I have$3K for a complete HT system: Recommendations Please

[watchdog]

My basement room is 21X17 all new remodeled construction and prewired for a 5.1 system. It will be used for everyday television viewing, DVD's, music etc.... I was hopeful to use this as the central source for music in the entire house as well. I have the house pre-wired with 4 additional pair of speakers: Two upstairs, one outside and one pair in another room in the basement.

My couch will be 12 feet from a 52" LCD.

I need a complete home entertainment system. Can I get some people with first hand experience with equipment and recommendations for a $3K budget.

 

[rnatalli]

Spend at least half of your audio budget on speakers and definitely audition as many brands as possible. I think Audioholics has a $3.5k recommended system that you might want to look at also for some ideas.

 

[mtrycrafts]

My basement room is 21X17 all new remodeled construction and prewired for a 5.1 system. It will be used for everyday television viewing, DVD's, music etc.... I was hopeful to use this as the central source for music in the entire house as well. I have the house pre-wired with 4 additional pair of speakers: Two upstairs, one outside and one pair in another room in the basement.

My couch will be 12 feet from a 52" LCD.

I need a complete home entertainment system. Can I get some people with first hand experience with equipment and recommendations for a $3K budget.

You will get lots of suggestions here and the home page has some system recommendations.
I want to add that you consider a 7.1 setup down there, and perhaps prewire for a front projection system in such a good size room, on top of the everyday TV, even at 52", moves look so wonderful on a 110" or larger screen

 

[jimfitz]

I agree you should wire it for a 7.1 surround system. Start with a nice receiver. I just bought an Onkyo TX-SR805. It will support 7.1 plus 2 other zones. A Sony Blu-ray DVD is now only $499. That will leave you around $1,500 for speakers. Or, if you're not into Blu-ray yet, an upconverting DVD player is only a couple hundred dollars.

 

[mazersteven]

Are you looking for "Whole House Audio" with that budget of $3K? HT in basement and the other speakers around the house?

 

[watchdog]

Walls already finished....

I wish I had found this site several months ago. I spoke with several professionals beforehand. In fact one local well known firm come out and proposed a $14K solution including the T.V. All I met or spoke with suggested a 5.1 ... Oh well I am prewired for 5.1

You know, I did consider adding a projection system as a secondary system but in the end decided against.

$3K is for the basement only. I have been leaning toward some Axioms or Ascends based on what I have read here and a Onkyo 805 or ???How about going with an Outlaw 990/7125 albeit kinda spendy given my budget. However, I do have some wiggle room.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I wish I had found this site several months ago. I spoke with several professionals beforehand. In fact one local well known firm come out and proposed a $14K solution including the T.V. All I met or spoke with suggested a 5.1 ... Oh well I am prewired for 5.1

You know, I did consider adding a projection system as a secondary system but in the end decided against.

$3K is for the basement only. I have been leaning toward some Axioms or Ascends based on what I have read here and a Onkyo 805 or ???How about going with an Outlaw 990/7125 albeit kinda spendy given my budget. However, I do have some wiggle room.

After re-reading your post, the basement is finished except for the components. That is too bad that you were not fully made aware of other possibilities even if you would have turned it down, at least you would have had a better choice.
While the projection is secondary, pre wiring would have been cheap while remodeling if you want it next year will not be.

Oh, well, we all have similar stories.