Starting over

[Irishman]

It's been over a month since I packed the trunk of my Mazda 3 with everything I could fit inside and took off from Seattle, WA to Scottsdale, AZ. I was totally sick of my job as a custom installer. I don't want to touch an AV system for a while unless it's my own!

This is the extent of my home theater at the moment:



I'm almost certain that I have a job (will know for sure Monday) so now I can start thinking about getting my own place and rebuilding my home theater. I didn't take anything with me except my Xbox One and I have decided I will sell off everything else I had so I really will be starting from scratch.

For the first time in my life I will be in an apartment. I have never had to worry about bugging the neighbors so I would like to be preemptive.

Here's a what I'm looking at:

Denon AVR-X4000
Aperion Verus Grand Bookshelf (pair)
Aperion Verus Grand Center
Aperion Verus Forte Bookshelf (pair, for surrounds)
SVS PB-2000 (pair)
Auralex SubDude HT (pair)
Speaker stands
Vizio M652i-B2

Does this look like a good start? Any suggestions? Depending on how things go I will probably be buying in stages. I have to furnish the whole place too so I think I'll have to get things like a bed and a chair to sit in before I can worry about the HT.

With the exception of the TV, you've put together a list that I might choose for myself!

It's clear you're an audio guy first and foremost, but to each his own!

 

[Hi Ho]

With the exception of the TV, you've put together a list that I might choose for myself!

It's clear you're an audio guy first and foremost, but to each his own!

Trust me. If Panasonic or Pioneer were still making their top quality plasma displays or OLED was lower in price (and NOT curved) I would be going that route. I hate to give up my two Panasonic plasmas but it just does not make financial sense to transport them. I could more easily transport the projector but I don't foresee me having a use case for it in the near future and by the time I do I will want at least a 4K projector.

With that said, I think the Vizio M series offers the best bang for the buck performance. Picture quality is excellent. Black levels are excellent with local dimming. Viewing angles are adequate. For the price I don't think they can be beat. I don't trust Samsung quality. I wouldn't touch an LG. Sony is good but doesn't offer that much over the Vizio for the price premium. On top of all that, the Vizio smart features actually work well. Considering the craptastic experience I've had with the smart features on much more expensive sets from Samsung, Sony, and LG I would say they all could learn something. I didn't even plan on using the built in smart features on my set but they work so well that it's actually easier than using my Xbox One for things like Netflix and Amazon.

 

[highfigh]

Well it is back to square one. Job did not come through. I am more than a little annoyed that they strung me along for 1.5months.

I am so sick of A/V custom installation but I don't really know what I want to do. That makes it difficult to look for a job.

Is it that you're sick of custom, or "custom, as it's done where you come from"? You know audio, so you could put in some time in sales at a Magnolia, or one of the other places , until the better job comes along.

 

[Hi Ho]

Is it that you're sick of custom, or "custom, as it's done where you come from"? You know audio, so you could put in some time in sales at a Magnolia, or one of the other places , until the better job comes along.

Funny you mention that. I actually applied at Magnolia and as it turns out my timing could not have been better. They happen to be opening a new Magnolia Design Center here in Scottsdale and today I had my final interview and will be working as a system designer. I have to go to Minneapolis for training for three weeks. I'm really looking forward to it! I just happened to apply for that particular position on a whim and didn't really know what it was at the time but I think it's a perfect fit for me because yes, I was mainly tired of the install side. Attics in Washington suck. I can only imagine attics in Arizona... in August.

I'll basically be a salesman but with the added responsibility of designing systems as well as follow up and support . I feel with my experience it's a perfect fit and earning potential is limited only by the amount of work one puts in.

I will probably be rethinking my system now since I will probably be able to afford a bit better than the Pioneer speakers, not to mention employee discount.

Oh, I bought a Tivo too and while the Tivo is awesome Cox is an absolute NIGHTMARE! It took two weeks and two service calls to have a fully functional Tivo because of this ridiculous tuning adapter that is required. It's a box separate from the CableCard that is needed to get SDV channels and finally the FIFTH one is working... for now. The first guy they sent out to look at it was a contractor and didn't even know what the tuning adapter did. I hope that is over with and I hope it's not such a cluster f$%@ when I move.

 

[KEW]

Funny you mention that. I actually applied at Magnolia and as it turns out my timing could not have been better. They happen to be opening a new Magnolia Design Center here in Scottsdale and today I had my final interview and will be working as a system designer. I have to go to Minneapolis for training for three weeks. I'm really looking forward to it! I just happened to apply for that particular position on a whim and didn't really know what it was at the time but I think it's a perfect fit for me because yes, I was mainly tired of the install side. Attics in Washington suck. I can only imagine attics in Arizona... in August.

I'll basically be a salesman but with the added responsibility of designing systems as well as follow up and support . I feel with my experience it's a perfect fit and earning potential is limited only by the amount of work one puts in.

Congratulations on the new job!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Big congratulations!

 

[zieglj01]

Enjoy your new work adventure.

 

[SurvivalDad]

That rough. Sorry dude.