Need help putting a system together that can grow with me.

jswilk

08 is the year where I dive into the HT world......

I'm a newbe and need some advice from those of who know much more than I

I want to put together a system that can grow with me as my ear matures....and my HT room grows.....

At the moment I live in an apartment, so because of space, neighbors and room limitations I can't go all out.....so I want to design a HT system that can be played at a reasonable level and give me a quality sound.....but when I move into a house in the near future I don't have to repurchase everything....

I started to look at the Surroundbar 50, but I don't know that when I move I want a 1000 dollar center channel....

Any advice would be much appreciated.

shawn474

You might want to begin by putting together a nice two cahnnel set-up and then purchasing the rest when you move. Plenty on this forum use 2 channel for muscial listening as well as HT. I've never done it but plenty seem very satisfied with it.

Shawn

beardog03

Budget ?

oh, and welcome to the fray !!

Stick around...it get`s better !!

rskarvan

Begin with the Denon 3801 (series) receiver. They can be purchased used for a song and you can build your system around them. You'll never regret this purchase.

beardog03

stay outta this Ron...


cheese eater

jswilk

beardog03 wrote: »

Budget ?

$2500

jswilk

cfrizz

Welcome to Club Polk.

Pick a receiver that has all the bells & whistles that you want it to have. Make sure it has preamp outputs so that you can add seperate amplification later on down the road.

Next burn a cd with some of your favorite music on it & start auditioning speakers with the receiver you want. Pick the speakers that sound the best to you.

Research, listen, & enjoy!

McLoki

$2500 with the main use as home theater, correct?

1. What does that $2500 include? (just speakers (2?, 5?, 7?) subwoofer, Reciever, DVD player, Television, HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, cables, power strips, etc.?)
2. Do you have ANYTHING now? (even an old HTiB)?
3. Have you heard systems that you liked at friends houses? If so, what impressed you about the sound? (bass, definition, volume, surround sound, immersion, etc.)
4. How big is your room, how high are the ceilings, are there other rooms that open up to it that you cannot close off,
5. Are there other apartments all around you? How well does sound travel through the walls where you live? (can you hear others coversations, walking, banging around, If you did not know - would you realise the apartments around you were occupied?)

Welcome to Club Polk. You happened to have stumbled on one of our specialties (spending other peoples money). Take that as a congratulations and warning...

Welcome aboard,

Michael

Sherardp

With 2500 bucks he should be able to start off with at least 3 channel setup if he goes LSi series, and almost a 5.1 if he goes Rti series. Granted he has some components already, receiver or the like.

I-SIG

I say at 2.1 system is the way to start. Since you are in an apartment, start with some LSi7's with a good sub. I'm pretty happy with the SVS powered cylinders, but there are more and more good subs out there. Get a an Oppo 970 (or whatever the new 1080p equivalent is) and a big damn NAD 5.1 or 7.1 receiver.

The NAD will last as long as it's firmware upgradeable and has HDMI swithcing. Move the LSi7's to the rear for surround duty, then step up to a LSi9's or 15's and an LSiC for the fronts.

Wes

jswilk

McLoki wrote: »

$2500 with the main use as home theater, correct?

1. What does that $2500 include? (just speakers (2?, 5?, 7?) subwoofer, Reciever, DVD player, Television, HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, cables, power strips, etc.?)
2. Do you have ANYTHING now? (even an old HTiB)?
3. Have you heard systems that you liked at friends houses? If so, what impressed you about the sound? (bass, definition, volume, surround sound, immersion, etc.)
4. How big is your room, how high are the ceilings, are there other rooms that open up to it that you cannot close off,
5. Are there other apartments all around you? How well does sound travel through the walls where you live? (can you hear others coversations, walking, banging around, If you did not know - would you realise the apartments around you were occupied?)

Welcome to Club Polk. You happened to have stumbled on one of our specialties (spending other peoples money). Take that as a congratulations and warning...

Welcome aboard,

Michael

Yes primarily HT use casual music listener

1. it includes everything but a dvd player and tv….as far as how many speakers I don’t know, I think I would rather go w/ a small set up like 2.1 or 3.1 right now and add on as I go, maybe even wait on the sub and just get some good left and rights…but honestly willing to listen to those who know more and go in a direction they think is best..

