Home Theatre System - Recommendations

[Deutscher]

Hey fellas,
So my house is going to be ready in 3weeks and I want to get me theatre room set up.
I've got a 42" Panasonic Full HD Plasma I need a upgrade.
But I've got a crappy Panasonic 5.1 that I picked up for $200 (almost brand new). but not the display on the receiver is dead... it still works but can't see anything (can't change settings).

I'm looking around the $1000 mark. Not allowed to spend much more. Apparently there's more important things we need for the house first

I was looking at those HTDDW7600, my old man has one and so does another mate.

I thought about building a system myself. But It seems expensive (over my limit).

Anyone suggest anything? Good Guys, JB Hi, DickSmith, Harvey Norman type shops. I can't afford to go to a specialist home theatre shop

[Hotblack]

Hi
i picked up a sony system 6.2 from Jb About 2 years ago for under $1000 bucks and have not had a prob with it, quite happy

[Drawnnite]

I was looking at those HTDDW7500 , my old man has one and so does another mate.

ask them what they think about it, but it looks good, definately go for it if you can. see what they dont like in it, and what they do like, try it around at their places. best way to see if its right for you is to try it afterall =P

go to a place like jb hi fi, never had any trouble there, and they can give you a good price, see what they can do for you, but definately go for the amplifier and the rest, much easier to replace/upgrade then just the dvd player with the spearers going into it. also gives a better sound, which you would want afterall.
go instore or so on and have a look at the other set ups, as that "open" speaker look doesnt look too appealling, and if it has a bit of a covering might blend in better and look better int he overall result.

but that one your looking at doesnt seem bad at all.

[Deutscher]

Hi
i picked up a sony system 6.2 from Jb About 2 years ago for under $1000 bucks and have not had a prob with it, quite happy

The HTDDW7600 7.2 is $986 from JB. Just wondering if that would be the best bang for buck. I know the budget is low

[MasterOfReality]

Why not wait/save for a bit longer? You might end up buying something that you are not entirely happy with and regret it.

Hardly Normal does some good component/speaker package deals every now and again.

Remember the saying - poor man pays twice

Edit - that link to the sony muteki system, my fiance's old man has one. It cranks like hell, although not the best sound quality at all.

If you can get over the hideous looks it might be ok. My 10 year old Technics component system and wharfedale sub sounds better than the muteki. Not louder but more refined. Cost about $2k though.

[Troy711]

My 'low budget' (as you would put it) Kenwood system cost me $700 bucks and I couldn't be happier. I don't know about the neighbors though. I guess at the end of the day it's down to personal preference as to what sounds good and what doesn't. I know mine will never be as awesome as a high-end Bose system but it does what I need it to.

[Deutscher]

Edit - that link to the sony muteki system, my fiance's old man has one. It cranks like hell, although not the best sound quality at all.

Read somewhere it's got high THD rating.

Total Power Output (1kHz, 6Ohms, 10%THD) 185W x 7 + 200W x 2 = 1695W

[Deutscher]

My 'low budget' (as you would put it) Kenwood system cost me $700 bucks and I couldn't be happier. I don't know about the neighbors though. I guess at the end of the day it's down to personal preference as to what sounds good and what doesn't.

That's true. I really do like my sound quality. But I guess at the end of the day... I could get my gf to go halves with me in a $1000 system... if I wanted more I'd have to pay for it myself. I've spent a good $2500 on my car audio and a good $5000 on my Pro Audio gear.

[Deutscher]

Anyone recommend anything before I buy the Sony?
Anything I should test?

Edit: I'll prob go buy it tomorow.

[Darren_L]

Buying a packaged system from one manufacturer generally won't offer outstanding performance, you are better off (from a quality perspective) choosing individual components from manufacturers who specialise in those particular components eg Sony does make good quality amplifier/receivers but they aren't a speaker manufacturer. (eg I have a Yamaha receiver/amp with Vifa floor standing front speakers, Jensen centre speaker, Dali rear surround speakers, Velodyne subwoofer ) But depends what sort of performance/quality you are satisfied with & of course in your case, the budget. The big advantage with packaged systems is that they are typically a lot cheaper than selecting individual components and they still sound good, I guess it just comes down to how fussy you are when it comes to audio.

But look at the specs, use them as a rough guide only because Sony isn't giving you the entire story with their rather ambitious power rating... they don't even state db/distortion levels etc which is like quoting peak hp figures without seeing the power curve. It only supports 6 ohm speakers (which allows the manufacturer to give the amp a higher power rating, however the lower the impedence of the speaker, generally the lower the quality - 8 ohm speakers will offer superior quality at the cost of amplifier power output). The best thing you can do is go into the showroom, and listen to the system & see if you like it & compare it to others in the price range you are looking at. When I went to buy my speakers I had chosen a set that I wanted, but fortunately decided it might be a good idea to listen to them first. They did sound good, but when the salesman suggested I listen to another set of speakers (cost more of course) I was blown away. The speakers I originally wanted, didn't even rate, even though it's specs were very similar to the cheaper version.

