Complete Home Theater Room From Scratch

[mariannes504]

We are going to build a home theater room. The room size is 11.5 X 15 with drywall, no windows but will use ambient light, ceiling is 9.5' high. We are considering a home theater projection system. Really want a nice Hi Def Home Theater Room. We have been told the Anthony Gallo Due speaker system would be great for us??? Others have said we must have floor standing speakers.....We have been told we will need speakers for the 7.1 surround sound and to put the extra two speakers in the ceiling. others have said no just 5.1 will be great w/no in wall speakers. The BenQ8700 projector is top of line projector??? To use the Onkyo Integra Receivers. Have been advised to use a 96" screen Hi Def Da Lite etc... We have a budget of $12000.00 would like a good system. We are too confused and would like some solid advice in all areas of building a home theater room. Thank you any hands on experience is appreciated!

[Swish]

We are going to build a home theater room. The room size is 11.5 X 15 with drywall, no windows but will use ambient light, ceiling is 9.5' high. We are considering a home theater projection system. Really want a nice Hi Def Home Theater Room. We have been told the Anthony Gallo Due speaker system would be great for us??? Others have said we must have floor standing speakers.....We have been told we will need speakers for the 7.1 surround sound and to put the extra two speakers in the ceiling. others have said no just 5.1 will be great w/no in wall speakers. The BenQ8700 projector is top of line projector??? To use the Onkyo Integra Receivers. Have been advised to use a 96" screen Hi Def Da Lite etc... We have a budget of $12000.00 would like a good system. We are too confused and would like some solid advice in all areas of building a home theater room. Thank you any hands on experience is appreciated!

I guess it could work. My HT is roughly 13' wide and 19' deep, and I wish it were a bit bigger. I'm into audio more than video, so I settled for a 57" High Def monitor and spent more of my budget on audio equipment. I started with a big screen several years ago when high def was really in its infancy, and upgraded this past summer. As for 7.1 versus 5.1, I went with 7.1. and placed dipoles high up on the side walls as recommended by my Lexicon dealer (I use a Lexicon DC2 processor at the moment). What you could do is run the speaker wire to where you may want to add the extra 2 in the future, because once you seal up those walls, it will be very tough to add them later. I'm very happy with my 7.1 system, but I need to upgrade the Lexicon so I can play DVD audio, SACD and can have component video switching.

Your budget of $12,000 seems a bit low for what you want, although you don't say whether or not you already have some of the components and if that money is for equipment only or also for building materials and furnishings. I mean, a good projector is at least 5 grand or more, correct? And I think those screens run several thousand as well. Hey, all I'm saying is that, if it were my $ in that small of a space, I'd stick with a good high def TV and spend more on audio. If, however, you value video more than audio, go for it and just spend less on your audio components.

Good luck!

[mariannes504]

I guess it could work. My HT is roughly 13' wide and 19' deep, and I wish it were a bit bigger. I'm into audio more than video, so I settled for a 57" High Def monitor and spent more of my budget on audio equipment. I started with a big screen several years ago when high def was really in its infancy, and upgraded this past summer. As for 7.1 versus 5.1, I went with 7.1. and placed dipoles high up on the side walls as recommended by my Lexicon dealer (I use a Lexicon DC2 processor at the moment). What you could do is run the speaker wire to where you may want to add the extra 2 in the future, because once you seal up those walls, it will be very tough to add them later. I'm very happy with my 7.1 system, but I need to upgrade the Lexicon so I can play DVD audio, SACD and can have component video switching.

Your budget of $12,000 seems a bit low for what you want, although you don't say whether or not you already have some of the components and if that money is for equipment only or also for building materials and furnishings. I mean, a good projector is at least 5 grand or more, correct? And I think those screens run several thousand as well. Hey, all I'm saying is that, if it were my $ in that small of a space, I'd stick with a good high def TV and spend more on audio. If, however, you value video more than audio, go for it and just spend less on your audio components.

