Help Pick Home Audio System

[cypherkin]

Hey guys,

My friend is looking to buy a new Home Theater / Audio System. The price range is 500-1000$. I know thats not alot, but thats as much as they can afford at this time.

Now requirements are that they should fit into his 1bedroom, TINY apartment; so would prefer small speakers. If possible, any wireless options??

I was looking at the Sony DAV-FX80; (Sony 1,000W 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System w/Progressive-Scan 5-Disc DVD/CD/MP3 Player)

- pretty good price on amazon $500 for what I would be getting.

You can find more info on circuit city or best buy pages.

Anyways, if you guys can help me out w some advice on what to get; it would be very helpful.

Thank you,
Cypherkin

 

[michaelahess]

Don't get a sony, it'll brake in a year! (They used to rock, but man have they gone downhill.)

I'd try to find a nice onkyo, jvc, panasonic setup. JVC is the lesser in quality but still better than sony. Onkyo has a bunch of good bundles, not sure of prices though. If you can squeak by, get a Denon setup! Pioneer and kenwood are also good alternatives, but like sony they seem to be getting worse, unless you get the high end lines.

 

[DiscoDuck]

The all in one or HTIB types sytems usually have somewhat impressive performance, until you turn it up to theater level dynamics. I would recommend something like this:

http/www.harmanaudio.com/search_browse/product_detail.asp?urlMaterialNumber=CP%2015-Z

Good quality component system and these speakers will destroy anything in the same size category.

good luck and happy listening

 

[michaelahess]

Man there's a lot of harmon companys fans on THG, I love it! And Harmon Int. too!

 

[genepdx]

Since we're essentially anonymous here, it's not immodest to say I know a little more about audio than the average guy, and in reference to the above, HK has actually spent some time and money researching multi-channel home theatre issues. Their products are good. I once was a manufacturer of bleeding-eyes high end audio, but now have radical thoughts about home theatre. I promise you... those explosions and car crashes and intimate moments from the films most of us watch on our theatre TVs all sound thrilling on a modest system with good dynamic range. That means a good center channel and a subwoofer. As for balance and all the rest, I used to buy Radio Shack Minimus 7s for $29 each on sale just to have. Great little satellites before much of the world cared about satellites. Now I have 4 of them in my theatre system with locally made center and powered sub, all powered by a 5.1 100w/ch $300. Sony rcvr/amp. It's a gorgeous system. Friends who've spent more on a single satellite don't sound better. Minimus 7s may no longer be available, but comparable spkrs are, probably at Radio Shack, too. The HK system noted by the previous respondent looks fine to me. but if you need to do it for less than $500, look at piecing together your own system, rather than a TSIB. Just remember, leave room for plenty of dynamic range or those crashes will blow out your spkrs! G'luck.