New HT - what would you get for $850?

[wamerman]

Hi,

This is my first post. I need some advice. I've read through over 100 posts but am not getting a solid idea on how to proceed. Any help would be much appreciated.

My goal: best-sounding HT setup w/surround sound for under $850 (includes everything)

My audio experience: Novice

Why Klipsch for me? I fell in love with my ProMedia v.2-400 system. Seriously, in love.

My (soon to be) setup:

Room size: 14'x15' but opens into both the kitchen and the dining room with no doors

TV: MitsubishiWS-73907 73 16x9 TV

Main audio sources: 1) DIRECTV HR10-250 with HDMI output (which includes an audio signal) and separate Optical audio output. 2) laptop stereo soundcard connection for providing sound to support the s-video output of home movies 3) No DVD player...I don't watch DVDs

For the past 4 years I've used my ProMedia speakers with my 42" sony TV and been very pleased. After allowing the wife to talk me into buying a 73" tv yesterday, though, I'm afraid these won't do the job anymore. I'm not a serious audiophile. I just want surround sound with a speaker/receiver setup that makes me feel grin like an idiot, like the first time I turned up the ProMedia speakers. In other words, reasonable clarity, good spatial definition and of course the ability to put out reasonably serious volume.

I'll be using my system 80% of the time to watch HD tv, sports, movies from the directv Tivo unit. The other 20% will be home movies and other content piped in from the laptop. Again, I watch almost no DVDs and any DVDs would be piped in from the laptop.

The $850 should cover receiver + speakers. Cables can be extra.

Thanks to anyone out there who can give their opinions on this.

[Guest " "]

Are you talking speakers only...or reciever and speakers?

[Spkrdctr]

Well, first off, I recommend against the 20 posts you will get about buying used gear. I like nice new stuff even if it is cheap. Now this is UNLESS a Klipschophile from our Klipsch community offers up thier own equipment. Some of these guys give awesome deals to newbies.

My recommendation is to go to Best Buy and buy an inexpensive reciever that has the features you want. Then a Synergy surround setup with the SUB-12 subwoofer. You need to get kenratboy on this website to get you approximate costs as he works at Best Buy. In fact he can work up a whole package for you. Plug it all in and turn up the volume. You will be impressed! Good luck!

[wamerman]

The $850 is for speakers and receiver.

I was investigating further and the Cinema series looked promising. Specifically, the Cinema 8, but I'm having trouble finding it online.

[T2K]

I'll send you an e-mail. answer quickly.

Keith

[oldbuckster]

Well, first off, I recommend against the 20 posts you will get about buying used gear. I like nice new stuff even if it is cheap. Now this is UNLESS a Klipschophile from our Klipsch community offers up thier own equipment. Some of these guys give awesome deals to newbies.

My recommendation is to go to Best Buy and buy an inexpensive reciever that has the features you want. Then a Synergy surround setup with the SUB-12 subwoofer. You need to get kenratboy on this website to get you approximate costs as he works at Best Buy. In fact he can work up a whole package for you. Plug it all in and turn up the volume. You will be impressed! Good luck!

I think he is right about buying new, even if it's less expensive. Look at Best Buy, or Circuit City, CC has alot of online only deals, use your computer and shop around.

[T2K]

I would get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Klipsch-Synergy-Speakers-KSF-300-KSF-S5-KSF-C5_W0QQitemZ9733953656QQcategoryZ61378QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Keith

[DrWho]

Main audio sources: 1) DIRECTV HR10-250 with

HDMI output (which includes an audio signal) and separate Optical

audio output. 2) laptop stereo soundcard connection for providing sound

to support the s-video output of home movies 3) No DVD player...I don't

watch DVDs

I read this and couldn't help but mention that you don't really have

surround sound system without a source that outputs a surround sound

signal. Sure, there are ways to make every speaker play something

different, but it's not actually "surround sound" - it's just fancy

dolby processing that emulates it.

