Help designing Home Theater

[monsterman]

Currently I've only been involved with car audio and my 2.1 computer (budget) audiophile setup. (AudioEngine A5's, Emotiva DAC, Onix X-Sub).

I want to get a home theater setup that I can build upon as time passes. For some reason I really like Emotiva for amplifier and processor Choices.

Small apartment living room space. Appx 20'x8' (~400SF open connected area)
PS3 + 42" LCD TV

Basically Looking at getting a
Emotiva UMC-1

then powering either a 2.1/2.2 setup or getting a 3.1/3.2 setup with a used amp.
My research has led me to
Either two tower speaker ( like Polk Monitor 70's )
or Two Berhinger 2030P's

Subwoofers will most likely come as an amplifier powered DIY setup using Kappa's or similar drivers (JL W3's).

My budget is $1000 for the UMC-1 (can be had for $350 used) which leaves me with $650 to get a used amplifier and some speakers. I occasionally find used 5 channel amps with 80-120 rms @ 8 ohms for ~ $200-300. Which then leaves me with $350-$450 for either a used set of speaker or getting something new that falls into that realm. There is no budget for subwoofers as I have that task already in the works.
My thoughts were If I get the Behringer's they can be used as surround speakers at a later date. Problem is.....they are ugly as goats.
And if I get some semi-decent Towers that handle good power and are bi-amp'ed I can end up getting some pretty decent output and be happy until the expansion to a 5.2 setup occurs? Just wanted to bounce this idea out to the community.

Goals:
Sound Quality (Audioengine A5's actually sound pretty good... now I'm spoiled)
Mid-Bass Impact
Looks

 

[timoteo]

Skip the Polks...for that price range I'd rather have the new Infinity Primus 363 towers at $199ea. Actually I rather have the EMPtek E5Ti towers at $500 a pair!!! They do need a sub though because they don't play very low. However they are extremely neutral & have an excellent finish that looks better than any tower in its price IMO!!! These would be wonderful speakers to build off!!!

Emotiva: excellent amps & subs!!!

I'd probably skip the Emotiva Prepro & go with a Yamaha, Onkyo or Denon AVR (with Pre-outs of course!!)

My 2 cents!!!

 

[slipperybidness]

Emotiva UMC-1[/URL]

then powering either a 2.1/2.2 setup or getting a 3.1/3.2 setup with a used amp.
My research has led me to
Either two tower speaker ( like Polk Monitor 70's )
or Two Berhinger 2030P's

Subwoofers will most likely come as an amplifier powered DIY setup using Kappa's or similar drivers (JL W3's).

My budget is $1000 for the UMC-1 (can be had for $350 used) which leaves me with $650 to get a used amplifier and some speakers. I occasionally find used 5 channel amps with 80-120 rms @ 8 ohms for ~ $200-300. Which then leaves me with $350-$450 for either a used set of speaker or getting something new that falls into that realm. There is no budget for subwoofers as I have that task already in the works.
My thoughts were If I get the Behringer's they can be used as surround speakers at a later date. Problem is.....they are ugly as goats.
And if I get some semi-decent Towers that handle good power and are bi-amp'ed I can end up getting some pretty decent output and be happy until the expansion to a 5.2 setup occurs? Just wanted to bounce this idea out to the community.

Goals:
Sound Quality (Audioengine A5's actually sound pretty good... now I'm spoiled)
Mid-Bass Impact
Looks

Those Behringers are powered monitors (ie the amp is built in already). Considering what you are trying to do, I don't think those are what you want.

+1 on the Infinity P363, great speakers and definitely better than the polks you listed.

+1 on something other than the UMC-1. Maybe this
MARANTZ SR5005 100w X 7ch 3-D Home Theater Surround Receiver | Accessories4less

Then make the decision as to whether or not you need the external amps (saves money for other gear).

 

[monsterman]

Those Behringers are powered monitors (ie the amp is built in already). Considering what you are trying to do, I don't think those are what you want.

+1 on the Infinity P363, great speakers and definitely better than the polks you listed.

+1 on something other than the UMC-1. Maybe this
MARANTZ SR5005 100w X 7ch 3-D Home Theater Surround Receiver | Accessories4less

Then make the decision as to whether or not you need the external amps (saves money for other gear).

Actually...Perhaps I listed the wrong ones but the 2030P's are (Passive). Wmax often claims they are very flat and could totally work in a small to med sized room. I think the SQ of these would be fantastic.

 

[monsterman]

Skip the Polks...for that price range I'd rather have the new Infinity Primus 363 towers at $199ea. Actually I rather have the EMPtek E5Ti towers at $500 a pair!!! They do need a sub though because they don't play very low. However they are extremely neutral & have an excellent finish that looks better than any tower in its price IMO!!! These would be wonderful speakers to build off!!!

Emotiva: excellent amps & subs!!!

I'd probably skip the Emotiva Prepro & go with a Yamaha, Onkyo or Denon AVR (with Pre-outs of course!!)

