Most of you don't know me but I've been reading this forum since 2000. I have been slowly building my first home theatre for 5 years. There are alot of people out there who are young and/or don't have alot of money to spend on home theatre equipment (like myself). Many people will decide to drop $500+ on a home theatre in a box instead of showing patience and slowly building your dream system. Here is my plan and how I completed it.
I started in 2000. I was a sophomore in college and I wanted some floor-standing speakers. I went to the local NOW audio/video (now Tweeter) and auditioned various speakers (Klipsch, Def Tech, Boston, etc.). I loved the RF-3's. My only obstacle was the $800 a pair price tag. I found them online for $550 with no tax and have loved them ever since. I know the hazards of buying Klipsch on-line but luckily I have never needed the warranty which is likely expired anyway. I plugged them into my Aiwa receiver (I know... I know... I fixed this problem later). I loved the sound except the hiss that I later concluded was the fault of the incredibly high distortion level of the Aiwa receiver. I subsided on stereo audio and my 27 inch Sony TV for 4 years.
Last summer I finally had enough money to upgrade my receiver. I bought a Yamaha rx-v540 from the same NOW audio/video store. I paid $239 dollars for this $450 receiver. I banished the Aiwa to a closet where it can die a slow and painful death.
Late last summer the NOW Audio/Video store was discontinuing Klipsch because Tweeter was buying them. I got a pair of RB-25's for $190 total. These I use as my rears. I was looking for a cheap rc-3 but to no avail.
Last month I got a Sony KV-34HS420 (34 inch widescreen direct-view hdtv) from Best Buy for $1199 using a price match. There price was (and still is $1599. I also got a Bell'O TV stand from them for $200.
So now I am just one piece short of my goal... an rc-3 or rc-3II. I am scouring ebay and forums looking for a reasonably priced one. I am currently matrixing the center channel sound into my Rf-3's.
To this point I have paid approximately $2378 for what I consider a pretty quality system. For those discouraged by the high price of this hobby, don't get frustrated, just be patient and be good shoppers!