Good luck!

Our budget of $12,000 (max out at $15,000) is for "equipment" only - not wiring, cables, furniture etc... We really want a nice size screen 90" - 100" with hi def for a good theater experience. The projectors we have looked at are in the $4,000 - $6,000 range and the screens are around $1000. I'm hoping to get it all (audio - for great sound effects & video for awesome pic's) - in my budget. Though right now I feel like I need to take a college course to catch up with technology. This room is also going to have double doors that open to a 18 x 29 Rec Room w/ pool table - darts etc... for those superbowl moments every guy wants. Too big a dream for my budget?? I don't know, if I can't have it all immediately then I really need ideas on a good system to build on.

Glad to have your feed back! Thanks!

[Swish]

Our budget of $12,000 (max out at $15,000) is for "equipment" only - not wiring, cables, furniture etc... We really want a nice size screen 90" - 100" with hi def for a good theater experience. The projectors we have looked at are in the $4,000 - $6,000 range and the screens are around $1000. I'm hoping to get it all (audio - for great sound effects & video for awesome pic's) - in my budget. Though right now I feel like I need to take a college course to catch up with technology. This room is also going to have double doors that open to a 18 x 29 Rec Room w/ pool table - darts etc... for those superbowl moments every guy wants. Too big a dream for my budget?? I don't know, if I can't have it all immediately then I really need ideas on a good system to build on.

Glad to have your feed back! Thanks!

I didn' t realize those screens could be had for as little as $1000, although it's been quite some time since I researched them. You should have plenty of $ remaining to get a very nice audio system as well; not "state of the art", but very nice just the same. I went with a prossessor with separate amps (one 5 channel, one 2 channel) as apposed to a receiver, which, while costing more in most cases, allows for greater flexibility and easier upgrading down the road. As to what brand you choose, I can't begin to tell you, but if you read enough of the posts on this forum, you should be able to find some excellent advice. The only advice I can give you that I will stand behind is that you should get the best speakers you can afford first and foremost. If you cheap it there, you'll notice it immediately. A 12" sub-woofer is the smallest you should consider, and it may be the largest as well when you consider the modest size of your room. You also need to break up the flat walls with some bookshelves or something to soak up all those soundwaves.

[uncooked]

go with the ceiling speakers definetely. it sounds awsome. jbl makes some nice in wall speakers. they have a 2 way 8 inch woofer. its like a car speaker sort of the way the tweeter is on top. but it sounds great, and it can take around 250 watts. which is alot more then any other in wall. most of the quest ones can only take about 75 to 100.

if you are installing the drywall after, i would suggest looking around just for little cool things. like in wall volume knobs you can place beside your sitting area. they make alot of cool things that are just fun to have around. and DEFINETELY go with dimmers for lights. make sure you get pot lights that can handle different power levels.

sounds like a fun system !!!! good luck building it

[Swish]

We are going to build a home theater room. The room size is 11.5 X 15 with drywall, no windows but will use ambient light, ceiling is 9.5' high. We are considering a home theater projection system. Really want a nice Hi Def Home Theater Room. We have been told the Anthony Gallo Due speaker system would be great for us??? Others have said we must have floor standing speakers.....We have been told we will need speakers for the 7.1 surround sound and to put the extra two speakers in the ceiling. others have said no just 5.1 will be great w/no in wall speakers. The BenQ8700 projector is top of line projector??? To use the Onkyo Integra Receivers. Have been advised to use a 96" screen Hi Def Da Lite etc... We have a budget of $12000.00 would like a good system. We are too confused and would like some solid advice in all areas of building a home theater room. Thank you any hands on experience is appreciated!

and I'm not picking on the size of your room because you can only work with what you have. Anyway, it seems to me that a 96" screen may be too large for the space. What I mean is, since you only have 15 feet of depth, and depending on where you intend to sit while watching movies, you may be too close. Have you plotted out the seating arrangement? If not, I'd do that right away to figure out how far from the screen you'll be. if you are only 7 or 8 feet away, the screen may be too large as your eyes will not be able to view the entire area. Big is usually better, but you can overdo it! I suggest you discuss it with your Auidio/Video pro to make sure you don't make a big mistake. They probably have detailed info about the subject as I'm sure all manufacturers have recommendations as to the optimal distance you should be from the screen.

