Newbie needs help with budget home stereo build

[ps814]

Personally, I would avoid Amazon. But at least check out who (what store) is actually selling the items. It may not be Klipsch that would be the seller.

If you have access to home audio/video stores in your area, I'd go that route. If doing mail-order, see if Klipch (or whatever brand you're looking at) maintains a list of authorized resellers and then order from them.

It is actually from their store on Amazon surprising enough.

 

[rsharp]

It is actually from their store on Amazon surprising enough.

I would double-check that. e.g. if I search on "The Fives Klipsch", one search result shows a $460.00 price (list price of $799.00). While under the item's name it says "Visit the Klipsch Store", the details under the "Add to Cart" and "Buy Now" buttons show that it is sold by "SCORE MIGHTY".

 

[BMXTRIX]

On a tighter budget, I would have a hard time not scouring Craigslist for a used AV receiver. There are so many TOP SHELF receivers that predate HDMI that were absolute beasts. I ended up giving away my Yamaha RX-Z1 because it just had no value to me anymore.

In my area, something like this would be a nice solid foundation to a full blown 5.1 system, but for the short term would give decent power to a nice pair of stereo speakers, and proper bass management for a subwoofer down the line...

Yamaha A/V Receiver HTR-5560 - electronics - by owner - sale

Yamaha A/V Receiver HTR-5560, with Dolby Digital EX, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic II. Tested in good working condition. Asking $40. Please call or text. Seven O'Three 486.8273.

washingtondc.craigslist.org

You could sell it later or give it away at some of these prices without blinking. Plus, the sound doesn't suck and the price is great. If you can get good speakers up front, then pair it with a receiver that is decent, you should get great results with a clear path that allows for upgrades in both the short term, like adding a subwoofer, or adding a center channel, as well as the long term with a new modern AVR with more power.

 

[Kingnoob]

On a tighter budget, I would have a hard time not scouring Craigslist for a used AV receiver. There are so many TOP SHELF receivers that predate HDMI that were absolute beasts. I ended up giving away my Yamaha RX-Z1 because it just had no value to me anymore.

In my area, something like this would be a nice solid foundation to a full blown 5.1 system, but for the short term would give decent power to a nice pair of stereo speakers, and proper bass management for a subwoofer down the line...

Yamaha A/V Receiver HTR-5560 - electronics - by owner - sale

Yamaha A/V Receiver HTR-5560, with Dolby Digital EX, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic II. Tested in good working condition. Asking $40. Please call or text. Seven O'Three 486.8273.

washingtondc.craigslist.org

You could sell it later or give it away at some of these prices without blinking. Plus, the sound doesn't suck and the price is great. If you can get good speakers up front, then pair it with a receiver that is decent, you should get great results with a clear path that allows for upgrades in both the short term, like adding a subwoofer, or adding a center channel, as well as the long term with a new modern AVR with more power.

Yeah new avr prices keep rising, that’s about only way to find a cheap one . I wonder anything comparable to onkyo818 today probably cost double or more what it did .
$800 budget isn’t much for new gear.

 

[dalotissac]

It doesn't leave a budget for a sub, but it's a Showbox jiofi.local.html tplinklogin fully sub-ready setup. So when you gather another $450 you could add a good sub.

 

[MrBoat]

I like buying used and ignoring current tech. 10-20 year old technology from a sound quality aspect has been very good. Think about what the reviews and ads have been claiming and promising then to now. If coming off an audio dry spell, it would sound phenomenal anyway.

I would rather have a 10 year old mid-tier, or flagship model of AVR than a current budget model of anything. My AVRs are 20 years old and they are still formidable. I change audio habits like the seasons, so it's good to know my old AVR can still drive everything I get into, except for perhaps, the latest gimmicks.

2.1 in smaller spaces is pretty darn immersive to me. So much so, that I am not even curious to hear more. 2-channel music is all I do anymore, other than video games and short videos on the PC.