Kabigon Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I am planning on building a Surround Sound System w/ ~ $700-$800 Budget. I had a set of Klipsch Promedia 2.1's which were incredible, but the high's were a bit harsh on the ears. The quality, however, was impecable. I have around $500-$600 to spend right now and this is what I am considering: (Please let me know if there are any better options. ) 7.1 Receiver (Not sure which brand is best here but looking to spend $250 Max on it.) Klipsch HD 500 5.1 Surround Sound System After that, I will have to find 2x separate matching speakers to purchase in order to complete my 7.1 System. What do you guys think of the HD 500 System and are there any better options out there for equal price or cheaper? Thanks for the help! -- Kabi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBXeRo Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 My first suggestion is to check out your craigslist used market for klipsch gear. I know it doesnt sound terribly enticing, i wasn't too thrilled with the idea at first either but believe it or not, the majority of klipsch gear owners take care of their stuff. You can get a way better bang for your buck on there. If you arent too keen on the used market, thats ok too, we all like that new car smell. As a suggestion, dont buy a samsun or insignia receiver, you'll shoot yourself in the foot later. Go with a better rband, denon, onkyo, yamaha, pioneer, sony. I am partial to denon out of the ones i listed, i think they make a rock solid receiver. Is there a reason you want a 7.1 over a 5.1? For the HD 500, you cant purchase extra speakers of that kit. You'd have to try and find somethinbg else comperable to it. $250 is a low end budget for a decent receiver, i think you'd be better off with a 5.1 and take the money you would have used to buy those 2 extra speakers and put it into a better receiver. Most movies being produced are still in a 5.1 format . Between 350-500 is a good range to acquire a decent receiver and is also where you can start getting that 7.1 option you still may be seeking. Be sure to read reviews on the receivers you may want to purchase. ALways try to get one with an ethernet or USB connection so you can upgrade the firmware on it. Many times the manufacturer screws up and releases fixes for their units, this is a good option to have. Will you necessarily get a unit that has these in your price range, well, you may not. Its then important to make sure you pick a unit that is getting decent reviews across the board.\ I tried to work with your budget and added a few i think could better suit you. You can always buy speakers later for a 7.1 as well, you arent going to get speakers that match perfectly since its a package deal. This way you can get the 7.1 and upgrade later. I think these should give you a good start. Pioneer to start, as close to your budget i could get. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+-+5.1-Ch.+3D+Pass+Through+A/V+Home+Theater+Receiver/9846526.p?id=1218199620702&skuId=9846526 Top get some better quality, i'd choose this Onkyo http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Onkyo+-+560W+7.1-Ch.+A/V+3D+Pass+Through+Home+Theater+Receiver/9894498.p?skuId=9894498&id=1218202520325 To actually get a denon that i'd use http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Denon+-+875W+7.1-Ch.+3D+Pass+Through+A/V+Home+Theater+Receiver/9878112.p?skuId=9878112&id=1218187475402 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenM Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 For what its worth: http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXSR508/Onkyo/TX-SR508-7.1-Channel-3-D-Ready-Home-Theater-Receiver/1.html I also second the notion of passing on 7.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBXeRo Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 almost all receivers now a days are 7.1, if you are spending alittle bit more it will be a 7.1, if you are spending less chances are it will be a 5., just keep that in mind too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thank You so much for the replies! Are there any problems with buying from a site like Stephen linked? That is definitely much cheaper than I've seen that receiver new. I believe Amazon has them for $247 shipped new, though. I honestly have nothing against used equipment if it is in great condition. I'd rather have high quality gear that has been used a bit than garbage that is brand new. What I can possibly do is buy a 7.1 Receiver since they seem to be the same as the 5.1 and just upgrade as I get some extra cash and feel the need. I can buy the Receiver, Sub, Center, and 4 satellites and then buy two nice floor standing speakers when I can afford to. The only problem is I'm not sure which speakers would fit the bill well there. I would still like to stay near my original budget for these 6 speakers + Receiver but be in a brand that has reasonably priced floor standing speakers that I can upgrade the front to and really make a difference. Onkyo actually has some 7.1 HTIB and 7.1 Surround Speaker Systems that can be had for $400-$500. That seems like a lot of performance for the price, but I'm not sure. I had the Promedia 2.1's not long ago (I actually bought them refurb and they were in great shape) so I would like to go with Klipsch, but I don't believe it is viable in the price range. What do you guys think in regards to the speakers? Would it be better to buy a full system like the Onkyo or buy separate speakers and piece them together? I just have a hard time seeing anything that would be worth the while compared to the Onkyo HT-S7300 HTIB or Onkyo SKS-HT540 + Nice Receiver. I can get both of those for $450-$500. Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBXeRo Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 HTIAB's are great when they are around 200, they aremuch better than tv speakers for sure. At 400-500 its a rip off. The quality youd get from klipsch versus onkyo is day and night. Scavenge your local used market and see whats available. where are you, i'd be happy to do a search for you on craigslist. Heres the thing with adding speakers over time, with that hd 500, there are no matching floorstanders. The timbres wont match between the speakers and things can sound off. You can buy off of www.vanns.com which is fantastic and they are authorized dealers of klipsch as well. Make sure you have a good warranty for the receiver too, it cant hurt. Just to give you an idea, i scooped up a full RF-10 home theater system, http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/rf-10-home-theater-system-overview/ and a 7.1 denon 1707 receiver for 400 bux. The receiver didnt have HDMI but its a rock solid receiver. The deals are out there, i flip speakers on craigslist all the time, i buy from distressed sellers or people who are moving and keep what i like and sell what i dont. You can get a way better bang for your buck. The rf-10 system would blow away the hd500 system. I got upgratitus, i started with the rf-10 system then got 2 rf-3's then got an rc-3 then get got rf-5's and and 4 rs-3 II surounds. all from craigslist and i have spent about ~500 or so, like i said i flip speakers and make profits . The system i have now woulda retailed, well, a pretty penney brand new. they sound flawless. You want to try and upgrade as least as possible, its money out the window, better to save a bit longer and keep your gear for a good amount of time. Many will vouch for the upgradetitus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Wow, you found some amazing deals. lol Impressive. What inhibits me with CraigsList is that I live in an extremely small area so very few people actually use it. I've browsed through it a few times and didn't really see anything appealing. Most of it looked like it had been mistreated and beat to death as well. My zip code is 24273 if you don't care to browse a bit for me. I can drive within an hour or so to pick something up if need be. If I can get a $1,000 System for $500, then I'll gladly make a trip. Are there any notorious refurb or used speaker sites that you know of? I can't really find any that have good deals on nice speakers. Thanks a lot for the help. I really do appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slackjaw Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 1 thing I can offer about craigslist is don't be afraid to make a reasonable offer. If the seller is asking 500. make a offer of 200, you may be surprised with the answer you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 I am scavenging through CL everywhere within a 3 hour driving radius from me for Klipsch and Polk Audio Speakers to no avail so far. I can't find anything. As far as I can tell, these are two of the highest quality companies so I would like to be able to put together a system from one of these two brands. Are there other comparable brand(s) that I should check for as well? A lot of them don't even list the model of the speakers which is frustrating. It will just say something like "Polk Speakers....4 satellites, 1 center, 1 sub." Or some shit like that. Why wouldn't you list the model?....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted February 4, 2011 Moderators Share Posted February 4, 2011 1 thing I can offer about craigslist is don't be afraid to make a reasonable offer. If the seller is asking 500. make a offer of 200 I think that Classifies as a Lowball offer. Nothing wrong with that, but I would not consider going from $500 down to $200 a "reasonable offer". [] But you are correct, it never hurts to ask. Many times, you can pay less, just by asking. Lately I've REALLY begun enjoying the art of negotiating. It's actually quite fun and it's always great when it's a win/win for both parties. In today's economy, sometimes you come across those steal of a deals because someone really is in desperate need of cash. Unfortunately, you have to be quick to get those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted February 4, 2011 Moderators Share Posted February 4, 2011 A lot of them don't even list the model of the speakers which is frustrating. It will just say something like "Polk Speakers....4 satellites, 1 center, 1 sub." Or some *** like that. Why wouldn't you list the model?....lol Oh but those are the ones I love the most. Doesn't hurt to send them a quick email requesting the model numbers. Sometimes, they don't list them because they really don't know what they have. I've picked up some really nice gear before for really good prices because of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted February 4, 2011 Moderators Share Posted February 4, 2011 These would be MUCH better than any HTIB. RB-51's and RC-52 for $300 or best offer - Link This might be the no model numbers ad you mentioned - Link Inexpensive Reference Center Channel - Link Sweet budget system with Adcom Amp - Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBXeRo Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 damn dude, i checked out every part of virginia for you and, you're screwed haha. I found a nice set of synergy's in durham but they were going for 1000 for the set. Some nice f3's and and the matching surrounds and center. If you look under danville as your city and search klipsch its in there. You may want to try and negotiate them down down a bit. Its gutsy but its your best option from what i saw. There are alot of older models on there but i dont know how far away things are. The only thing i think worth driving for would be that synergy set, its also the only complete 5.1 i noticed. I for sure will never take for granted the phoenix metro area market ever again. dont know of any refurb sites but you can try audiogon.com for good used stuff or ebay. now im gonna go out on a limb here and suggest this klipsch setup for you. The Icon W series from klipsch is a great sounding system. Vanns.com has them for a smacked up great price. These are the bookshelf models, i dont know if they will be carying the floorstanders as i think they may have discontinued that line. They are great sounding though. For sure in the end need to have a subwoofer. Now, i know it pushes your speaker budget by 250 but you can get a great bookshelf system for $750 that in my opinion will shame the hd 500. A subwoofer you can match later on and isnt as critical as making sure the timbre matches of your speakers match. The timbre fyi is more or less making sure that each speaker sounds the same, more so in the tweeter. Subs and bass, well, there is no timbre matching, thats why you can wait on that. These prices are good and they will go out of stock. If you did spend the 750 you would atleast have the speakers. You may have to wait a little to purchase a receiver but atleast you'd have the speakers, it would be a start. this is how i would go about things if i were in your position. WC-24 Center in espress (also available in