AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Audio theory, Setup and Chat › Expandable set up: Good idea?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Expandable set up: Good idea?

post #1 of 7
1/16/13 at 2:21pm
Thread Starter 
I'm just getting into the home theater building and am quickly realizing my desires are bigger than my budget.

I need to buy a complete audio system i.e., an amp or avr and speakers.

My questions are this:

Should I buy a a decent AVR, like the AVR 1713 now and temporarily set up a 2.1 system using speakers that I know I will keep for a good amount of time and later add other quality speakers to build a 5.1 system?

Is this a bad idea? I just bought the Oppo BDP-103 player which I will use as a video processor so I don't think I need a second AVR, just an amp, right? To that end, is the AVR-1713 overkill?

Should I spend my money elsewhere to have a system that can grow and expand?

I'm also lost on speakers and what speakers will both meet my needs in my temporary 2.1 (or maybe even just 2) system but also not be crappy later on when I expand to a 5.1 system.

Any help would be appreciated.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 7
1/16/13 at 2:59pm
There's nothing wrong with building over time. Indeed, it's fun to add those pieces and watch your favorite movies all over again. A 2.0 setup with competent towers can be enjoyable for movies and excellent for music. Add a competent sub and you're now digging deeper with more authority while freeing up your receiver to feed a bit more power in the higher frequencies to your old speakers. Suddenly explosions and crashes and special effects of all sorts can take on a new dimension. Add surrounds and movies come even more to life. Don't forget a center channel offloading voice duties and firming up the soundstage.

The order is arbitrary, of course, and subject to your preferences, desires, and the unbeatable sale you come across.

See the Denon xx13 thread for all you want to know (and probably a lot more) about the 1713 and other models. Look at the features you need and want and decide based on that. Just educate yourself a bit first about features you may not really understand yet, like Audyssey.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 7
1/16/13 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks. Dumb question:

Say I bought a 5.1 channel AVR and plugged in only a center channel speaker and held off buying other speaker.

If I was watching a blu ray, would the AVR route all sound through the center channel or would I lose the sounds that would ordinary be routed through the other 4 speakers since no speakers were plugged into those channels?
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 7
1/16/13 at 3:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by videopotus View Post

Thanks. Dumb question:

Say I bought a 5.1 channel AVR and plugged in only a center channel speaker and held off buying other speaker.

If I was watching a blu ray, would the AVR route all sound through the center channel or would I lose the sounds that would ordinary be routed through the other 4 speakers since no speakers were plugged into those channels?

AVRs allow you to tell them which channels are present via a setup menu. For them to work properly you have to give them the proper settings.

In theory, if you told the AVR that all there was is the center channel speaker, the AVR would mix all of the 5.1 channels that might be coming in from the source(s) and produce a single balanced feed for that speaker.

I know for sure that this happens if you hook up LF and RF, and know of no reason why it wouldn't happen if all there was is the center channel speaker.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 7
1/16/13 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by videopotus View Post

I'm just getting into the home theater building and am quickly realizing my desires are bigger than my budget.

I need to buy a complete audio system i.e., an amp or avr and speakers.

My questions are this:

Should I buy a a decent AVR, like the AVR 1713 now and temporarily set up a 2.1 system using speakers that I know I will keep for a good amount of time and later add other quality speakers to build a 5.1 system?

On a limited budget, a 2.1 system is a proven working approach for the best possible sound quality.

Quote:
Is this a bad idea? I just bought the Oppo BDP-103 player which I will use as a video processor so I don't think I need a second AVR, just an amp, right? To that end, is the AVR-1713 overkill?

If you can return the BDP 103. A good AVR and a basic Blu Ray player will give you better sound quality than an expensive BD player and just an amp.

Quote:
I'm also lost on speakers and what speakers will both meet my needs in my temporary 2.1 (or maybe even just 2) system but also not be crappy later on when I expand to a 5.1 system.

What is your budget?
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 7
1/16/13 at 4:40pm
The BDP103 and the Denon 1713 are IMO a good foundation for a system. They are high-quality components that should serve you well over the years and have many desirable features.

You might want to atart with a good pair of floorstanding speakers, like for example the PSB Image T5 speakers, and add first a center speaker like the Image C4, and then a subwoofer with a 12-inch driver and adequate power.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 7
1/18/13 at 2:28pm
Thread Starter 
I've been busy:

Arrived:

  • Oppo BDP-103 (DVD player video processor) (My plan is to route my cable box into one of the HDMI in ports and then send video directly to the TV via the HDMI 1 out and audio to the AVR via the HDMI 2 out.)
  • Denon AVR-1613
  • 2 Polk TSi400 floor standing speakers (will add LR, RR, SW and C to build a 5.1 system as budget allows)


On way:

  • 70 inch Sharp LC-70LE847U.


Thank you everyone for the help with planning my 1st ever HT set up. If not for you all, I likely would not have figured out how to do all this. I am sure I will be back with questions as I am sure the upgrade bug will soon strike (and for more speaker advice!)
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Audio theory, Setup and Chat

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Audio theory, Setup and Chat › Expandable set up: Good idea?