Home Theater Systems to fit most any budget….
I have put together a pretty decent home theater system over the years. Like so many other enthusiasts, I started out with a stereo system and systematically transitioned it into a full-blown home theater with surround sound. Along the way, I have dabbled, tweaked, laughed, cried and learned a few things. I have owned and sampled components with legitimate high-end aspirations as well as components that were decidedly mid-fi. It has been an exciting adventure and the results are very rewarding.
This brings me to the point of my blog: I now believe that there is a fairly pronounced point of diminishing returns when considering the purchase of any piece of home theater or hi fi equipment. I would surely have a super expensive system if I could reasonably afford the cash out lay, but I am an entrenched middle-classer. And now with all the economic problems in the world, the time has never been better to help people get the most bang for their buck.
I have especially enjoyed helping my friends make equipment upgrades or when they want to build whole new systems from scratch. Sometimes I can tell that my friends are afraid to ask for my help because they think I might recommend something that’s really expensive. If this is the case, then I ask them to tell me what their budget is and then I can move forward with some recommendations.
The pictures accompanying this Blog are of one such system. My friend had a decent monitor and he wanted to upgrade his DVD player and build a sound system. He lives in a condominium and the room is not very big. He budgeted $1,000 for this upgrade. I recommended an Oppo DVD player, an Onkyo stereo receiver, a pair of Hsu Research HB1 bookshelf speakers and a Hsu Research STF-1 subwoofer. By the time we got the speaker stands and some cabling, we had exceeded his budget by about $30. The really great part is that my friend has been tickled to death over the quality of this set-up and I am so happy that I was able to help him.
There are some products out there that are such a great value that they are almost iconic to me. Which budget products would you recommend? What products do you feel provide the best balance of performance and value? Would you be interested if Secrets made system recommendations for different budget levels like $2,500, $5,000, $10,000 and so forth?
Let us know….
Jim “Maverick” Clements
February 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Jim,
As a full blown HT & HTPC owner I am currently out of touch with the definition of entry level, mid and high end system dollar ranges. Do we have any references out there? I suspect the average consumer(joe 6 pack) has a different view of value range than the average enthusiast does. i.e. by making carefull purchases over a 5 yr period I consider my $35000.00+ equipment investment mid-range. I remember when I first started I thought $ 1000.00 was alot for gear. As my tastes matured, so did my appreciation for better gear. I can best compare this to my taste in cars, transitioning from my first $500 used Buick to a $72,000 BMW. My middle of the road tastes grew as I did. I think we must be careful and clearly identify our target audience before we assume who they are and we go off and relegate different gear to different groups.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hello,
yes, I’d be interested in having Secrets make a recommendation for a $10,000 budget. The room for the theater will be in the basement. It measures 15 x 40 s 7 feet. It can be made completely dark, but we would like to use only half of it for the theater. So, it should be like a multipurpose room.
Thanks
February 10th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Jim,
What a great topic. I’ve been thinking a lot about budget systems recently. For one, I am a very budget-minded guy and get a huge thrill out of bang-for-the-buck, more so than performance-price-no-object products. But also, Kevin’s recent review of the Denon 1909 really got me thinking again about budget systems. The performance and features you get out of a $650 receiver these days is really amazing. Combine the Denon 1909, with the Aperion Intimus 5.1 system that Jared reviewed, and the Sony 350 Blu-Ray player (or an Oppo dvd player), and you have yourself a really VERY impressive system for right around $2500. Add a 50″ Panasonic 720p Plasma for under $1000 from Costco, and you’re set. (BTW - can you believe how affordable a decent 720p 50″ plasma is? Hard to believe they’ve broken the kilobuck mark.)
I really enjoy giving buying advice to friends and family looking for HT equipment. But I find often the budget for an entire HT is often much lower than I’d recommend. For example, it gets pretty challenging to come up with a decent quality full 5.1 HT for $2000 or less. At that point it seems to me that you really need to start sacrificing on all parts not just one - a smaller display, smaller, cheaper speakers, a Philips dvd player ($50) instead of a Blu-Ray player, a lesser receiver… but it’s still possible to come up with very pleasing (if not Earth-shattering) systems for “almost” every budget.