If you don't want to move to a real surround sound system (ie, no dvd

player), then I would highly recommend just getting a pair of good

mains - and maybe a subwoofer. Perhaps save it as an upgrade

for later on down the road. If you absolutely must have surrounds

playing the fake surround signal, then I'd recommend delegating that

duty to the promedias you already own. In which case, I would also not

bother getting a center channel speaker at all.

So going this route I'd recommend the Synergy F2's for mains:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6781315&type=product&id=1091101346068

At $317 / each, this will leave you $216 for a receiver. I know it's

stretching your budget, but this seems to the cheapest new receiver out

there with pre-outs:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7694122&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03031&id=1138083770470

(Just don't get it confused with the Pioneer 700W that does not).

$70 over budget isn't too bad...and this setup would freaken rock. Be

sure to ask if you need help figuring out how to connect everything.

And do not purchase any of your cables from Best Buy - they are

severely over-priced and will try to sell you a bunch of snake oil. And

don't go with their extended service warranty plan thing either -

you'll be covered under the Klipsch warranty for more than long enough

(isn't it like 2 years? maybe someone can confirm).

But if you are willing to go used you would be extremely hard pressed to top that E-Bay auction...tis a very nice setup.

[wamerman]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. After reading more, I couldn't keep to the $850 budget. I read a lot more online and read through the forums and allowed myself to be brainwashed and convinced that my soul would be more at peace with floor-standing RF-35s as mains, and that basically I would be a better human being

Which, of course, means building out the rest of it with higher quality components as well! Bought a Pioneer VSX-1015TXK 7.1 receiver last night for around $400.

So, the new setup I have in mind (any advice would be great...my goal is not volume, just clarity and presence and nice overall sound)

RF-35 main speakers, RC-25 or RC-35 center and RS-25 for surround. Am I going to notice a mismatch with using RF-35 mains coupled with 25 series speakers for center and surround?

Also, for subwoofer....I'm not intending to violate any forum rules here by mentioning non-Klipsch products so correct me if I'm doing that...anyone have any experience with Hsu STF-2 subwoofers? looking at online reviews, it seems that they come out ahead of the KSW-10 or 12 in subjective testing?

One last question, I understand buying the stuff on eBay puts me in an iffy situation regarding authorized dealers and factory warranty. Anyone have any nightmare tales about buying online? For the difference in price between new from someplace around here and "new" on eBay, I'm probably looking at a $600 difference, which would cover any repairs anyway.

Thanks again for all the advice.

[wamerman]

Wow, lots of great info there. Thanks. I've noticed the Best Buy cable thing, too. They wanted to sell me an extended warranty of $400 for my $4500 TV, which I declined. They used to have a reasonable price for their extended warranties, but not anymore.

So. Yeah. There goes my budget The wife has pointed out to me that whatever I get now is basically what we'll have for the next 5 years, so that's also what prompted the budget to go out the window. I upgrade my computer every 6 months, buy new software every 2 months, etc...but the TV and audio will stay the same for a long time.

This stuff is freaking addictive, though. Am on vacation from work today and tomorrow. I've got the living room cleared with one entire wall and this massive glass Bell'o TV stand waiting for the 73" tv to arrive on Thursday. DirecTV guy is coming today with the HD Tivo. New 500GB hard drive on the way so I can do my upgrade to make it 90 hours instead of 30 hours. New Pioneer receiver on the way. Now about to do some serious speaker buying. God, does life get any better than this???

[DrWho]

Well in that case, why don't you just get the entire Synergy F3 system?

I believe there is a good discount from Best Buy if you purchase it all

at once. I know it's not "reference" but I think you will get more

enjoyment out of the system as it will be better timbre matched and a

better mate to your receiver.

The nice thing about speakers is that a good purchase will last you far

more than 5 years. Heck, there are guys on the forum still using their

speakers from the 60's...what is that, nearly 50 years?

