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Critique my sub-$1000 5.1 setup

2K views 31 replies 13 participants last post by  redrovermiami 
#1 ·
Hi all, new poster here but plenty of hours spent reading and browsing.

I am just finishing up my basement and while I don't have a dedicated theater space, I want to setup my rec room with a decent home setup. I will be getting a 65" or 70" LED in the coming weeks and the room it will be in is 18x22.

From what I have been gathering, and having a $1000 budget, here is what I have come up with.

Receiver - Denon AVR-X1100W - $250
Subwoofer - BIC America F12 - $215
Speakers - Pioneer SP-PK52FS Andrew Jones 5.0 - $430

Total - $895 + wires = Right on budget


What do you guys think about that? I've never had a 5.1 or any type of home theater setup so I am sure most systems will impress me. Curious how my picks are.

Thank you!
 
#2 ·
The Pioneer system isn't bad for the money, especially if you absolutely must have floorstanders for some reason.

But if you're willing to go with bookshelves, this is what I'd get instead---I think they'd sound better:

FRONTS: 3 x WaveCrest HVL-1s across the front, $330 shipped.
http://www.wavecrestaudio.com/products/hvl-1-two-way-loudspeaker-pair

SURROUNDS: All depends on how much you want to spend --- since they only do about 10-15% of the output for HT this is where you could use just about anything if you wanted to keep costs down:

Dayton B652, $42/pair shipped from Amazon
BIC America DV62si, $126/pair shipped from Amazon
HVL-1s, $225/pair shipped
 
#3 ·
Just bought my son the Affordable Accuracy Pioneer Towers and stock AJ Pioneer bookshelves. Running from a Denon X1000.

All I can say is, these speakers have no right sounding as good as they do for the price of admission. I checked up on him while he was cleaning his apartment and he had the tunes cranked up And it sounded gooooood. ;)

Recommended budget speakers.
 
#5 ·
I think the Pioneers are great, to get better sound you have to spend quiet a bit more. To me the next step from Pioneer is probably SVS Prime (about $1500 for the 5.0 set)


Never having a 5.1 setup before, you will LOVE the pioneers. I just setup my buddies first HT with 7.2 pioneers with DIY 12" subs, as of now he claims he will never upgrade. He just doesn't know how addictive this gets.


Oh and if your buying very soon (at least the sub) look here, both of these are great deals right now.
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/2080250-klipsch-ksw12-nxg-nx-bas-500-a.html
 
#10 ·
Thanks for the advice everyone. Now, would I have a better overall system with:

Option 1 - 3.1 System with better subwoofer
Option 2 - 5.1 System with bit cheaper subwoofer

(2) Pioneer SP-FS52 Floor-standing Speakers
(1) Pioneer SP-C22 Center-channel Speaker
(1) SVS PB-1000 Subwoofer
(1) Denon AVR-X1100W 7.2 Receiver


OR


(1) Pioneer SP-PK52FS 5.0 System
(1) Dayton Audio SUB-1200 Subwoofer OR (1) BIC America F12 Subwoofer
(1) Denon AVR-X1100W 7.2 Receiver
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the advice everyone. Now, would I have a better overall system with:

Option 1 - 3.1 System with better subwoofer
Option 2 - 5.1 System with bit cheaper subwoofer

(2) Pioneer SP-FS52 Floor-standing Speakers
(1) Pioneer SP-C22 Center-channel Speaker
(1) SVS PB-1000 Subwoofer
(1) Denon AVR-X1100W 7.2 Receiver

OR

(1) Pioneer SP-PK52FS 5.0 System
(1) Dayton Audio SUB-1200 Subwoofer OR (1) BIC America F12 Subwoofer
(1) Denon AVR-X1100W 7.2 Receiver
Option 1, although I hope you're getting that Denon at accessories4less for $250 refurbed, as opposed to $400-500 retail new.

Always better to spend most of your budget (at least 60-70%) on the speakers, less on the receiver since it has far less effect on the overall sound performance.
 
#15 ·
nick_wa said:
Thanks for the advice everyone. Now, would I have a better overall system with:

Option 1 - 3.1 System with better subwoofer ...