As for in-wall speakers, they could save you a lot of space, especially for the rear surrounds. I have a pair of Paradigm in-walls for another part of my basement (not the HT) and they're very good indeed, but surrounds with wall braket mounting will accomplish the same thing. I'm not sold on the "in the ceiling" speakers yet, although I've read some nice comments about them.

[mariannes504]

and I'm not picking on the size of your room because you can only work with what you have. Anyway, it seems to me that a 96" screen may be too large for the space. What I mean is, since you only have 15 feet of depth, and depending on where you intend to sit while watching movies, you may be too close. Have you plotted out the seating arrangement? If not, I'd do that right away to figure out how far from the screen you'll be. if you are only 7 or 8 feet away, the screen may be too large as your eyes will not be able to view the entire area. Big is usually better, but you can overdo it! I suggest you discuss it with your Auidio/Video pro to make sure you don't make a big mistake. They probably have detailed info about the subject as I'm sure all manufacturers have recommendations as to the optimal distance you should be from the screen.

As for in-wall speakers, they could save you a lot of space, especially for the rear surrounds. I have a pair of Paradigm in-walls for another part of my basement (not the HT) and they're very good indeed, but surrounds with wall braket mounting will accomplish the same thing. I'm not sold on the "in the ceiling" speakers yet, although I've read some nice comments about them.

Our seating will be 9' away from screen. Prob 96" is the max we can go. The in ceiling speakers would only be for the "additional" 2 speakers for the 7.1 system. Right now I have not yet determined what speakers & sub system I should use. Could definitely use advice!

[uncooked]

what about the axiom speakers? they have awsome reviews for price. get a 5.1 set of axioms and then buy some jbl or whatever in ceiling speakers and a nice onkyo, yamaha, harmon kardon, amp and your set.

[woodman]

... yes, you definitely need some advice. Furthermore, you need some better advice than what you're getting so far. I'm sure Swish means well, but he's sorely lacking in knowledge about what things actually cost.

First off, I'd recommend switching brands of projectors - from BenQ to Sanyo. The new model (PLV - Z2) just released by Sanyo will outperform the BenQ, and for a considerably lower price. The MSRP of the Sanyo is only $2995, but it can be had closer to $2K than to $3K. As for screens, there are a myriad of choices and they don't need to cost $1,000 or more either. In fact, there are a number of people that have made their own screens at a total cost of less than $100! Go to projectorcentral.com and read the review on the Sanyo projector ... you'll come away wondering why you would consider anything else!

Whether you opt for making your own screen or not, you should be able to get the projector AND the screen for less than $3K, which leaves a very large portion of your budget left to deal with the audio side of things ... in fact IMO, more than you need to put together a stunning home theater system that will thrill you to your very toes every time you use it.

On the audio side, I highly recommend a Yamaha receiver - either the top of the line model (RX-V Z9) or to save even more money - with a VERY little sacrifice in performance, the RX-V2400 or the RX-V1400. For speakers, there are so many to choose from that it can become a monstrous challenge to pick out just what you want. You can spend literally THOUSANDS of dollars on them, or you can get a complete system for around $2K or a bit more that will be more than satisfying in every way. Just avoid anything from BOSE ... they are not only not worth the prices being charged, it's also a company that doesn't deserve your business because of their unethical, immoral business behavior.

Hope this helps you -

[mariannes504]

I have not looked at Sanyo but will take your advice and look it up. I have been using Onkyo TX SR 600 and had thought to upgrade to higher level 800 or go to Onkyo Integra Series. Have no experience with Yamaha although it seems everyone is all in favor of it on this site. Why????Speakers are a confusing topic. Infinity Alpha series??? Paradigm (no specific system) has been said to be good???

