Mufumonk Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Bose is generally way overpriced for the specs you get. You can get the same specs in a system for much less money. Especially once you learn that they use paper cones for their speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 This the centepiece of my home theatre (AVR-645). I have never been a fan of Onkyo. Harman Kardon AVR 347 The $800 Harman Kardon AVR347 home theater receiver pictured to the left features Harman's legendary high current amplifier design (±35 amp) that translates into tighter bass, superb transient response, and enhanced presence at any volume level. EzSet/EQ establishes all system speaker parameters and measures how they sound in your room and equalizes their output. Key inputs include Simplay HD-Verified HDMI (2 in, 1 out) with 1080p Pass Through and a total of 8 digital audio inputs. The optional Bridge iPod Docking Station lets you listen to your iPod through your surround sound system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Regardless of what you buy. You definately have to get one of these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 This the centepiece of my home theatre (AVR-645). I have never been a fan of Onkyo. Harman Kardon AVR 347 The $800 HK is a very good receiver. I think you pay a little bit more for there name though. I think bang for the buck I like Denon receivers. Comparable to HK's but priced a little less. PS: The Harmony remote is awesome. I've had one for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorresA Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Regardless of what you buy. You definately have to get one of these Agreed. Hamonry remote are great. I have a 688. Want a 880 or 890. I am also looking at Marantz reciever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I am also looking at Marantz reciever Marantz is top of the line stuff. If your into it that deep you should check out some McIntosh equipment also. They are truly the Rolls Royce of audio systems. McIntosh Site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmonkforHOF Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 This has got to be one of the most informative responses I ahve gotten from a thread, thank you all. I did not know HDMI did audio as well as visual, so now I know to look for HDMI hookups in my reciever. Now I'm getting all giddy to go out and buy one. A local retailer is having a one day sale today, I might just go grab a reciever and shop around for speakers later. thanks once again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 This has got to be one of the most informative responses I ahve gotten from a thread, thank you all. I did not know HDMI did audio as well as visual, so now I know to look for HDMI hookups in my reciever. Now I'm getting all giddy to go out and buy one. A local retailer is having a one day sale today, I might just go grab a reciever and shop around for speakers later.thanks once again! Here is one of my favorite lower/mid priced speaker systems. Polk RM85 Speaker System Polk DSW 400 Pro Subwoofer You can by sats later individually to add to the system. Sounds very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mufumonk Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 This has got to be one of the most informative responses I ahve gotten from a thread, thank you all. I did not know HDMI did audio as well as visual, so now I know to look for HDMI hookups in my reciever. Now I'm getting all giddy to go out and buy one. A local retailer is having a one day sale today, I might just go grab a reciever and shop around for speakers later.thanks once again! Onkyo TXSR 705 http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXSR705S/ONKYO/TXSR705-7.1-Channel-Home-Theater-Receiver-SILVER/1.html Discussion on this model: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=935808 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Here is one of my favorite lower/mid priced speaker systems.Polk RM85 Speaker System Aren't they a bit like Bose with the reflecting sound? I had a pair of polk. Gave them to my kid with an old Harman integrated Amp. I have JBL L880's for the front http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=L880&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=BFS&ser=SLS and L830's in the rear http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=L830&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=BFS&ser=SLS C-1 center channel http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=LC1&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=BFS&ser=SLS and a powered sub .Also from JBL http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=P10SW&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=SUB&ser=PER I've loved their stuff ever since I used to sell it 20 years ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Aren't they a bit like Bose with the reflecting sound? They are actually quite a bit bigger than bose and definetly made out of better materials. They also have a tweeter and a mid speaker, where the bose is just one speaker cone in their sat systems. They have a better frequency response and better sensitivity for about 1/2 the price. But Floor standing speakers of good quality are always better than sats of most any kind. The sats