One other thought as my advice for surviving the downturn as an HT enthusiast… Buy HDMI cables on line! I bought a 24 gauge 30 ft. HDMI cable for about $30. You can barely even find a 6 ft. HDMI (of any quality) for that much in stores.
(Editor - I’m not sure if this is allowed but it was from bluejeanscables.com)
Finally, yes, I think it would be great to start putting together lists of systems grouped by total system price. I think lots of people would find this very helpful.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
This topic always gets my blood going as it might be my favorite thing to discuss. I’ll have to admit that I’m a braggart. I LOVE to brag about how great a deal I found on this or that, I think its a genetic trait in my family. Its no secret that high end electronics (or any electronics for that matter) are just about the worst investment one can make (short of Ukranian tech stocks). I always hear people say “I bought that really over priced piece of equipment because I can afford it, I like it, and its the only piece in the world that is finished in Mars moon-rock-dust. I don’t care how much money you have, a bad deal is a bad deal, the logic doesn’t change just because you have more money…it only gets to be a little more palatable. “Now, I’ve never been a gambling man but I love to try to cheat the system when buying electronics (more on that in a future blog), the “point of diminishing returns” takes no prisoners in the world of HT, but if you look in the right place at the right time, you can find gear that is WAY out of your budget but may cost less than the big box store brand. One piece that sort of started me out was the HSU Ventriloquist from about 5 years ago. I was in college and already smitten with the HT bug, but I knew I could not afford a system. After a little looking and a lot of luck I picked up the 5.1 HSU w/sub from a store that was closing down…the next day as I was walking into a pawn shop I was almost run over by a guy storming out of the pawn shop…apparently he was insulted at what they wanted to give him for his HDTV…so I offered $50 more (a good deal for us both) and, just like that, I was into an entry level HT system for so little dough I couldn’t believe it, and just like that I was hooked on HT bargain hunting, and helping those around me not spend too much money for a nice setup.
February 11th, 2009 at 4:02 am
This is a great idea. Most of my friends will never buy the high end stuff because they can not justify the cost, but they do ask me for advice for “something along the lines of $XX”. For me, the break away item from chain store electronics came when I purchased my first “separates”…the Emotiva LMC-1 and LPA-1 combo (pre/pro and amp) for about $849. The price was that of a modest mid-priced receiver, but the performance/dollar ratio was a huge leap forward. I bought Kimber PBJ cables for under $25 on Ebay (along with Cardas, XLO, and Wireworld). Have slowly upgraded my speakers (ALWAYS below MSRP). Waited (a few years) for my HDTV to be at the price point I wanted (even waited for Amazon to offer FREE SHIPPING). MY wife thinks I am cheap…but she is wrong. I am parsimonious!
February 11th, 2009 at 8:47 am
I think it might also be interesting to hit some lower price points as well. A local shop here in Toronto often advertises systems priced slightly above the average HTiB touting (and rightly so) vastly improved capabilities. Similar to your friend’s budget of $1,000, maybe a couple tiers below the $2,500 point before moving up. I know $10k is nice, but sometimes realistic systems are nice too. As often as I read about the latest Ferrari or Porsche… I find myself lately reading about the latest Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.
February 11th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
It would be very interesting to hear different perspectives on where that “point of diminishing returns” sits on the chart. I have definite opinions on the subject, particularly when it comes to speakers, subs, receivers and amps (almost but not quite there on projectors). But your mileage may vary.
