Home Theater Advice

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-01-2005, 02:44 PM

Hey ya'll,

I'm looking at buying a home theater system before the second game of the season. Any advice on a good fairly inexpensive boxed set? I maybe have a budget of about $400-$500. I'm looking at this Panasonic one right now that's 800W of power with those floor standing supports for the speaker.

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-01-2005, 02:45 PM

The Onkyo HT-S580 has also come highly recommended from people I work with.

Redskins8588 · 09-01-2005, 02:52 PM

I have a Sony that I bought a few years back that has 1000W of power. I love it, but everything that I have ever read about home theater systems pretty much say that just about any reciever will do, but the quality of the system is in the speakers... Any how I would go with Sony I really like there products...

Mattyk · 09-01-2005, 02:54 PM

With that budget you should be able to find something pretty decent.

Hell I only spent $125 or so a while back and I'm pretty happy with what I got.

It's nothing special but almost anything is a big improvement over the factory speakers in your TV.

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-01-2005, 03:03 PM

Redskins8588, I've had good experience with Sony in the past. The reason I'm looking for a box set is because one time I tried to piece together a set and no matter HOW big the center channel I bought was, the dialogue was always WAS lower than everything else.

Matty, what kind is yours? I had a cheaper one at $200 a few years ago and it did great. I'm looking for something that's pretty high quality, and if I can get that for $400 that would be awesome.

Redskins8588 · 09-01-2005, 03:14 PM

Mine was a box set also, sorry I forgot to mention that, it came with a 5 disk dvd player also, I bought it in 2002. I agree with matty, you can get decent box sets for like a couple hundred bucks now a days...

Redskins8588 · 09-01-2005, 03:20 PM

I am not sure of how fond you are with wal-mart, but here are some pretty good home theaters in a box that I found...

http://www.walmart.com/search/browse...133251%3A77622

Mattyk · 09-01-2005, 03:20 PM

Off hand I don't remember the brand, probably something cheapie like audiovox or something like that.

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-01-2005, 03:49 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the system I want needs to have a real "receiver" with it. Not one you plug directly into the DVD player. I think I'll need optical output because I use that for PS2 and TRUE 5.1 surround sound.

I AM fond of Wal-Mart for some decent box systems. I was there the other day looking at the only one they had that had a standalone receiver. I need one that has AM/FM because I listen to my old high school football games on the radio on Friday.

SmootSmack · 09-01-2005, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the system I want needs to have a real "receiver" with it.

Funny, that's the same thing Gibbs told Gardner when he traded him.
Ba-Zing!

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-01-2005, 04:19 PM

LOL LOL!!! That was DEFINITELY worth a "Ba-Zing!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

That was pretty clever, I gotta' give you that.

Redskins8588 · 09-01-2005, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the system I want needs to have a real "receiver" with it. Not one you plug directly into the DVD player. I think I'll need optical output because I use that for PS2 and TRUE 5.1 surround sound.

I AM fond of Wal-Mart for some decent box systems. I was there the other day looking at the only one they had that had a standalone receiver. I need one that has AM/FM because I listen to my old high school football games on the radio on Friday.

I am not sure that I understand what you mean by a real reciever, I run everything through mine, my tv, satalite(directv), dvd player, ps2, and I have my computer hooked up so that I can play my mp3s directly from computer and also it still has the radio function...

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-01-2005, 04:20 PM

Yup, that's exactly what I'm talking about. So that's perfect then.

BDBohnzie · 09-02-2005, 10:00 AM

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uPnQ6fq...0&I=580HTS780B

Onkyo HT-S780 (3 optical inputs)

The biggest thing to look for is a powered subwoofer. Many times, those boxed sets do not have a powered subwoofer, and the sub that comes with it are pieces of crap.

My Mom and I got my Dad a Sony one several years ago, and it is great.

TheMalcolmConnection · 09-02-2005, 10:08 AM

BDBonzie, that one was AWESOME. 3 optical?! Yeah, passive subs suck, but for now I'll just deal.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to go with the Onkyo. I appreciate all the help...

