Help from Iraq...best HT speaker set-up <$4K??
jefden7 -- Mon, 04/21/2008 - 12:32
I'm a newbie to A/V Guide Forums and to home theater building. I'm currently in Iraq nearing completion of my 1-yr commitment. Once home, I plan to buy my 1st decent home theater...then relax to some great movies and music. I'm looking for the best sounding 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system I can get for my $$ (see below). I'm overwhelmed by the choices out there...and I can't demo for another 2 months. Please share your expertise/opinions to help me focus my search. Thanks in advance.
$2K -$4K speaker budget...60% home theater/40% music listening...mid-sized room...Deep soundstage, imaging, cleanliness & clarity are key likes...speakers I'm considering (based on reviews):
Axiom 80/500
Klipsch Reference Series (RF-63)
RBH TK-5CT (TK series)
Emotiva ERM-1/ERD-1...(can small monitors compete with floor standers??)
JBL L Series (not sure about this one...little info)
I also need advice on a good A/V receiver ($1500 budget)
A/V receivers I'm considering:
Onkyo TX-SR875 (fave...but worried about overheating)
Denon 3808
Yamaha 3800
Pioneer VSX-94THX
Did you check out this thread in 'System Building'?
http://forums.avguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=3583
(for you receiver question)
This thread, also in 'System Building' may help with speaker ideas:
http://forums.avguide.com/viewtopic.php?p=7865&highlight=#7865
I do think that mini-monitors and the right sub can compete with full range speakers, especially if you get a receiver with room correction (Onkyo, Denon, Sherwood, Yamaha).
TMARTIN...thanks for the links. I'm soaking in the info. I'm very interested in the Usher BE-718s. Any idea how they would rate against the Quad 11 or 12Ls? The Quads are on my radar after reading the post on the new Quad 22L2.
Oops...just discovered the Usher BE-718s are $2500 pair. Probably not a fair comparison to the Quads.
Do check out the Definitives that Chris mentions.
Order the RBH package (redone by EMP, their sister) right now that is on sale for another 10 days on ebay straight from rbh or through audioholics.com online store!!!!! Just type rbh under electronics and include titles and descriptions. A mere $700-900 for a usual $2500-$3000 speaker package, then imagine your budget of $3000 left for a receiver or separates, and of course top notch cables and interconnects from people like bluejeans cables and cables to go/impact acoustics.
Oh, by the way, I have an onkyo 805, and it runs hot, but not enough to bother me. You can always put silent fan by it and direct the heat away from you or crack the window. I have always had onkyo receivers (parents use an integra) , so maybe being use to hot receivers has made me care less about the con. But don't let that keep you away from an AMAZING receiver like that of an 800 series onkyo, specially considering what your getting out of it. My sr-805 new was $650, and the sr-875 seemed to around $1000. WIth your extra budget, you can really blow peeps away with the emotiva separates, and cost around $1500-$2000 for it all, which would give you the similir or above performance then a Flagship denon around $5000!
The Onkyo TX-SR706 ($895) is a great receiver and a tremendous value. See my full review in TAS Issue 188 (December, 2008).
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