My 2 cents!!! ��

EMPtek E5Ti towers are freaking sweet looking. Totally something I could add on later. Get the towers now ... then center then surrounds ect.
100% on board with having my stuff match and look great as well as sound very nice.
I'll look into this AVR option especially since some of them can produce plenty of power for those EMPtek E5Ti (~150 RMS).
I might actually get two 12" X-Subs and sell my current venture as getting a good amp that I like is really hard with my budget.

For amp choices I've been looking into:
XPA-5 (expensive but it's all I'll ever need in terms of power)
UPA-5 (well rounded but lacks huge power)

 

[slipperybidness]

Actually...Perhaps I listed the wrong ones but the 2030P's are (Passive). Wmax often claims they are very flat and could totally work in a small to med sized room. I think the SQ of these would be fantastic.

I double-ckd, my mistake. When I looked at the active vs passive on the link, I thought these were active.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Actually...Perhaps I listed the wrong ones but the 2030P's are (Passive). Wmax often claims they are very flat and could totally work in a small to med sized room. I think the SQ of these would be fantastic.

WmAx claimed many things, among them the fact back in the day 2030p could be bought for $120-140/pr not $200 and needed to be modded to eliminate some issues.
95% of Sound Quality is determined by Speakers, not electronics... Looking for ways to save on speakers will negatively reflect on SQ and no amount of electronics could fix that.
With $1000 total budget I'd strongly look again at P363 speakers or even more expensive ones

here are some good alternatives:
KEF Iq70 Two-half Way 6½" Floorstanding Speakers Pair Black | Accessories4less
BOSTON ACOUSTICS RS334 Reflection Series Tower Speaker Each Black | Accessories4less
BOSTON ACOUSTICS A360 3-Way Dual 6.5in Floor Standing Speaker Pair White | Accessories4less

Looks is the eye of the beholder, but barely anyone argues what EmpTek E55Ti look great, but do push your budget
EMP Tek E55Ti Tower Speakers - try look for sale/used models

 

[templemaners]

Actually...Perhaps I listed the wrong ones but the 2030P's are (Passive).

The 2030P's are indeed passive (have a pair in my office), but they make an active version as well. I would skip the UMC-1 in favor of something from Denon/Yamaha/Marantz (that has preouts if you do need power). And the P362/P363's are excellent speakers for the price, especially if you can find a killer deal on them like Fry's has from time to time.

I'd love to have a budget system with P362/3 for L/R, the matching PC350/1 center channel, and 2030P's for surrounds (with two subs of course). Waveguide speakers FTW

 

[monsterman]

WmAx claimed many things, among them the fact back in the day 2030p could be bought for $120-140/pr not $200 and needed to be modded to eliminate some issues.
95% of Sound Quality is determined by Speakers, not electronics... Looking for ways to save on speakers will negatively reflect on SQ and no amount of electronics could fix that.
With $1000 total budget I'd strongly look again at P363 speakers or even more expensive ones

here are some good alternatives:
KEF Iq70 Two-half Way 6½" Floorstanding Speakers Pair Black | Accessories4less
BOSTON ACOUSTICS RS334 Reflection Series Tower Speaker Each Black | Accessories4less
BOSTON ACOUSTICS A360 3-Way Dual 6.5in Floor Standing Speaker Pair White | Accessories4less

Looks is the eye of the beholder, but barely anyone argues what EmpTek E55Ti look great, but do push your budget
EMP Tek E55Ti Tower Speakers - try look for sale/used models

From my experience. Purchasing one of the best available bang for you buck solutions is almost always good enough.
I will accept everyone's advice and purchase the Infinity Primus 363 and a decent used AVR. I will hold off on spending any more money on amplifiers until I see the need.
Thanks again for the advice.

 

[slipperybidness]

The 2030P's are indeed passive (have a pair in my office), but they make an active version as well. I would skip the UMC-1 in favor of something from Denon/Yamaha/Marantz (that has preouts if you do need power). And the P362/P363's are excellent speakers for the price, especially if you can find a killer deal on them like Fry's has from time to time.

I'd love to have a budget system with P362/3 for L/R, the matching PC350/1 center channel, and 2030P's for surrounds (with two subs of course). Waveguide speakers FTW

I should have posted earlier, crutchfield currently has the P363 for $199 each. Not the absolute best deal out there (if you wait long enough), but not bad either
Infinity Primus P363 Floor-standing speaker at Crutchfield.com

 

[monsterman]

Help with receivers

I have zero experience with AVR's. I have no where to begin and basically don't know what I'm looking for when trying to find a used Unit. I figured I'd ask in this thread vs starting a new one in the Receiver section of the forum.
I did some small amounts of research today and come to the conclusion....

The difference between 80 rms / channel and 120rms / channel would not be significant to me as I will 100% be using external amplification at a later date.

I would love maximum features but the most important feature would be calibration and tuning. 2nd runner up would be Ipod and internet radio integration.

