AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › General Home Theater & Media/Game Rooms › Upgrade TV first or Audio first?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Upgrade TV first or Audio first?

post #1 of 13
8/18/12 at 2:25pm
Thread Starter 
I have TV and no audio and want to upgrade both. But which would you upgrade first if you couldn't do both simultaneously?
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 13
8/19/12 at 11:15am
If you have no audio gear, it's not an upgrade! biggrin.gif

I guess it depends on the TV. Are you happy with it now? Is it an HDTV? Big enough for the room, etc.? You'll probably get more "use" out of the TV, so if it's a really old non-HD set, I'd probably upgrade that first.

But if it's a HD set, start with the audio. If you can avoid the Home-theater-in-a-box setups, or at least get one that uses a "real AV Receiver" and standard speakers (8 ohm, bare wire connections), you'll be better off in the long run. Most HTiB kits can't be upgraded by swapping out one part later - so you have to start over. Whereas buying an AVR and speakers, you can choose, years later, to add/swap each piece individually...

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 13
8/19/12 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth3si View Post

I have TV and no audio and want to upgrade both. But which would you upgrade first if you couldn't do both simultaneously?
How is it an upgrade if you have nothing. Unless you are looking at the fact that you have nothing, and having something is better than nothing.

Figure out what fits your budget best. Are you constantly crashing people's homes to watch tv, or are you going out to the car or putting on your mp3 player's headphones to listen to music and stream stuff online?

Personally, I would shoot for the tv first, the audio gear can always come later.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 13
8/20/12 at 1:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jautor View Post

If you have no audio gear, it's not an upgrade! biggrin.gif
I guess it depends on the TV. Are you happy with it now? Is it an HDTV? Big enough for the room, etc.? You'll probably get more "use" out of the TV, so if it's a really old non-HD set, I'd probably upgrade that first.
But if it's a HD set, start with the audio. If you can avoid the Home-theater-in-a-box setups, or at least get one that uses a "real AV Receiver" and standard speakers (8 ohm, bare wire connections), you'll be better off in the long run. Most HTiB kits can't be upgraded by swapping out one part later - so you have to start over. Whereas buying an AVR and speakers, you can choose, years later, to add/swap each piece individually...
Jeff
i have magnavox 15" HDTV.

i want to buy a HTIB but a good entry level one like the Denon DHT 591BA or Yamaha 397. speakers can be upgraded later on.

may be i cosnidered buying HTIB like onkyo....keep the receiver sell the speakrs and buy speakers seperately like the energy 5.1

Quote:
Originally Posted by gregzoll View Post

How is it an upgrade if you have nothing. Unless you are looking at the fact that you have nothing, and having something is better than nothing.
Figure out what fits your budget best. Are you constantly crashing people's homes to watch tv, or are you going out to the car or putting on your mp3 player's headphones to listen to music and stream stuff online?
Personally, I would shoot for the tv first, the audio gear can always come later.
somethin better than nothing....
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 13
8/20/12 at 7:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth3si View Post

i have magnavox 15" HDTV.
i want to buy a HTIB but a good entry level one like the Denon DHT 591BA or Yamaha 397. speakers can be upgraded later on.
may be i cosnidered buying HTIB like onkyo....keep the receiver sell the speakrs and buy speakers seperately like the energy 5.1
somethin better than nothing....

I think buying HTIB and then selling the speakers to buy better ones is an overall poor strategy. You will get little to nothing for the speakers, and they will cost you real money to purchase. I would suggest you look into a bundled system with a real receiver and real speakers.

15" is pretty small for HDTV at any viewing distance. I think in this particular case, I would upgrade the TV first.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 13
8/20/12 at 7:58am
15" TV? That's the size of some phones these days! You needed a TV ASAP eek.gif
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 13
8/20/12 at 9:00am
and I thought my 26" screen was small. 15" is smaller than my monitors on my computer in my home office. Upgrade your TV first, my friend!!
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 13
8/20/12 at 9:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayn_j View Post

I think buying HTIB and then selling the speakers to buy better ones is an overall poor strategy. You will get little to nothing for the speakers, and they will cost you real money to purchase. I would suggest you look into a bundled system with a real receiver and real speakers.
What does a bundled system look like as opposed to a HTIB?
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 13
8/20/12 at 9:37am
Thread Starter 
As for the TV, I'm off the TV forum...
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 13
8/20/12 at 12:13pm
Bundled meaning a "real" receiver with normal speaker connections (8 ohm, bare wire) and a set of speakers. The key part being the bundle will generally have speakers from a SPEAKER maker, not the same brand as the receiver...

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 13
8/20/12 at 7:10pm
. Skip the step and get a reciever and the energy classics with a sub of course. But I agree a bigger tv will make a bigger difference than great audio unless you mostly listen to music but then that would be a different set of suggestions.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 13
8/21/12 at 1:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth3si View Post

i have magnavox 15" HDTV.

Neither.

You first get a well-paid job. wink.gif
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 13
9/9/12 at 8:20pm
Planning to replace something even before you buy it is just dumb. Buy quality components, one piece at a time. Then, when you are done, you'll have a good system, for less than it would have cost to you buy something mediocre in the interim. I'd suggest you buy two decent bookshelf speakers to start, then perhaps a marched center speaker or a sub, then upgrade your TV before buying anything else. You'll waste less money that way.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › General Home Theater & Media/Game Rooms › Upgrade TV first or Audio first?