Post your new rookie setups and purchases here - Page 2

Samsung 61" led dlp
Denon 1910
Ascend Sierra's LCR
Ascend CBM-170 SE surrounds
BIC F12

I know, speakers are in about the worst place to be in...

At 23 yrs old I got engaged and then bought a house I had the HTiB delivered the day of settlement.
Onkyo HT-SR800 7.1 1,000 Watts. (Bought it refurbished and on sale thru Onkyo) Thought it was good for a HTiB, but was very disappointed with the 4 surround speakers, they only had 1 - 3.25" midrange speaker in them. I bought a second Onkyo HT-SR800 (Bought it refurbished and on sale thru Onkyo) and I bought 1 extra center from that HTiB. So what I have now is 1 system in my basement living room with 7 identical speakers because the mains and centers are the same just vertical or horizontal. I took the fronts from the 2nd system and the extra center and added them into the first system and took out the crappy surround speakers. I also have 2 identical subs, so I'm running a 7.2 setup with 1,230 Watts and a frequency response of 25 Hz-50 kHz according to Onkyo. I also have the receiver from the 2nd HTiB in use with some crappy speakers I've had laying around in my 1st floor living room. My TV is a 12 yr old 55" wide screen rear projection Mitsubishi. I have an HD Cable box and a 480p DVD player.

I'm looking to upgrade hopefully sooner than later. I want the Onkyo 807 receiver and I want a 7.2 speaker setup. I want the Front L/R to be floorstanders. I'm considering companies such as Paradigm, Definitive Technology, Polk Audio, JBL, Klipsch, and BIC/Acoustech. I also want a 1080p projector with a 120" screen and a Sony BD360 blu-ray player. I really wanna upgrade to 1080p and Hi Def sound and HDMI cables.

LG 55LH90
Pioneer Elite VSX-23TXH
Oppo BD-83
PS3
Xbox 360
Panamax 5300-EX
Mains = Def Tech STS
Center = Mythos nine
Surrounds = Mythos Gems
Sub (Klipsch SUB10) being replaced in two weeks by an Epik Empire
Salamander Synergy Console
oppo to pio = Transparent Audio Music RCA interconnects for 2 channel CD listening
LCR = 8' Transparent Audio Music Link Wave speaker cables
SUB = Transparent Audio RCA interconnects
Surrounds = Transparent Audio In-wall speaker cable

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Sorry about the bad quality pic, it was taken on my iPhone.

at work. Sorry no Pics.

Current and first set up for my movie/tv/gaming needs

Onkyo tx sr607
Polk Monitor 70s Fronts
Polk Monitor Cs2 Center
Kef C4 Sub
Ps3/Wii
LG Plasma

Planning on finishing up the 5.1 with two Polk monitor 30s or 40s for surrounds. This set up is already way over kill for the size of my living room but id rather over buy than under.

How do you like the Pioneer receiver? Im deciding on one for my Paradigm Monitor 9's. Im stuck between that and the Onkyo 807

I bought my first setup in April 09

PSB Alpha B1
PSB Alpha C1
PSB Alpha LR1
Mirage Prestige S10
Panasonic BD-60 Blu-Ray Player
Panasonic 42 G10
Yamaha RX-V565
Then Switched to
Jamo E680
Jamo E6CEN.5
Mirage Prestige S10
Panasonic BD-60 Blu-Ray Player
Panasonic 42 G10
Yamaha RX-V565

and now I seem to have the upgrade itch once again. Pondering if I should just stick with the Jamos and get some surrounds or sell both the PSB and Jamo set up and get something else.

If you are undecided go listen with your own music. Look at Infinity Primus P362 and Energys also. For music polks are too bright for me.

The best advice I ever heard since joining avsforum was that once you have your first set up, leave the forum and never ever come back........Damn, should of taken that advice.

Fall of 07, I bought my PS3 and started the ball rolling into HT. I went over my budget by almost 3X, ended up with AV123 Rockets 5.1 and later added a pair of ELT bookshelves for my projector room set up.

Soon, I found Infinity P362 for $99/each so I couldn't say no to that and I built my 5.1 Infinity Primus for my TV room.

