Super Newbie here, 1.2k budget

[rukawa11]

Super Newbie here

hello guys, im really new to the game. i really really love music and sounds and i just want to be able to make the best setup i can with around 1.2k budget preferably less if same performance as 1.2k range. i'm looking at what the best a/v receiver, sub and speakers system i can setup and maybe a cd player and amp if i can fit in that budget. i don't think i need help with gettin a dvd player. also i have no idea what amps do, and would it really help to get one. basically right now im just goin thru the highest ratings thru audioreview and audioholics. but theres so many things not on sale anymore or too expensive. also im in a 2 bedroom apartment would it be overkill to spend that much and when i do spend which one should i use the most money on. sorry i know theres a lot of questions, thx guys.

 

[mnnc]

hello guys, im really new to the game. i really really love music and sounds and i just want to be able to make the best setup i can with around 1.2k budget preferably less if same performance as 1.2k range. i'm looking at what the best a/v receiver, sub and speakers system i can setup and maybe a cd player and amp if i can fit in that budget. i don't think i need help with gettin a dvd player. also i have no idea what amps do, and would it really help to get one. basically right now im just goin thru the highest ratings thru audioreview and audioholics. but theres so many things not on sale anymore or too expensive. also im in a 2 bedroom apartment would it be overkill to spend that much and when i do spend which one should i use the most money on. sorry i know theres a lot of questions, thx guys.

I can't suggest anything all new with that little of a budget however, a used Denon 3803($325-$350) or Yamaha 2400/2500($350-$400), Oppo dvd player($200 new), and a set of Aperion 422's? It kills me to recommend a system for such relatively little money. Don't think of where you live and how small it is. I'm sure you will 'move up' in the world as we all do eventually. You can get a really good deal on ebay if you buy from a seller with exc feedback and after communicating with him/her asking questions. A trustful seller will/should communicate via email/phone. I would say spkrs are most important component/s. My spkrs alone cost 6 times what your budget is. Nevertheless, how about thinking about this...be patient and save some more bumping your budget up to $2 grand. Now you can do a lot more. Same recv'r as mentioned, dvd/cd player(a good one), and $1500 on a great set of 5 spkr's plus a sub! It is worth the wait. Forget about an additional amp,etc. Your budget clearly does not allow for this. Be patient, save some more, put half/two-thirds your money in spkrs. Save some for a new cd/dvd!

 

[rukawa11]

actually im an idiot and i dont know why i said 1.2k budget. i really dont have a budget just figured that 1.2k was a good number. apparently not. initially i was thinkin about dishing out around 6k and was even looking at $2k amps but then i thought i should save up for a car. i should have said how much money is the lowest i can spend to get a good system. or what products are the biggest bang for the buck for speakers and avr. thx a lot for ur reply, so apparently ur saying i can get something good for 2k? and get an amp later on. what 1.5k sub do u recommend then? and which dvd/cd player, i was already thinking about the oppo, is it good enough? thx again

 

[jcsprankle]

A lot of people love the Oppo so you should be good to go with that one. But, as MNNC mentioned, speakers are the most critical part of the system. As an example, $10K speakers connected to a boom box would sound TONS better than $100 speakers connected to $100K worth of processing equipment. Therefore, the majority of your budget should go toward speakers, including a sub.

The amp should not even be a thought for you now because a receiver will do that work for you. The amp just takes an input signal and amplifies it so your speakers can blast it out. All receivers recommended on this forum will provide you with enough power.

The Denon and Yamaha mentioned by MNNC are excellent choices and you would be pleased with either. As for speakers, there are TONS to choose from in every price range. What you should do is get together a few CDs that you love and are very familiar with and start taking them to audio/vidio shops to audition some speakers. You will notice in a hurry that there is a world of difference between $500/pair speakers and $1500/pair speakers. Also, look around on the Loudspeakers section of this forum for some excellent choices.

If it helps, I'm starting to audition speakers also and my budget is about $1500 for a pair. These are on my short list: Axiom M60ti, B&W 603 S3 (and 604), Paradigm Monitor 11 and PSB T65. There are countless others too so start reading, researching and, most importantly, listening!!

 

[rukawa11]

There are countless others too so start reading, researching and, most importantly, listening!!

oh man do i know. there are so many its ridiculous. thx a lot for the reply, both were very insightful to a young audio jedi.

 

[JMO_PWR]

Personally i have heard a System with a denon AVR-4306 powering Jamo D450's and it sounded excellent. Im not sure how expensive these speakers are in the states. However they retail for around $3500 AU you should be able to pick em up for $2000US (for front two only, and of course if you want to spend that much)

These are excellently blended speakers and have plenty of power. The sound that they produce is literaly a dream. The D450PDD pack which includes surround sub and centre along with the towers is a hefty $8290AU. So if you crave for surround and dont want to wait until later on to upgrade your system. Then i have Jamo E855's and are more than happy with there performance. The whole pack (Jamo E855/75PDD) retail for $3500AU

Note that the Differance between the E855's and E875's is an extra driver to create a full three way system that reaches down to 32Hz. (towers only, not sub)

http://www.jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=4837

Then i would recomend same as mentioned by MNNC. Either the DENON 3806, or an Onkyo SR-703. Personally i would buy a factory repack however if you want new, then do so, its your choice.

