Destroyed by fire

[fired up]

Greetings,

My old A/V setup was lost in a fire a few days ago.

I am interested in building a system around an ONKYO TX-SR875 Receiver, a 52" TV (Sony XBR5 or Samsung), a hybrid player with HD audio/Blu-ray/HD DVD, a surround sound speaker system (DALI IKON 6 5.1 or similar), a Marantz DV7001 SACD/CD/DVD player or equal, a piece of Light Cherry furniture to place TV on and store components inside - with doors to fight off dust build up. Finally, I would like a DV Recorder with storage built in (250GB). I need advice on my choices. Are they a good fit? Please make recommendations especially on the Hybrid player or if I should go with just a dedicated Blu-Ray player instead. I know nothing about interconnects, video cables, HDMI 1.3 cables etc. I would prefer not to use Monster Cable this time around. Should I configure the new system with your help and buy via internet or go through local dealers and let them do the install on the system we design here. There are 4 people in my family - 2 adults and twin boys. Should I buy professional Home Theatre seating in a semi circle from Stressless Seating? The prior sofa/loveseat reeks of smoke damage.

Please adopt my cause and help steer me in the right direction. I am a musician so the audio has to be stellar on the new system.

Currently we are using a borrowed TV from my in laws so my kids don't go crazy and drive us crazy as well. A fire is a horrible thing to go through.

Thanks,

Eddie

 

[gus6464]

Personally I think the receiver is overkill for your TV and blu-ray. Go with the Onkyo 805 and save a couple of hundred bucks. You don't need the scaler of the 875 with blu-ray. Which leads to the hybrid player and seeing as how HD DVD is officially dead don't waste money on one. I would seriously look into the new Panasonic BD50 which will be released soon as it's priced right and has a ton of features.

As far as speakers great choice on the Dali Ikon. I have a pair of Ikon 2 on my 2ch system and have been loving them. As far as the TV I prefer plasma myself but the Sony XBR is a great LCD. I don't personally care too much about the equivalent Samsungs. Also check out the new Mitsubishi LCDs if you are set on LCD. As far as cables go stick with monoprice. I got all my hdmi and other cables from them for cheap and they are of great quality. As far as DVR is concerned do you have cable or satellite? I say just get the DVR from whatever provider you use for your TV.

As far as the seating goes I can't really help you there as I have no experience with them but there are many people here that do.

 

[Brian_the_King]

Personally I think the receiver is overkill for your TV and blu-ray. Go with the Onkyo 805 and save a couple of hundred bucks. You don't need the scaler of the 875 with blu-ray. Which leads to the hybrid player and seeing as how HD DVD is officially dead don't waste money on one. I would seriously look into the new Panasonic BD50 which will be released soon as it's priced right and has a ton of features.

As far as speakers great choice on the Dali Ikon. I have a pair of Ikon 2 on my 2ch system and have been loving them. As far as the TV I prefer plasma myself but the Sony XBR is a great LCD. I don't personally care too much about the equivalent Samsungs. Also check out the new Mitsubishi LCDs if you are set on LCD. As far as cables go stick with monoprice. I got all my hdmi and other cables from them for cheap and they are of great quality. As far as DVR is concerned do you have cable or satellite? I say just get the DVR from whatever provider you use for your TV...

I agree with all of this. Good post.

 

[fired up]

Thanks for the good orderly direction. What about a voltage regulator/power conditioner? What is the best 52" Plasma screen on the market right now? I am not married to an LCD set. I just want what is currently state of the art so my family can enjoy this purchase for years to come.

 

[chadnliz]

First let me say sorry for your recent loss but you have your family so its obvious it could have been much worse. You noted you are into music and demand high quality, if it is as important as you suggest you can do alot better than Onkyo and Marantz, Dali makes a pretty good speaker but the rest isnt going to get you in the "Stellar" Neighborhood. I am a music first enthusiast and if you ever want to talk just PM me......with a little thought we can do much better!

 

[gus6464]

Thanks for the good orderly direction. What about a voltage regulator/power conditioner? What is the best 52" Plasma screen on the market right now? I am not married to an LCD set. I just want what is currently state of the art so my family can enjoy this purchase for years to come.

Well for plasma IMO there is only 2 choices: Panasonic and Pioneer

The Pioneer are very expensive though and a 50" will run you close to $5000. The XBR5 if I am not mistaken sells for around $4000 so that can put you in the 58" Panasonic TH-58PZ700U.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8330987&type=product&id=1175389260793

Why settle for a 52" when you can get a better 58" for the price Reason I don't like Pioneer is because IMO even though they are better than the Panasonic in PQ, the price premium you pay is not equal to increase in PQ. A properly calibrated Panasonic will get you very close to the performance of the Pioneer for thousands less.

