Hi all, I've been researching HTIB systems to put in a 12' x 18' den. The TV is the Panasonic 30" HDTV. I am on somewhat of a budget, and during my research I have been wondering if it is not better to buy separate components (receiver, dvd, speakers). It seems to me that a decent starter HTIB would run around $500 (Onkyo HT-8580 or Sony HT 6900DP), but decent separate components are going to run closer to $1000 (Onkyo TX-SR503 or Denon AVR-1705 receivers and any number of speaker sets). Is my understanding that a starter HTIB is really the way to go as opposed to putting together a system separately?
Depends on what your looking for. If you don't care much about the sound "quality" as long as you have sound in the 5.1 format then sure HTIB would be the way to go.
Typically HTIB includes "cheap" speakers which don't perform very well. They are marginal at HT and not very good at all for music. Again that is TYPICALLY, I'm sure there are excpetions.
However if you want a better quality sound then seperates (ie receiver, then speakers by some other manufacturer). Think about it in terms of cars, GM makes decent cars, but I wouldn't want to buy a tire made by GM. They don't have the "expertise" in making tires it's in making cars. Same for receiver places, Yamaha/Sony/Pioneer makes a decent moderately priced receivers, but I wouldn't buy a speaker by any of those companies.
So the question is what matters more for you, do you want to save money (which is very understandable) and get it done quickly. Or spend more money (or take longer to get all the speakers) and go with a little better components.
In my opinion it's worse to buy HTIB because eventually you want to upgrade and then you have a bunch of usless components.
Just stay away from bose products. They tend to be over priced for what your getting.
If your looking at bestbuy, the klipsch synergy series isn't bad (I own Klipsch reference series, so i'm partial to it). Klipsch is forward sounding and some people don't like horns so they are considered "bright". The opposite sound would be Polk at circuit city, its considered a warmer sound.
Receivers, make sure that they say "all channel's driven" If they don't say all channels driven then the power output is only if your using 1 channel (ie just fronts or just surrounds, but not both at the same time). I've heard a lot of good things about Harmon Kardon and Denon. I would steer away from sony's lower end products and I wouldn't combine Klipsch synergy with a lower end Yamaha (supposedly a very bright sound from what I've been told). I have a mid level model pioneer and am happy with it.
Speakers will mostly be you have to listen and decide for yourself, receivers I'd look for the inputs that you want/need and the power (with all channels driven 100x5 does not nesicarrily mean all channels driven) that you need.
thanks for the information. I've been doing some research and here is the way I am leaning right now. Onkyo SR503 receiver (i am partial to Onkyo, have had an audio receiver and cd player for years), either Athena or Cambridge Soundworks speakers. I think the Cambridge would be a HT speaker system, while I could choose which Athenas I want for center, fronts, surround and rears. Sub I'm not sure about yet. Also, do you think I should go with separate cd and dvd players?
If your looking for more HT, you can get a better DVD player and use it for both as opposed to skimping a little on the dvd player to have $ for the cd player. That's just my thought, I'm sure others have different opinions.
Just remember that listening and determining with your own ears is the only way to really know if you will like a certian speaker setup.