Dont be fooled by there driver size. Their bass reproduction is supurb. I only own the front two towers which cost me $1400. (Jamo E855's)

-Andrew

 

[Nick250]

ruawa11, in my experience the best way to get a feel for what will satisfy you is to start auditioning speakers. Audition as many as you can with in all price ranges. This should give you a good idea about what you need to spend to get the sound you like.

Nick

 

[gellor]

actually im an idiot and i dont know why i said 1.2k budget. i really dont have a budget just figured that 1.2k was a good number. apparently not. initially i was thinkin about dishing out around 6k and was even looking at $2k amps but then i thought i should save up for a car. i should have said how much money is the lowest i can spend to get a good system. or what products are the biggest bang for the buck for speakers and avr. thx a lot for ur reply, so apparently ur saying i can get something good for 2k? and get an amp later on. what 1.5k sub do u recommend then? and which dvd/cd player, i was already thinking about the oppo, is it good enough? thx again

1.2k can be enough. If that's what you're comfortable spending, then there are definitely options in your price range. Especially if you don't mind growing with your system. If you don't mind starting out with a 2.0 or 2.1 system, even, you can get a pretty good setup.

It also depends a bit on the size of your room. So...here's a couple options.

First, for that price, go with a DVD player instead of a CD player and seperate DVD player. The Oppo unit is nice, sure, but you can get some decent players for less that will do just as well. (just make sure its progressive scan) Unless you have a front-projection or large rear-projection TV, I would put a lot of effort into finding one of these...and they'll all play CDs just fine.

For the power behind the system, Yamaha, Pioneer, and Onkyo all make good new units in the $300-500 range. Check out the $1000 system on this site for ideas on both a receiver and DVD player.

HSU Research has a lot of stuff in your range. Check out the STF-1 or STF-2. ($300-400)

Then, I'd recommend getting a pair of bookshelf speakers. That way, you can get some good speakers for a lot less than towers, and when you fill out your system from 2.0/2.1, you can move the bookshelves around to the rear to act as surround sound. There are a lot of good options Here are some ideas:

PSB Alpha B1 - $279/pair
PSB Image B15 - $379/pair
Axiom Audio M3 - $320/pair
Aperion Intimus 532-LR - $360/pair

Then you just have to add a couple of speaker stands (you can find these at best buy, circuit city, ikea, etc for pretty cheap) and some cables. (Stay away from Monster products at all cost) For this price range, you can go with radio shack stuff, or splurge on Acoustic Research or Blue Jeans cable if you want something a bit "higher market". Don't buy into the whole "your system won't sound good without brandX cable" hype.

That should get you a really good system to start out with, and something you can grow into.

 

[gellor]

Oh...if you really insist on surround sound, go to amazon and search for "BIC America". They've got some decent speakers from what some others here have said, and they're like $180/pair for towers, and much less for centers/surrounds.

Some of the manufacturers I mentioned have smaller systems like this one from Aperion

http://www.svsound.com also has a 5.1 system for $999 that you could do if you wanted to increase your budget a little.

 

[rukawa11]

thx a lot again guys for the help, im gonna take that advice and just buy a receiver and a pair of main speakers first. ok so im deciding mainly on denon receivers, between the 3803, 3805, or the avr4306(or maybe the yamaha 2500 or 2600). and i wanted to know if the 3805 is worth payin extra over the 3803 or if its worth paying A LOT more for the avr 4306.(also if 2600 is worth that much over 2500 for yamaha) also i am intrigued over the jamo's jmo talked about as i am pretty easily influenced right now. is the d450 worth that much more to get than the e855s?

 

[gellor]

thx a lot again guys for the help, im gonna take that advice and just buy a receiver and a pair of main speakers first. ok so im deciding mainly on denon receivers, between the 3803, 3805, or the avr4306(or maybe the yamaha 2500 or 2600). and i wanted to know if the 3805 is worth payin extra over the 3803 or if its worth paying A LOT more for the avr 4306.(also if 2600 is worth that much over 2500 for yamaha) also i am intrigued over the jamo's jmo talked about as i am pretty easily influenced right now. is the d450 worth that much more to get than the e855s?

On the Denon/Yamaha receivers...you'll be able to find the Denon 3805 and Yammie 2500 for about half the price of the current models (3806/2600) That'll give you much more room to play with on the speakers. The main thing you'd be missing out on is HDMI, which is not that big of a deal. You can accomplish the same thing with an HDMI switcher if its important to you.

