Impulse HT buy

[Omega Supreme]

Here is what I got:

Boston Acoustic MCS 100 Surround Sound Package
Denon AVR-589

This is for my dad who is looking at getting a new TV and audio system this Christmas. We decided to visit a Circuit City that was going out of business. We had no luck with the TV but we did have a little luck with the audio system. At least I think we did. We got the above system for $600. His main stipulation was for it to be cheap and something he could hang on the wall (no floor standers or bookshelf speakers on stands) and of course he wanted it to sound good. They had several HTIB's but they were all display units. We ended up getting the BA and Denon because they were new in box. There demo room had shut down so we could not try them out. I have never bought speakers without listening to them before but it wasn't like we could just come back next week and get them because they were the only ones left and at 40% off it seemed like a really good deal. Another reasoning for getting them is that i used to live close to a Tweeter, before it closed, and out of all the lines of speakers they carried the Boston Acoustics were some of my favorite. Anyway, has anyone listened to these speakers or receiver before and does that sound like a good deal? I think my dad will love them either way because his AV system now consists of an 20+ year old Zenith with a DVD player I bought him a few years back. Thanks for any comments.

 

[jostenmeat]

Well, its really only your opinion, needs, tastes that matter.

Could I build a better one, IMO? Yes, BUT, with that hard limit, I would've built an incomplete system.

Since that Denon is video pass-thru only, you could most likely have saved by getting an Onkyo equivalent for $150, or better yet, find a used SPDIF receiver for say $50.

$550 will get you 3x Ascend 170SE, or various studio monitor monitors, or other value rich speaker choices for the front stage.

You can take the remaining change, +$100-$250, and apply that to a subwoofer such as Dayton, BIC, superceded Velodyne, entry level eD, or DIY, etc.

For the two missing surrounds, if completely unwilling to spend more, Id look for anything cheap on the classifieds, ebay, craigslist to handle them in the meanwhile. $20. Or just as well would I compromise in not having surrounds until I can afford perhaps a bit better.

5x KRK ST6 is $495, OTOH. 6x Behringer 2030p is about $390 I think. Even storing away the extra (which might come in handy one day, anyhow), its still tough to beat.

 

[Omega Supreme]

Thanks for the reply josten. Have you heard the Boston Acoustics? How do they sound?

 

[jostenmeat]

Thanks for the reply josten. Have you heard the Boston Acoustics? How do they sound?

You're welcome. I haven't heard that set, but I just feel assured in my presumption that 3" woofers simply cannot cut it for HT, and neither will that sub.

I've heard other BA speakers. I did enjoy my audition of the VR series (much pricier than that set). Very wide stage, some of the widest sounding I've ever heard actually. OTOH, the x-over b/w tweet/mid didn't seem designed to my liking. Something funky going on; easily detectable timbral or phase shifts/changes in that area, IMO (take with salt).

 

[ChrisJam]

You're welcome. I haven't heard that set, but I just feel assured in my presumption that 3" woofers simply cannot cut it for HT, and neither will that sub.

I agree with jostenmeat.

That said, Omega's father will adore the new system, because it'll be far better than what he's used to. Who knows, he might then get the yen to upgrade a few years down the road.

Chris

 

[davidtwotrees]

I briefly owned a pair of BA CR-6's ??? I think. They were very solidly constrcuted, excellent build quality..........rock solid binding posts, and they sounded just fine for the price. That is my only experience with BA.......I'm sure your dad will be tickled pink, Omega. Merry Christmas, Omega Supreme Dad!