So yeah my biggest piece of advice is go and listen to the system before buying it. If the shop you plan on buying it from doesn't have one hooked up to listen to, then find a place that does and then you can always go back to the original shop if they have the better price etc

[Fun_Bucket]

Considering your budget, i would look at a 2 channel setup with an integrated amp. As a plus you will benefit from it when choosing to listen to music, and even a basic 2 ch int amp will still give you good imaging when watching movies, without the need for a centre speaker. Also if you wanted to you could look at buying an external DAC at a later date to use with your DVD, or BRP's optical output.

For your budget there are plenty of decent integrated 2 ch stereo amps on the used market. The remaining amount i would spend on a set of book shelves, and stand mount them. I wouldn't look at floor standers in that price range.

Surround sound is great, but can come with some compromises, such as spending less on each individual component, and not wanting to place any components in an area that will look out of place with the current decor.

Your room layout and size will also play a huge part.

My last advice if your serious about the purchase, would be to join a forum such as www.stereo.net.au i am an active member there also, and they are a great bunch. If you take your time researching, getting advice, and chasing the used market, you could put something together something quite nice.

[Deutscher]

Thx Darren & HCVP.
HCVP, I'm having a flick thru that website... it looks pretty good but a little too much for me. For my home theatre I was hoping for a plug & play.
I know packaged stuff isn't very good compared to individual components, but because of my budget.
Do you recon I could swap speakers around using the Sony amp? I did have a look at putting together a system using individual components... but amps cost heaps and then speakers heaps more lol.

Edit: The cheapest 7.2 amp is a Yamaha RXV667B for $995 at JB.

[Fun_Bucket]

If you wanted to build something up you could always run a decent set of fronts in "phantom mode" until you could afford to buy a centre. This way you still have something to listen to while you look around for the remaining components.

Rears come up really cheap often enough as a lot people buy them originally to start out with a 2 ch setup until they can afford to upgrade. A decent set of rears with minimal use could be picked up for less than $100.

But that's why i'm saying buy used. I picked up a Marantz SR4200 a few months back for $130. When they were new a few years before that, they were anywhere between $700-900.This was a good result from some time spent searching. The unit is basically in mint condition, and was just somebody's old upgrade, most people are just happy to get something back.

In a case such as yours, this would have left me with $870 to spend on speakers.

Used HT equipment loses value very quickly, and people who are really into the hobby chop and change their equipment like there is no tommorow, so there is always things becoming available, especially on forums.

I also recently sold a NAD C326 and a pair of Diamond 9.1's all less than 6 months old and still under warranty for $550. My NAD CDP went for $200, i paid $450. My W150's went for $250 each, they cost me $500 each on their own. I sold close to $500 worth of speaker cable, and some inter connect's, for $80....

My entire 2 ch setup had an RRP of close to $3000 including cables, the lot went for $1350. Hunt around and you will definately pick up a good deal.

[Deutscher]

But that's why i'm saying buy used. I picked up a Marantz SR4200 a few months back for $130. When they were new a few years before that, they were anywhere between $700-900.This was a good result from some time spent searching.

I haven't really looked at second hand.
Speakers are something that I dont like to buy second hand because most of the time people have tried to go over their limits. I will have a look tho.

[Fun_Bucket]

Well if your buy something like speakers from a forum where the member is an older guy with a large vinyl collection, running several tube amps, and has a diverse music taste, then chances are they haven't been flogged.

Some 20 yr old with slick hair and his pants hanging down around his knees who keeps calling your bro and saying wassup, well then yeah you allready know the risks.

That's why i suggested joining the forum, get to know the regular members and minimise your risks.

[Deutscher]

Well if your buy something like speakers from a forum where the member is an older guy with a large vinyl collection, running several tube amps, and has a diverse music taste, then chances are they haven't been flogged.

Some 20 yr old with slick hair and his pants hanging down around his knees who keeps calling your bro and saying wassup, well then yeah you allready know the risks.

That's why i suggested joining the forum, get to know the regular members and minimise your risks.

haha true that.
I'll do some searching.
Although another reason I dislike second hand gear... it's outdated lol. I was just looking on gumtree at a Yamaha RX-V663 for $600.... but it's not 3D compatible :P I don't have a 3D tv yet.. but I want to upgrade my Tv in the near future... even tho I'm not a huge fan on these 3D tv's.... its the craze atm and will dominate the market. Plus the Yamaha RXV667B is only $995 which includes warranty.

