HTiB Help!

[leftshot]

Hello,
I'm a first time poster who needs help deciding on a basic surround sound system for movies, games and music. I was considering buying the much maligned Bose V35 system because it met many of my needs (see below), but my brother talked me out of it and now I've seen online that they are pretty high in price and mostly you are paying for a name & marketing. I need solutions for the following issues:
1) I'd like to have matching amp/speakers or no more than two brands...I'm willing to consider an all in one HTiB system or X amp with Y speakers.
2) My wife and I mostly watch movies and listen to music, we plan on buying a blue ray player. I know that I want at least a 5.1 system, but would be willing to go all the way to 7.1. I do a little bit of gaming, but mostly we are interested in above average surround sound quality for movies and music.
3) Our living room is on a slab (no basement) with a second floor above it. I'm not sure how we would run wires for the rear channels, but I am willing to entertain add on products for wireless rear channels. I'm interested in learning about this area, so if anyone has suggestions I'm willing to listen.
4) I'm trying to keep the whole package in the $1000-$1500 range, not including the blue ray player.

Mostly I'm looking for something that will be impressive to my untrained (but discerning) ears...I've had previous experience with home audio, but so much has changed since I bought my first setup (Kenwood Amp, Sony Sub, Technics speakers and JBL Center & rears). My brother has an Onkyo system that he loves (S6300), and some of my online research has lead me to the Klipsch brand (HDT1000) but I'd be unsure of an amp for the Klipsch and neither brand addresses the wireless side of things. I'm pretty experienced with electrical and technology, so don't think I need help putting the batteries in...I just need some recommendations from people who have done this before! Any help, direction or advice would be appreciated.
-cale

 

[BMXTRIX]

Let me start off by saying that Bose meets almost none of the criteria you have listed below. It sounds bad, is not expandable, has fixed wiring (typically) with a proprietary setup, and often runs higher than your budget to give you all that nonsense! Glad you asked before you bought anything.

1) I'd like to have matching amp/speakers or no more than two brands...I'm willing to consider an all in one HTiB system or X amp with Y speakers.

Dump this philosophy. You want the best for your money that appropriately matches and gives you good audio. Typically this means 3 companies. Receiver, speakers, subwoofer. You then need cables, so there is a 4th company. Don't get hung up on this as the Internet process makes a lot of this easy if not completely painless. But, go with what is best for your money, not which tag matches the next tag.

2) My wife and I mostly watch movies and listen to music, we plan on buying a blue ray player. I know that I want at least a 5.1 system, but would be willing to go all the way to 7.1. I do a little bit of gaming, but mostly we are interested in above average surround sound quality for movies and music.

Your room will help dictate whether 7.1 is practical for you. If you can sketch something up for your room layout, it may help others to help you out. Really, 5.1 is adequate for most people I believe.

3) Our living room is on a slab (no basement) with a second floor above it. I'm not sure how we would run wires for the rear channels, but I am willing to entertain add on products for wireless rear channels. I'm interested in learning about this area, so if anyone has suggestions I'm willing to listen.

Wiring is why there are pros in this business. You can hide wiring behind crown moulding or inside ceilings/joists or around the edge of carpet under the baseboard. This is something you may be able to do yourself, or may want to hire a pro to do for you.

I'm not sure of any really good wireless solutions at this time. I would think the added expense for good wireless surrounds would be similar in cost to just getting the wiring properly installed to begin with.

4) I'm trying to keep the whole package in the $1000-$1500 range, not including the blue ray player.

You have a ton of choices then. I would probably shoot for about 1/3 of the budget to go to the receiver (at the most) and the rest to go to speakers.

This is a great read:
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/home-theater-gear/79806-build-your-own-htib-400-800-a.html

You have other choices as well, but the major manufacturers all have sub $500 receivers which will do a good job for most people and then you are left needing a 5.1 setup of speakers.

Get your audio cabling at www.monoprice.com and you are all set.

 

[sholling]

You've been given excellent advice. There is no reason why you can't put together a much better system and stay within your budget. Sketch out the room and provide some dimensions and you'll get lots of help.

 

[XEagleDriver]

. . .

Your room will help dictate whether 7.1 is practical for you. If you can sketch something up for your room layout, it may help others to help you out. Really, 5.1 is adequate for most people I believe.


Wiring is why there are pros in this business. You can hide wiring behind crown moulding or inside ceilings/joists or around the edge of carpet under the baseboard. This is something you may be able to do yourself, or may want to hire a pro to do for you.

. . .

+1 with what BMXTRIX said, . . . except given the budget, a 5.1 system is a MUCH better goal than 7.1 even if the room supports it.

I actually would make a strong pitch towards getting the BEST 3.1 system you can put together with your budget now. (Reading between the lines . . . a much better subwoofer!!)

Use it, learn more from the experience, and then add the surrounds to grow into 5.1 or 7.1 (and solve the wiring issues) at a later (maybe much later) date.

Cheers,
XEagleDriver

 

[leftshot]

Wow, just a ton of great advice. I appreciate all the help. I hadn't really thought of these systems as expandable...I think I'm going to start by buying a 7.1 amp but only hook up a 5.1 system. That way I can upgrade later once I'm more comfortable...don't know why I didn't think of that. I also didn't consider having the wiring professionally installed...probably comparable in cost to a wireless system. I intend to provide a basic sketch of my living room (with measurements) to get the best input on satellite placement. I currently have a decent sony sub (12 in.) and an outdated Kenwood 5.1 amp. I'm considering ordering a set of 5.1 fluance speakers and hooking them up to my current amp and sub. If I feel the need to get more serious and add the 7.1 system (unlikely) or upgrade the amp (very likely) or sub (possible) I will do that in the future. Also if I like the satellite set up I will consider having the wires professionally installed. Any thoughts on the Fluance 5.1 speaker setup? I saw them getting good reviews (for the price) and thought it might be a good way to start. I feel like I could start there without jumping in with both feet, later I could upgrade the amp once I feel more comfortable. Thanks so much to everyone, this is less intimidating now than it was when I first posted. My next step will be to provide that measured sketch of the living room...