Best home theater set up for $3500 to $4000

[zealotz]

Hey there everyone!
I plan to buy a home theatre here is the set up I choose please feel free to comment cause this my first B&W set up. I want everything to be perfect  and also please tell where can I purchase B&W in Asia that is near in my country Philippines…..
Thank you all for your time.
Approximate purchase date : in less than a month
Budget Range: $3500 to $4000
System Usage from Most to Least Important: movie and music
Speakers setup : 5.1
Country of Origin: Philippines
I plan to use this as home theatre use only, any recommendation on what to change and also if anybody can lower the price the better just as long as the sound quality is the same…

I think i will change the subwoofer at least I can save few dollars....

B & W Home Theater System

1 pr. B&W DM-683 $1678.65
1 pr. B&W DM-686 $547.89
1 unit B&W HTM-61 $694.78

1 unit Velodyne CHT-100 $897.61 (sub woofer)

1 unit Onkyo TX-SR308 $477.95 (amp AV Receiver)
Total $4296.88 x 10% = 429.68

Less 10% if you buy in cash
$4296.88 – 429.68 = $ 3866.32


Option B for Amplifier:
Denon AVR-1311 $512.92

http/www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk/Speakers/Home_Audio/600_Series/Products.html

 

[MEgamer]

for the receiver id go for the denon.

plus the 3d support is useful

 

[zealotz]

for the receiver id go for the denon.

plus the 3d support is useful

I think I will change my mind I saw this in Bowers & Wilkins website I think for me 684 Theatre is the best cause I will put this in my room. I have a big room that is why I want 683 Theatre but now upon reading in B&W website about the 683 Theatre (If you’re watching movies and listening to music in a large, open space, you need a system with authority as well as attention to detail.) my room is not open space maybe this is design for super big room hmmm now I am confuse or I will just lower the volume of mid anybody have any idea this is my first B&W set up I want to be sure everything is perfect

Home theatre packages. With two bookshelf speaker models, two floorstanders, two centre speakers and three subwoofers in the 600 Series, there’s a lot of potential ways to assemble a home theatre system. Here are three groups that, to our ears, go together as harmoniously as the Beach Boys or Ladysmith Black Mambazo.


685 Theatre
The most compact of the three set-ups, the 685 Theatre is a bookshelf-based arrangement for more enclosed listening environments. With an ASW608 subwoofer bringing bass aplenty, it still packs all the punch you’ll need.
Main: 685
Centre: HTM62
Surround: 686
Subwoofer: ASW608

684 Theatre
For maximum detail and impact in medium-sized to large rooms, team up a pair of 2½-way 684s with a larger subwoofer, an HTM62 centre speaker and a pair of 686s in the rear position.
Main: 684
Centre: HTM62
Surround: 686
Subwoofer: ASW610

683 Theatre
If you’re watching movies and listening to music in a large, open space, you need a system with authority as well as attention to detail. The 683 Theatre will command the largest domestic spaces with ease.
Main: 683
Centre: HTM61
Surround: DS3
Subwoofer: ASW610XP

http/www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers/Home_Audio/600_Series/Products.html

 

[MEgamer]

well u shouldnt worry too much,when it says something about pumping a lot of volume, cos u cant have authority without power from teh amp in the first place, the volume knob is there, so ifs its too loud u turn it down

the speaker u listed should be fine for any room, so long as it isnt too small.

even relaly gd speakers sound like any other speakers when listening form a far distance.

 

[astrallite]

Can you get Usher in your country? They are a Taiwanese brand. A lot more neutral than B&W.

 

[zealotz]

Can you get Usher in your country? They are a Taiwanese brand. A lot more neutral than B&W.

Honestly I am not expert when it comes to speakers. When I ask every person I know what is the best they told me it is B&W that is why i tend go buy what is the best so that it will be worth it. but you recommend Usher brand and I search about it all ratings are good but i want ratings coming from the expert not ordinary listener...

Thanks for this suggestion I will research on this more maybe I can get lower price maybe same level of quality sound. And guys I also search in newegg site. The top speakers there for home audio is Polk Audio .

When I ask my friend about Polk Audio vs B&W they said don’t even compare it everything is way far beyond Polk audio cannot even compete with Bose. But if you are on super low budget Polk audio is soso means top quality low price speaker at low level quality speaker only…. 

but thanks I will research on this brand Usher.....

 

[zealotz]

well u shouldnt worry too much,when it says something about pumping a lot of volume, cos u cant have authority without power from teh amp in the first place, the volume knob is there, so ifs its too loud u turn it down

the speaker u listed should be fine for any room, so long as its too small.

even relaly gd speakers sound like any other speakers when listening form a far distance.