2. I have nothing else, this is starting from scratch

3. I have two close friends who have the Denon 3800 series and Polk RTi 150i’s and RTi 70’s with an SV sub… I like their setup but it’s also my only frame of reference….I think I like a system that is very efficient… one you can push and hear nice separation but can also listen to at a reasonable volume and still get that separation (hoprfully you can translate my Newbe language)

4. The room I have at the moment is an all purpose room, the front door open to it, also opens at the back to the kitchen and another wall opens to the bedroom….the overall room about 15x25 but the main sitting area around the TV is 15 X 17…8 foot ceilings….

5. Sound travels through the walls so so…everyday life I never hear anyone…but someone having a controlled party you hear murmurs thru the floor

Sherardp

I would go for the AVR, LSi15s, right off the top or Rti10s or 12s + Csi5.

McLoki

Based on what you are saying you want - Here is my recommendation if you purchase everything new.....

AVR - $899 Onkyo 805. (HDMI switching, decodes everything currently out, has pre-outs, has plenty of power for almost anything short of the A9 or LSi series (and even those may do ok...) Here is a current review for those into those sort of things.

Front Speakers - $1000 (pair) RTi A7. (will do great with the onkyo listed above (no amp needed right away). From a series released just this year so should be stable for years to come as you want to add additional pieces to make 7.1 if you want.

Center Speaker - $399 RTi C6. (Polks top center channel from the new RTi A line. - should sound great.)

Total cost so far - $2300. I would stop there with speakers and electronics, and use your last $200 to purchase any cables you may need. Everything will wire into your AVR and you will need one HDMI cable to go from your AVR to your TV (monoprice.com, Speaker wires from your front speakers to your AVR (12ga.) from signalcable.com or Bluejeanscable.com, and whatever else you need to to hook up the rest of your equipment to your AVR. (cable boxes, VCR's, DVD Players, etc.)

This setup will sound great as it is. There are no rear surrounds yet, but wiring them and making them look good in an apt. is a pita anyway without destroying anything or making holes. Also there is no sub yet, but the RTi A7 goes down to 35hz so in an apt - all a sub will add is a quick way to get evicted.

Later when you find a house or just decide to upgrade, you can add some side and depening on the room, rear surrounds. Also you can add a sub at a later date. With those fronts and center though, dialog should be crisp and easy to understand, and music and soundtracks will sound awesome.

If you are willing to go used - that will change a few things from a power perspective, but as far as something that can grow with you, can be purchased new and will not have to have anything replaced in the near future as you move to different places - that is the direction I would go.

Get your listen on and see if you like the sound of that speaker and AVR combo. Report back and let us know what you like or don't like about the setup and we can tweak from there.....

Michael

jswilk

McLoki wrote: »

........if you purchase everything new.....

Now what do you think about going used…..I look at sites like audiogon and it seems like I can get a lot more bang for the buck….I’m not one that has to buy everything new as long as it has been taken care of….I like idea of just working on the fronts right now and I wonder if I go used can I step up in quality….

And by the way thanks for all the advice….I’m excited about going out and listening to the things everyone is suggesting and giving feed back….

McLoki

Used is a whole new ballgame - you can get a killer setup for $2500 by purchasing used. One quick question though - how important is HDMi switching in the AVR?

jswilk

HDMI switching is not vital, I could go through the tv, but would be convenient...but I will admit with my limited knowledge I could be missing some benefit other than convince

WilliamM2

I agree with McLoki on the 805, but you can get it much cheaper. Also, the older Rti series can be had for some great prices right now.

Onkyo 805 for $716:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000OBJW1S/musicso0b6102-20

Rti10 for $500 a pair:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000TU7IQ/ref=pd_luc_00001B000V2QVDWB0000TU7IQ

Rti6 for $285 a pair:

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Performance-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B0000E2XED/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1198954522&sr=1-5

Csi5 for $305:
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Performance-Channel-Speaker/dp/B0000SY4TA/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1198954675&sr=1-7

ED sub $350:
http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=407

$2156 for a full system, all new.