are good in regards to price and asthetics. If you have the room, the wife that will let you, and the cash, floor standing is the best option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsMaster88 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Onkyo TXSR 705http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXSR705S/ONKYO/TXSR705-7.1-Channel-Home-Theater-Receiver-SILVER/1.html Discussion on this model: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=935808 If budget is a concern, the lower model Onkyo TX-SR605 is also highly recommended by many people. It has HDMI 1.3 connections, so it can handle all the latest audio formats for Blu-ray. It's also a 7.1 receiver The only big differences that may influence your choice to the 705 rather than 605 are: 1. The ability to matrix (add surround effects) 5.1 lossless PCM sources (such as those from Blu-rays on your PS3) to 7.1. This adds a more enveloping sound based on my own personal experience with a 7.1 system on regular DVDs (Onkyo's HTS-780, which I plan to shortly upgrade the receiver to above mentioned 605 for my HD DVDs/Blu-ray discs). However, some audiophiles don't like any additional 'fake' processing on the sound. Note, the Dolby ProLogic IIx effects to 7.1 still apply to regular DVDs and some other advanced codecs on the 605 receiver. 2. 3 HDMI inputs rather than 2 HDMI inputs on the receiver. However, switchers are now fairly cheap from places like www.monoprice.com if you need it. The SR-605 reviews: - CNET: 8.0 Editor's choice: http://reviews.cnet.com/av-receivers/onkyo-tx-sr605-black/4505-6466_7-32430579.html?tag=txt - Circuit City page with almost 100 user reviews: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Onkyo-TX-SR605-7-1-Channel-Home-Theater-Receiver-Black-TX-SR605/sem/rpsm/oid/181406/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do - Amazon page with almost 150 user reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR605-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B000OBLARC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1203646977&sr=8-1 - Official Onkyo 605 thread on avsforum, warning - it's over 6,500 posts! http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=854964 Since you can find the 605 about $200-250 cheaper (new at about $400, refurb at $350), to me it's better value. However, there's a lot of good choices. I'd also recommend www.avsforum.com for all your specific home theater questions, as there's a ton of knowledge there. Don't count on any Best Buy or Circuit City salesperson to make your choice. Research the stuff online and you'll know a lot more about what you want. Edit: To also clarify a bit on the need for HDMI audio. HDMI is the main way to have the new lossless audio formats with Blu-ray, otherwise you need to go with separate analog cables for each speaker (6 for 5.1 system, 8 for 7.1 system) if that's available on whatever player and receiver you have. In your case, the PS3, it only has HDMI as means of transmitting the high-bandwidth lossless signals. Optical audio is the 2nd best choice, but it will downconvert all the audio to either 640 kbps or 1.5 mbps depending on the codec. Therefore, you aren't getting the best quality possible. With HDMI video, it should be similar to component video, but often times newer HDTV's are better optimized for digital signals (due to their processing) and will yield a better picture via HDMI. Also, there are copy protection limitations using analog cables like component video that prevent features like DVD upconversion, so you'd need HDMI for that. For more detailed and technical info, check out these articles on HighDefDigest.com: http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ:_Blu-ray_and_HD_DVD_Audio_Explained/1064 http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ/High-Def_FAQ:_Is_HDMI_1.3_Really_Necessary/853 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isifhan Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Anyone familiar with the Orbaudio line for speakers? http://www.orbaudio.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enter Apotheosis Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 This has got to be one of the most informative responses I ahve gotten from a thread, thank you all. I did not know HDMI did audio as well as visual, so now I know to look for HDMI hookups in my reciever. Now I'm getting all giddy to go out and buy one. A local retailer is having a one day sale today, I might just go grab a reciever and shop around for speakers later.thanks once again! Might already be too late... but not all HDMI receivers support audio pass-through. The HDMI standard supports both but that doesn't necessarily mean that buying a receiver with HDMI inputs will guarantee that you can pass both through HDMI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorresA Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 These are the speakers I got. Basicaly Klipsch knock offs http://www.audaud.com/audaud/MAR04/component/comp1.html Good thing about buying separately is that you can buy your front speakers at one time, rear another,bass another and center another time. Helps on the wallet. I bought 4 rear speakers for 7.