For voltage regulation/conditioning I just use an APC surge protector but I also like the Belkin PureAV stuff.
http://catalog.belkin.com/PureAV.process?Section_Id=202493

 

[jostenmeat]

I agree with a lot of what Gus has already said.

The Pana 50 is a sweet spot buy for movie-watching, especially for an audiophile with all of the hi-def audio support.

Check out the Deals section here, and the link to Boston Tables great prices on Mirage seating. Ive searched nearby BM stores, Craigslist, Ebay, and these (at least by the pic) both are cheaper and look better. Free shipping, no tax if outside Ohio (I think it was).

Agreed with the 805. Some people are actually getting video issues with the Reon scaler. There is a very long thread at AVS called Altered Black Levels with (insert model)... I got the 805 refurbished last week for $618 shipped from Onkyo shop, and just hooked it up today. Works great so far, but I am only using it as a pre/pro. Have yet to try Audyssey, not sure when I'll get to it. It arrived quickly, but I do fear their lack of CS, heh.

I start to differ only a little w/ Gus on the tv's. Agreed Sony is best on LCD, and that's what I'd aim for if in the market for LCD. But the Samsungs are not too shabby, the 81/71 series. I do prefer plasma, and I personally find that Pioneer's look a LOT better. Even from a fan of Panasonic product, however, it could very well be that the Pioneers I saw were calibrated. I am sure all of my friends Panny plasmas are not!

 

[Halon451]

Thanks for the good orderly direction. What about a voltage regulator/power conditioner? What is the best 52" Plasma screen on the market right now? I am not married to an LCD set. I just want what is currently state of the art so my family can enjoy this purchase for years to come.

Hey fired up - very sorry to hear about your loss. I would have to offer that as far as VR/Power conditioner/surge protectors are concerned - you can't go wrong with anything from APC; IMO they are the benchmark for things like that. Also, Panasonic would have my vote as well - plasma - otherwise you open up Pandora's box on the old question which is better, Plasma or LCD?

I'll give you my take: LCD technology is improving, and there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

LCD = less power, therefore less heat produced, and no risk of screen burn-in BUT, you sacrifice a bit on contrast ratio and (sometimes) viewing angle.

Plasma = much better contrast ratios (deeper, more natural black levels), but use a bit more power and are prone to screen burn-in. Generally crisper images than LCD, but the Panasonics are probably the one plasma that has the lowest risk of screen burn in and their products are built to last.

So, if I were you I would go with APC and a nice Panasonic Plasma 1080p set.

 

[yettitheman]

Fire? Watching movies so loud that your equipment caught on fire?

Make sure that you get furniture that can hold your equipment with enough room to breathe. Take it from me; having equipment in the floor because you have no place in a rack to put it sucks

 

[jcPanny]

Hd-dvd

HD-DVD will be out of production soon, so don't bother with a hybrid player. Also check out some of the confusion on BluRay profiles before you purchase a player that could be obsolete in a few months. Some of the articles on the AH home have more details on the recent demise of HD-DVD.

 

[Davemcc]

LCD vs. Plasma? I'd say let the room decide. Plasmas tend to have very reflective screens from what I've seen. If the room is bright or there will be a lot of daylight viewing, LCD may be better from a glare/reflection point of view.

I use a Panamax surrge protector and I'm pretty happy with it in the sense that it seems to do what it should Don't forget a universal remote...even a cheap Harmony 659 is a handy device for the wife and kids.

 

[fired up]

Wow!!! Thanks for all the great posts. I have pretty much decided in favor of a Plasma TV. The reviews (from the magazines) really tout the Pioneer Elite Kuro 50" Plasma. I'm intrigued.

Do you guys mean that after I buy my TV I have to hire someone to come to my home and recalibrate it? Is that something I can do or is it best left to the pros?

 

[fired up]

Thanks again Gus for the links!

 

[gus6464]

Wow!!! Thanks for all the great posts. I have pretty much decided in favor of a Plasma TV. The reviews (from the magazines) really tout the Pioneer Elite Kuro 50" Plasma. I'm intrigued.

Do you guys mean that after I buy my TV I have to hire someone to come to my home and recalibrate it? Is that something I can do or is it best left to the pros?

With a good disc like DVE or Avia you can get about 90% of the way there by calibrating yourself. Just make sure you calibrate every input separate.

 

[fired up]

First things first. When it comes time to do calibration I will ask for specific help. Thanks Gus.

