[peterclones]

I'm in the process of setting a new home theater system. I'm ordering a Sanyo PLV-Z1 front projector and Sony DVD player. Now need to get going on sound. I have a pair of Cerwin Vega VS-100 speakers which I'll likely use for front speakers. So I need an amp, rear speakers, and center speaker. Subwoofer not needed now as the Cerwins have great bass.


Can you guys recommend some good audio equipment to tie these all together? I have a budget of about $700. Would like Sony equipment but open to other ideas.


Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Auditor55]

Quote:

Originally posted by peterclones I'm in the process of setting a new home theater system. I'm ordering a Sanyo PLV-Z1 front projector and Sony DVD player. Now need to get going on sound. I have a pair of Cerwin Vega VS-100 speakers which I'll likely use for front speakers. So I need an amp, rear speakers, and center speaker. Subwoofer not needed now as the Cerwins have great bass. Can you guys recommend some good audio equipment to tie these all together? I have a budget of about $700. Would like Sony equipment but open to other ideas. Thanks a lot for your help.

Wow $700 is kind of making it tough to recommend something to you.


As far as speakers go, I have a hard time suggesting mixed matched speaker brands, where the main speakers are different from the center and surrounds. If I were you I would sale the Cerwin Vega's and go with a sub-satellite system like Energy, Klipsch, AR etc. costing about $500 and you use the extra money from the sale of speakers to purchase one of the lower priced Denon receivers.


Some systems you might want to check out;

http://ww2.onecall.com/PID_15732.htm

http://accessories4less.com/aless4/C...PK%2DSYST&tpc=

 

[stephenfrancis]

Hey peterclones


You'll have to get rid of the Cerwin Vegas for 2 reasons.


1) 5.1 systems include an LFE subwoofer channel which contains material that may not be in a 2-channel Dolby signal. This is always a preamp signal which requires external amplification.


2) Surround speakers MUST be timbre matched or your panning of sounds around the system will not be seamless and will take alot away from the experience. So unless you can find cerwin vega matched center and surrounds, I'd get rid of them.


Your budget is easy to work with as I work with alot of friends who have budgets like this. My minimum is usually around $1000 for a really DECENT audio system which usually consists of the Energy Take 5.2 ($600), and a nice Yamaha (HTR5550) receiver ($350).


However, I've found a very good deal on a nice set of speakers that includes everything, 5 speakers and a subwoofer. It is made by Onkyo and can be had for $299 (used to be $249). A coworker purchased it and loves it. I haven't had the opportunity to hear it but for $299, you can't go wrong. Plus its gotten rave reviews.

Cnet review on the Onkyo system


This opens alot of opportunities for receivers. I'm partial to Yamaha. But at the price range of the speakers, you have other options to spend money on, like better cables and things of that sort. Hope this helps

 

[CupertinoSlim]

stephenherndon makes a good point. Just because two of the speakers you have are good for bass doesn't mean the others will be, and the overall sound may be rather odd (lacking in bass for some sounds but not for others). There do seem to be some very competent 5.1 speaker sets to be had at a reasonable price. I got 4 JBL surrounds, a JBL center and JBL 12" powered sub plus a JVC receiver for $800 and love it. E-tronics occasionally has the speaker set (no receiver) for about $500-$600 and it's a good deal.


If I had it to do over again I'd get the same speakers and get a DVD-Receiver combo rather than separate DVD player and receiver. It would greatly simplify the playback of DVD Audio or SACD discs in the same deck as DVDs and regular CDs.