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergasun Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Do some research on avsforum.com I had a 5 speaker JBL set that I bought in 2003 but had never used. Last year, at around this time I ended up wanting to by a receiver and subwoofer. I had spend $250 on the 5 speaker set, so I figured I'd want to spend $250 more for a receiver and subwoofer. After looking through I figured I'd rather go over-budget a bit and spend more on the subwoofer and receiver. I got the Panasonic XR-55 5.1. I don't think it does HDMI, but I don't need HDMI (they have one that does HDMI). I don't hook up too much stuff to it, and I don't need video switching. I ended up spending $260 on the BIC H-100 12 inch powered subwoofer. I live in an apartment so I haven't really opened that baby up, but the bass has been solid, not overpowering, not boomy, perfect. I'd recommend this setup, at least the subwoofer. I know this doesn't fit into your budget, but don't go cheap for the sake of going cheap. You want something that will last... I think I'm going to be happy with what I have for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titaw Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Depending on the box you have or will have with DirecTV, you may not want to go with Samsung for your TV. DirecTV's HD DVR receiver cannot be hooked up to a Samsung with HDMI. Not really an issue because the component cables work just as well. I would recommend a Vizio. They are inexpensive and with a little tweaking of the picture you will have a VERY nice set at a fraction of the cost. As far as receivers go the Onkyo and HK are sound buys, just look at the back of whicever one you want to buy and make sure it has enough inputs/outputs for your needs and I would recommend one that has a Computer hookup as well, you never know if you may need it (media room). I would recommend spending roughly $600-$800 for your receiver, you won't regret it. The most IMPORTANT part of a home theater is the speaker wire, go with a thicker gauge either a 14 or 12. The thicker wire holds more of the amplified signal. Trust me after upgrading all of my speakers I could DEFINATELY hear a difference. Finally the speakers, there are some GREAT speakers out there for a VERY affordable price. My suggestion is to go with infinity, great speakers that sound EXCELLENT and wont break the bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorresA Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Depending on the box you have or will have with DirecTV, you may not want to go with Samsung for your TV. DirecTV's HD DVR receiver cannot be hooked up to a Samsung with HDMI. Not really an issue because the component cables work just as well. I would recommend a Vizio. They are inexpensive and with a little tweaking of the picture you will have a VERY nice set at a fraction of the cost.. I have a Samsung (few years old) and and Direct Tv and have no issue. I love my Samsung, they have top grade stuff, but they are proud of their product now, and you'll be paying for that pride, about as much as Sony is. The most IMPORTANT part of a home theater is the speaker wire, go with a thicker gauge either a 14 or 12. The thicker wire holds more of the amplified signal. Trust me after upgrading all of my speakers I could DEFINATELY hear a difference. I definitly agree that getting upgraded wire is a must. Personally I went to Lowes and bought spools of 14 and 12 gauge wire rather than paying monster wire prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Personally I went to Lowes and bought spools of 14 and 12 gauge wire rather than paying monster wire prices. Thats the same thing I did. I was having my basement finished so I bought in in-wall rated speaker wire 12 gauge and ran it to all locations before they drywalled. It has worked out great. Another kind of wire you can get thats pretty nifty is smart wire. In one cable you have 2 coax wires and 3 cat 5 cables. You can get differing configurations based on your need. But its pretty cool stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwbiggs Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I bet if someone took a $500 out of the box Onkyo set up and had people take the Pepsi challenge between it and a setup costing thousands, very few people would be able to tell the difference. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: You gotta be kidding. My neighbor thought the same way (he has an Onkyo out of the box system) until he heard my setup...which is by no means top end. He's going to by new speakers now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorresA Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Another kind of wire you can get thats pretty nifty is smart wire. In one cable you have 2 coax wires and 3 cat 5 cables. You can get differing configurations based on your need. But its pretty cool stuff. Any idea where this is sold in stores? I have a place that I want at least one more coax and one more cat 5 cable at. This would work perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Any idea where this is sold in stores? I have a place that I want at least one more coax and one more cat 5 cable at. This would work perfectly. I have not seen it in a retail store. This is where I ordered mine from. HomeTech Solutions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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