Beginner budget HT system

[linvillegorge]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum and to home theater in general. I'm looking to get a decent home theater system, but I'm working with a $500-600 budget. I recently graduated college and I'm getting married soon, so $600 is pretty much the ceiling. I'm just curious as to everyone's thoughts on the best I could do for that amount of money. Obviously I'm not going to get the best of the best and that's not what I'm looking for. I'm just looking for a good beginner system. Are components an option? I'm not sure at this price, so I've been looking at mainly HTIB options.

Here's the one's I've considered:
Onkyo HTS-770 and 780
Energy act6
Hsu Research Ventriloquist VT-12
JBL SCS300.7

What's your opinion? I'll listen to any and all suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

 

[jonnythan]

I'd get a used receiver for about $200 then have $300 to spend on speakers.... you can get a set of Polk R30's with a CSi25 center channel on eBay for less than that (that's what I have, and it sounds great), or go to Amazon and get the Bic America Venturi DV62 speakers with a CD62CLRS center channel speaker. I see these recommended here a lot as good budget speakers, but they might require a little bit of modification. Add the Dayton Sub-120 from Parts Express and you'll have a nice 3.1 system.

When you get the cash you can get some surround speakers later.

I've heard good things about the Ventriloquest, but I can't imagine that satellites with a single 2.5" driver can sound very good.

The Onkyo systems don't sound very good at all.

 

[j_garcia]

I have to disagree about the Onkyos. For a ~$500 system, they are not terrible, but they ARE a $500 system so you can't expect too much from them. The weak point is the speakers for sure.

Does that budget need to include a receiver also? How about a DVD player? I believe out of all of those, the Onkyos are the only ones that include the receiver of those mentioned.

 

[linvillegorge]

Yes, this budget needs to include the receiver as well. It does not have to include the DVD player, just receiver and speakers.

Thanks for the replies so far!

 

[jonnythan]

Just to summarize, I'd buy decent-quality stuff now, even if you can't afford all the pieces right away. I think you'll be happier in the end.

 

[kay]

Agree with the last post, rather start with a decent brand 6.1 receiver and two stereo speakers. You will enjoy it a lot more (not just music, even for HT!) than if you bought a cheap 5.1 "package" deal. I would try and get a used receiver to save some cash, and blow the rest of the budget on a decent pair of speakers. I wouldn't invest much in a DVD player at this point, high-def DVD formats are around the corner - give it maybe a year to settle down.

Here's one possible system:

Stereo speakers: Axiom M3ti

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-815

Player: Pioneer DV-285

And don't spend much on connections - you will only need a pair of speaker wire runs to each speaker (any OFC copper wire of gauge 12 or thicker), and a coax digital cable from the player to receiver (anything with good insulation and termination, makes no difference on the quality of sound). If you shop around, you should be able to get something along these lines for ~ $550. Then start saving for a subwoofer and more speakers

 

[BMXTRIX]

On a sub $500.00 budget it is hard to go better than the Onkyo HTS-780 setup. Full 7.1 with a solid A/V receiver to get you going. Yes, the speakers are definitely the weak point, but you can upgrade the speakers since it is a traditional speaker/receiver setup. So, add those Axioms, or some really nice speakers down the road.

I started with a Kenwood HTIB (home theater in a box) setup and upgraded to Definitive BP30 speakers which was a HUGE step up. The quality that I got from that receiver with those speakers really blew me away. It showed just how poor my old speakers really were. Yet, it did the job of amplifying until I got my new receiver in.

If your budget is fixed and you are looking for full surround then I wouldn't go halfway. I would go cheap. Get a setup that gets you going, then build up with REALLY nice pieces as upgrades. A couple of killer mains, then a good center, upgrade to a kick-butt sub, then the surrounds/rears. It may take a few years, but you will have that many years of 7.1 audio to enjoy along the way.

There simply is not a setup that I believe is better for equal or less money... Yes, a few sale items sometimes come close, and the Pioneer 815 is a great receiver for the money - but where do you find the 7.1 package to go with it and stay under 500 bucks?

 

[kay]

That makes a lot of sense too, as long as you get a real receiver as part of the package to build on. I guess at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference - do you want movie effects whizzing around your living room or are you prepared to give that up for more musicality.

 

[fredejo]

i agree, go with a decent receiver & 2 front speakers, you will be more than happy w/ the performance, than a home theater in a box... if u go home theater in a box u have to upgrade EVERYTHING. if u get a decent receiver then u can just ADD to your setup, your choice, happy hunting. - keep in mind 70% comes from your center in movies.... everything else just adds to the effects... KABOOOOOM!!!! huh??? - nevermind....

 

[linvillegorge]

I may end up going with the Onkyo because $600 is really the ceiling for my spending on this project. I'm afraid to get a good receiver and upgrade from there right now. I simply can't afford to get "bitten by the bug" at this point! For my own good, it's probably best for me to just get the full setup and live with it until I get to a point where I can consider investing more money in this.

 

[df4801]

The onkyo system is $449 with FREE S/H at Vann's.
Very reputable store to boot.

Thats a great deal, and you will be happy. Save your money for a few years down the road.

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/details/502511528

You may want to check out the 787 system. It adds a dvd player, but is $150 more.
I dont know if everything else is the same. If so, then probably better to add your own dvd player.
But if the receiver or speakers are better, then it would be worth it, and you are still under budget with $1 to spare!

 

[Hi Ho]

Has anyone here heard the Denon DHT-486DV system? I heard it at Best Buy and I'd say it was probably the most impressive HTiB system I have heard, especially the subwoofer. It sounded much better than any of the other HTiB systems there, including Yamaha, Onkyo, Panasonic, and Samsung. I believe the price was around $600.