Newbie needs help with HTIB, please!

[ah03]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and home theaters in general and appreciate any advice you can give!

What I'm looking for: a SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE system that will sound decent.

What I've looked at:

Bose Lifestyle: I KNOW bose is somewhat of a bad word around here and i get it. but looking at their Lifestyle system, it is an all in one box with DVD player built in and has pretty ok sound. the name and marketing don't interest me as much as the simplicity of the system. the adaptiq calibration setup feature seems cool too, not knowing if it actully works or not. I know i could get better sound for less than the $3000 bose wants to steal from me, but the all in one unit with easy setup and operation attracts me alot!

Sony DAVFR9: they didn't even have this thing setup and calibrated at either the sony store or the ken crane's. either way, it sounds pretty crappy...PASS

Onkyo HTIB: got good ratings on cnet, but am not thrilled with the aesthetics. i haven't been to any shops yet that carry Onkyo's HTIB's.

Denon S-301: how do you get surround sound with 2.1 speakers? does anyone know if this system is any good? it looks like an all in one like the bose for about $1400 less... but the 2.1 speakers concerns me.

My local shop made a setup with Integra 4.5 receiver ($500), Integra DVD player ($350), and speakers/sub made by "Definitive" for a total of about $2200 OTD...is this a good setup? but already i don't like how complicated it all looks. If i can, I'd like to get away from the traditional receiver and remote with a hundred buttons. I understand that to an enthusiast, all the functions and tinkering is part of the fun, but I'm more of a "set it and forget it" kind of guy. Is there a product out there for me? What advice can you guys give me?

Thank you thank you thank you for any assistance you can give!

 

[jaxvon]

You know, with the right remote, after you set up the system (somewhat involved), you can make it set-and-forget. If you can dedicate half a day on the weekend to getting everything placed right and calibrated, then I think you can set up any system. The problem is Bose is overpriced and HTiB's just don't sound that good.

What kind of budget are you looking at?
What kind of aesthetics are you looking for?
Does your TV have HDMI?

I know you'd like to make it super simple, but with just a tad of extra work, you can get a great sounding system.

 

[ah03]

thanks

Thanks for the quick advice!

The TV i'm getting is the Panasonic TH-50PX50U. I think it has HDMI.
Aesthetics: I'm going for a more modern, techy look. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but plain black boxes on metal stands are probably my last option.
Budget: somewhere around $2k would be ideal...

Today I went and checked out the Denon S-301. For a 2.1, it's not too bad. I was impressed, actually. Of course, it's not as good as the separate component system above, but...nevertheless, it's not bad. For the money ($1600) and simplicity, I might try this option first. If I feel that it's sorely lacking, I think i could always put it in the bedroom! (I know, expensive experimentation )

Another option I just learned about today is the Integra 7.3 DVD receiver. Anyone know about this unit? I think it's been out for a few years...

 

[jaxvon]

Another option might be the Yamaha YSP-1. Check out the review here. It might just be what you're looking for, though you won't know until you find a place where you can have a good listen.

 

[sdy284]

Aesthetics: I'm going for a more modern, techy look. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but plain black boxes on metal stands are probably my last option.

keep in mind that many of the typical "black box" speakers also come in other finishes. This is just one example, but just to show you the difference it makes

one plain jane black box Beta 10 becomes pretty sophisticated looking IMO
just something to consider

 

[Takeereasy]

This may be a waste of breath but HSU makes the ventriloquist system. You could have a setup that sounds much superior to Bose (at least in my opinion) with a Sub that will shake the hell out of your building's foundation shipped right to your door for well under $1000 including taxes. Also look at the Orb review on this website. Sexier than Bose and cheaper. If you must have Bose quality sound then you might want to listen to Athena's micra package. The only problem is you can get it for about $300-$400.

 

[Tomorrow]

This may be a waste of breath but HSU makes the ventriloquist system. You could have a setup that sounds much superior to Bose (at least in my opinion) with a Sub that will shake the hell out of your building's foundation shipped right to your door for well under $1000 including taxes. Also look at the Orb review on this website. Sexier than Bose and cheaper. If you must have Bose quality sound then you might want to listen to Athena's micra package. The only problem is you can get it for about $300-$400.

Well said and bravo, Takeereasy. The Hsu Ventriloquist system has great reviews, a terrific sub (with the package listed below), and is oft ignored around here. And ah03, it's simpler than the Bl..er, Bose. Oh yeah, and it's WAY cheaper, too. (All that marketing of Bose costs a LOT, I reckon.)

Check it out.

http://www.hsustore.com/vt-12-stf-2.html

 

[ah03]

HDMI cables and power centers

Any recommendations on HDMI cables? And what about a surge protector or power conditioner? Do I even need that stuff, and if so, what should I get?How much do I need to spend on each, and where can I get them? (I'm in Southern California) Any brands I should get/not get?

Sorry about the super noob questions, but I don't trust A/V salesmen (completely)

 

[Corona]

im very new to this stuff also.... a friend of mine booted me in the direction of jbl speakers. so to keep it short and sweet i bought the jbl northridge e90 series and a sub i bought the jbl e150p. reciever i think i went wrong cause im not really getting good sound from it at all ( meaning its not loud ) nor is the subwoofer pounding with bass. the receiver is the pioneer vsx-814k ..... i just want to know is it the speakers the receiver the sub..... did i go woring on the speakers and sub ( meaning brand ) or is it the receiver?

 

[BMXTRIX]

I'm not going to recommend equipment, but I am going to make a recommendation which I hope others agree with.

The 'Bose' system which you are considering is about $3K... Which I am guessing is your budget, and you like it because it seems simple.

Why not just go into a store and get an A/V receiver and pick up some good speakers (as suggested by others) then when about $2,000.00 is spent, PAY someone to set it up for you?

You don't have to do anything and the final bill will come to well under the price of the Bose system, while delivering to you far superior sound and, in the end, a much simpler setup process for you.

I just added a HD tuner and DVD/VCR to a friend's home who had Bose and I had to tell him that neither device could be hooked up to the Bose unit because he had run out of inputs on it. He had to remove equipment he wanted to keep if he wanted to use it. Simply a waste of money is all Bose is for many.

Depending on your area, you may be able to ask here and get a good recommendation for an inexpensive installer who will do a killer job for you and for the same $3,000 you may also get a Harmony Universal Remote which will allow you one touch operation of your entire setup.

 

[gellor]

I agree with BMXTRIX...if you want good sound, why not have your store do the install for you? The harmony remotes are excellent, and easy to use. To program them, you connect them to your computer, go to the website, and tell it which devices you have...it sets the rest up for you. Then you just hit a "Watch DVD" or "Watch TV", etc. button.

Just as an additional equipment suggestion, since you mentioned the definitive equipment at the store, maybe you could check into the Definitive Tech Mythos Solo. ($699) One speaker for the price and space of three. Add to that a couple of Mythos Gems ($250 ea.) for surrounds, and a half-decent sub, and you'd still have plenty left for the cost of a receiver, dvd player, and an installer.

Then you could also go with a NAD L70 receiver/dvd player (all-in-one unit), so you're not hooking up lots of extra devices.

This type of setup should be about the complexity of the bose setup, with much better sound. (IMHO, of course)