I am not looking to break the bank, but I need some speakers to go with my 61' LED DLP Samsung (the sound is pretty average). The TV is located in an office/study, so I don't need something too powerful or expensive. Anyone have any suggestions? And do I need to purchase any additional cables? Thanks.
I got this unit from Pioneer: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8274592&type=product&id=1171057792054 I got it as an open box buy at $330. It is plenty loud and very clear. the only additional cable you should need/want is an optical audio cable which is about 20 bucks.
Usually the Home Theater In A Box aren't very good for the price you pay. You would be a lot better off buying a good receiver and good pair of floorstanding speakers for the same amount you would spend on the HTIB. That way you could always add more speakers to the system later if you really want surround sound, but to me it doesn't sound like you're looking for the surround sound and much as better sound. This will also eliminate all the additional wires and such to wire the surround sound.
I got a Samsung All-In-One last month at Frys for around $250. I believe it's a X70. I got it for the game room to hook up to my XBOX 360, so I didn't anything spectacular. But, I have been VERY pleased with it!! It's a 5-disc DVD changer that upconverts to HD. Has HDMI. The surround sound is very nice. Has an USB port (w/cable included) to hook up your iPOD to it. But, I've hooked up a USB flash drive full of music and played that as well. Also has the option to add wireless to to your rear speakers. When I was at Fry's one of the employees was telling another customer it was their best all-in-one they have, which is saying a lot since they had much more expensive systems there. I highly recommend it!
What is your budget? HTIB are generally pretty bad. Give me a number and I will try to give a good alternative.
Not to sound like an ass, but I'll never understand this phenomena. People spend thousands of dollars on high def TVs then they cheap out on the home theater system. To me, the sound is just as important, if not more, than the video. I've created a home theater setup that actually makes me feel like I'm in a damned movie theater. I had to remove all the glass from my wet bar because my massive subwoofer caused glasses to fall of the shelves and shatter on the bar whenever I watched a movie... to me - that's like buying a ferrari but not installing a radio, A/C, navi, etc... its no good.
www.zvoxaudio.com I bought the 325 for my flat-panel recently and I've been mostly happy with it. It's nothing extravagant and complex like other set-ups but for what I need and where I live, it works.
I had a Yamaha theater in a box that I bought at Fry's for about $200 on sale and that worked fine for my bedroom... However, if you want to purchase an inexpsensive Long-Term option, buy a Onkyo tx-sr605 ($400) and some JBL speakers scs 200.5 ($180), maybe even some 300.5 ($260)...that is what I have in my bedroom...
Can anyone a good power amp for my sub? I just need good cheap power, subs don't need expensive amps just one with headroom.
http://www.hometheatermag.com/buyersguides/htibs/ i think this one is good http://hometheatermag.com/hometheaterinabox/1107harm/
Why don't you just buy a new, reasonably priced, powered sub? TexasFight - I agree with you, although audio is way higher on my list. I still have a CRT display but my audio system is up there.
If you want good, cheap power, look at pro amps. QSC, Hafler, Crown, Behringer and Carver - with QSC giving the best dollars/watt value. They are also built like tanks. I also like the AudioSource 7T. It pushes 500+ watts when bridged. Since it is a class T design, the amp runs cool and runs at over 90% efficiency. You can only find these on Ebay, as they are no longer manufactured. I picked up one for around 200 bucks. -- And rimbaud has a point - why not get a powered sub?
Yes and no. I decided to triple my budget and get a pair of GS20 towers. We had talked about the RS line with a center. I also upgraded my front end with a Marantz and am taking a "wait and see" approach to getting a GS center (I am on the fence about the true need for one in general) down the line. I really like Vandersteens but the size and ugliness were hard with my wife and Monitor Audio really has the sonic qualities in a smaller, more attractive package which helped. Eventually, though, I am thinking about getting a pair of Vandersteen subs to connect to my GS20's. I need a new house for my real setup, though, so must wait a year or two.
Wow, you really upped the ante on that purchase! You can't go wrong with Marantz (vintage or new?). As far as the need for a center, with the GS20's precise imaging and coherence, you should be hearing a good "phantom center" between the towers. Hence, you may not need a 5! Great system! I am sure you will appreciate it for some time.
