***Official HTIB Alternatives Thread*** - Page 101

JMO and definitely not a flame but...since you said you had a budget of about $1000, you probably could have done better, particularly for speakers and a subwoofer.

I definitely agree, but for $430 I probably could not have done much better. As I said, I had been expecting to spend $350 on the receiver anyway. I plan to get everything set up with the included speakers and sub and use them for a while, then upgrade the speakers and sub later. It may be 3 months, it may be a year and three months. It just depends on how I feel about the speakers once it is set up. By doing it this way, I buy myself some time to think about speakers and I may end up being able to budget more money for speakers and/or room treatment at a later time. Whenever I do upgrade, I should be able to sell off the speakers and recover the extra money spent too. I think that it is probably the best way for me to go for my needs.

Sounds like you've got a plan...enjoy.

hey guys, what's the cheapest receiver available right now that can process truehd? refurb units are okay with him....

Probably a refurbed Onkyo TX-SR605.

http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp...i_sku=38607351

It's an older version of Onkyo's current entry level TrueHD receiver, the TX-SR606. Not sure what the Yamaha equivalent would be.

Onkyo 606 refurb for $299 from accessories4less on ebay. With Microsoft live.com 25% discount it comes to $225. $40 shipping bring its back to $265. Shipping could be less depending where you live.

606 has 4 HDMI inputs vs 2 on the 605.

how about the denon 788 or harman kardon 247?

Yeah, those wouldn't be bad, either. I think all of those receivers are more alike than they are different, so whatever works. I'm partial to Onkyo, but I wouldn't mind having the others (although I think H/K's tutone finish looks weird when few other components match it.)

Sony probably has a model, too.

Say, I have the Denon 788 or HK 247. Is there any type of blu-ray player that I need to get. I don't want a PS3, and I see a sharp on sale at sears for $179. Would that work. I just want to make sure my combo will put out the HD Sound.

Thanks dudes.

You just need a Blu Ray player that decodes TrueHD and DTS-HD internally and passes it as multichannel PCM. The Sharp BD-HP21U at Sears will do this. You won't get a TrueHD light on your receiver though since neither the 247 or 788 have decoding for HD sources or a TrueHD led display.

Before you buy the Blu Ray from Sears, make sure Sharp offers firmware updates. Inevitably, these players will require them to fix bugs or add enhancements later.

Update: It does look like Sharp does offer firmware updates for their BD players.

But, with those receivers. I'll get truhd sound right? I just need to get a receiver that's NOT a HDMI passthrough or HDMI switch?

What are the benifits of having the truhd light? Just to let you know when it's working? I would hope that my ears would tell me if it's working or not.

Sorry, I'm very new to this.

If your player only sends TrueHD through HDMI, the receiver needs HDMI audio. If the player also has analog multi-channel outputs, the receiver only needs the analog multi-channel inputs (most if not all HDMI passthrough/switching receivers do have these, as well as just about every HDMI audio receiver. Heck, my non-HDMI anything receiver has them.)


TrueHD vs. ordinary Dolby Digital is probably subtle at best, but if your ears are sensitive enough, you may hear something. The TrueHD display on the receiver just lets you know the receiver is doing the decoding.

The PS3, btw, doesn't have the option of bitstreaming TrueHD. It has to decode and send it as PCM, so even if you had a TrueHD decoding receiver, the light still won't display in that setup. Most other Blu-Ray players bitstream, IIRC.

But whether the player or the receiver does the decoding makes no sonic difference.

I hate to ask the most simple questions but this is all new to me.

Could you just take a look at the two items and tell me if they will work together. I just want to be 100% sure before I order this this afternoon.

BD30 Blueray http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=5&gl=us


Denon 788 http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3641.asp

Thanks in advance.

TrueHD would be possible with analog connections (only 5.1, though, as I think the Panasonic player only does 5.1 for its analog out), but the more I look at the Denon the more I wonder if an Onkyo 606 or 605 would be better for the price (TrueHD over HDMI.)

Hi all-

I need some help with my system set-up. I have a matched set of older Boston Acoustics from F/C/R (VR950s for the front main, VR 920 for the center). The size of the center has been causing me a challenge because I have the Sony LCD sitting on a media console and like the look versus wall mounting. The center blocks part of the screen and is so deep that even if I raise the TV up it will still look awful.