Couple months ago, I found some really, really cheap speakers AV123 was selling. I don't need anymore speakers...I don't have anymore spaces so they are still in boxes but I couldn't say no to cheap. LOL. Another 5.0 system.

Now, I think I'm gonna replace my Rockets soon and go JTR as my main HT room.....I really need to leave this forum. I hope you guys are smarter than me and leave while your money is still in your wallet.

Here's my setup. Soon to be upgraded will be the front three and subwoofer.

Mitsubishi WS-65315 4 years old.
Pioneer SC-25 2 months old.
Pioneer BD-320 1 month old.
LG DVD player 4 years old.
X-Box 360.
TrippLite.
Speakers:
DCM 6C center 9 years old.
DCM 12 towers 9 years old.
4 Klipsch RS-10 surrounds 1 yeah old.
Velodyne VRP 12 4 years old. Great little sub for what i paid and what i ask it to do in such a large room.
I will be replacing my DCM's and sub to something more worthy soon. If i can get the wife to budge I might also try and put a new Mitsubishi 73in or 82in TV in the mix. This site sucks for trying to save money but I like it.

This is my first post-HTiB system

Pioneer Elite Pro-111FD 50" plasma
Pioneer BDP-51FD Blu-ray player
Klipsch RB-51 Monitors (as fronts)
Polk S-4 Monitors (as rears)
Yamaha Center speaker (leftover from HTiB)
Yamaha powered Sub (leftover from HTiB)

I'll be retiring the S4s soon to rotate the RB51's in place as rears. This will leave room for a pair of WF-35's up front.The Yamaha center will get the boot to make way for a WC-24.

Later this year, I'll upgrade the sub either for a Rel T3 or a Supercube III (can't decide which I prefer at the moment).

The AVR will probably either be a Denon AVR2310, Onkyo TX-SR807, or Pioneer Elite VSX-23TXH.

I think xceebeex is exactly right. The Polk PSW505 is on sale at Newegg for $229.

I just about have my first setup finished. I'm using:
Onkyo 607
Polk CSi3 center
Polk RTi6 mains
Polk FXi3 surrounds
ed A2-300 sub

My sub is still in production and I was supposed to get my surrounds today, but they were delayed by the snowy weather.

My first entry to home theaters but here is my set-up
-Fat PlayStation 3
-Sony STR-DH700 Reciever
-Polk RM6750 5.1 speaker set-up

Hey cool, I'm probably going to be ordering some Sierra's next week to check them out since I'm finally in the market for speakers. I'm leaning towards Paradigm Studio's now, but I've heard too many good things about those to not check them out.

Last year I went from a 27" CRT I bought from a friend sitting on a magazine box with a hand-me-down Pioneer HTiB to a 52" LCD and a Denon-989. Speakers are the last step and I'll have some pretty funny before/after pics.

I was in the same position and it came down to the 23txh and the 807. I auditioned both over an hour side by side. To my ears the Pio blew the Onkyo out of the water. It is much softer sounding and I think was a better match for my front sound stage.

Hope that helps.

-B

For Christmas my family added the following:
52" 120hz Sony Bravia
Sony STRDN1000 reciever
Sony P3S 120 slim
Whalen pivoting stand/rack
Polk CS2 center
Polk Monitor 70 pair
Polk Monitor 40 pair
Polk Monitor 30 pair
Elemental Designs A2-300 subwoofer

Movie night is a true pleasue!!!

Relative Rookie myself

New Setup (main room):

1) Pioneer Kuros 111-FD 50" plasma
2) Artison portrait fronts
3) 2 Artison in-walls rear
4) Sony Blu Ray
5) Pioneer Elite Receiver VSX-01TXH
6) Earthquake 600W in Wall sub
7) Control 4 system as controoller
8) Wii

Game Room (old system from main room)
New Samsung 47" LCD
Definitive Tech pro cinema spakers
M&K 100W sub
Denon 3803
Xbox 360
PS3

Bedroom
52: Sharp Aquos
Sony Blu Ray
Sony Bravia soundbar and AV system with sub
(HTIB that works pretty well for a bedroom)

Used to have a Awia system. Had 4 speakers, two for fronts, and 2 for surround speakers. Had dual tape deck, and 3 cd disc carousel changer. Had it for years. Now i have a 7.1 speaker system. Front speakers are polk rtia7, center polk csia6, surrounds polk rtia3, and rear surrounds polk fxia4 (dipole, bipole design.) Have a polk micropro 1000 subwoofer (8inch). Just ordered a Velodyne optimum 10 subwoofer. Hope i like it. Avr is a pioneer elite (sc-27). Have a oppobd83 blu-ray,scad, dvd player. A ps3 for video games. Have 55" samsung 8000 series lcd/led tv. Have a harmony one universal remote, to control everything.

