The name states it all

[B_Ginner]

I never claimed to be knowledgeable about ohms, watts, gold connectors and tweeter tweaking but I do know that I like (like is a weak word). I think my dreams' soundtracks are warm tubey LP music made up of Jungle Drums and other random vinyl found at estate sales and thrift stores.

All my music I listened to prior to being forced out of the house and into kindergarten was vinyl. Whatever we had laying around I would listen to it. Carpenters, Chipmunks, New York Philharmonic doing the 1812 Overture, I listened to it all repeatedly with my parents' cheap record players until they got rid of it leaving me with a cassette recorder (you know, the size of a thin shoe box, rolling tape counter, integrated microphone...). My parents were not audiophiles by any sense of the word.

Out of high school I picked up a crap but loud, which is all I cared about then, Fisher system with CD player and two volume buttons for some reason. Hated it. Sold it after a while and lived with car audio until I got married and could only afford an Aiwa home theater package thing that actually had a separate sub woofer with it and a connection for two...HAD to get a second one when I found it at a pawn shop for next to nothing since it had a connection and all.

I pretty much relented to the family friendly Aiwa and not bothering with desiring wonderfully warm and soothing records since it is always out of my price range and never easy to talk the wife into.

So, the other day we decide to upgrade the TV stand and in the process I mention how the shelves are sized for standard sized a/v equipment and our Aiwa simply won't fit and will look very silly sitting above, under or next to it.

So I walked over to the computer and typed in 'stereo' as a search in Craigslist. A couple ads down revealed heaven to me. I can sorta sum it up in a couple words: Sherwood $10. So I of course called and then proceeded to go to a very nice neighborhood and pick up a Sherwood setup that included separate amp, tuner, cassette deck, eq and a linear tracking phonograph.

Then of course it was on. Now I need (NEED) to have a home theater setup in there, not connected with the Sherwood of course, and some good floor speakers and I am going to be picky on the look and quality since it's sitting right in our little living room and will be entertaining to listen to and ahould not stick out all weird.

That's what brought me here and I don't like lurking so I figured I'd just jump in here and get the info and suggestions I need up front. I'll be posting more later, just had to get my introduction and why I'm here thing one first.

 

[3db]

Welcome aboard That was a good introduction. Now all we need is a budget to work with.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Yeah, you'll definitely want to set a realistic budget to put in line with your expectations.

The hard thing is that you DO have expectations of a sound, look, and budget of some sort. If the budget is low, then you may have to compromise somewhere and if you have a wife that is demanding of her space (never yours, or 'ours') then it could lead to a compromise in sound as well.

Yet, if you get the chance, try to find different stores in your area that deal with decent to good audio. Not just the cheap Polk stuff at Best Buy, but the nicer stuff as well. Craigslist, eBay, and Audiogon all can offer up some great bargains from time to time to exactly what you may have your eye on. While rarely $10 cheap, quite often it is half of MSRP, which can be a great deal for you.

As well, many speakers can last for years and years if well taken care of, yet people will upgrade from time to time, and their loss can be your gain.

Unfortunately, the better brands hold their value MUCH better than the cheaper brands and you can be out several thousand dollars in speakers very easily.

 

[lsiberian]

I've found insane deals on stuff before. I suggest looking at accessories4less, ebay, and craigslist. Be patient! That's my greatest advice for you in everything. Don't settle for second rate. If it takes a few more months to get what you really want it will be worth it. This is something I learned the hard way. I have a subwoofer I really don't want and I overpaid for a receiver that didn't fit into my future plans. I also bought a speaker I should have bought. along with a stand that ended up in the dumpster.

These examples cost me in the hundreds of dollars. I suggest you take it slow and make sure you go with your gut. My gut told me to get the receiver I have now down the line. It told me to get my PJ which is sick for the price I got it at. Always give yourself a gut check. If your gut says no then follow it.

Make sure to involve your wife too. If your like me and your wife is smarter than you then listen to her. Ask her for advice. Wives can offer that 3rd person point of view. They also can see it as an opportunity for a gift.