Honestly you are right I am just too much cautious.... I think this is ok...

but guys how about the sub cause buying B&W sub is too expensive any reomendation? and the reciever too which one is better?

 

[astrallite]

There is no best.

B&W is a very old-fashioned speaker company. They still use very old fashioned materials (kevlar) and have the "80s" sound signature. This was when heavy bass and treble were very popular.

The modern trend is for a very accurate speaker. This modern paradigm started since the 1990s, from a decade of research in psycho-acoustics (by the Canadian National Research Council) and it was determined that a speaker that plays the original signal faithfully sounds the best across a wide range of musical material. This design is the basis of all modern speaker design. It is widely adopted and the majority of speakers built today in the United States, Asia, and Europe follow this trend. Usher is the only major Asian brand that also sells in the U.S. and they are very well reviewed, which is why I recommended you look at them.

B&W is very old fashioned, just like Klipsch has maintained their decades old vintage-sound. Some people like this, but it's not a popular modern design.

 

[MEgamer]

ye ur right, astra. but then what does the OP like?

you could always eq speakers anyway.

also if ur gonna get a sub, i think its better to stick with bookshelf speakers as well.

 

[zealotz]

There is no best.

B&W is a very old-fashioned speaker company. They still use very old fashioned materials (kevlar) and have the "80s" sound signature. This was when heavy bass and treble were very popular.

The modern trend is for a very accurate speaker. This modern paradigm started since the 1990s, from a decade of research in psycho-acoustics (by the Canadian National Research Council) and it was determined that a speaker that plays the original signal faithfully sounds the best across a wide range of musical material. This design is the basis of all modern speaker design. It is widely adopted and the majority of speakers built today in the United States, Asia, and Europe follow this trend. Usher is the only major Asian brand that also sells in the U.S. and they are very well reviewed, which is why I recommended you look at them.

B&W is very old fashioned, just like Klipsch has maintained their decades old vintage-sound. Some people like this, but it's not a popular modern design.

So please recommend me a nice set up that can equal the quality of my set up. can you post Usher model of speakers with atleast same price or lower…. And give a site where can I see What you are talking about… This is critical if you say this way all of my friend say B&W is best maybe they don’t know about this…

 

[MEgamer]

well they may say taht, since no one actually says flat is best....

i dont think flat is best either. usually speakers are rated by how revealing the sound is, espescailly at heavy tracks, and their resolving power on details.

 

[rexter]

Every person have different type of listening preference, what MEgamer is speaker that go well on most type of music type. However, you might still find it lacking of some aspect. So the best way for you is to check them yourself which one you think is best for you.

Here are other audio brand worth checking.

http/www.axiomaudio.com/index.html

http/totemacoustic.com/english/hi-fi/columns/arro/

 

[zealotz]

Every person have different type of listening preference, what MEgamer is speaker that go well on most type of music type. However, you might still find it lacking of some aspect. So the best way for you is to check them yourself which one you think is best for you.

Here are other audio brand worth checking.

http/www.axiomaudio.com/index.html

http/totemacoustic.com/english/hi-fi/columns/arro/

Choosing a home theatre set up is harder than pc gaming set up cause many sites make bench mark test in sounds super hard to find and many company say there product is the best or at least amazing...... now I am confuse I think i better go in one of the known home theatre dealer show room and listen to it myself..... but thank you guys...

 

[rexter]

The Axiom has 30 day trial so I suggest you take the trial and take it to the store to compare with other speakers. The more speakers you try the better, but take your time auditioning too because most of these speakers on this caliber require break ins and some require more time than others. What you have to remember is that some speakers do well on some type of tune and that's is why a neutral speakers is better for all around type of sound-stage like Megamer suggest. It's up to your ears which one like it best. You also have to remember that it's not just the speakers that needs attention, so you have to match your amplifier as well. Good luck with your auditioning.

 

[sportsfanboy]

A used set of Nautilus 805's will sound 100 times better then the dm-6xx no contest. I recommend buying some used higher end B&W's. And Some used Rotel AMPS/Pre-amps

 

[MEgamer]

better is a subjective other,

there a quality set, even then they are not flat, but again astrallite did explain they have their own sonic signature, however there is a lot more to sound then just frequency responses.

 

[rexter]

Sorry people, I mistook astrallite's comment as MEgamer's, my bad.

Anyway, to zealotz; all the brand suggested are all good. You said you've ask your friends and other people; why not bring your favourite cd's and listen their system and if you think you like what you hear then you are one step closer to what you really want?