3.1 Home Theater Speaker/Setup Help

Hey AVSers,

I know this has been asked hundreds of times… I've read more than a dozen of similar threads, but none quite answered my questions.


I'm planning on purchasing a 73" or 82" Mitsubishi DLP TV as soon as one of them goes on a good sale again.

Room:

Boxes: Apple TV, Roku, and PS3.

I'm looking for a good 3.1 setup. I don't want to run wires, and I don't feel the rear speakers add enough to be worth the hassle. I mainly watch TV shows and some movies.

I saw this deal on a complete Klipsch setup over on Slickdeals for $1200.

It includes:
2 Klipsch RF-42 II (Towers)
1 Klipsch RC-42 II (Centers)
2 Klipsch RS-41 II (Surrounds)
1 Harman Kardon AVR-1650 Receiver
1 BIC Acoustech PL-200 12" Subwoofer

I'd sell the 2 RS-41 II surround speakers, and possibly the receiver (see below).

I've also looked into the Polk R60s which sell for $150 (on sale for $99), but by the time I add a center, sub, and receiver, I'm only $100ish less than the Klipsch deal. The Klipsch are a much better speaker, right?

Next, I'd prefer to just wire all of the boxes directly to the TV. If I were to sell the included H/K AV receiver, is there are cheaper receiver that would power the speakers and sub, but doesn't include the the video pass-thru stuff? Would an amp with digital input work? If so, point me towards a good one.

Hope would these be for music listening?


Would do you think? I'm open to any suggestions. Thanks!

Mitsubishi TVs look to only have the Orange Digital Audio Outputs

And my current TV has Optical Digital Out and Left (white)/Right (red) outputs.

Wasn't planning on handing them off the TV. If you mean, wire the speakers directly to the TV, I know that's not possible — I'll either need an amp or receiver, right?

Did you read my entire first post? It seems like we're on different pages or something.

Budget is as low as possible, but I'l like to stay around the $750ish are, +/- $200

Okay, what I meant was... If I were to sell the Harman Kardon AVR-1650 Receiver that's included in the Klipsch deal, since I'm planning on using the TV's HDMI inputs, would a regular amp or stereo receiver power the speakers, and if so, what would be a good one.

The included receiver seems like over kill to me. I'm not planning on keeping the rear speakers included in the package, nor the video pass-thru part of the receiver.

I think I know where we're not quite connecting with each other. My TV budget is different from my sound budget. I know the TV is going to be $1000-$1600, depending which size and model I get. Sound alone I'd like to be in the $750 range.

$600 RF-42 II (Towers)
$250 RC-42 II (Centers)
$350 RS-41 II (Surrounds)
$350 Harman Kardon AVR-1650 Receiver
$250 BIC Acoustech PL-200 12" Subwoofer

Total: $1800 (package price $1200)

If I sold the RS-41s, say for $300, now I'm down to $900.
If I sold the H/K AVR, say fro $300ish, now I'm down to $600.

If I bought a Denon 1612, or similar $200ish receiver I'm back to $800ish.


If I bought Polk
$200 R60s towers
$150 CS20 center
$200 BIC F12 sub
$200 receiver

Total: $750ish, and the speakers aren't on the same level as the Klipsch, right?


Is the Klipsch a good deal? Or is/are there a better option(s) in the same price range for a 3.1 system?

Which Polk speakers did you have, and what Klipsch speakers do you have now? Which ones are better?

I'd sell them one way or another. Criagslist, or Amazon/Ebay if I had too. It's not like they're going to lose value if it takes a month or two to sell them.