Need help to decide on Home Theater system within $600
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 2 Registered: Jan-08 | Hi, I am a complete newbee as far as home theater is concerned. I have a 62" Panasonic LCD projection tv with dolby and bbe. It is a HDTV but I do not have HDTV streaming at present. May go for HD DVD player if needed. I would like to buy a good brand receiver and speaker system within a budget of $600. I am not really an audiophile but would luv to have a good av system to go with my tv. I watch TV (have dish connection) most of the time rather than dvds so would like a syatem that works very nicely with tv too. I have been reading the reviews about Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha and HK but am completely confused. I have also heard about AV systems that convert normal dvd/ dish signal to near HD format. Am not sure about that but would like to give that a lot of preference if that increases the video quality of my tv signals. In nutshell: 1. <$600 2. AV Recvr + Speakers 3. More TV Usage 4. Consideration for HD upconverting Please help me with the same as am totally confused at present. Thanks |
|
New member Username: ShakirhydPost Number: 1 Registered: Feb-08 | If you want the best one, go for a Bose 7.1 which would push you back by about 1200. Else, you could go for Harman Kardon or Onkyo which are reasonably priced and good as well. Denon is also on the expensive side as well. |
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 3 Registered: Jan-08 | If possible, I would like to stick to my budget of $600 or thereabouts. Would really apreciate any inputs. |
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 393 Registered: Mar-07 | $600 is not much, it sounds like your doing good with your own research, if you can listen to some of the systems that you mentioned in stores that will help your confusion I think, just what are you confused about? other than that if it were my money I would buy a nice receiver and the front speakers now and then buy each speaker or what ever pops up with a good sale as I could aford it thats the fun part, but keep in mind that once you have chosen the type of speakers you should stick with what matches, sub is not as important |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2118 Registered: Feb-04 | A couple of years ago I successfully bid on a top HK receiver on eBay. Harman Kardon sell their factory refurb units on eBay and all come fully warranteed by them. You should be able to "win" the AVR 247 for under $300, including shipping. If not, you certainly should be able to get the AVR 147 within your budget. http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Harman+Kar don+receiver&category0= http://www.hometheatermag.com/receivers/1107rack/index1.html I have not heard the Fluance system, but this looks like a very good deal, at $300. There's no subwoofer, but you could get one later if you think you need it. http://www.fluance.com/fluan5speaks.html As I've said, I have not heard these speakers, but I will still guarantee you this system will blow away anything Bose makes. Here's a review of the $200 Fluance system: http://reviews.cnet.com/surround-speaker-systems/fluance-av-htb-5/4505-7868_7-20 984105.html |
|
Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 14911 Registered: Dec-03 | Fluance is a very good budget system and works well with a lot of receivers. I would not ever recommend any Bose entertainment system. They are hardly the best and anyone claiming that they are need to listen to other systems at a much lower price. |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2119 Registered: Feb-04 | Oh yes raj, a 62" LCD-RP and no HD??? What a waste.....  |
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 394 Registered: Mar-07 | I have seen a few people in hear with the fluance speakers, I took them as a how can they sell them so cheap thing, I have mentioned them to people one or twice, I forgot all about them, berny have you listen to them? john how come your Mr smilys grey is he not feeling good? |
|
Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 14943 Registered: Dec-03 | Yes, I used to give them as gifts to some of my college bound nephews. And they love them. And for that matter not one of them like Bose... They are really very good. |
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 395 Registered: Mar-07 | I was reading some of the reviews and there all liking them, I love black and the upgrades look good, I gess I will start mentioning them again |
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 4 Registered: Jan-08 | Would these systems i.e. HK 247 or any other have HD upconverting and is that feature worth it if I watch more of Dish or DVDs. Wwould it really give me better picture than the current resolution. |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2120 Registered: Feb-04 | john how come your Mr smilys grey is he not feeling good? Yeah, he's just a little constipated, but he'll feel better when raj gets some HD signals on his TV.
