875 for speakers

For speakers, I would go with Definitive Technology BP7004 ($1,200/pair) and Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 350 ($225 each x 3 = $675). The BP7004 has built-in 300-watts powered sub---the SuperCube 10" Sub, so you won't need to buy additional subs. Each of the SM350 has a built-in passive subwoofer, so you are looking at a total of 7 passive subs and 2 active subwoofers in this system!

 

[no. 5]

If you have the PS3, you don't need another DVD player.

Perhaps, but the PS3 is not all that good of a DVD player.

 

[avaserfi]

Perhaps, but the PS3 is not all that good of a DVD player.

Where did you get that idea from? Its a great DVD player now. When it was first released the player wasn't quality but after a few firmware updates and upconversion was added its just as good as my Oppo.

 

[mazersteven]

Perhaps, but the PS3 is not all that good of a DVD player.

I don't own one. But these guys think the PS3 is awesome.


http://forums.soundandvisionmag.com/audiovideo/board/message?board.id=37&thread.id=161414

 

[jcPanny]

$5k investment

I would take advantage of your current living situation and save money for a down payment on a house. Sure, a $5k HT system would be nice, but the neighbors in the next door apt. will be complaining every time you crank it up.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Perhaps, but the PS3 is not all that good of a DVD player.

Before I sold my PS3 to my brother, I thought it upscaled regular DVDS as well as my Toshiba HDDVD player and my Panasonic Blu-ray disc player.

Those PS3 games are just way too hard for me and made me look stupid getting killed on them!

 

[no. 5]

Where did you get that idea from? Its a great DVD player now.

Old information, apparently.



....oh the things that can be done with firmware updates!

 

[avaserfi]

Old information, apparently.



....oh the things that can be done with firmware updates!

Yup that was a release review. It is far better now gotta love firmware updates that matter .

 

[Meta]

I would take advantage of your current living situation and save money for a down payment on a house. Sure, a $5k HT system would be nice, but the neighbors in the next door apt. will be complaining every time you crank it up.

jcPanny, you channeled Yoda with that advice...No Joke! That is probably what I should do, but that is a little ways down the road for me. I am still young enough to rent have a bachelor pad and find a nice women to settle down with. I live in Vermont and Burlington, VT is a party town so noise shouldnt be that much of an issue, but I will probably look for apartments in towns in the out skirting areas of Burlington and have some privacy. Like I said I am not moving out until Jan. 2008 so I will have plenty of time to find a good fit for me and my HT.

Patrick....

I think we need a bit more info. I have something in my mind but i'm not tossing it out there untill I have some more info.

I know you are still at home but what do you expect for your room. Will it be dedicated? Are you going to have a darkened HT room for games etc, or will this be a "family room" with lots of sunlight and lots of traffic through it.

It sounds like we don't know size of room, but that helps us out quite a bit.

Also what are your tastes? I wanted towers for the fronts I would not compromise. I just needed to lok up front and have towers. It may be all in my head but bookshelves couldn't own up... Do you have the same bigger is needed up front condition? Do looks matter?

dem beats,
There is no way I can give you info on the room because I will not know until I move out, but I suspect it will be Living room size 14x20ish? But it could be a bedroom also. I have 2 options to buy a studio and have the whole place to myself, or find some buddies and rent a whole house in which case the system would probably be in the livingroom. That could end up bad people putting their grubby paws all over my precious AV gear. Not good. So lets say it is a studio.

As far my speaker preference I like the idea of having towers but as long as it sounds good I would not be dead set on having full towers. I've seen some small speakers/book shelves that put out good sound. I like a plain black look, also dark woods with a chocalte finish are what I would prefer. I am really liking the looks of the crystal acoustics line here:

If you have the PS3, you don't need another DVD player.
That would give you a $1,700 speaker budget. Shave off another $175 on the TV to get $1,875 for speakers

For speakers, I would go with Definitive Technology BP7004 ($1,200/pair) and Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 350 ($225 each x 3 = $675). The BP7004 has built-in 300-watts powered sub---the SuperCube 10" Sub, so you won't need to buy additional subs. Each of the SM350 has a built-in passive subwoofer, so you are looking at a total of 7 passive subs and 2 active subwoofers in this system!

I know for a fact that Definitives are quality my friend has a set of large def tech towers and it fills a large open area loft with sound. He only has two speakers so not quite the surround sound I am looking for for movie watching. How would the lack of sub in the system you recommended affect the 5.1 Dolby or THX processing of sound in my receiver?

Where did you get that idea from? Its a great DVD player now. When it was first released the player wasn't quality but after a few firmware updates and upconversion was added its just as good as my Oppo.

