HD Virgin Needs Advice on Receiver/Speakers

[NYGuy10960]

In just a few weeks I'm going to be converting half my basement into a tv room and they only thing I've decided on is the Sony KDL-52XBR2 52" BRAVIA XBR® LCD Flat Panel HDTV and a Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray Disc Player.

The room is about 10'x16'.

The only hardware I'll be connecting to the receiver is the bluray player and the tv connection (Verizon FIOS HD Receiver).

I don't think I need 7.1 speaker set up as the room is not that big. And what I'm really confused about is all the mention of upconverting 1080i component audio and video signals and what Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is, etc.

I look at the Denon and Onkyo receivers and it blows me away the connections on the back!

Any suggestions on a good receiver thats not overkill? And speakers? Any decent HTIB's out there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mtrycrafts]

In just a few weeks I'm going to be converting half my basement into a tv room and they only thing I've decided on is the Sony KDL-52XBR2 52" BRAVIA XBR® LCD Flat Panel HDTV and a Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray Disc Player.
The room is about 10'x16'.
The only hardware I'll be connecting to the receiver is the bluray player and the tv connection (Verizon FIOS HD Receiver).
I don't think I need 7.1 speaker set up as the room is not that big. And what I'm really confused about is all the mention of upconverting 1080i component audio and video signals and what Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is, etc.
I look at the Denon and Onkyo receivers and it blows me away the connections on the back!
Any suggestions on a good receiver thats not overkill? And speakers? Any decent HTIB's out there?
Thanks in advance!

What budget are you thinking about for this?

Well, is the TV on the 10ft wall? Where will you be seated, the other end of that room?
Is that TV 1080p or i capable?

Those audio formats you are asking is an lossless audio format, like a CD and not like the present DD/DTS that is a lossy format. Do you need it? That depends on you. If not, you don't need the newer receivers and their back should not discourage you as the older ones are very similar on the back

With You should consider a good sub and speakers, not an HTIB. It doesn't need to be expensive speakers to be better than HTIB.
SVS and Hsu offer subs, very good ones and speakers.

 

[NYGuy10960]

yes, the tv has 1920x1080 pixels,1080p native resolution, which enables it to resolve every detail of 1080i and 1080p sources.

It will be on a stand on the back 10" wall, seating opposite.

would like the best audio I could get and I'm thinking for speakers and receivers I'd like to stay under $2000.

whats SVS and HSU?

Upstairs I have Cambridge Soundworks sat/sub and have always loved them.

Thanks again you dont know how much this will help!

 

[AVRat]

Onkyo 605
SVS PB10-NSD
Ascend Acoustics System 22-1000

BTW, if possible, for a more immersive HT experience I'd place the viewing positon no more than 10' from that display.

 

[NYGuy10960]

Looks pretty good, I'll take it into consideration! What about CNETs comment on the Onkyo:

Downconverts 1080i component video signals to 720p when outputting over HDMI???

I had looked at that model earlier and when I saw that it didnt sound good.

 

[NYGuy10960]

anyway....I was just down in my basement trying to place things etc and am now considering a 7.1 set up.

would you still recommend
Onkyo 605
SVS PB10-NSD
Ascend Acoustics System 22-1000

I'd like to mount the surround and rears on the wall too, these looked a tad bulky.

is there a better way to post then me just keep adding to this?

 

[AVRat]

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the conversion issue especially since you’ll be connecting everything via HDMI.

Regarding 7.1 & surrounds, the HTM-200’s depth is about as good as it gets and if they can fit into your budget I’d suggest multi-polars for the side-surrounds. Two that might fit the bill would be Def Tech BP1.2Xs or Axiom QS4s.

Another option for the fronts might be AV123 x-sls/cs combo & adding the Def Tech BP1.2X/ProMonitor 1000s for surrounds.

Yes, simply adding new posts to this thread is the best way to keep all this information and dialogue together.

The AV123 x-sls is the smaller floorstander w/ the x-cs on top:

 

[mtrycrafts]

yes, the tv has 1920x1080 pixels,1080p native resolution, which enables it to resolve every detail of 1080i and 1080p sources.

It will be on a stand on the back 10" wall, seating opposite.

would like the best audio I could get and I'm thinking for speakers and receivers I'd like to stay under $2000.

whats SVS and HSU?

Upstairs I have Cambridge Soundworks sat/sub and have always loved them.

Thanks again you dont know how much this will help!

SVS and Hsu are subwoofer companies great subs at a very good price.
Easy to find the web page for them.

Are you sitting at the back wall opposite the TV or inbetween. If against the back wall, speakers for a 6.1 or 7.1 would not make sense a sthey need you to be away from the back wall.

With that bluray and TV you will get its full benefits. Bluray is 1080p already, no upconversion, only your standard DVD will be. But, you do need an HDMI for that video and audio of the newer codes on it although the standard DD/DTS should be fine too. This will need a HDMI receiver.

 

[NYGuy10960]

Really appreciate the advice thus far!

Here's what I have so far:
52" BRAVIA® XBR
Onkyo TX-SR674 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

Did look up the subs you mentioned.

Someone else mentioned the Paradigm Cinema™ 70 CT System and getting a couple extra of the fronts.

I'll check out your suggestions.

I will be sitting away from the back wall maybe 4-5 ft from it, guessing....thanks again!

 

[mtrycrafts]

Really appreciate the advice thus far!
I will be sitting away from the back wall maybe 4-5 ft from it, guessing....thanks again!

If you are that far from the back wall, a 6.1 would be ideal with that 10ft back wall. Too narrow for 7.1 setup.