Raj, it's obvious you are hung up on this "upconversion" to HD business. And while there may be -- in the best of circumstances -- some improvement, the stuff you see on your TV is still 480 standard definition, and no amount of video processing and line doubling is going to magically turn these standard def signals into HD. The HK 247 does have the Faroudja DCDi processor, which supposedly helps clean up video signals. The Faroudja is on my HK receiver, and frankly I can't tell much difference with it on or off. I leave it on, but if it got turned off by accident, I wouldn't notice. The word "upconversion" is commonly misused by consumers and some manufacturers. Upconversion implies improvement, but as I said before, no processor can add information to a standard 480 signal that isn't already there. What the HK 247 will do is transcode all analog signals coming into its composite, S-video and component inputs to its HDMI output to 720p. Yes, 720p. However, you cannot say "Oh goody, all video that goes in comes out in high definition!" This receiver transcodes all analog video below 720 and interpolates [look this word up in your dictionary] extra lines from the existing video signal. You might see a little improvement on your big screen, but is it HD? No. None of this makes the 247 any less of a steal at under $300 to your doorstep. And don't let what looks like a low power rating turn you off. These HKs are very conservatively rated, and they will match most receivers costing much much more. |
|
Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15013 Registered: Dec-03 | Yes, it seems like everybody and their uncle are touting this upconversion like the end all and be all of video. They are even marketing the sound processing of stereo analog to surround sound as "audio upconversion" like it's some sort of new technology. |
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 396 Registered: Mar-07 | thank god its only constipation I thaught it might be tortion, I gess I will send the hot sexy nurses back  anyways do you need to hook up HDMI to get the HD upconverting? I figured it to be not much differance but some say it is, I gess I never thaught much of it because its not a HD signal, it seems every body wants the HD, for me, all in good time with my no going project, Im still waiting for standards to settle in the industery |
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 5 Registered: Jan-08 | Apologies for asking basic questions. Can HD upconversion capability be there in receivers too or only DVD players have it. Am asking this question as see more of TV than DVDs. A receiver will possibly upconvert the satellite signal too in addition to dvds. |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2121 Registered: Feb-04 | "They are even marketing the sound processing of stereo analog to surround sound as "audio upconversion" like it's some sort of new technology." I agree. I have never heard any "simulated surround" effect on any receiver that didn't produce dreadful sound. I'm sure you remember using the old Dolby Pro Logic on a stereo signal. Everything collapsed to the center channel -- jeez, you were better off with stereo. But then along came the much better digital matrixes Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS Neo:6 and my favorite, HK's Logic 7 (invented by Meridian, I believe). Logic 7 on stereo material isn't bad at all, especially if you turn down the rears a bit, which fortunately is easy enough to do on my receiver. "...anyways do you need to hook up HDMI to get the HD upconverting?" Component video will support 1080p. HD DVD and Blu-ray players will output full HD on the HD and Blu-ray discs via component, but they will output "upconverted" video on regular DVDs only on their HDMI outputs. There may be some exceptions, but I believe this is true with upconverting regular DVD players. At least with CSS encoded DVDs. Recently, I experimented with my HD DVD player to see what, if any, discs it would output at 720p via component. Of about a dozen movies, I only got video on one disc, which happened to be Diana Krall Live in Paris, which looked fabulous (but this disc is great to start with!). |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2122 Registered: Feb-04 | Raj, I have been thinking about your question. I will give my  when I have more time. |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2127 Registered: Feb-04 |
Raj, I can certainly understand your concern with any umprovement you can get on your satellite channels. I know how crappy the picture quality is with standard def channels off a satellite stretched out to 16:9 on a 61 inch TV. The very best and most effective thing you can do is loosen up the purse strings and get HD. I don't know how much extra that costs, but I can tell you this: You can spend $3000 or more on a video scaler/processor and feed it with the signal you have now and it still wouldn't be as effective as getting a true hi-def signal into your display. So trust me, a $300 AVR isn't going to perform any miracles. There are some things to remember about how fixed pixel TVs like your micro-display LCD-RP works. I am assuming your TV is a 720, but this applies to 1080 displays as well. First, whatever the resolution of the incoming signal is, your TV will scale that signal to its native resolution. This means that if your TV gets a 480 signal from your sat feed it scales that signal up to 1280 X 720 to fit its native resolution. So, you already have "upconversion" going on here. Second, if your TV receives a signal with more resolution than your TV's native resolution, then the display has no choice but to scale down to its native resolution. So, if you feed it a 1080i signal, you will still see 720 only due to the limitation of the TV itself. The TV simply has to throw away some of that signal -- there are only so many pixels available. Third, if your TV receives a signal lower than its native resolution, then no more sharpness is gained by having more resolution potential. This is one of the reasons (other than unreasonable expectations) why people are usually so disappointed with the picture quality of standard definition channels on their new Hi-Def TV. The only reason to assign this video processing job to equipment outside the TV is because that equipment does a better job than the internal circuitry in the TV itself. And while it is true that some TVs are inferior in this regard, no $300 AVR or $100 upscaling DVD player will most likely do this work better than the TV itself. |