So, I have been considering a new center, but am unsure what to do about tonal matching, since I don't really want to and don't really have the budget to replace the entire front stage. At the same time, it appears my rear surrounds are dead, and need to be replaced (this is definitely not an amp issue).

With all that said, I have been seriously considering just going to an Onkyo HT-S7100 to replace the whole set-up, including Denon 3805. I can't decide if this is the right thing to do, but like the idea of upgrading the amp to new tech, getting a 7.1 system all at once, and living with the sound downgrade.

In the alternative, if I can figure out how to do it, I'd love to get the 920 in play, and just replace the surrounds. Any advice on how to fix the LCD/center problem, and what surrounds to get if I do that? Any thoughts on just going to the 7100 altogether?

Thanks for the help!
Alex

Any way to mount the VR 920 above the TV? Either on the wall or the top shelf of your media center, if there is one?

If not, how about running a phantom center? Set your center to NONE on your receiver and let the VR 950's
handle all the dialog.

No shelf, and the thing weighs like 40 pounds. Does phantom center really work? Never tried it before.

yes phantom center works. Give it a try, it cost you nothing.

So, what about something for surrounds? Do I need to stick to the Boston line, or can I go elsewhere?

Surrounds just have to match each other, not necessarily the fronts.

If you're a stickler for matching sound all around, you might consider matching to the fronts, but in film soundtracks, surrounds don't see anywhere near the info of the fronts, and mostly just ambiance and the occasional effect, so the tonal mismatch probably won't be noticeable. If you do want to match them, the tweeter is generally considered most critical.

If you listen to stuff like DVD-A or SACD, though, you might consider matching all speakers around.

I am setting up a home theater. I am replacing an old Sony AR, probably with an Onkyo 606. I now have a Bpse Acoustimass speaker system (non-powered bass module and three front wall mounted array speakers). My wife likes the small size and color of the Bose arrays in "her" living room.

My first question is will the Bose speakers do justice to the new AR, or should I start from scratch?

My second question relates to heat from the Onkyo. Ideally, it would be housed in an enclosed cabinet. Can that work?

Finally, if I keep the Bose speakers, what should I add for rear surround speakers?

All advice appreciated.

If you absolutely positively have to keep the Bose (blech) speakers, I'd use them as rears and find a way to convince your wife that you need much larger (better) front stage speakers.

If you stick with using them as a front stage, they'll never do justice to that beautiful Onkyo AVR...

As for the cabinet/heat issue, can't you just cut a hole in the backside of the cabinet itself? Or will the wife not let you do that either? :P

I went with the Yambeka 5 speaker set ($250 shipped) and a TAD Subwoofer ($97 shipped) and a Yamaha V661 Receiver (198 shipped). So, $545 for a pretty amazing system!

we're moving into a new house next week, and i have my heart set on a 7.1 system. Currently I have a Onkyo TX-SR573 (will do 6.1 in a 7.1 setup). For speakers, I have 4 crappy HTIB speakers I bought 10+ years ago for L/R and satellites. I also have this center:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1172277277875

and a sony powered sub.

I'm considering an Onkyo 606 and I need a set of speakers. I'm thinking I might get a 5 speaker set (like a Quintet II or Polk RM6750), use the four small speakers for satellites in a 7.1 setup, and continue using my L/R speakers for now. eventually, i want to get floor-standing speakers for the L/R channels. However, I'm worried about matching floor-standers to the center in the Quintet II.

1. How do I "match" speakers?
2. Any recos on what would go with a Quintet II or RM6750 center?

I need some help. I wasn't sure how up to date the recommendations are on the first page.

I'm planning on getting the Onkyo TX SR706 7.1 reciever ($500). I am planning on building a 5.1 system over time. I may or may not upgrade to 7.1 but at least I have that option. The usage will be mainly for games and Blu Ray movies. The source for both will be a PS3.

Right now I need two front speakers, a center, and possibly a sub. This is for a desktop configuration for a room roughly 10' x 15' in size. I really have no idea where to begin, I'm a complete audio newbie.