[Woochifer]

With your budget, you can do better than the Gallos as far as the speakers go. Gallos are great speakers for rooms where space and/or decor-friendliness considerations are more important than straight up audio performance. Basically, high end dealers carry them so that they have an alternative to the Bose Acoustimass systems in stock.

Depending on how you want to arrange your theater, you got a lot of options and all them depend on the degree to which you need to have all of the parts integrated together. In other words, are you fine with buying components and placing everything into racks and stands, or do you need something that's more custom installed? The answer to that question at the outset will dictate a lot of where you proceed.

If you're just looking to package together some components, I would first decide how much of your budget will go to the video system and how much will go to the audio. With your audio budget, I would reserve at least half of the budget for the speakers (with a 5.1 setup, I would go closer to 75%). With $5k to $7k total for the audio portion, you're right at the threshold of making a decision between lower end home theater separates versus high end receivers. You might want to consider a hybrid approach since home theater separates typically start around $4k for a multichannel processor plus five channel amp. Get a receiver to do the surround processing and audio/video switching, but hook up a two-channel amplifier to handle the L/R main channels.

As far as speakers go, Dynaudio, B&W, Paradigm, Revel, Energy, PSB, Klipsch, Boston, Definitive Technology, Infinity, and Polk for starters, all make speaker lines that will budget out around $4k in a 5.1 setup. Not all of them feature floorstanding speakers, and if you plan to add a subwoofer, I don't think floorstanding speakers are necessary. In general, I would avoid floorstanding speakers with built-in powered subwoofers. On Infinity, you should look into the Kappa series.

I would first start with a good solid 5.1 setup, and worry about "7.1" later on. If you plan to have the sofa right up against the backwall, I would just stick with 5.1 because to make 7.1 work right, you need some room behind the listening position. Ceiling speakers to handle the back surround channels would probably make your whole system sound worse. The thing about multichannel speaker setups is that you want the sound to be voice matched all the way around. It doesn't matter how good they are individually, if certain speakers have different tonal characteristics from the others, they will standout in a negative way and detract from the continuity and seamlessness of the soundfield.

Keep in mind that maximizing the performance from your system involves more than just piecing together some quality equipment. Calibration, setup, and room adjustments are everybit as essential as the hardware. On the video side, calibrating a TV or projector to the correct settings makes a huge improvement in the overall picture quality. Keep in mind that the defaults are typically set too bright or sharp. On the audio side, using a test DVD and a SPL meter to properly set the sound levels is essential, as is properly positioning the speakers.

The room acoustics are also a very frequently overlooked part of the audio system. Personally, I feel that speakers and the room acoustics are equally important, with the amplification and source components significantly less important. If your room has a lot of barefloor and hard surfaces, the overabundance of reflected sound will create problems with the overall clarity of the sound, harshness, intelligibility, and overly boomy sounding bass. Things like room treatments, bass traps, parametric equalizers, etc. all address problems with room acoustics. You should consider all that as well.

The thing to do is hunt out the independent specialty audio/video shops in your area, because big box chain stores like Circuit City or Best Buy generally don't carry upmarket home theater products and most higher end companies don't distribute their high performance products through mass merchandising channels. The specialty shops generally carry the upmarket stuff, and also have more competent service and advice, and a lot of them are also certified contractors and can offer installation options.

[mariannes504]

With your budget, you can do better than the Gallos as far as the speakers go. Gallos are great speakers for rooms where space and/or decor-friendliness considerations are more important than straight up audio performance. Basically, high end dealers carry them so that they have an alternative to the Bose Acoustimass systems in stock.

Depending on how you want to arrange your theater, you got a lot of options and all them depend on the degree to which you need to have all of the parts integrated together. In other words, are you fine with buying components and placing everything into racks and stands, or do you need something that's more custom installed? The answer to that question at the outset will dictate a lot of where you proceed.

If you're just looking to package together some components, I would first decide how much of your budget will go to the video system and how much will go to the audio. With your audio budget, I would reserve at least half of the budget for the speakers (with a 5.1 setup, I would go closer to 75%). With $5k to $7k total for the audio portion, you're right at the threshold of making a decision between lower end home theater separates versus high end receivers. You might want to consider a hybrid approach since home theater separates typically start around $4k for a multichannel processor plus five channel amp. Get a receiver to do the surround processing and audio/video switching, but hook up a two-channel amplifier to handle the L/R main channels.

As far as speakers go, Dynaudio, B&W, Paradigm, Revel, Energy, PSB, Klipsch, Boston, Definitive Technology, Infinity, and Polk for starters, all make speaker lines that will budget out around $4k in a 5.1 setup. Not all of them feature floorstanding speakers, and if you plan to add a subwoofer, I don't think floorstanding speakers are necessary. In general, I would avoid floorstanding speakers with built-in powered subwoofers. On Infinity, you should look into the Kappa series.

I would first start with a good solid 5.1 setup, and worry about "7.1" later on. If you plan to have the sofa right up against the backwall, I would just stick with 5.1 because to make 7.1 work right, you need some room behind the listening position. Ceiling speakers to handle the back surround channels would probably make your whole system sound worse. The thing about multichannel speaker setups is that you want the sound to be voice matched all the way around. It doesn't matter how good they are individually, if certain speakers have different tonal characteristics from the others, they will standout in a negative way and detract from the continuity and seamlessness of the soundfield.

Keep in mind that maximizing the performance from your system involves more than just piecing together some quality equipment. Calibration, setup, and room adjustments are everybit as essential as the hardware. On the video side, calibrating a TV or projector to the correct settings makes a huge improvement in the overall picture quality. Keep in mind that the defaults are typically set too bright or sharp. On the audio side, using a test DVD and a SPL meter to properly set the sound levels is essential, as is properly positioning the speakers.

The room acoustics are also a very frequently overlooked part of the audio system. Personally, I feel that speakers and the room acoustics are equally important, with the amplification and source components significantly less important. If your room has a lot of barefloor and hard surfaces, the overabundance of reflected sound will create problems with the overall clarity of the sound, harshness, intelligibility, and overly boomy sounding bass. Things like room treatments, bass traps, parametric equalizers, etc. all address problems with room acoustics. You should consider all that as well.

The thing to do is hunt out the independent specialty audio/video shops in your area, because big box chain stores like Circuit City or Best Buy generally don't carry upmarket home theater products and most higher end companies don't distribute their high performance products through mass merchandising channels. The specialty shops generally carry the upmarket stuff, and also have more competent service and advice, and a lot of them are also certified contractors and can offer installation options.

Actually the advice to put the additional 2 speakers "in" the ceiling and use the Anthony Gallo Speakers came from a local guy that claims he has put in several of these home theater systems. We were concerned that this advice was not in our best interest and spoke to two other dealers in the area. We got two more versions of advice. One guy was more interested in setting us up with a whole house lighting system and the second guy, builds his own projectors, showed us a projection system that looked grey and had horrible fan noise.

So, here we are today trying to get a comfort level so that we are informed consumers the next time we walk into a person's office.

I greatly appreciate your advice on the in ceiling speakers - it makes sense. Also, you answered the floor standing speaker issue we will be using a subwoofer. What type of Paradigm speakers would you recommend?

I was off a foot on our room size it is going to be 12 x 16. We will not be sitting next to the wall but 9-10' from the screen with a small bar & couple of chairs immediately behind seats. Small set up but the main use will only be for a few people.

I have to set up pre-wire now - would you go ahead and prewire the additional two speakers for 7.1 down the road??? Where would these speakers go??

Have absolutely no experience with Amplifiers - help in this area???

What receiver would you recommend?

Thanks - really appreciate the info!

[Woochifer]

I greatly appreciate your advice on the in ceiling speakers - it makes sense. Also, you answered the floor standing speaker issue we will be using a subwoofer. What type of Paradigm speakers would you recommend?

For your price range, the Studio v.3 series fits in nicely. Keep in mind that I already own a 5.1 setup using Paradigm Studio speakers, so I am understandably biased. The standmounted models are the Studio 20 ($800) and 40 ($1,100), with the floorstanding 60 ($1,500) and 100 ($2,200). If you plan to use a projector and have enough room underneath the screen to accommodate the speaker, I would actually suggest using three identical speakers up front. The horizontal center speaker is really more of a compromise than anything in that the only reason for that design is the presence of a TV screen in the middle. A setup using seven Studio 20s would cost $2,800, but it would be perfectly voice matched all the way around, or a five speaker setup with Studio 60s up front and Studio 20s in the back would run you about $3,050. No matter what models you use up front, I would recommend going with four Studio 20s in the back since their smaller size gives you more options for placement and positioning, and you typically want the surrounds positioned higher. Or if you prefer dipolar surrounds, the ADP-470s cost $950 a pair.


I was off a foot on our room size it is going to be 12 x 16. We will not be sitting next to the wall but 9-10' from the screen with a small bar & couple of chairs immediately behind seats. Small set up but the main use will only be for a few people.

I have to set up pre-wire now - would you go ahead and prewire the additional two speakers for 7.1 down the road??? Where would these speakers go??

That kind of configuration makes a 7.1 setup kinda tricky depending on how the backwall is setup and how close it is to the seating position. As far as wiring goes, are you planning to prewire the surrounds as well? It's fine to prewire, but there are plenty of options as far as mounting and positioning go, and for all you know, it may not be practical to go 7.1 anyway. Like I said, focus on the 5.1 setup first and then expand it after you've gotten everything properly setup and familiarized yourself with the functions.


Have absolutely no experience with Amplifiers - help in this area???

What receiver would you recommend?

If you're happy with Onkyo, go with that. In general, comparably priced receivers will have subtle, but not huge differences in sound quality. Right now, Yamaha's pretty frequently recommended because they are consistently reliable receivers and their recently introduced midlevel and flagship models now come with a parametric room calibration feature that makes a very clearcut difference in sound quality.

My only point with amplification is that you're right at the point where you can potentially go with multichannel separates. Receivers can sound quite good, but separates from companies like Anthem, Parasound, Rotel, Classe, Lexicon, Theta, or Adcom give you just another step up in sound quality. Generally, the starting price for multichannel preamp/amp separates is in the $4k range and can go well into the five figure range.

Receivers generally have more integrated features and are a lot more convenient to use. Separates are generally built to higher spec and can handle more demanding speakers. Plus, they are great in that you can keep a decent amplifier even if the technology changes, whereas a receiver can eventually become obsolete depending on how drastically the technology changes. Separates are probably not necessary with the Paradigms, but if you go with demanding speakers like Dynaudio, some B&W models, or panel speakers like Martin-Logan or Magnepan, the extra capacity with separates will probably come in handy.

[uncooked]

the 7.1 speakers would go on either side of the listening position. or in the ceiling if your still looking at that.

as for a receiver go look at yamaha's like the rx 2400 that would be good for you.

[mariannes504]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I appreciate the input on Yamaha and will definitely start checking these receivers out. I don't think I have enough money to go with a receiver and a pre-amp. Thats your suggestion to use both??? If so I will have to save up and add more equipment later.

[Woochifer]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I appreciate the input on Yamaha and will definitely start checking these receivers out. I don't think I have enough money to go with a receiver and a pre-amp. Thats your suggestion to use both??? If so I will have to save up and add more equipment later.

Actually, if you can't afford a separate multichannel preamp and amplifier rig, the recommendation would be to go with the receiver to handle the decoding, the video/audio switching, and powering the surround speakers. You would add an outboard two or three channel amplifier to power the main and center speakers.

[mariannes504]

Actually, if you can't afford a separate multichannel preamp and amplifier rig, the recommendation would be to go with the receiver to handle the decoding, the video/audio switching, and powering the surround speakers. You would add an outboard two or three channel amplifier to power the main and center speakers.

Could you give me a few basic set up ideas using the seperates and what web site to go to find them. I'm in new waters here.

[Geoffcin]

Hi, I'm in exactly your same position. Right now I'm having an extension built that will have a 16' X 21' room specifically for my HT. I would recommend a projector TV without question. You don't have to spend 5k to get a good projector. I have researched them and two come to mind in the 2k class that are superior. One is the Panasonic PT-L500U. This projector is designed specifically for HT use and has a 16/9 aspect ratio. The other is the Sanyo PLV-Z2 also made with 16/9 aspect. A good screen for a 100" picture can run you a grand, but the good thing is that it doesn't wear out, so you'll have it forever.

Total so far $3k

Your going to want a good receiver. If you budget about 3k, you can have one of the top ones available for the manufacturer of your choice. My Recommendation is the Pioneer VSX-49TXi. Separates are also an option, but I would not recommend it just for the fact that your on a budget, and separates will eat up a lot of it.

total so far $6k

For me it's the speakers where you want to spend a good portion of your budget on. My HT system uses about 3k worth of speakers, and your budget will allow you the same. Magnepan has just won an award at the years CES for their new HT system. The panels actually fold flat against the wall when not in use. Very space effective!

total so far $9k

DVD/CD/SACD/DVD-Audio player can be an all-in-one. The recommendation here is for the Pioneer PIONEER ELITE DV-47Ai. This player has the ability to deliver the signal to the receiver using a broadband digital link. Very well constructed, also a 2 year warrantee. Cost $750

In addition a must have is a Pioneer DVR-810H-S. This Digital Video Recorder has a 80gig hard drive, burns DVD's, and also includes basic TiVo, and replaces all the functions of a VCR. Cost 1k.

Total so far $10,750

I've left you $1250 to spend on other things like cables, stands, wall treatments, ect.

Good luck!

[Woochifer]

Could you give me a few basic set up ideas using the seperates and what web site to go to find them. I'm in new waters here.

Well, typically the manufacturers of separates will tell you to pair their multichannel preamp with their multichannel amplifier. The problem is that a multichannel preamp unit typically costs at least $2k, and for that amount alone you can buy a pretty good receiver. Multichannel preamp/amplifier separates typically give you a higher level of performance and can driver difficult speakers.

Since receivers can do all of the decoding and audio/video switching that a multichannel preamp can do, and since the receiver models in your price range all have preamp outputs, you can use your receiver as a preamp and just add the outboard amplifier. How many channels you want powered by the amplifier rather than the receiver depends on your budget, and how demanding the speakers you choose are. For example, if you decide to go with Dynaudio or panel speakers like Martin-Logans, a receiver will likely not have enough power for five or seven of those demanding speakers. However, if you plug a two or three-channel amplifier to the receiver, then it will relieve some of the load from the receiver, which now only needs to power two or four speakers rather than five or seven.

In a nutshell, here are your options (ordered from least expensive to most expensive):

-use a receiver to power all 5/7 channels
-use a receiver to power center, surround, and back surround speakers, and use as a preamp with a two-channel outboard amp for the L/R main speakers
-use a receiver to power surround and back surround speakers, and use as a preamp with a three-channel outboard amp for the L/C/R speakers.
-use a receiver to power back surround speakers only, and use as a preamp with a five-channel amp for the L/C/R/LS/RS speakers.
-use a receiver only as a preamp, and connect with a five or seven-channel outboard amp for all speakers
-use separate multichannel preamp and amplifier combination for all functions.