I have only a PS3 and a single TV with a single living room system so there really is limited need for more than 3 HDMI inputs. (future need of HDMI's is a non-Issue)

Internet/Network connectivity is probably necessary. As Is ability to play many video file formats.

 

[timoteo]

What is your AVR budget!!?

Get a receiver with preouts BUT concentrate on getting all 5 of your speakers BEFORE spending any $ on an external amp!!! The amp will improve the sound of the speakers a bit but it's marginal improvement. Getting a center & surrounds & subs will make a world of difference. Save the amp for last...all the receivers you'll be looking into can easily get 5 Primus or EMPtek speakers louder than you'll need, specially once you add sub/s & cross the speakers over at 80hz (or whatever hz you choose).

I would go with the EMPtek speakers over the Primus line if you can afford it!! But they are close to the same price anyways so....

 

[GoFastr]

Here's some info to help you decide what features are on each brand AVR and some MSRP price points. You can always find them cheaper online somewhere.

2011 $600 A/V Receiver Comparison Guide — Reviews and News from Audioholics

Denon AVR-1912 Product Comparison Chart | ZDNet

 

[monsterman]

Here's some info to help you decide what features are on each brand AVR and some MSRP price points. You can always find them cheaper online somewhere.

2011 $600 A/V Receiver Comparison Guide — Reviews and News from Audioholics

Denon AVR-1912 Product Comparison Chart | ZDNet

Oh hell yea ... Awesome Charts thanks a ton.

 

[monsterman]

What is your AVR budget!!?

Get a receiver with preouts BUT concentrate on getting all 5 of your speakers BEFORE spending any $ on an external amp!!! The amp will improve the sound of the speakers a bit but it's marginal improvement. Getting a center & surrounds & subs will make a world of difference. Save the amp for last...all the receivers you'll be looking into can easily get 5 Primus or EMPtek speakers louder than you'll need, specially once you add sub/s & cross the speakers over at 80hz (or whatever hz you choose).

I would go with the EMPtek speakers over the Primus line if you can afford it!! But they are close to the same price anyways so....

Thanks a bunch for that help and PERSPECTIVE. I will hold off on the amp until further notice. I think the EMPtek's look really sexy but sound quality is super high on my priority list.
EMPtek E5Ti Tower Speakers vs Infinity Primus 363
Actually they are pretty close in price on paper but ive found the Infinity's for $340 pair and I hear they go on sale for $200/ pair crazy price

 

[timoteo]

Sound quality is top of my list as well...that's why I recommended the EMPteks. Their sexy looks are just a bonus!!

 

[slipperybidness]

Thanks a bunch for that help and PERSPECTIVE. I will hold off on the amp until further notice. I think the EMPtek's look really sexy but sound quality is super high on my priority list.
EMPtek E5Ti Tower Speakers vs Infinity Primus 363
Actually they are pretty close in price on paper but ive found the Infinity's for $340 pair and I hear they go on sale for $200/ pair crazy price

A couple months ago the b stock on the EMPs were going for $275 a pair, but I haven't seen any B stock come up in a couple months.

 

[monsterman]

Thoughts on this receiver that can be had for $550 on audiogon?
Denon AVR-2809CI Home theater receiver with HDMI switching and video upconversion at Crutchfield.com

 

[Irishman]

Currently I've only been involved with car audio and my 2.1 computer (budget) audiophile setup. (AudioEngine A5's, Emotiva DAC, Onix X-Sub).

I want to get a home theater setup that I can build upon as time passes. For some reason I really like Emotiva for amplifier and processor Choices.

Small apartment living room space. Appx 20'x8' (~400SF open connected area)
PS3 + 42" LCD TV



then powering either a 2.1/2.2 setup or getting a 3.1/3.2 setup with a used amp.
My research has led me to
Either.....Subwoofers will most likely come as an amplifier powered DIY setup using Kappa's or similar drivers (JL W3's).

My budget is $1000 for the UMC-1 (can be had for $350 used) which leaves me with $650 to get a used amplifier and some speakers. I occasionally find used 5 channel amps with 80-120 rms @ 8 ohms for ~ $200-300. Which then leaves me with $350-$450 for either a used set of speaker or getting something new that falls into that realm. There is no budget for subwoofers as I have that task already in the works.
My thoughts were If I get the Behringer's they can be used as surround speakers at a later date. Problem is.....they are ugly as goats.
And if I get some semi-decent Towers that handle good power and are bi-amp'ed I can end up getting some pretty decent output and be happy until the expansion to a 5.2 setup occurs? Just wanted to bounce this idea out to the community.

Goals:
Sound Quality (Audioengine A5's actually sound pretty good... now I'm spoiled)
Mid-Bass Impact
Looks

Yeah those A5's are the stuff! Good going with those. Are you in a location where you can audition either of your candidates?

 

[monsterman]

Yeah those A5's are the stuff! Good going with those. Are you in a location where you can audition either of your candidates?

Unfortunately I don't think so