For what it's worth, the reference lineup below 35 is rather lacking in

performance (The Synergy F3 setup is much better and cheaper). So if

you really want to go reference, I would at a minimum go 35 all around

- in which case I'd argue that the F3 system would perform about the

same (maybe a little more sparkle in the higher frequencies if you go

with the reference). The reference is also a harder load for an

amplifier to drive so you might find some source material sounding a

bit more harsh with the reference (it is definetly more picky). I'm not

sure what the price difference is off the top of my head, but you

should factor that into your decision. Either way, you'll end up with

an awesome setup.

As far as subwoofers, the Klipsch Sub-12 is extremely hard to beat for

that price range. I've no experience with the HSU sub, but if it is

being compared to the old KSW-12, then the Sub-12 is going to be leaps

and bounds better.

[Cal Blacksmith]

What Doc said[]

[wamerman]

Nice suggestion. Thank you. Amplifier? Oh boy, here is me being a novice! I was hoping that since the Pioneer receiver puts out a stated 120W/channel, I could drive the speakers directly from the receiver? Since the RF-35s state they handle 125W continuous, that seemed like a good match?

I don't think I'll be going with Best Buy, though. Looks like their entire F3 lineup, including a slightly better receiver than the Pioneer I bought, runs about $2400, or $2580 with tax.

If I price it out on eBay plus Vanns the breakdown seems to be (without the receiver):

Total RF15= $1485
Total RF35= $1888
Total SF-3= $1514

That makes about a $375 difference between a system with all F-3 speakers and the others.

Right now I'm leaning for the total SF-3 suggestion (thank you!) because:

1) all the speakers will be matched

2) it probably works better with my receiver.

Thank you again for the suggestions.

[SilverSport]

I would get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Klipsch-Synergy-Speakers-KSF-300-KSF-S5-KSF-C5_W0QQitemZ9733953656QQcategoryZ61378QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Keith

...What Keith said...VERY nice price for great gear...(don't know the seller, yadda, yadda, yadda)...Bill

[T2K]

Yeah, it's a steal. With the powered subs he wouldn't need a subwoofer, or receiver power to drive the low end. For $500 I would buy them if they were within driving distance.

Why don't people add their home state to their profile?

Keith

[Buckeye_Nut]

My goal: best-sounding HT setup w/surround sound for under $850 (includes everything)

My (soon to be) setup:

Room size: 14'x15' but opens into both the kitchen and the dining room with no doors

TV: MitsubishiWS-73907 73 16x9 TV

The $850 should cover receiver + speakers. Cables can be extra.

Thanks to anyone out there who can give their opinions on this.

You are buying a 73", but can only budget $850 for your entire sound system?? My advice would be to hold off buying anything, until you have a larger budget for sound because a $850 "For everything" system wont be very good. Definitely not worthy of a 73"...... that's for sure.

[Buckeye_Nut]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. After reading more, I couldn't keep to the $850 budget. I read a lot more online and read through the forums and allowed myself to be brainwashed and convinced that my soul would be more at peace with floor-standing RF-35s as mains, and that basically I would be a better human being

Which, of course, means building out the rest of it with higher quality components as well! Bought a Pioneer VSX-1015TXK 7.1 receiver last night for around $400.

So, the new setup I have in mind (any advice would be great...my goal is not volume, just clarity and presence and nice overall sound)

RF-35 main speakers, RC-25 or RC-35 center and RS-25 for surround. Am I going to notice a mismatch with using RF-35 mains coupled with 25 series speakers for center and surround?

Also, for subwoofer....I'm not intending to violate any forum rules here by mentioning non-Klipsch products so correct me if I'm doing that...anyone have any experience with Hsu STF-2 subwoofers? looking at online reviews, it seems that they come out ahead of the KSW-10 or 12 in subjective testing?

Ahhhhh.... Now you're headed in the correct direction. Enjoy the weekend!! You're going to have a blast with your new setup.

Congrats!!

Disregard my previous post..........LOL