Suggestions for sub-$1,000 speakers/receiver?

Without know more (like room size) my suggestion is to start with a 2.0, 3.0, or 2.1 system and add the rest later as money allows. That's because the subwoofer needs to be sized to the room and could eat up 40-100% of your budget by itself depending on the room size. To that end I suggest starting with the long discontinued VR3 floorstanders and VRC center bundle for $810 shipped available from OneCall and then save for a good subwoofer.

Alternately you could go with a pair of Infinity Primus P162 bookshelves ($85ea), PC250 center ($150), and a pair of P152 bookshelves ($75ea) for a 5.0 total of $470. That leaves you $500 for a sub. If your room isn't too big you might get away with a $500 SVSound PB10-NSD if they still have any.

im on the same boat as you. here are my two options currenty:

Pioneer 1120

Fronts- Polk M70
Center - Polk CS2
Surround - Polk m30/40
sub - BIC f12

or

Pioneer Series Speakers
fronts - SP-FS51-LR
Center - SP-C21
Surround - SP-BS21-LR
Sub - SW-8

room is about 12x17

All of the suggestions above are top notch. But I'll give ya' my 2 cents anyway...SVS for speakers (huge bang for the buck), Yamaha or Onkyo for receivers.


Tom

Guys, he is asking for speakers and a receiver for $1k. I would go for a used receiver from craigslist or ebay in that case. For speakers, I would go for some Behringer 2030p or Infinity Primus p152 speakers. I would use one for the center speaker also. For a subwoofer I would go for a Hsu STF1 or I might try that 10" lava sub. Also worth looking at the Elemental Designs A2-300 or Emotiva Ultra Sub 10. I think that would give you a better system than if you bought a home-theater-in-a-box, and it is less than $1k. By the way, you will need stuff like cables, and maybe mounts/stands, the expenses with those things add up fast, so don't forget that. Another thing, if this is for a small room, you should look at the Energy Take Classis set, or the Hsu Performance packages, but if it is a larger room, it would be better to go with the Primus or Behringer speakers.

the 1120k with Pioneer speakers is a 1k combo. (5.1)

I don't know about 7.1, but you could definitely do 5.1.

Energy Take Classic 5.0 - LINK

Onkyo HT-RC260 - LINK

For subs check out this link.