 

[Nick250]

rukawa11, I am going to have to nag you on this. Pick your speakers first, then your receiver. The sound you hear at home is almost entirely speaker dependent not receiver dependent. How many speakers have you auditioned so far? Be honest with me on this, how many speakers and what were your impressions of each? How efficent are the ones you like?

If I must make a comment on receivers I would listen to gellor's recomendations of the 3805 or 2500. That is the MOST you should spend, no more.

Nick

 

[rukawa11]

honestly, i have yet to audition any. im trying to narrow down what to audition by making this thread and you guys are helping A LOT. right now i already know what avr to get from u guys 3805 or 2500. now i have to find a place that has all these brands so i can audition.

 

[Nick250]

honestly, i have yet to audition any. im trying to narrow down what to audition by making this thread and you guys are helping A LOT. right now i already know what avr to get from u guys 3805 or 2500. now i have to find a place that has all these brands so i can audition.

I suggest that you take along your favorite CD or concert DVD on your auditions and listen to the same tracks. Speaker shopping can be an enjoyable activity. Have fun with it!

Nick

 

[jcPanny]

5.1 HT speakers

If you are still considering 5.1 for just over $1k, you should consider the Onix X-LS 5.0 speakers and X-Sub from av123.com. The speakers and sub are a bargin for around $700. Add a $3-500 like those mentioned above from Yamaha or Denon.
I would discourage you from blowing your whole budget on the receiver like the Denon 4306 because the speakers have the biggest impact on the perfromance of your audio system.
To start with 2.0 speakers and receiver, you might consider floorstanders like the Axiom Audio M60's. Or 2.1 with bookshelf speakers + sub.

 

[Sarius]

hello guys, im really new to the game. i really really love music and sounds and i just want to be able to make the best setup i can with around 1.2k budget preferably less if same performance as 1.2k range. i'm looking at what the best a/v receiver, sub and speakers system i can setup and maybe a cd player and amp if i can fit in that budget.

Hi,

I skimmed through this thread and it's not clear that anyone ever asked you to define exactly what and how you wish to use this system. You indicate that your primary interest is music and sounds but then start talking AV.

Are you intending to set up a system primarily for listening to music, or are you looking for a Home Theater/music combo? Or are you mainly interested in music but plan to run your TV through the system just so it'll sound better, but don't have further HT asperations? BTW- something I did for years Do you really need 5,6, or 7.1 or will the best possible stereo do it for you? Do you listen to FM? It makes a difference in terms of trying to make good suggestions.

 

[rukawa11]

Hi,

I skimmed through this thread and it's not clear that anyone ever asked you to define exactly what and how you wish to use this system. You indicate that your primary interest is music and sounds but then start talking AV.

Are you intending to set up a system primarily for listening to music, or are you looking for a Home Theater/music combo? Or are you mainly interested in music but plan to run your TV through the system just so it'll sound better, but don't have further HT asperations? BTW- something I did for years Do you really need 5,6, or 7.1 or will the best possible stereo do it for you? Do you listen to FM? It makes a difference in terms of trying to make good suggestions.

im gonna use the system probably 65/35 in favor of music as opposed to video. im talkin about av also because the sound i want from movies has to be great also. i won't listen to fm really, and i think 5.1 is perfect for the size of the living room. but i think that starting out with just 2 really good front speakers will be adequate also. (2 speakers is stereo right???)

 

[jcsprankle]

(2 speakers is stereo right???)

Two main speakers (left and right) is stereo and is also referenced as 2.0. 2.1 would add a subwoofer, which would greatly increase the bottom end of the audio spectrum and would be a welcome addition for your 35% movies.

 

[Spiffyfast]

thx a lot again guys for the help, im gonna take that advice and just buy a receiver and a pair of main speakers first. ok so im deciding mainly on denon receivers, between the 3803, 3805, or the avr4306(or maybe the yamaha 2500 or 2600). and i wanted to know if the 3805 is worth payin extra over the 3803 or if its worth paying A LOT more for the avr 4306.(also if 2600 is worth that much over 2500 for yamaha) also i am intrigued over the jamo's jmo talked about as i am pretty easily influenced right now. is the d450 worth that much more to get than the e855s?

Personally, I'd go with the Yammy 2500, the only significant difference from the 2600 is that it adds HDMI switching. The 2500 will give u a start with a wonderful receiver and works great if you are planning on adding amps later on down the road. As for speakers what type of music do you listen to and what percentage will your setup be used for movies vs. music?

 

[rukawa11]

Personally, I'd go with the Yammy 2500, the only significant difference from the 2600 is that it adds HDMI switching. The 2500 will give u a start with a wonderful receiver and works great if you are planning on adding amps later on down the road. As for speakers what type of music do you listen to and what percentage will your setup be used for movies vs. music?

i listen to literally every kind of music. even in many languages. im gonna use the system for around 65% music and 35% movies.