Surround Sound Advice

[gsganzer]

I agree with you Eddie, the home electronics is a whole different world. I had a co-worker that used to own a high end consumer electronics company and had some speakers squirreled away for himself, just in case he ever built a new home. He finally decided he'd never use them and talked me into buying them for $50 each. He had two fronts and two rears (I added a center and base later) They're made by "Speakercraft" and I'd never even heard of them. They mount in the wall, so when I built my 20 x 30 foot addition, I had them put in. They're incredible!! I never would have thought a in-the-wall speaker would sound as good as these do. Turns out, they normally sell for about $1000/pair and have a pretty good reputation.

 

[jwstewar]

When we moved into the new house 2008 I spent quite a bit of time looking at stereo receivers. I've had a surround sound system since about '93 and really missed it while we lived in the house trailer after the fire. So I wanted a decent system. I spent a lot of time looking around and listening to different systems. Came down to Onkyo, Denon, and Yamaha. Almost bought a Yamaha system, but then I started playing with it a little bit more and just didn't like the controls on it. So I ruled them out. Then on the Onkyo and Denon. I liked both and was really torn. Read quite a few reviews really like the Onkyo especially the new (at that time) model just coming out. So I went with that. 1200 watt 7.1. I really liked that system especially paired with my 52" Samsung. One thing to note, I didn't use the rear speakers that came with it. I bought a pair of 8" Polk to mount in the ceiling. Then last May we took a huge power surge and fried a bunch of stuff in the house including the 52" Sammy and the Onkyo Receiver. I started shopping again - but I started with a much shorter list. This time only consider Onkyo and Denon. I ended up with another Onkyo 1200 watt 7.1 and a 60" Sharp Quatron.

Incidentally, I started messing with the stereo after we had the new one. The only thing it messed up was the HDMI port on it. Everything else works great. I moved the stereo to the basement and hooked the kids' game systems up to it and used component video and typical R/L audio cables.

 

[jwstewar]

Another note, we were at HH Gregg a couple of weeks ago buying a new TV for our camper. The tuner went out of the 2 year old 19" LCD Sharp that came in it. So I replaced it with a 24" LED 1080p Curtis for $169. Figure for the camper might as well go as cheap as possible, but anyway, the salesmen there were all gaga over the latest and greatest Bose and had to crank it up and have me listen to it. I wasn't impressed and told them that. I said it didn't hold a candle to my Onkyo that was about 1/3 the cost of it. I felt the Onkyo was louder with much, much less distortion and you could feel the Onkyo. Didn't feel anything from the Bose other than your ears hurting as it was "squeeling" trying to produce the sound - even when not cranked.

 

[dmccarty]

... Remember, you want to hear what the speakers really sound like; not what the sales people want you to think they sound like.

Joe

I tell the sales people to leave me alone. I might have to tell them over and over but they eventually do leave me alone. :laughing:

One great device I used as a Salesman Force Field was my cell phone. I was talking to SWMBO in the store and I noticed that the sales people would walk over, see me on the phone and walk away. I was only talking to the wife for a few minutes but I pretended to to be on the phone for about an hour while looking at TVs.

If the sales people started towards me I started talking to the wife. :laughing: Who was not on the line. So either the sales people thought I was talking to someone or they decided to stay away from the guy pretending to talk on the phone. :laughing::laughing:

For whatever reason they left me alone. :thumbsup:

Shopping for speakers during the week and/or later in the night clears out the people who just want to see how loud the speakers will go.....

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

I made my decision and went with these speakers.

Amazon.com: Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System (Set of Six, Black): Electronics

I can't find a better review then what these get at every site that I've looked. I've never heard of them, but have heard of all the other brands. I considered some other brands, but the reviews really decided it for me.

And this receiver.

Amazon.com: Denon AVR-1312 5.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver: Electronics

I was hesitant because there are only three reviews on Amazon on this receiver, but it is the same as the 1311 and 390 model from last year, just with a few updates. I thought about saving $50 and buying last years model, but figured it was only $50. The other reviews are mostly all positive on it with a few quirks that seem common enough in all the models that I read up on. I'm also not sure how fantatical some of these guys are who review and if their standards are so high as to be impossible for me to even comprehend the differneces that seem so important to them.

My head was really spinning on reading up on this, and I appreciate all the advice you guys gave me. I'll update with what I think about it when it gets here.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[Tony_S]

Hmmmm.....
No highs......no lows.....must be Bose!
:laughing:

 

[aczlan]

the salesmen there were all gaga over the latest and greatest Bose and had to crank it up and have me listen to it. I wasn't impressed and told them that. I said it didn't hold a candle to my Onkyo that was about 1/3 the cost of it. I felt the Onkyo was louder with much, much less distortion and you could feel the Onkyo. Didn't feel anything from the Bose other than your ears hurting as it was "squeeling" trying to produce the sound - even when not cranked.

As they say, there is no replacement for displacement (with engines or speakers).

Aaron Z

 

[dhyayi]

I made my decision and went with these speakers.

Amazon.com: Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System (Set of Six, Black): Electronics

I can't find a better review then what these get at every site that I've looked. I've never heard of them, but have heard of all the other brands. I considered some other brands, but the reviews really decided it for me.

And this receiver.

Amazon.com: Denon AVR-1312 5.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver: Electronics

I was hesitant because there are only three reviews on Amazon on this receiver, but it is the same as the 1311 and 390 model from last year, just with a few updates. I thought about saving $50 and buying last years model, but figured it was only $50. The other reviews are mostly all positive on it with a few quirks that seem common enough in all the models that I read up on. I'm also not sure how fantatical some of these guys are who review and if their standards are so high as to be impossible for me to even comprehend the differneces that seem so important to them.

My head was really spinning on reading up on this, and I appreciate all the advice you guys gave me. I'll update with what I think about it when it gets here.

Thank you,
Eddie

I bought this with an Onkyo TX-SR606 reciever. I could not be more pleased. I am not an audio expert, but I listen to enough music to know the difference between bad and good speakers. These are excellent.

 

[EddieWalker]

UPS delivered everything a day early, on Thursday. Both the speakers and receiver where packaged very well, and here was no sign of damage to the boxes.

The instructions for the speakers are pretty much worthless. Of course, they are speakers and pretty simple to figure out.

The Denon receiver's instructions where not much better. After trying to figure them out, I just winged it by what was labled off of the back. Nowhere could I find anything about what the settings are, or how to even get to them. There are some on screen instructions, but getting there and figuring out what they do is still something that I'm working on. I'm rather disapoined in that.

My Direct TV box does not have a plug for HDMI cables. I cannot use it through my receiver, so I ran RCA plugs for sound and then used coaxial cable to run the picture right into the tv. It's takes a few steps to go from watching TV to watching a blue ray.

I called Direct to see about a new box, and found out they wanted almost a hundred bucks for the box and instalation. They also want another ten bucks a month for the box. I called Dish and they are going to give me two boxes, free instalation and no additional montly fee. For what I was paying with Direct TV, I ill get 60 more channels with Dish. They are supposed to be here Saturday morning.

The sound is great. Very clear, and crisp. It is all around me. I love listening to the radio!!!! Bluray movies are also very impressive. It gets way louder then I can deal with, so there is more then enough power for my use.

I'm figuring out the receiver by pushing buttons and seeing what happens. I'm disapointed in the manuel, but enjoying the sound quality that I'm getting.

Eddie

 

[Marveltone]

I'm glad you like the new system. Manuals can be less than adequate, but you'll figure it all out in time.

Enjoy! :thumbsup:

Joe