If you only had $1,500 for your HT system...

[Jim Clark]

personally, just from my own experience, i would go this route:

First purchase: reciever + 2 main speakers
Second purchase: 2 surrounds.
Third purchase: Center
Fourth: projection.

This is just what worked for me and my tastes, also because the center i bought was pretty expensive, so waited till i could get the one i wanted.

peace and good luck! welcome to the addiction!
k2

You're close to what I'd do:

1'st: Receiver + 2 sat. speakers that I know would be moved to the rear when it was all said and done.

2'nd: Main +center channel speakers, moving the other to be rear. I think this is essential in order to make sure that you are able to get a matching CC. Models change and if you don't buy together you run the risk of never getting a proper match. Plus, dealers are often willing to cut a bit deeper when you buy the matching center at the same time.

3'rd: Sub

4'th: Display, if it in fact needs upgrading.

I personally despise all of the HTIB solutions that I've seen. As bad as the speakers are, the subs are usually even worse. If an "all in one" type solution is necessary I would think that there are superior options:

http://www.hsustore.com/vt12.html

HSU VT 12 -199 (when purchased with sub) Additionally they are available in silver and are in fact quite small

HSU sub - STF-2 (399)

That leaves leaves 900 bucks for electronics. 200 for an Oppo or Panasonic DVDP gives me 700 left for a decent Yamaha/Onkyo/Marantz/Denon/Pioneer receiver (no HK's thank you very much). The more adventerous might want to plug in one of the hyped Panasonic digital receivers and have 500 bones left over. AT 250 bucks they get all kinds of raves but I have my reservations. Still, if it can be taken back to the store it might be worth a shot? I'd go this route or some variation before I'd ever buy an HITB. You may think differently.

jc

[swgiust]

Nebraska Furniture Mart has an Infinity Primus system, 7.1 with a 10" sub and
an HK reciever for $ 1000 even. I have a friend who has one and it sounds pretty
good. Iv'e seen the speakers for less on the web, too.

[Jim Clark]

Nebraska Furniture Mart has an Infinity Primus system, 7.1 with a 10" sub and
an HK reciever for $ 1000 even. I have a friend who has one and it sounds pretty
good. Iv'e seen the speakers for less on the web, too.

Swgiust, where are you located if you don't mind me asking?

jc

[swgiust]

I'm in central Nebraska, I see your in Kansas. Nebraska Furniture mart
just opened a big new store in KC.

[Jim Clark]

I'm in central Nebraska, I see your in Kansas. Nebraska Furniture mart
just opened a big new store in KC.

We have all the inlaws in Omaha and of course we're here in KC. Spent New Years in the Big O watching fireworks on the river front and prime rib dinner at Mr. C's. Not too bad. I was kind of hoping that your were down here a ways. It would be nice to have some more enthusiasts a bit closer.

jc

[Palindrake]

Thank you all for the wonderful and informative responses, it sure makes the process of helping my brother-in-law out a lot.

Last question, would any of you ever use Mackie HR824's in a HT setup? WAF is flaring up from his wife and now we may be stuck with just 2.0 or 2.1

[edtyct]

I know that people do. I'm not totally sure, but I think that these Mackies are near-field monitors, meaning that they were designed for listening at distances closer than four feet (the way studio engineers and musicians do when they're mixing, monitoring, etc.). They are something of an industry standard, and are touted as extremely revealing and flat up to 22khz and down to about 40hz. I'd be wary of using them at home if the distances weren't right, but you could always give them a try.

Another caveat is that they're powered, which isn't a bad thing but certainly impacts flexibility if other products appeal to you. And how would you drive them, a preamp or the preout section of a receiver?

[BadAssJazz]

WAF is flaring up from his wife and now we may be stuck with just 2.0 or 2.1

I have a friend whose wife simply didn't want anything even closely resembling a speaker box to be in "her" living room. Safe to say, 5 speaker boxes and a subwoofer were totally out of the question. So he went with small in-wall speakers without the sub and chalked it up to one of the sacrifices that you have to make when you get married.

[GMichael]

Nebraska Furniture Mart has an Infinity Primus system, 7.1 with a 10" sub and
an HK reciever for $ 1000 even. I have a friend who has one and it sounds pretty
good. Iv'e seen the speakers for less on the web, too.

I can vouch for the Infinity Primus. I have the 360 mains, the PS12 sub, and 150 surrounds & rears. They all sound very good.