cabernet) http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/details/548567023/klipsch-wc-24 WB-14 bookshelf speakers http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/details/542430009/klipsch-wb-14 My theory on upgrading is this, unless you can find speakers used, building your system piece by piece can be difficult, once they stop making a certain model, your kind of out of luck. If you upgrade, your clock is running down, you really need to get it upgraded in a certain amount of time. This sucks because you want that timbre match. Sometims you can get away with different models and get a timbre match but sometimes, it can be difficult. The best way to assemble a system is to make sure that atleast the center and left and right channel match. Surrounds you can get away with the timbre match being off a little bit and the sub doesnt matter. I hope i didn't confuse you at all with the timbre matching business. My golden suggestion of the night is not to rush. If you are so hell bent on surround, buy a 200 dollar HTIAB and save up the cash to buy the right system for you later on. spending 200 isnt bad in the realm of the speaker world to just get by for the meantime. Buy what you truely want and what will make you happy, like i said, upgradetitus is a mean bug, once its got you, you arent happy until you are happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 The first link you posted Youthman looks extremely nice. Unfortunately, it takes around 3.5 hours to ge to Knoxville from here so by the time I spent $300 on the speakers, drove for half a day there and back, and paid for food and gas to do so, I just don't think it would be worth it in the end which is unfortunate. The others are mainly the same story. Charlotte is over 4 hours from here so it wouldn't be phisable, either. I told you guys, it's tough on CL around here. haha If you're into Electronics at all, you basically have to either buy new, use ebay, or find them for sale on a forum. It sucks. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Here's a suggestion: why not just go 2-channel for now, and add a sub, centre and surround speakers as and when your budget allows? That way, you'll have some half-decent main speakers to start building your system around. If you get a cheap setup now, when you get tired of it, you'll want to replace the whole kit, and that won't be economical at all. Be patient, keep looking, and have the cash ready to grab those bargains when they appear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Well, I have my heart set on surround sound. 2.1 is fine, but I game a lot and watch a lot of movies so I really want the surround for it. I'm planning on doing something similar to your suggestion, though. Money comes in slowly when you're in college and only working part time so I can't plan on building a $2,000 system and expect that to happen anytime soon. I'm hoping to stay in the $700-$800 area, maybe nearing $1,000 once I am finished. Right now, I'm mainly interested in picking up my Sub, Center, and Surround Speakers. I *should* be able to get those in conjunction with my Receiver to have a full 5.1 setup off the bat for around $500-$700. Then, I'll save up as quickly as possible for my 2x towers to full complete the 7.1 setup. I live in an apartment and my bedroom is far from enormous so I really have no use for anything beyond that. I am definitely interested in high quality audio, but I don't want to dedicate every dime I save toward a sound system for the next few years. hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 These would be MUCH better than any HTIB. RB-51's and RC-52 for $300 or best offer - Link This might be the no model numbers ad you mentioned - Link Inexpensive Reference Center Channel - Link Sweet budget system with Adcom Amp - Link How much would it cost me total to finish a 5.1 Reference System? I would still have to buy 2 more bookshelves and a sub. Are those speakers really that amazing? I have never heard of them, but the RB-51's retail for $400 and the RC-52 for $350. If I can get a $750 set of speakers for 1/3 of the price, it might be worth the trip. lol It says "or best offer" so I might be able to get him down to $270 or so. My only other question is are those the same model that are posted on NewEgg? That guy said he has had them for 2 years and the ones on the egg have a "II" beside their models. (i.e. RB-51 II and RC-52 II) I'm not sure how long ago this particular model goes back but I just want to make sure it's possible to find matching speakers and that those are as good as the newer ones. Is two years a long time in the life of those speakers? I've never dealt with audio much before, as I said, so I just want to be sure. I don't want to buy anything that could potentially break down on me or completely crap out due to age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseyrevolver Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Is two years a long time in the life of those speakers? I've never dealt with audio much before, as I said, so I just want to be sure. I don't want to buy anything that could potentially break down on me or completely crap out due to age. This doesn't happen with speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabigon Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Are the Polk R50 Towers and R15 Bookshelves any good? I actually found a nice deal on those with a CS 2 Center Speaker which I am familiar with and know is nice. I've read a lot on the Monitor Towers and Bookshelves by Polk but I have never heard of these. http://lynchburg.craigslist.org/ele/2189040996.html http://lynchburg.craigslist.org/ele/2189013044.html http://lynchburg.craigslist.org/ele/2189027521.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornfedksboy Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The RB-51 II is the "upgraded" model to the RB-51. They would have changed some of the internal components, but the cabinet, woofer, horn, and tweeter are the same, and there was very little price change with the new model line-up. That is a good price, and if you were to go out and get your floorstanders in the future, I think you would have a good chance of getting the RF-52s used at a reasonable price ($200-400 for a pair). If not, the RF-52 II is not far off from the 52, and you could likely sell the three speakers you listed for $300 + in the future if it wasn't what you wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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