Have you listened to the pioneer elite receivers? Really like my sc-27. Really like the sound. Has a lot of power.Not sure what your budget is. Got a good deal on mine. The sc-25 is a step below the sc-27, cna get for a little cheaper. Hope that helps.

thanks a lot. I decided on the Pioneer too

New home owner as of 2 weeks ago, using rec room 16x12x9 as my first attempt at HT. Ceiling prewired with HDMI and power outlet for future projector.

Current Equipment:

Panny Viera 42" (soon to be upgraded to Epson 9500UB FP w/ 106" fixed screen)
Emotiva UMC-1 pre/pro (on order)
Emotiva XPA-5 amp (on order)
Polk LSi15 left and right fronts
Polk LSiC center
Polk LSiF/X surrounds
PS3

Seating distance 14' from screen. The panny seems tiny from this distance, cant wait to join the front projector club!

Good luck to everyone and their 1st setups...

To me, this is very true and should be taken to heart.

My first set of speakers were the TST1's, TC2 and TSBL's from the TSC during thier 40% off sale in December for $400.00. While listening to Ted Nugent's Stranglehold during the part where the cymbal's do the SSSSHHHHMP 5 or 6 times, I felt it should be crisper. At the same time, there was all the talk of the Infinity Primus. I sold the TSC speakers on CL and got the Primus at almost double the TSC cost. With that purchase and after listening to the Infinity's I found my taste leans towards neutral to warm sounding speakers, so I sold those and got the Ascend Sierra's and CBM 170's for a total of $1600.00 which arrived last Thursday

So far, I love the Ascends and and like every other Ascend owner, now know the meaning of neutral sounding speakers. But, had I not got caught up in everything here, could have been very happy with the TSC's at $400.00

I have always had a HTIB before. My last one was a Sony system.

My new system consists of the following:

Pioneer 1019 receiver
Polk Audio Monitor 70 for the fronts
Polk Audio CS2 for the center
Polk Audio Monitor 30 for the rears
Elemental Design A2 300 subwoofer
Sony 46" LCD
Sony PS3

System sounds great the only thing I am looking for is speaker stands for my Monitor 30's.

How much of a difference in sound did the Emotiva amps make? Im thinking about getting some Paradigm studio 20's and wonder if its worth it to get an amp too.

Thanks

Samsung LN40B640
Denon 1610
4x Energy RC-10s
1x Energy RCLCR
1x TSC T-300
PS3 Fatty

My Emo amp is on backorder, same with the processor, so I cant yet speak to the sound difference.
I have been into high end car audio systems for 10+ years and utilizing a separate amplifier has always been the norm and made a significant difference. So my first crack at HT will be using a separate processor and amplifier. Hopefully my gear will be ready to ship soon and I can provide some feedback!

Been lurking on the forum for a real long while and I completely agree with how this forum can breed upgrade-itis. HT is a hobby and we'll all go through several systems over the years. Lucky for us rookies that we can scoop up some very nice slightly used equipment when others are ready to upgrade.

I concur that you might want to go cs 1 or 2. I believe they're the ones "matched" with the monitor series. As for sub, I went Hsu and am glad I did. My relatively new setup:

Onkyo 807 receiver
Polk TSi 500's fronts
Polk CS20 center
Polk TSi 200's surrounds
Polk OWM-3's for heights (to be mounted as soon as i can)
Hsu STF-2 sub
Sony 52Z5100 HDTV
PS3
Directv hd dvr
Netgear router so that its all networked.

Upgraded from Bose Accoustimass 16 setup.

Pics to follow...