February 11th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I really enjoyed your blog, Jim, as you’re touching upon one of my favorite reasons for staying knowledgeable about hi-fi. I’ve been a budget-conscious audiophile for years and continue to employ every trick in the book for acquiring better/cheaper/finer audio gear for myself, my family and friends. This includes DIY, buying used hi-end gear, fixing broken gear, “barn finds” or garage sales, hunting for close-outs, specials, Ebay, Audiogon, etc. When life is good, I’ve even been known to buy at full retail from my local hi-fi shop, which also provides a great deal of satisfaction, albeit of a different type. Almost invariably, full retail purchases only occur when I MUST have a new technology that isn’t available by less expensive means.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed a lot of great audio gear of all different flavors with very few disappointments. In my opinion, the key to success is knowing what’s good and what’s out there. Most people have never even heard of the brands that audiophiles lust after. While audiophiles may disagree on what’s good, they don’t disagree by much. For example, I doubt that many would pass up on the Audio Research monoblocks at an estate sale just because they prefer Levinson or Krell. Audiophile friends wouldn’t let their friends buy the four letter B-word. Knowing what’s good and why it’s good can save you a fortune in this hobby and will help you buy killer gear whether you’re shopping at full retail or buying used or broken items. Furthermore, depending upon what you’re after, what’s good may not have changed that much in years, or even decades. Apportioning limited resources wisely is also a key to success in this hobby and a lot of people don’t always get the right mix. For example, KUROS and HTIBs do not mix. I think a lot of people will benefit greatly by receiving advice and examples of putting together great systems over a range of prices.
February 12th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
It looks like Walt is interested in systems in the $35k range while Patrick feels that $10k is a good budget level. Andrew would like to see low-priced systems and I agree with Kieren: It is difficult to make good recommendations for budgets below about $2,500. He does recommend a really good set up for $3,500. Yes, the price of plasmas has certainly dropped over the years! Lastly, Cory describes some interesting bargain-hunting skills. Great feedback, everyone!
I think this is a really good time to look for great deals on used high-end equipment. You can also get awesome deals on new equipment right now.
I do have two more questions - what do you think is the best deal in front projectors? What screen would you choose on a budget?
February 13th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Sorry if this doesn’t format very well…
I’ve recently done quite a bit of investigation into this. Note these are Australian dollars and don’t include any screens or other ‘accessories’ like furniture. I realise that ‘Low-Mid’ range might be different for others - these classifications were for my situation only.
• Option 1 - Low-Mid Range - $14,050
○ Main Receiver
§ Marantz 8002 - $4000AUD or
○ Speakers
§ Paradigm - $6000AUD
□ CC-390 x 1 (Centre)
□ Monitor 11 x 2 (Front)
□ Mini Monitor x 4 (Surrounds)
□ DSP-3200 (Sub)
○ Projector
§ Panasonic PT-AX200E - $2,500
○ Universal Media Player
§ Oppo BDP-83 - $800
○ Power Conditioner
§ UltraLink PGX-500 - $750
• Option 2 - Mid Range - $20,050
○ Main Pre/Pro
§ Arcam AVR600 - $5000AUD
○ Speakers
§ Paradigm - $6000AUD
□ CC-390 x 1 (Centre)
□ Monitor 11 x 2 (Front)
□ Mini Monitor x 4 (Surrounds)
□ DSP-3200 (Sub)
○ Amplifier
§ Emotiva XPA-2 (2 channel) x 5 - $5000AUD
○ Projector
§ Panasonic PT-AX200E - $2,500
○ Universal Media Player
§ Oppo BDP-83 - $800
○ Power Conditioner
§ Ultralink PGX-500 - $750
• Option 3 - Mid-High Range - $27,900
○ Main Pre/Pro
§ Integra DHC-9.9 - $3400AUD
○ Speakers
§ B&W - $6500AUD
□ B&W HTM-61 x 1 (Centre)
□ B&W 683 x 2 (Front)
