I need some help from you guys to help me pick out some equipment. I'm 25 and just bought a house. I'm not an audiophile, because this will be my first receiver/speakers purchase, however, I am wanting some real good stuff because I love movies and love music. (my roomates always had the audio equipment).
I understand that asking you for your preferences of receivers / speakers is a tough choice, but I'm not asking for the BEST that money can buy. Just a starter setup that will really kick a$$ and be better than the average BB and CC stuff.
My budget is around $2000.00. Mind you, I own not one speaker or speaker wire. I have a progressive scan DVD and a 36" CRT. That's about it. I'm a techie guy, so don't be afraid to lay it on me...I know you get what you pay for, but my budget is probably piddly for you audiophiles. Nevertheless, I still request your help.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, I need to focus most of my attention on my receiver and front L and R towers. I don't need to spend top or even mid-dollar for my back channels, and I'm looking for a $250 sub. I'm also expecting around $200 for cables. Is this a good estimate? My living room is a 14 X 17.5' rectangle with the TV in the center of the short wall. Currently, I do not want more than a 5.1 setup.
Just to let you know, the receiver I was thinking about before reading this forum was the Onkyo 801 because of the THX and the ethernet port. Now, after reading the forum, I have a different opinion of Onkyos and THX. :-)
Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Imagine you are locked in one room for 5 years and were given $2000 to create a 5.1 HT/music setup. What would you buy? Thanks to all.