Please keep these 3 things in mind.

Budget: $700-$800 The rears I will be getting later on so they do not play into this budget. The sub I may also get later on depending on recommendations. However with that said if I can go under budget I am much happier.

Size: This is for a desktop configuration. I do not have much desktop space so the speakers will need to be small. The front speakers cannot be more than 6" in height, 4" in length, and 3" in depth. The center speaker cannot be larger than roughly 7" in length, 5" in height, and 3" in depth.

For the sub, the only room I will have is under the desk against a corner of the wall. The sub cannot be higher than 10.75". Perhaps I may not need it if the sound from the fronts and center are adequete?

Quality: I need small speakers, but I do not wish to compromise quality as far as I can within my budget.

For the most part the volumne will be set on low-medium.

Thanks...

Hey all,
I've been lurking for a while, reading everybody's opinions and advice on a new system. I'm looking to put one of my own together and would appreciate any advice/thoughts on what I've got lined up.
I had originally almost bought a Onkyo HT-S9100THX HTIB, but after reading this thread I'm going to take the plunge and piece my own together.
Requirements: A system that will handle DTS-MA, Dolby TrueHD, etc from a PS3, HD-DVD player, and AppleTV outputing to an LG 1080p LCD TV. 7.1 preferred to be able to make full use of the HD DTS and Dolby. My living room is about 12-15' x 18-20'.

Components I'm settling on at this point:
Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR706 $490 at Amazon
L/R: Polk RTi A5 (pair) $380 at Polk's Authorize Refurb store on Ebay
C: Polk CSi A4 (single) $280 at Amazon
Sub: Bic/Acoustech H-100 $230 on Ebay (authorized seller store)
Surround: Klipsch SS.5 x4 $199 for all 4 on Amazon

This puts the cost ~1500 before cables/shipping/tax which is stretching my budget. The one thing I'm hesitant about is whether the Klipsch are appropriate as Surround for the L/C/R speakers. I could go with Polk FXi surrounds, but they're a bit pricier than the Klipsch (even if I could get refurbed FXi).

The other thought I entertained was to take a step down and go with Polk Monitor 50s with the comparable matched center (C3 ?). This would cut the cost down, but I'm thinking somewhat of longevity and someday moving it into a larger room (if I ever move).

Anyone have thoughts or alternatives to this setup? Is this a decent setup or could I improve it for the same cost?

Thanks!

So I am set on my sub with a BIC H-100. So now I am looking for a receiver. I doubt I need 7.1 at this point unless the receiver just comes with it. I most watch standard movis through the Oppo 980H. I have Dish so I'm not exactly sure what it broadcasts. I do not play games. Receiver suggestions? I currently have a Sony Str-DG710. I would definitely like an upgrade from that.

7.1 receivers can be set to do 5.1.

You really can't go wrong with any of the popular receiver makers. Onkyo, Yamaha, Harmon-Kardon, Marantz, Pioneer, and Denon. There are others, but those tend to be budget minded with good features. You can also stick with Sony. I'm not a huge fan, but the better receivers aren't terrible.

If you want an HDMI audio receiver, Onkyo's TX-SR606 is a good buy, and can go with you if you upgrade to Blu-Ray. It's considered a good balance between the cheaper but limited lesser receivers with no HDMI audio and the more expensive receivers with features like preouts for external amps, things you may not use.

The other makers have their equivalents to the 606, so you don't have to just look at Onkyo, although it is a favorite.

I’m trying to save a buddy of mine from going for a HTIB system. Any thoughts on the following. I’ve searched but have not found any comments of BIC speakers other than subs.

BIC AMERICA DV-52CLRB Center
BIC AMERICA DV52SIB L+R
BIC AMERICA DV52SIB Surrounds
BIC AMERICA F12 Sub
Onkyo TX-SR606

All of the above for about $750.

The alternative might be the Onkyo HT-S7001 HTIB

Thanks for your comments.

Bic's Acoustech series is well respected. Dunno about their other lines (although the non-Acoustech subs weren't as good as the Acoustech lines. But it might be different now.)

The speaker forum has plenty to say about Bic speakers.