□ B&W 685 x 4 (Surrounds)
□ B&W ASW610 (Sub)
○ Amplifier
§ Axiom Audio A1400-8 - $4500
○ Projector
§ Epson Powerlite 7500UB - $7500
○ Universal Media Player
§ Denon DVD-A1UDCI - $3000
○ Power Conditioner
§ PurePower 700AC - $3000
• Option 4 - High Range - $56,500
○ Main Pre/Pro
§ Denon AVP-A1HDSP - $13,000AUD
○ Speakers
§ B&W - $6500AUD
□ B&W HTM-61 x 1 (Centre)
□ B&W 683 x 2 (Front)
□ B&W 685 x 4 (Surrounds)
□ B&W ASW610 (Sub)
○ Amplifier
§ Denon POA-A1HDSP - $13,000AUD
○ Projector
§ JVC DLA-HD100 - $10000AUD
○ Universal Media Player
§ Lexicon RT-20 - $7500AUD
○ Bluray
§ Denon DVD-3800BDCI - $1500
○ Power Conditioner
§ Nordost Thor - $5000
• Option 5 - Ultra High Range - $110,850
○ Audio Processor
§ Cary Audio 11a - $5,200
○ Video Processor
§ Cary Audio 11v - $5,200
○ Speakers
§ Paradigm Signature - $23,000AUD
□ Signature C5 x 1 (Centre)
□ Signature S8 x 2 (Front)
□ Signature ADP3 x 4 (Surrounds)
□ Signature Servo (Sub)
○ Amplifier
§ Halcro MC20 x 5 - $22,450
○ Projector
§ Panasonic PT-DW7000U - $30,000
○ CD/SACD/DVD-A Player
§ Linn Akurate CD - $12000AUD
○ Bluray
§ Denon DVD-2500BT - $3000
○ DVD Player
§ Cary Audio DVD 7 - $6000
○ Power Conditioner
§ Nordost Thor - $5000
• Option 6 - Ultra High Range 2 - $145,850
○ AV Pre Pro
§ Krell Evolution 707 - $45,000AUD
○ Speakers
§ Paradigm Signature - $23,000AUD
□ Signature C5 x 1 (Centre)
□ Signature S8 x 2 (Front)
□ Signature ADP3 x 4 (Surrounds)
□ Signature Servo (Sub)
○ Amplifier
§ Halcro MC20 x 5 - $22,450
○ Projector
§ Panasonic PT-DW7000U - $30,000
○ CD/SACD/DVD-A Player
§ Linn Akurate CD - $12000AUD
○ Bluray
§ Denon DVD-2500BT - $3000
○ DVD Player
§ Cary Audio DVD 7 - $6000
○ Power Conditioner
§ Nordost Thor - $5000
February 13th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I think I goofed a bit when suggesting sub-$1k. The assumption there was that most people are starting off with a screen, and filling the sound. A $500 recommended system including a display would be tough to stand by in any regard.
There’s a lot of respectable front projectors in the market, unfortunately it’s hard to go dynamic iris once you’ve been spoiled. So I’d probably say pinch those pennies to get a JVC. On the screen side, while I enjoy my Stewart, the performance of a fixed Carada is probably +90% there at a fraction of the price. If only they started making retractable units.
February 21st, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Budget systems in the $1000-1500 range would be great. Some of us starting out may wish great sound but still not break the budget.
February 28th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I’m a newbie kind of just starting out with a sort of limited space to work with. My first purchase was the Olevia 747i which is kind of (what I consider at least) the “best bang for your buck” LCD in MY particular price range, but actually after doing the research, found out that I got it at a price that was abnormally low for it’s specs. The next purchase that I have not made yet but plan on making in the next upcoming month or two (2) is an SVS sub, which is another item that I kinda consider to be a good if not great “best bang for your buck” item. That’s after hearing what it can do in my friends bedroom. He has an older model, the cylinder type, and with all of the stuff he has in his room, very limited walking space, and size of his room, any normal person might consider it overkill. If someone could help me figure out a “best bang for your buck” receiver and 5.0 speaker system, that would be great. Of course, price IS an object but since my LCD might wind up being my least expensive “single” item in the set-up, I don’t mind spending like close to $1000 on one (1) SVS middle range sub or $500 each on two (2) low range subs. Would also like the receiver to not be over the $1000 range, even if I have to get an older model. So long as it has all of the bells and whistles (THX cert., etc. ) that I’m looking for. As for speakers, I guess, $200 max per speaker for five(5) speakers would prob be a limit for me. ANY help would be appreciated.