 

[aberkowitz]

Regarding a rack, I would check out www.racksandstands.com. They consistently have great deals (e.g. free shipping and no sales tax), high quality brands (I own 3 different pieces of Bush furniture in my house), and a well-priced "Return protection" policy that will refund outbound shipping costs, waive restocking fees, and arrange and pay for return shipping should you decide to return the unit.

There's a wide variety of items ranging from high-quality self-construct items (yes, they even have hardwood stuff) to pre-built stands and entertainment centers.

I personally like the self-construct TV stands b/c I don't like to have a back on my stand for ventilation purposes, and instead of drilling extra holes I can just leave it off.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Greetings,

My old A/V setup was lost in a fire a few days ago.

Sorry to hear about the bad news. I have also been through a house fire (2002)thanks to a lightning strike, and it's not something I would wish on anyone. We got zapped in the middle of the night and didn't even know the house was on fire. It shook us hard enough that it nearly threw my wife and I out of bed and onto the floor!! (not to mention scared the crap out of the kids) I never thought to look outside to see if the house was burning down!! All of the fire alarms went off due to the initial electrical surge from the strike, but I turned them off and we went back to bed. Luckily.... our neighbor across the street saw our roof on fire and came over to tell us to get us the hell out. I found out later the strike woke up the entire neighborhood.

A interesting side note: The only electronics item that fried was my cable modem....everything else survived!! I might have had to replace my sat receiver too, but I can't remember for sure.

As the parade of neighbors strolled by to rubberneck the construction crew as they rebuilt our roof, many stopped to talk to us about the storm. Several of them mentioned to us how 'our strike' fried their TVs, Computers, stereo's, etc, etc. etc...... and we were the ones that got hit!!

 

[fired up]

That is some story Buckeye_Nut! I'm grateful your family was okay.

A dealer told me today to save my money and not buy the Pioneer 50" Elite Kuro Plasma TV. He said I should I should buy the similar non-Elite model and use the savings for better source material or speakers. he claimed that after he calibrates the TV I will not be able to tell the difference. He feels the Elite is overkill.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,

Eddie

 

[yettitheman]

Sorry to hear about the bad news. I have also been through a house fire (2002)thanks to a lightning strike, and it's not something I would wish on anyone. We got zapped in the middle of the night and didn't even know the house was on fire. It shook us hard enough that it nearly threw my wife and I out of bed and onto the floor!! (not to mention scared the crap out of the kids) I never thought to look outside to see if the house was burning down!! All of the fire alarms went off due to the initial electrical surge from the strike, but I turned them off and we went back to bed. Luckily.... our neighbor across the street saw our roof on fire and came over to tell us to get us the hell out. I found out later the strike woke up the entire neighborhood.

A interesting side note: The only electronics item that fried was my cable modem....everything else survived!! I might have had to replace my sat receiver too, but I can't remember for sure.

As the parade of neighbors strolled by to rubberneck the construction crew as they rebuilt our roof, many stopped to talk to us about the storm. Several of them mentioned to us how 'our strike' fried their TVs, Computers, stereo's, etc, etc. etc...... and we were the ones that got hit!!

We had a lightning strike on the 4'th of July about 3 or 4 years ago.... hit the garage. Not so bad right???
Well... we have a propane tank that holds about 500 gallons right behind the garage. The tank is only 1 yard away from the back of the garage. The garage is 6 ft away from the house.
Not to mention, about 20 gallons of gasoline, 30 lbs of FFF black powder, chemicals, pesticides, and whatever else that could literally make a small bomb!

Funny thing is that NONE of it caught on fire. Had it... it seriously would have leveled the garage and house.

The lightning did kill a dead tree, a Mexican made RCA TV ( ) the spotlight on the tree, most everything in the garage (except the garage and the REALLY flammable materials... thank God for fire-retardant boxes) and a few other really small things in the house.

 

[gus6464]

That is some story Buckeye_Nut! I'm grateful your family was okay.

A dealer told me today to save my money and not buy the Pioneer 50" Elite Kuro Plasma TV. He said I should I should buy the similar non-Elite model and use the savings for better source material or speakers. he claimed that after he calibrates the TV I will not be able to tell the difference. He feels the Elite is overkill.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,

Eddie

I would say that's good advice from the dealer. But also check out the Panasonic 800 series that is coming out very soon. They will have a brand new panel (G11) and reports coming in are putting them even closer to the Kuro in PQ. Ultimately buy whatever looks best to you but I am a Panasonic fan as they offer extreme bang for the buck with their plasmas. Plus you get that awesome Panasonic reliability to boot.