(2) Pioneer SP-FS52 Floor-standing Speakers
(1) Pioneer SP-C22 Center-channel Speaker
(1) SVS PB-1000 Subwoofer
(1) Denon AVR-X1100W 7.2 Receiver ...
Yes. :)

As a temporary measure, grab a pair of gently-used bookshelf speakers off your local craigslist for ~$20 and you've got 5.1.
 
#18 · (Edited)
redrovermiami said:
You guys would choose the

SVS PB-1000 Sub

over the Dayton 1500 sub?

Why?
Compared to the Dayton, the SVS is more powerful (300W RMS vs. 150W RMS), will have greater overall output and will dig deeper.

Also, SVS backs its subs with a five-year warranty. (Not sure about Dayton.)

-- Edit --
According to this PDF, Dayton's subs are backed by a one-year warranty.
 
#23 ·
Well it didn't go over so well with the wife. She says the Pioneers are far too big (bookshelves and towers). So now I'm back looking for a good quality system under $1000 but small and asthetically pleasing. I'm sticking with the same receiver unless I can get a Marantz slim unit with BT and similar specs for a good price.

I think I've narrowed it down to:

- Energy Take Classic
- NHT SuperZero
- Klipsh HDT-600

I am in Canada so availability is also a deciding factor plus the exchange rate is bad for us right now so I'd like to buy from Canada if at all possible. I am near border though to have things shipped to if it comes to that.
 
#27 ·
I have the SuperZero and your wife would be very happy with it: really is a beautiful compact little speaker that actually does put out a "big" sound---very impressive dispersion for its size. Don't know how much it costs in Canada, but in the US you can order it off Amazon for just $100 each, shipped. Excellent tonal balance and vocal clarity. You just don't want to throw any block parties with them is all. :D
 
#24 ·
I would try to stick with satellites that you can crossover to a sub as low as possible. The Klipsch are too small to get a good crossover point. I know, I had the 300 set and could not go lower than 150Hz. The system sounded good for its size, but you cannot break the laws of physics.


I'd probably go with the NHT SuperZero's from the list you have. In the same size category check out the SVS Prime Satellite. Those will allow an even lower crossover point than the NHT's, although about $36 more per speaker unless you buy from their factory specials. http://www.svsound.com/specials/outlet-specials-speaker/Prime-Satellite-Premium-Black-Ash-Finish_3
 
#26 · (Edited)

From my experience with 3 Prime Sats for my front L/C/R, I'd say yes. I was going to get the final 2 Sats for my surrounds in a 5.1 setup, but so many other expenses came up that I just recycled my old pair of 2-way bookshelf speakers I mail-ordered in the early 90's from RA Labs (Roy Allison). For a sub I did a DIY project in January with Dayton Components from Parts Express. 10" HF woofer, 250 watt plate amp, port tube kit & 3/4" MDF for the cabinet. Performance came out better than expected. I did rack up the costs doing that, however, since I needed some new tools, extra materials, etc. Since replacing my old Klipsch HD-300 system with all of that the performance has transformed from acceptable to respectable. I am using a refurbished Denon X1000 AVR I picked up from A4Less.
 
#30 ·
I have a 60" Sony LED on a tv stand

The speakers are on the 1st shelf under the tv one on the right one center one left.

2nd shelf is the receiver and DTV receiver.

I bought some Klipsch R15s from bestbuy to try while I waited for the wavecrests to come these are far superior I think.

I first tried the right and left only. Watched Spiderman2 action scene and stuff for like 5 mins. Rewind put the center on.

was great. I think I coulda maybe lived without the center however without the center the speech was really good.

with the center on you could tell spiderman was talking behind a mask.

Now Im shopping for a subwoofer. :)
 
#31 ·
I have a question. If I have everything hooked up through my receiver, via HDMI, is it possible to watch my satellite receiver, or play PS4, or watch something with Chromecast, without using the surround sound?

In other words, is it possible to have HDMI pass right through the receiver both sound and video? There will be times I don't want to have the surround on (late late night for example or when my wife is sleeping after a night shift) and I'd like to be able to have the tv handle the sound but the receiver still acting like an HDMI switch.

Thank you.
 
#32 ·
I have a Denon 2100 receiver I came home yesterday and my wife had the tv on receiver off and sound was coming through the tv.

She was watching Directv

as far as xbox ps4 chromecast or apple tv IDK

I can try my apple tv when I get home...

LOL so yeah I believe its pass through.

I keep my tv on mute all the time or at 0
 
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