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 8 Registered: Jan-08 | Thanks for the help John. Really appreciate it. My LCD RP is 1080 (atleast the manual says that). Your input really helps. I will not have any undue expectaion from the AVR if I go for it. |
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 9 Registered: Jan-08 | 2 more basic questions: 1. I am contemplating buying Onkyo TX-SR605 at present. Am getting a 340$ deal for it. Do you think it is a good choice for the price. It seems to be having audio and video features. 2. I have a basic DVD player (Philips DVP 642/37). As I have relatively smaller Living room ie around 600 sq ft, is it possible that i go for good 5.1 speaker system first (to get the surround sound) to work with my dvd player and then go for receiver afterwards. |
|
Bronze Member Username: JrbayLivonia Detroit area, Michigan USA Post Number: 21 Registered: Feb-08 | For question 1 - I believe you would be very happy with the Onkyo and seem to be getting a good price for it. If you have access to Denon you might look into that brand as well (just to compare). For question 2 - Your "basic" DVD player will not power speakers on it's own. |
|
New member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 10 Registered: Jan-08 | have decided to go for Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channel Home Theater System. It seems to be having most of the features I desire in the system although it has a price tag of $750 plus mounts. It also has relatively bigger satellite speakers. It has a Onkyo 605 receiver and dvd player. Please do tell me if this is a good system. |
|
Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2137 Registered: Feb-04 | This is a good system. Enjoy!..  |
|
Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15167 Registered: Dec-03 | A good system is one you will enjoy. If you feel it has all the features you want and need, it should be a good system. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Daisy1234San jose, Ca US Post Number: 11 Registered: Jan-08 | I think I should not have said that it has all the features as the most important part is the quality of sound and I have very less idea about that. Reviews on Amazon or other sites seem to be good and it seems to be having all the features that I need (except for big size of speakers). Have not seen this home theater on floor in any of the outlets. Would like to know if you think I will have to change to Bose in 1-2 years or this system is good enough for 4-5 years. Also if Onkyo as a brand, for receivers and speakers, in some way comparable to Bose or is it downright one rung below Bose. |
|
Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15173 Registered: Dec-03 | Bose??? You need to listen to Bose and compare. Then you decide whether or not it is better. |
|
New member Username: Jack_cWinona, MN United States Post Number: 4 Registered: Apr-08 | If I had $600, I'd probably go with something like this (all prices from Amazon) Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR505 $219 Center speaker: Infinity PC250 $109 Front speakers: Infinity P162 $200 pair Surrounds: Infinity P152 $140 pair Speaker cable: 100 feet for 12 gauge approximately $25 Total: $693 A subwoofer could be your first upgrade. Then I'd go with a better center channel speaker, a couple of larger front speakers, and you could move the P162s back to the side surrounds and the P152s to the rear surrounds. |
|
Silver Member Username: CclashhPost Number: 196 Registered: Jan-08 | Speaking as an TX-SR705 owner which is one rung up from the Onkyo TX-SR605 I am very happy with it. In my opinion Bose is way overpriced and way over rated. I really discourage interests in the Bose systems mainly because they are not worth what they cost and I can't see any reason for spending what they cost when you can get something as nice as the Onkyo for a much more reasonable price. The HT-SP908 you are looking at is a great sytem at a great price and is probably much more versatile that anything that you could get from Bose in your price range. The Onkyo TX-SR605 in the HT-SP908 is future proof and will do whatever you desire from several years to come. It has the HDMI upconversion you are asking about meaning it will upconvert any source inluding your Satellite to HDMI 720p although I agree with John that you are not going to say where has this been all my life or anything but it does have it and they must be manufacturing it that way for some reason . I do not use this feature on my Onkyo because all of my input/output is HDMI and High Def. so i can't tell you first hand what your results in this area will be. I can tell you that I agree whole heartedly with John that the best and most cost effective way to get the full benefit from your system would be to upgrade your satellite service to High Def. In my opinion the TV is the most important component when it comes to scaling the signal you are processing so your are kind of stuck with you TV's capability where processing normal 480i signals is concerned. I noticed that you said that you will eventually be interested in a high def disk system. I wanted to also take the oppurtunity to discourage any interest in HD DVD as this format has been discontinued. It looks at least for now that Blu-Ray is going to be the standard. Some other things to consider about the 605 receiver's longevity is that the 605 has HDMI 1.3a and will decode high def sound formats such as dolby true HD and DTS HD from blu ray etc... Also the system is going to come with everything you need to set it up properly including all speakers and a subwoofer, the dvd player is a nice addition as well. Again speaking as a TX-SR705 owner I think you have made an excellent choice and would be hard pressed to do any better in this price range. |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics