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I am a fan of how dependable the Yamaha receivers are. Check out their link http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/r...eiver_main.htm
Pop in your zip code here and you will get a list of their dealers in your area. http://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/dealer.aspx
But these are just their higher end dealers for the RXV and RXZ lines. Best Buy also sells their HTR line.
Try Circuit City for Onkyo receivers and Infinity speakers. The Primus line sounds very good for the price. Here is another link for the Infinity's. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DLPxyzO...00&I=700P5PPS8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtymightymike
Anything suggestions on speakers?
Read this thread here.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtymightymike
We recently bought a new plasma TV for our TV room and were looking to get a good audio system to go along with it. What I am currently looking at is the Bose Lifestlye 28 and the Onkyo HT-S780. Now I know that Bose is one of the best when it comes to home theater audio, but the only think scaring me away is the price. I have heard a lot about Onkyo recievers and it has only been good. Basically my question is that is it worth it to shell out that much money for a Bose or buy the Onkyo for a cheaper price and get better componet speakers. Thanks.
Here are links:
Onkyo-S780 http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Systems&p=i
Bose http://www.bose.com/controller?event...ls28_dvd_index
As has been said by others the problem with the Bose you mentioned is that it is overpriced and does not sound better than their stand alone speakers (201 or 301's) with a sub and is about twice as expensive. If you are considering shopping at the local Best Buy see if you can find one with a Magnolia HT store inside. i just had the chance to visit one and compared to my regular Best Buy at home it was like another store/world. Good luck in finding your system.
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All the suggestions made are good. What I did was purchase the Home Theater Buyers Guide, and reviewed the speakers that would meet my criteria. In the beginning cost then response. After making my choices, I looked for places that would have them. The end result was Magnapan MGIIIb's which I have for 20 years, and replaced the tweeter elements on each only once.
A systematic method would work best initially, with rigerous auditions with your favorite music and DVD's. Electronics are less problematic.
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what you need to do is do a side to side comparison of the 2100 dollar bose set up compared to a 499 dollar set up made by anyone else.... that is more like an equal comparison on performance.
that is if you can find a place that will let you compare bose to other manufacturers... bose doesnt want this to happen for a reason... they make inferior products. my brother in law is all about bose... i swear he should sell the darned things.. he goes on and on about how great Bose is. then after 5 minutes he asks me what is that crackling sound coming out of the surround speaker, 5 minutes after that he is asking how do i tweak the center so i can hear the dialog. jump ahead a few years and he has a party at his house with all kind of snobish rich business clients and they all are oohing and ahhing when they see bose in his living room... we listen to it then the bass goes out on the left speaker... low and behold the surround on the woofer rotted out. I started chuckling very hard and said BOSE = Better of with something else.... what does my bro in law do but take em in to the bose store and have em refoamed for 150 bucks. christ he could have bought new woofers for 60 bucks at rat shack and they would last longer
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i totally agree, bose has spent too much on marketing and they did it very well. a lot of people think that they sound really good and this has become a mindset already. the truth is, all of this was just a "perception", a "misconception"...bose doesnt sound good at all. they just cost too much to make everybody else think that they sound that good. here's what i suggest...
listen to Bose and afterwards, listen to a Denon, HK or a Marantz paired with decent speakers. hear it for yourself, your own ears would never lie to you.
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hey HAVIC thanx for the BOSE link, ive been looking for some output on this subject for some time. just printed it off and faxed it to my friend ( probably not anymore) that works at the local futureshop. i reffer to him as MR BOSE. funny to see how many people fall into the hype of this product. dont laugh i do have a set of 901's but i got them for cheap and spent time fixing them up. they have been forsale for sometime now and still no takers so the word must be getting out.
i have a few friends over the years (20 years or so) that have had problems with their bose crapolla and they usually end up giving them to me to look at. i usually advise to throw them out or with some i have replaced the drivers with something different. but its like putting lipstick on a pig. and thats all i have to say about that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEETLEMAN
. but its like putting lipstick on a pig. and thats all i have to say about that.
Now that's a classic. Better than the "band-aid on a broken artery" I like to use.
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Look at the Infinity Primus
I have a friend who recently purchased an Infinity Primus and HarmonKardon system.
It was 7.1 with the two main speakers slightly larger than the rest. It had a 10" sub,
all for $ 1000.00. You get a real reciever and real speakers and it sounds really nice.
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Well here is an update, it seems like Bose is not longer an option and a HTIB is a long shot. I went to a store about 45 mins away and they blew me away. I was showed a NAD receiver for $700, and then PSB speakers for everything else. It blew me away. The whole packed was under $2000, but the only thing that got me was the reciever. It costs $700 and didn't seem to have as many features as an Onkyo or Denon. Now this could be my false knowledge of NAD, but is it really that good that I wouldn't need extra features such as 6.1 or DTSNEO:6? Here is a statement they wrote up for me:
1) PSB Alpha B Front Speakers $250
2) PSB Alpha C Center Speaker $230
3) PSB Alpha Intro CR Surrounds $200
4) PSB Subsonic 5C Powered Sub $700
5) NAD T743 Surround Reciever $700
The salesmen really sold us on how good of a speaker company PSB was, so that's what will probably sell me on this set. I just want to see what you guys have to say about NAD and PSB and if I should get a different reciever or combinations. Thanks.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swgiust
I have a friend who recently purchased an Infinity Primus and HarmonKardon system.
It was 7.1 with the two main speakers slightly larger than the rest. It had a 10" sub,
all for $ 1000.00. You get a real reciever and real speakers and it sounds really nice.
I like mine. They do a fine job. And a great price. They got a good write up in Stereophile mag a few months back. June I think. They called the 360's a great bargin and claimed them to be better than most $1000+ speakers.
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Since you already have a DVD player, an all-in-one closed loop system like the Bose Lifestyle or even an integrated receiver/DVD combo are not needed. Go with a decent entry level receiver, and shop around for speakers. If the look or compactness are important, an alternative to the small cube approach is to go with flat on-wall speakers. Those speakers are very popular with plasma TV owners and represent the fastest growing segment of the speaker market right now. They won't sound as good as a decent pair of standmounted bookshelf speakers, but they are designed to mount on the wall and will have better range than something like the Bose cubes will.
Companies that currently make on-wall speakers include Martin Logan (see pic below), B&W, Paradigm, Boston Acoustics, Definitive Technology, and Vienna Acoustics. If you have a Magnolia Home Theater store (inside of Best Buy) close by, they have a lot of the on-wall models available for demo. Also, don't be afraid of using your speaker budget to get only two or three speakers at first, and adding the subwoofer and/or surrounds later on. Devoting more budget to a higher quality pair or trio of speakers will expand your options, and give you better performance in the long run. Receivers all have virtual surround functions for systems with two, three, or four speakers, so why not make use of that feature since you'll pay for it anyway, especially if it's only for a short time until your budget allows you to add more speakers?
http://www.martinlogan.com/images/fresco_zoom4.jpg
Martin Logan Fresco
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You did it right
You will hear it preached over and over again. Go and listen to systems and buy what
you like the sound of. You have picked very good components and speakers. Buy it
and do what you are supposed to do with a home theater, ENJOY!
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Can't never go wrong with Onkyo, Denon or Marantz.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtymightymike
Well here is an update, it seems like Bose is not longer an option and a HTIB is a long shot. I went to a store about 45 mins away and they blew me away. I was showed a NAD receiver for $700, and then PSB speakers for everything else. It blew me away. The whole packed was under $2000, but the only thing that got me was the reciever. It costs $700 and didn't seem to have as many features as an Onkyo or Denon. Now this could be my false knowledge of NAD, but is it really that good that I wouldn't need extra features such as 6.1 or DTSNEO:6? Here is a statement they wrote up for me:
1) PSB Alpha B Front Speakers $250
2) PSB Alpha C Center Speaker $230
3) PSB Alpha Intro CR Surrounds $200
4) PSB Subsonic 5C Powered Sub $700
5) NAD T743 Surround Reciever $700
The salesmen really sold us on how good of a speaker company PSB was, so that's what will probably sell me on this set. I just want to see what you guys have to say about NAD and PSB and if I should get a different reciever or combinations. Thanks.
Most of the "features" you'll be lacking will be rarely used anyway. If you have a fairly new DVD player then quite a few of the reciever options are redundant as the Player will most likely decode DTS etc. If you really liked the sound you heard but the lack of features on the NAD bothers you, buy the speakers from that shop, prices don't look to bad and pick up an Onkyo, marantz, yamaha, denon reciever on the internet. accessories4less had my Marantz SR6300 for around $350...has most of the bells and whistles (which sit idle as I typically use either the Stereo or prologic modes 99% of the time) but its a couple of model numbers behind so they were unloading them cheap. Very nice by the way and is quite "expandable" for the years to come, I'm sure you can find a bargain of your own!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtymightymike
Well here is an update, it seems like Bose is not longer an option and a HTIB is a long shot. I went to a store about 45 mins away and they blew me away. I was showed a NAD receiver for $700, and then PSB speakers for everything else. It blew me away. The whole packed was under $2000, but the only thing that got me was the reciever. It costs $700 and didn't seem to have as many features as an Onkyo or Denon. Now this could be my false knowledge of NAD, but is it really that good that I wouldn't need extra features such as 6.1 or DTSNEO:6? Here is a statement they wrote up for me:
1) PSB Alpha B Front Speakers $250
2) PSB Alpha C Center Speaker $230
3) PSB Alpha Intro CR Surrounds $200
4) PSB Subsonic 5C Powered Sub $700
5) NAD T743 Surround Reciever $700
The salesmen really sold us on how good of a speaker company PSB was, so that's what will probably sell me on this set. I just want to see what you guys have to say about NAD and PSB and if I should get a different reciever or combinations. Thanks.
The NAD is essentially in a different level than the products you've looked at which have surround sound. You can get a lot of those features you mentioned but you'll end up spending more than the NAD to have comparable quality, but some of the gee whiz features are left out because they can often be a way to cover up substandard components at the lower end.
NAD and PSB are a good combination and I don't think you'll be missing that much with that NAD surround receiver.
Even though it'd be nice to listen to the Onkyo system you originally posted and compare it to the Bose, compare this NAD/PSB system to the Bose. The price for each system will be about the same but the Bose will sound like a $10 clock radio in comparison.
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If you need small speakers checkout Boston Acoustics Micro
I have the 130's and the sound is great compared to Bose Acoustimass 15 I you to have
I'm hearing things in my music and dvd's I never heard before
good luck have fun
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PSB's are very well respected, as are countless others. The most important thing is to listen to a LOT of speakers and determine what sounds best to you. It's very easy to become enamored with the moment and let your emotions get the best of you. Don't forget, before you heard the PSB's, you thought the Lifestyle system was the cat's meow.
If you get an opportunity, you might audition these Epos ELS3's & CC. Four ELS3's, a CC, and a nice Dayton sub from partsexpress.com would make a heckuva starter system, IMO.
http://www.inthouse.ru/epos/pic/els3.jpg
I also like Cambridge Soundwork's (hifi.com) Newton series for HT. My dad just upgraded to Newtons and I was duly impressed, especially when he told me how much he spent! The sound is a bit warmer than the Epos' and the mids aren't as resolved, but they are still very musical and not the least bit fatiguing. CSW was founded by the late, great Henry Kloss (AR, Advent, KLH) and while they are owned by Creative now, they still represent terrific bang-for the buck. Check out their Clearance Outlet for the best deals.
Nad makes really nice sounding equipment, although their lower lines have looks only a mother could love. You might also consider offerings from Cambridge Audio such as the 540r which has been recieving raves. Naturally, there's nothing wrong with Denon, Yammie, or Onkyo either. Spend far more of your budget and time choosing your speakers than the front end. Differences in electronics are far smaller than those found in different speakers.
Hope this helps.
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I cant comment on the PSB but if the other guys say its a good set then i will join in. The NAD is fairly good build with a large powersupply and basic functions. I personally am a fan of NAD in their price class and also Cambridge Audio. I would also look at the Cambridge Audio Azur 540R
-Flo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Florian
I cant comment on the PSB but if the other guys say its a good set then i will join in. The NAD is fairly good build with a large powersupply and basic functions. I personally am a fan of NAD in their price class and also Cambridge Audio. I would also look at the Cambridge Audio Azur 540R
-Flo
Agreed, don't pass over Cambridge either.
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Bose story
I was shopping at an outlet mall recently. There was a Bose store there. I went in and stepped in front of one of their "listening cubes". They were selling a system that was com-posed of a DVD player, relatively small sub and four satellites. The price was 2,900 and something. I asked the salesman if the flat screen was included. He didn't like that too much.
They got a lot of guts asking that kind of money for a relavtively simple HT set-up. They also have nice stores with staff wearing uniforms. They have attitudes. They remind me of the Curtis Mathes stores when I was a kid. They were like "here it is, its the best and you're gonna pay". They need organized competetion.
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