09-01-2005, 02:44 PM	#1
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Home Theater Advice Hey ya'll, I'm looking at buying a home theater system before the second game of the season. Any advice on a good fairly inexpensive boxed set? I maybe have a budget of about $400-$500. I'm looking at this Panasonic one right now that's 800W of power with those floor standing supports for the speaker. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

09-01-2005, 02:45 PM	#2
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Home Theater Advice The Onkyo HT-S580 has also come highly recommended from people I work with. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

09-01-2005, 02:52 PM	#3
Redskins8588 Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ridgway, PA Age: 34 Posts: 2,509	Re: Home Theater Advice I have a Sony that I bought a few years back that has 1000W of power. I love it, but everything that I have ever read about home theater systems pretty much say that just about any reciever will do, but the quality of the system is in the speakers... Any how I would go with Sony I really like there products... __________________ "I am the best at what I do, and what I do isn't very nice" - Sean Taylor

09-01-2005, 02:54 PM	#4
Mattyk ‎\m/ Join Date: Feb 2004 Age: 40 Posts: 72,736	Re: Home Theater Advice With that budget you should be able to find something pretty decent. Hell I only spent $125 or so a while back and I'm pretty happy with what I got. It's nothing special but almost anything is a big improvement over the factory speakers in your TV.

09-01-2005, 03:03 PM	#5
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Home Theater Advice Redskins8588, I've had good experience with Sony in the past. The reason I'm looking for a box set is because one time I tried to piece together a set and no matter HOW big the center channel I bought was, the dialogue was always WAS lower than everything else. Matty, what kind is yours? I had a cheaper one at $200 a few years ago and it did great. I'm looking for something that's pretty high quality, and if I can get that for $400 that would be awesome. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

09-01-2005, 03:14 PM	#6
Redskins8588 Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ridgway, PA Age: 34 Posts: 2,509	Re: Home Theater Advice Mine was a box set also, sorry I forgot to mention that, it came with a 5 disk dvd player also, I bought it in 2002. I agree with matty, you can get decent box sets for like a couple hundred bucks now a days... __________________ "I am the best at what I do, and what I do isn't very nice" - Sean Taylor

09-01-2005, 03:20 PM	#7
Redskins8588 Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ridgway, PA Age: 34 Posts: 2,509	Re: Home Theater Advice I am not sure of how fond you are with wal-mart, but here are some pretty good home theaters in a box that I found... http://www.walmart.com/search/browse...133251%3A77622 __________________ "I am the best at what I do, and what I do isn't very nice" - Sean Taylor

09-01-2005, 03:20 PM	#8
Mattyk ‎\m/ Join Date: Feb 2004 Age: 40 Posts: 72,736	Re: Home Theater Advice Off hand I don't remember the brand, probably something cheapie like audiovox or something like that.

09-01-2005, 03:49 PM	#9
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Home Theater Advice Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the system I want needs to have a real "receiver" with it. Not one you plug directly into the DVD player. I think I'll need optical output because I use that for PS2 and TRUE 5.1 surround sound. I AM fond of Wal-Mart for some decent box systems. I was there the other day looking at the only one they had that had a standalone receiver. I need one that has AM/FM because I listen to my old high school football games on the radio on Friday. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

09-01-2005, 04:19 PM	#11
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Home Theater Advice LOL LOL!!! That was DEFINITELY worth a "Ba-Zing!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That was pretty clever, I gotta' give you that. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

09-01-2005, 04:20 PM	#13
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Home Theater Advice Yup, that's exactly what I'm talking about. So that's perfect then. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

09-02-2005, 10:00 AM	#14
BDBohnzie Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Frederick, MD Age: 34 Posts: 4,368	Re: Home Theater Advice http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uPnQ6fq...0&I=580HTS780B Onkyo HT-S780 (3 optical inputs) The biggest thing to look for is a powered subwoofer. Many times, those boxed sets do not have a powered subwoofer, and the sub that comes with it are pieces of crap. My Mom and I got my Dad a Sony one several years ago, and it is great. __________________ Bad Things man, I mean bad things... “WE TOOK HIM IN THE SIXTH ROUND SO WE'RE NOT SMART EITHER.” - Shanny on what the Skins saw in Alfred Morris

09-02-2005, 10:08 AM	#15
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Home Theater Advice BDBonzie, that one was AWESOME. 3 optical?! Yeah, passive subs suck, but for now I'll just deal. Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to go with the Onkyo. I appreciate all the help... __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

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