Home Theater Advice

[Mr_Burns]

Short version: I am looking for a home theater system, budget is $500 or less.

Considering this one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Denon+-...stem/4892114.p?id=1218572402439&skuId=4892114

Is that a solid system, or is there something cheaper that would be just as good?

Long version: My boss gave us $500 to spend at Best Buy on any sort of electronic (don't get me started on why she picked Best Buy, of all places). Originally the plan was to buy everyone ipads, but some of us weren't interested in one. So I basically need to pick something I want for the same price. I have wanted a home theater for awhile, so I figured this is an opportune time to get one.

I figure I'll get the $500 system initially. That way, I'll have the option to return it for a cheaper system + store credit towards anything else I need in the future. If anyone with more knowledge than me on this stuff has any recommendations, they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[scott91575]

Is space a determining factor? Are you willing to actually spend over the $500 you are getting?

I personally find the HTIB systems to be rather lacking.

Believe it or not but $500 is near bottom of the barrel for home theater systems. Yet I have no idea if you are willing to spend more, or if you care to spend more. I also have no idea if you are willing to go free standing and bookshelf. They will give far superior sound, but also take up more room and of course the cost.

 

[Mr_Burns]

I'm hoping to keep it around that range since it's essentially free at that price, so I'm really not looking for anything that would be considered top of the line. If I were to spend anything on top of that, it would probably be an additional $100-300 at most.

Regarding space, this is going to be in my living room, so I don't need anything too powerful for the time being. I'd save that sort of thing for when I buy my next home and can install everything in a more appropriate space like a basement.

Again, I'm new to this as this will be my first home theater purchase, so I appreciate your input. If you think the $500 would be better spent elsewhere for the time being until I have an ideal setup for a higher-quality system, perhaps that's something I should consider.

 

[scott91575]

I'm hoping to keep it around that range since it's essentially free at that price, so I'm really not looking for anything that would be considered top of the line. If I were to spend anything on top of that, it would probably be an additional $100-300 at most.

Regarding space, this is going to be in my living room, so I don't need anything too powerful for the time being. I'd save that sort of thing for when I buy my next home and can install everything in a more appropriate space like a basement.

Again, I'm new to this as this will be my first home theater purchase, so I appreciate your input. If you think the $500 would be better spent elsewhere for the time being until I have an ideal setup for a higher-quality system, perhaps that's something I should consider.

Well, it's not about power it's about sound quality (big does not mean lots of power, it means a better sound over a wider range of frequencies). On top of that, high end is probably $3000+. I am not talking about. Most people don't understand $1000 to $2000 systems are actually considered budget systems.

I could go into it all, but from the sounds of it you are not interested in those things. Just had to ask. As for HTIB, your choice should be fine.

 

[Taosman]

In all honesty, $500 is enough for a pair(2) of speakers or receiver and not much else. There is a lot of plastic crap out there that is just not worth wasting money on.
You could get a pair of pioneer speakers and a receiver.

from Amazon.com.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS51-LR-Floorstanding-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B004H1M4NO/ref=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1342183524&sr=1-5&keywords=pioneer"]

[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS51-LR-Floorstanding-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B004H1M4NO/ref=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1342183524&sr=1-5&keywords=pioneer"]Pioneer SP-FS51-LR Floorstanding Loudspeakers (Black, Pair)[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS51-LR-Floorstanding-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B004H1M4NO/ref=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1342183524&sr=1-5&keywords=pioneer"]Buy new[/ame]: $199.99 $188.88

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1612-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B004U403WM/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1342183615&sr=1-2&keywords=pioneer"]

[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1612-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B004U403WM/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1342183615&sr=1-2&keywords=pioneer"]Denon AVR-1612 5.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1612-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B004U403WM/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1342183615&sr=1-2&keywords=pioneer"]Buy new[/ame]: $349.99 $264.71

for a total of $465.

 

[jwinslow]

Has anyone heard of Acoustics speakers? I picked up a pair of dry rotted speakers for $10. They match my furniture and if the $25 foam kit works, they'd be a steal. I just have never heard of this brand.

 

[Mr_Burns]

Most people don't understand $1000 to $2000 systems are actually considered budget systems.

I could go into it all, but from the sounds of it you are not interested in those things. Just had to ask. As for HTIB, your choice should be fine.

In all honesty, $500 is enough for a pair(2) of speakers or receiver and not much else. There is a lot of plastic crap out there that is just not worth wasting money on.
You could get a pair of pioneer speakers and a receiver.

Thank you both for your input. In light of your responses and after talking to some friends, it sounds like it might be in my best interests to look into some higher quality stuff.

My next question is an obvious one: Is my best bet at this point to put the initial $500 towards a receiver and some front speakers (similar to what Taos suggested), and worry about the rest of the system when I'm ready to drop that kind of cash? If so, any recommendations to go along with Taos'?

(I wouldn't have such an issue buying all of it right now, but I have a couple of other purchases on the horizon that I should probably put more consideration towards than speakers. Look for me in the engagement ring thread soon asking for advice . In other words, it's not the best time to come home with $2000 worth of stereo equipment and say to my girlfriend, "Hey look at all this cool expensive shit I just bought for myself!"

 

[Taosman]

The Pioneer speakers I suggested are the bigger version of these speakers.
http://www.stereophile.com/content/pioneer-sp-bs41-lr-loudspeaker
They could work as a nice starting point and you could add more of the "family" at a later date.

 

[djtidebuck]

Short version: I am looking for a home theater system, budget is $500 or less.

Considering this one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Denon+-...stem/4892114.p?id=1218572402439&skuId=4892114

Is that a solid system, or is there something cheaper that would be just as good?

Long version: My boss gave us $500 to spend at Best Buy on any sort of electronic (don't get me started on why she picked Best Buy, of all places). Originally the plan was to buy everyone ipads, but some of us weren't interested in one. So I basically need to pick something I want for the same price. I have wanted a home theater for awhile, so I figured this is an opportune time to get one.

I figure I'll get the $500 system initially. That way, I'll have the option to return it for a cheaper system + store credit towards anything else I need in the future. If anyone with more knowledge than me on this stuff has any recommendations, they would be greatly appreciated.

That isn't much money for a home theater system. If you go with budget crap, you will basically waste the money. I realize buying for a business, you can't buy used, but that would be the only way to get anything decent for $500

 

[scott91575]

That isn't much money for a home theater system. If you go with budget crap, you will basically waste the money. I realize buying for a business, you can't buy used, but that would be the only way to get anything decent for $500

Very timely response.

 

[Mr_Burns]

Very timely response.

I meant to bump this earlier with an update. I decided to stay away from the HITB system. I went with a pair of Klipsch bookshelf speakers and a Denon 600 watt receiver. I'm very happy with my setup thus far, and it gives me the flexibility to add onto it later.

The receiver has Airplay, which allows you to play music wirelessly from a computer, iphone, or ipad. Pretty cool feature.

Thanks again to Scott and Taos for your advice. I feel this is a much better start to a system than the option I was initially considering.

 

[scott91575]

I meant to bump this earlier with an update. I decided to stay away from the HITB system. I went with a pair of Klipsch bookshelf speakers and a Denon 600 watt receiver. I'm very happy with my setup thus far, and it gives me the flexibility to add onto it later.

The receiver has Airplay, which allows you to play music wirelessly from a computer, iphone, or ipad. Pretty cool feature.

Thanks again to Scott and Taos for your advice. I feel this is a much better start to a system than the option I was initially considering.

Cool, glad it worked out.