Please help this beginner

[new guy]

I am attempting to buy a home theater system at or below the $1000 mark, I noticed your recommendation screen did not have one for this category. I have a 32'' toshiba cinema series t.v. and a sony dvd/vcr combo. It is in our living room which I have just built a bar in. Therefore I would like quality movie experience and quality drinking music. I have been researching the onkyo's but my girlfriend has shot them down due to size of the speakers. We just looked at the Bose 3-2-1 system which sounded good but it has many bad reviews. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

 

[Shinerman]

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT get sucked in by BOSE. You can do far far better for the money. That said, $1k is a bit tight to get a "quality" movie experience. But, if you are stuck with small satellites as the only "wife" option, I suggest maybe looking into something like the HSU Ventriloquist system with maybe a HSU STF-2 sub. The sub is $399 and you get the speakers for $199. Then, maybe a Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, H/K receiver. You can get the Yamaha RX-V730 for less than $400, the Denon 1604 for less than $400 and maybe the Onkyo 601, for starters. Any of these receivers and the speaker package listed above will blow away the BOSE system. Again, this is just one option.

If possible, I would stay away from the Home Theater In A Box (HTIB) systems out there. They tend to skimp on speakers. Not a good thing.

Here some links,

HSU: http://www.hsustore.com/vt12.html
http://www.hsustore.com/stf2.html

The receivers can be found easily online and in local stores. Just shop around.

Shinerman

 

[new guy]

Thank you

Thanks shinerman,

Just a quick two questions on the HSU equipment, do they have warranties and good customer service. I saw there was a 2yr and a 5yr($30)? Is there some where that I could go and listen to them (dealer around Madison, Wi), not that I don't trust you, I would just like to hear them.

Thanks again for your time.

 

[Shinerman]

Unfortunately, they are strickly an online company as far as I know. Not sure if there are outlets anywhere so listening may be an issue. But, the best way to audition speakers is in your own home in your own room. HSU has always been rated very high in customer service so I don't think you would have any problems there. I'm pretty sure they have a return policy so you could always try them out and return them if you don't like them. Although, the reviews I have seen so far seem to be good. The HSU Subs are considered to be some of the best in there price ranges and above.

I terms of a warranty, for $30 it can't hurt.

Again, I am not saying the HSU system is the best, but it would be a drastic improvement over ANY Bose and Home Theater In A Box systems and it seems to fit the WAF, wife acceptance factor. There are many other systems out there. You might just want to shop around a while. Some other companies to look at are Boston Acoustic, Definitive Technology, Paradigm, Energy, Klipsch, Athena, JBL, Infinity and Polk to name a few. Most of these companies have systems for around $1k.

Also, look at the new, http://audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/5.1SpeakerSystemShootout1.php here are this site. These systems are a little above your price range and you would need to get a receiver but they would also be HUGE improvements over HTIB systems and Bose.

Shinerman.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

Also check into paradigms budget systems, very good for the money. And Shinerman is %100 correct when he says to avoid bose like a ebola infected monkey with a fever and a bloody nose!