[87astro]

Hey guys!


I am looking to piece together my first ever home theater system, I have a PS3 as main main source for blu ray discs, and after doing some trolling around and researching,


To me it looks like the AVR 254 refurbs from ebay is the cheapest way to get the hd sound for surround sound,


I am on an extremely tight budget so need to keep everything as low as possible and I am not looking for awesome explosive sound, something better than the tv speakers is going to blow me away,


Just wanted some reassurance from you guys and any and all advice is welcome,


thanks!


Steve

 

[Crash11]

I don't have a ton of experience with AVR's of today, but my suggestion would be to get an entry level 5.1 receiver. Don't worry about being able to decode the HD codecs. I have a receiver that decodes HD codecs, and I honestly haven't been able to notice a difference between standard surround sound and lossless surround sound.


My suggestion would be the Yamaha V365. It's only $160 at Newegg right now.

 

[87astro]

Thats kind of what I was wondering myself, to a complete newb like myself, I am never going to tell the difference between the new hd codecs and regular surround sound am I?


My only question was......if the PS3 plays the blu ray with say and Dolby Tru HD codec, will the receiver say "downgrade" it to dolby 5.1 surround?


Thanks alot!


Steve

 

[Crash11]

I'm sure if I purposely tried to hear the difference I could probably hear something, but it all sounds great to me. Also, yeah I believe it's not a problem to get standard surround sound out of the PS3.


Would you be doing a 5.1 setup?


I ask because you mention you're only using the tv speakers right now. Do you definitely want surround sound, or would a more powerful 2.1 or 3.1 setup suffice? Because you can get that out of a soundbar.

 

[87astro]

I think I want a 5.1 setup, it is something I have always wanted for years, and am now thinking about giving it a go,


I was looking at the Energy take 5 speaker set


and a bic america 12" powered sub


think that will sound decent?


thanks for the help!


Steve

 

[Crash11]



Quote:
Originally Posted by 87astro /forum/post/18190874


I think I want a 5.1 setup, it is something I have always wanted for years, and am now thinking about giving it a go,


I was looking at the Energy take 5 speaker set


and a bic america 12" powered sub


think that will sound decent?


thanks for the help!


Steve

Yeah that's what I would've suggested. The Take 5's are a big hit on the AVS forums. As for the subwoofer, that's all personal preference. I never cared for a lot of base so I bought a 10" powered sub and it blows me away. Other than the PS3, what sources do you have? Cable/satellite?


If you've been listening to awful tv speakers, like I was, $500 should buy you an incredible sound.

 

[madcheeku]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Crash11 /forum/post/18190948


Yeah that's what I would've suggested. The Take 5's are a big hit on the AVS forums. As for the subwoofer, that's all personal preference. I never cared for a lot of base so I bought a 10" powered sub and it blows me away. Other than the PS3, what sources do you have? Cable/satellite?


If you've been listening to awful tv speakers, like I was, $500 should buy you an incredible sound.

I would put in some more money and get a receiver that supports HDMI audio. Yamaha V365 will require you to run an hdmi cable for video and an extra cable to get the audio. Also, i don't think it upconverts video to HDMI so might need additional cables if all the sources aren't HDMI.


I have a refurb HK 254 and it works well. But you look into refurb onkyo's etc if not comf with HK.

 

[amicusterrae]

The 254 is a solid recevier. 50 watts of real power (all channels driven across the entire frequency range) vs. the 100 x 5 at 1 kHz Yamaha specifies. It has Logic 7 which is an in-house matrixing DSP that converts any PCM source into discrete 7.1. It's comparable to Dolby Pro Logic IIx, which is also included, but different. And, 3 HDMI inputs is enough for most people.


The owner's thread reveals some problems. I have the previous model, the AVR 347, and have no complaints whatsoever. I bought it as a refurb from Harman on Ebay. I wouldn't hesitate to buy the 254 if you can get it cheap. The 354 is a better long term investment, IMO--don't know if that is also an option. The build quality on these recent HK receivers doesn't appear to be as beefy as the older models. The heatsinks, in particular, are thin. These receivers are high current designs that can get hot. Make sure you have room in your cabinet for it to breathe. Definitely don't plan on stacking another component on top. I suspect a lot of the problems people have had can be traced to inadequate ventilation.

 

[Crash11]

Now this is what the AVS Forums is all about. Someone says they are on a really tight budget, and all of the sudden you are being pushed to buy way more than you need.

 

[darkhorror]

the 254 is better than an entry level receiver at an entry level price. It has good power all channels driven, has pre-amp outputs so if you want more power down the road you can just add an amplifier. It also converts analog to HDMI. Now there are a few "problems" with it and you should check the thread about this receiver to see what they are.


The other nice thing about buying one of those factory refurbed units on ebay is that they come with factory warranty.


That is the receiver I am looking to upgrade too at the moment.

 

[THE_DRAKE]

If you are a costco member you might want to check the clubs in your area. I bought an AP 800 there in december for 499. This HTIB includes the HK 254 and the 7.1 Infinity TSS 800 speakers. Mine was a brand new unit with the old 93.1.1 firmware that I have left alone because I have had no problems with it. It's a great system for the price.

 

[afrogt]

The 254 is a far better unit than the Yammy 365. More power, more features including HDMI audio decoding, analog to HDMI video conversion, pre-outs for adding an external amp, Logic 7, plus it doesn't have cheap spring clips for speaker terminals.


I wouldn't hesitate to get that over an entry level Yamaha 365 despite any bugs it may have. But check to make sure the PS3-HK issues have been rectified. Check the 254 owners thread.

 

[Crash11]

Who ever said the Yamaha 365 was better? Does anybody know what the word "budget" means?

 

[afrogt]

The OP was asking about the 254 in the first thread. Then you mention the Yammy 365. Obviously comparisons will ensue. Just letting him know the Yammy is not in the same class as the HK 254.