That is a good point I could just use my PS3 for all dvd watching for now, but I guess having a seperate DVD player is just a conveniece factor that is worth the 200 for an OPPO or atleast 100 for a pioneer or panasonic upconverting DVD player.

 

[Pyrrho]

...
BUDGET
This is a rough estimate but lets break it down visually:

TV..................2500
AVR..................800
DVD..................200
SPEAKERS........1500
CABLES.............150
STAND..............200
TOTAL.............5250

Please let me know if you think my money can be spent better or if I am wasting or forgetting anything.

Thanks a lot people. Just another sufferring Audioholic.

-Patrick D.

I think you are budgeting far too little on the speakers if you care about the sound. I am using a receiver that retails for about $600 with speakers (including subwoofers) that retail for over $6000. Spending more on the receiver would get me more features (or just buying a new one for $600 now instead of my old one would get me more features), but it would not make a significant difference in the sound. Cheaper speakers, though, would sound, well, cheaper. I also think you should spend very little on cables, as magic cables have never been demonstrated to make an audible difference at all.

With your budget, I would try to spend a little less on the TV, and definitely less on the receiver and cables.

For sound quality, speakers make more difference than anything else. Scrimp there, and the sound will suffer. Save a few bucks on a receiver, and you are giving up features most people don't use or don't need, and a little power that probably will not make a significant difference (depending on what speakers you have selected).

Go out and listen to as many different speaker systems as you can stand to listen to, and listen to some at the price range you are considering, and at about $1000 more, and then you can decide for yourself if it would be good to spend more on speakers or not. For a subwoofer, I recommend going with SVS. If you can get into their tube subwoofers, I like unpowered ones, because:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33905

 

[Meta]

I think the Onkyo 805 I have selected is worth it for me to have its features as I have Video needs as well as audio needs that it supports and for the money it is the best perfomance/price ratio. I suppose I could go to a less expensive receiver and then get a seperate HDMI switcher for my multiple video sources. Then I could get nicer speakers. But I just think that the Onkyo 805 is more future proof. I def need the TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding and HDMI 1.3 capabilities. The TV video quality is equally(if not a little more important)than sound quality. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am more Home Theatre Centric than High Fidelity Music Centric. I mean I like good sound but really I just want a quality home theatre experience for a good value. I am not looking at these speakers I will be buying as a high end investment that I will have for 15 years. Just something to tide me over till I can make a real investment later on.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

"I know for a fact that Definitives are quality my friend has a set of large def tech towers and it fills a large open area loft with sound. He only has two speakers so not quite the surround sound I am looking for for movie watching. How would the lack of sub in the system you recommended affect the 5.1 Dolby or THX processing of sound in my receiver?"

The DefTech BP7004 has an LFE input for the 300-watts 10" built-in subwoofer.
You would need a Y-Cable (I like the Outlaw Audio Y-Cable) and output the subwoofer channel from your receiver to each of the BP7004s for a 5.2 system (instead of 5.1). So when you just listen to stereo music in bypass/pure/direct mode for better sound, the BP7004s will have the bass covered. When you watch movies, you will get TWO powered subwoofers instead of just ONE---Thus 5.2 HT.
For 5.2, I would recommend getting three of the StudioMonitor 350s, which have the same size speaker drivers as the BP7004s. Each of the SM350 has a built-in passive subwoofer, so you would definitely have all the low bass covered. The SM350 would be for the Center, Surround Left, & Surround Right. This would be a FULL RANGE speaker system (all five speakers are full-range).

 

[MDS]

IBut I just think that the Onkyo 805 is more future proof.
....
I am not looking at these speakers I will be buying as a high end investment that I will have for 15 years. Just something to tide me over till I can make a real investment later on.

Most people would consider the opposite. No receiver or really any electronic component (other than a separate amp) is future proof. New formats and features are added every year and internal components improve as well - not to mention that the price constantly drops.

Speakers though can last for decades. Once you find a set that you like you will have them many years and they don't need to be replaced to handle new formats or decoders or whiz-bang convenience features.

I'm not a serial upgrader but I've been through a few receivers and dvd players whereas I've had my current JBL speakers for 15 years (and they aren't even that great - though I mostly like them).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think the Onkyo 805 I have selected is worth it for me .

Yeah, I think the Onkyo 805 would be great!
Pure/Direct Stereo Modes, Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD MA, 2 HDMI, THX Ultra!

You hook up a great speaker system to this receiver, and you will be blown away. The Onkyo 805 will allow you to specify all your speaker setup.
If you get the DefTech system, I would set ALL the speakers to FULL Range Plus Subwoofer. The Onky 805 (like most receivers) have one Subwoofer channel output. So you would need a Y-Cable if you want to hook up to the DefTechs.