Edit: Hope nobody saw that.

[Deutscher]

Here's a couple of amps under $1000.

Onkyo TX-SR674: 20hz-20khz @ 8ohm = 95w/ch (7.1), 1khz @ 6ohm = 115w/ch. THD 0.08% = $970
Yamaha RXV667: 20hz-20khz @ 8ohm = 90w/ch (7.2), THD 0.08% = $995
Pioneer VSX920: 20hz-20khz @ 8ohm = 80w/ch (7.1), 1khz @ 8ohm = 110w/ch. THD 0.08% = $995

Sony HT-DDW7600: 1khz @ 6ohm = 185w/ch (7.2), THD 0.10%, 200rms subs, 6ohm mode only. = $986

[Fun_Bucket]

Something that is good, does not outdate. If it was good then, it is good now, regardless of the time frame in between. What's average now, will soon out date, and will become rubbish, as newer things are released.

Think of your car audio, i'm sure if in an imaginary situation, you could walk into a store that only has the products that were available from 5 years ago, but for 1/3 of the price. Tell me you couldn't put a good setup together...


But i'm not talking about going out and buying vintage gear, just things that were made within say the past 5 years.

All your $1000 amps would be worth less than half their new retail in 12 months time on the used market. Amps aren't really a risk factor when buying at that age.

Any particular reason why it has to be 7.1? If your talking out of date, your already behind at least 5-7 years with 7.1 as it is. Your just buying old technology that's newly built, but hasn't changed.

[Deutscher]

Any particular reason why it has to be 7.1? If your talking out of date, your already behind at least 5-7 years with 7.1 as it is. Your just buying old technology that's newly built, but hasn't changed.

What do you mean by that?
The more speakers the better the surround sound effect.
do you say i'm outdated with 7.1?
I really feel like I don't know anything lol.
I know in car audio you only need front speakers... but that's cause your in the front and not listening to surround sound type of stuff... but I presumed 7.1 is better than 5.1 ... gives a more real sound.

[Fun_Bucket]

Well you can go up to 13.1, or .2, 3, 4, ect how ever many subs you like. But mate it's like a car, one good set of fronts will perform better than multiple set's of cheapies.

A 5.1 of better quality will sound better than a 7.1, or higher, of less quality. Just because you have speakers in your room, dosen't mean your going to get a better surround effect.

[Deutscher]

Well you can go up to 13.1, or .2, 3, 4, ect how ever many subs you like. But mate it's like a car, one good set of fronts will perform better than multiple set's of cheapies.

A 5.1 of better quality will sound better than a 7.1, or higher, of less quality. Just because you have speakers in your room, dosen't mean your going to get a better surround effect.

Ok that's what you meant.
I get that. It's just finding what I actually need in a home theatre and then finding the best for my money.
A home theatre design is a lot different than car audio (in dB's/RMS). In home audio.. we are dealing with 150rms @ 10ohm while car audio we are dealing with 2400rms @ 1ohm (my car sub). Also with car audio we can chuck pretty much any load onto the amp 8/4/2/1ohm. The Sony says 6ohm only? :S and the Whafedale sub is 10ohm.

[Fun_Bucket]

A lot of people get miss leaded with rms outputs and home audio equipment.

My most expensive amp, the 2 ch, was $1200 when new, and put's out 70 w x 2.

My Marantz 5 ch amp is 50 w x 5, and was $900 when new.

Or you could get a "xxxx" amp for less than half that, and it spits out 180 jigga watts over 10 channels...It just dosen't work that way...

BTW there is a set of NHT super zero's on Ebay in Perth...

[Deutscher]

A lot of people get miss leaded with rms outputs and home audio equipment.

I've noticed that. RMS is not a very good way to determine loudness either... but it's something to go on unless you can get the proper specs. Sensitivity is another thing. I don't understand home audio equipment at all.
I've been searching through that webpage you suggested and found a thread about 7.1 dead.
Manufacturers also make it difficult, they dont all use a consistent method.

[Deutscher]

I think the Sony will be my choice....
Do you recon I could change the speakers at a later date?
Getting a package is the most simplistic & cheapest idea.
I'm still working on my car stereo, want to upgrade my Type S subs and make bigger sealed boxes. Plus I need to set up my PA gear at home... I need to buy a usb interface still (running Yamaha S215V's & JBL MRX518 with Crown XTI2000 & Crown XTi1000). Plus I'm moving into my house in 3 weeks and have plenty of painting & moving to do.

[calais_cruzin]

The sony will do u fine, i just picked up a bottom range sony for 350 at clive anthonys, it sounds pretty good off sum around 10yr old acoustic image towers

You can upgrade the speakers at a later date if ur not happy with how its performing.

Ill be 100% happy with my receiver once i receive the remote