HTIB guidance

[m.madylon]

Hello all,

I've been reading through your forums and I've decided to write in with my own question. I am looking for an HTIB for my mother for Christmas. I realize that you all support buying separate components, but at this point I'd like to get an entire system that she can build on with time, her old one is completely dead.

The primary use for her will be music, so I'm really looking for something that will give her optimum quality and will be long lasting. I've been looking at some of the Denons and Onkyos but I can't tell what will be the best as a starter system.

The room this will be set up in is about 22' x 18' with the possibility of expanding speakers into other rooms that can operate on a B system so that one person can watch TV or a movie and she could flip the speakers in the other room on for music. She already has a new TV and fairly new DVD so I don't necessarily need all that. What I do want is digital storage for music or multiple CD player. The budget tops out at about $1500, but I'd prefer less.

I've tried to answer the questions I've seen asked when a newbie likes me comes on for advice, but if you need to know anything else please let me know.

Thank you in advance! I appreciate your help!!!

Maddie

[RoyY51]

One possibility would be the Hsu Ventriloquist system. I had a chance to hear this system at Dr. Hsu's Anaheim, Ca. location. The "staff member on duty" demoed both movies and music and both sounded extremely good. The speakers are unobtrusive (read:small) but the midrange and bass are exceptional for speakers this size. At $299.00 for this 5.1 system, this leaves a lot of room in your budget for amplification and front end sources.

If you google this system with the word "review" included, you will get a plethora (new word for the day) of very positive reviews.

Happy Hunting!

[jrhymeammo]

This might not be bad.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BOAVI770&variation=IVO

[RoyY51]

Quick correction: the $299.00 price that I quoted is without a subwoofer. With a VTF-1 sub, the price goes to $495.00, still a helluva bargain.

[drseid]

Hello all,

I've been reading through your forums and I've decided to write in with my own question. I am looking for an HTIB for my mother for Christmas. I realize that you all support buying separate components, but at this point I'd like to get an entire system that she can build on with time, her old one is completely dead.

The primary use for her will be music, so I'm really looking for something that will give her optimum quality and will be long lasting. I've been looking at some of the Denons and Onkyos but I can't tell what will be the best as a starter system.

The room this will be set up in is about 22' x 18' with the possibility of expanding speakers into other rooms that can operate on a B system so that one person can watch TV or a movie and she could flip the speakers in the other room on for music. She already has a new TV and fairly new DVD so I don't necessarily need all that. What I do want is digital storage for music or multiple CD player. The budget tops out at about $1500, but I'd prefer less.

I've tried to answer the questions I've seen asked when a newbie likes me comes on for advice, but if you need to know anything else please let me know.

Thank you in advance! I appreciate your help!!!

Maddie
If by HTIB you mean including the amplification/front-end along with the speakers, then the word "optimum" really doesn't apply IMO. As others have answered, there are many sub/sat systems on the market that are quite capable, and when coupled with decent electronics will yield very nice results within your price range (for the complete system). The key is you need to buy the electronics separately, as most electronics manufacturers who sell HTIB systems consider the speakers included in the package as an afterthought.

I would recommend taking a look at the excellent SVS SBS-01 sub/sat system found here at $999 for the set:http://www.svsound.com/products-sys-sbs_black.cfm and combine it with a used multi-disc CD player and receiver for the remaining dollars. You can find both used here at Videogon (which also has a sister site called Audiogon): http://videogon.com/. If your mom can skip the multi-cd capability for now, then her current DVD player could be used as the CD player, and that would give you $500 to buy a mid-priced receiver new from either Yamaha, Denon or Marantz (any will work fine).

Good luck,

---Dave

[m.madylon]

Wow guys, thank you so much! I knew when I posted that ya'll were going to tell me to break it apart, which I will probably end up doing. She has some component pieces that will probably still hold up for a while, speakers and a decent receiver seem to be the big things she needs. I will check out the speakers you pointed out...especially the $500 Hsu ones. That seems like a budget I can work pretty well in. A grand for speakers might be a bit much at this point, and she really needs some kind of CD upgrade, the old Sony is pratically dead and her favorite thing is to load a few CDs on and let it play, so it's kind of a necessity.

So now I have to ask to make sure I understand this whole component thing. I'll need 1) a receiver 2) speakers 3) any peripherals I want (CD/DVD) and that's it? Sorry for the utterly lame question, but I have to ask, I don't want to miss anything.

Thank you again, so much, you guys are awesome!

[drseid]

Wow guys, thank you so much! I knew when I posted that ya'll were going to tell me to break it apart, which I will probably end up doing. She has some component pieces that will probably still hold up for a while, speakers and a decent receiver seem to be the big things she needs. I will check out the speakers you pointed out...especially the $500 Hsu ones. That seems like a budget I can work pretty well in. A grand for speakers might be a bit much at this point, and she really needs some kind of CD upgrade, the old Sony is pratically dead and her favorite thing is to load a few CDs on and let it play, so it's kind of a necessity.

So now I have to ask to make sure I understand this whole component thing. I'll need 1) a receiver 2) speakers 3) any peripherals I want (CD/DVD) and that's it? Sorry for the utterly lame question, but I have to ask, I don't want to miss anything.

Thank you again, so much, you guys are awesome!
I hear you on the cost of the speakers, but keep in mind they will have the biggest influence on the system's sound (and as such, I advise the largest investment). Also keep in mind the room size you mentioned in your OP. That is a relatively large room, and you will need a sub/sat system capable of filling that room. Again, the speaker investment is key here (the sub in particular, quite possibly).

As for the needed components... Looks like you have it covered. :-)

---Dave

[m.madylon]

Thank you all so much, thought I would let you know that I put in my order today, I think I did pretty well, I ended up getting:

Infinity TSS-750 Speakers

Onkyo TX-SR604 Receiver

and an Onkyo 6-disc changer.

Just wanted to let you know I appreciate all your help!

Happy Holidays!
~Maddie

[RoyY51]

Maddie:

Congratulations on what should be a very nice sounding system. The specs and reviews on these components look great, and I'm sure that Granny will appreciate not only the sound but all the trouble you went to, making sure that she got the best bang for her buck. I know that every time she listens to Led Zep while baking cookies or dusting the nick-nacks over the fireplace, she'll think of you!

Happy Holidays!