Help!!! selecting a 5.1 system

[swzeng]

Hi all

So I finally confirmed that my old Bose Companion 3 pc speakers isnt enough for my new HTPC in my bedroom (16*18). I have narrow my list down to three and not sure which one to go for. Please comment in or make any other suggestion. I have limit the budget to around 450 for the a complete system. I watch a lot of Netflix and listen music from ITUNE. Also I have a FULL 1080 p TV, but does worth to be future proof by getting HDMI 2.2 compatible system?

1. Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System : Cheapest but No HDMI 2.2 No receiver with this one, any recommendation for receiver ? See link below.

https/www.amazon.com/dp/B001202C44/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1UEANNTHF1WVH&coliid=I3NHSNZDNX21BF&th=1

2. Onkyo HT-S3700 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver/Speaker Package: Cheapest complete system that I can find on Amazon, but no HDMI 2.2

https/www.amazon.com/dp/B00LU0GPAI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1UEANNTHF1WVH&coliid=I1YV0VSB71VBI7&psc=1

3. Yamaha YHT-4920UBL 5.1-Channel Home Theater in a Box System with Bluetooth: Complete system with HDMI 2.2 but highest price.

https/www.amazon.com/dp/B00V9Z2X6O/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1UEANNTHF1WVH&coliid=I25CHIEF4GTAA6&psc=1


This is killing me, I been looking at this for weeks and still cant decide. My biggest challenge is sound quality, price, and/or future proof 4K (not sure if this even make sense). Thanks a lot for your help

 

[R_1]

which ones have you heard? The best way to decide is to have your ears tell you. you are going from a pretty sweet sound setup, you will notice any lowering of quality.
Speakers, keyboard, and monitor are the most personal decisions you will make regarding your PC. (My PC is my Home Theatre) these are the main sensory interface, you will be listening, touching, or staring at them all the time.

I know I face the same dilemma, I have been using the Klipsch Pro Media 4.1 system for 15 years and the AMP is finally starting to go. the problem is I cannot find a set of speakers that sound as good to me. Logitech has a few nice sets but they still are not my klipsch.
listen to your ears, and if you are able go and find them in a store and listen to them, do it. bring your own media to play, phone or mp3 player.

 

[americanaudiophile]

Listening yourself is always best but isn't always possible.
For the money the Energy system is very good.
Get a separate AV receiver with the features you want. If you plan on getting a 4k TV then the HDMI 2.2 will be useful.
Black Friday isn't far off so keep an eye out for an up to date Onkyo receiver. Good value and decent sounding.

 

[ssddx]

for your budget, the energy 5.1 paired with a receiver will be your best bet. you might go over on budget by a little though.

the 10565 monoprice was a energy clone. if you can find it still (was around $100 cheaper) its also a decent set.

 

[swzeng]

for your budget, the energy 5.1 paired with a receiver will be your best bet. you might go over on budget by a little though.

the 10565 monoprice was a energy clone. if you can find it still (was around $100 cheaper) its also a decent set.

So Let me confirm this again, the 10565 monoprice can be beat the Onkyo HT-S3700 5.1? I found one for 79.99 http/www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=8247&gclid=CJLKjaf95M8CFcxkhgodK3QB1A

Also found the Monoprice 108247 for 99.99
https/www.amazon.com/Monoprice-108247-5-1-Channel-Theater-Speaker/dp/B007YLQUWK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1476815014&sr=8-3&keywords=monoprice%2B10565&th=1


Thanks

 

[jsmithepa]

Usually, whenever I heard "Theater-in-a-Box" I run as fast as possible.

Whatever you get, be sure the main box has multiple HDMI+Optical inputs on the back for future compatibility. Otherwise you will regret it.

 

[ssddx]

thats not a 10565 its a 8247 and looks to be a lower end model on monoprices lineup. this is a 10565 https/www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Premium-Channel-Theater-Subwoofer/dp/B00EOZFUYI and normally went for $220-250 or so. be aware its no longer made as monoprice was forced to discontinue it since it was a duplicate of the energy system. i cant vouch for any of the other systems they make.

 

[swzeng]

Ok great, I will probably go with the 10565. One last question, can 2.1 content be converted/upscaled 5.1? I also have Android TV Box and does most of the stream content, however not everything I watch is in 5.1 That being said will it be worth to get 5.1 being that around 60% content will be in 2.1 source. Also is there any 2.1 system that are as good as the monoprice 10565? Thanks a lot!

 

[ssddx]

is 5.1 needed? up to you. on your budget you could go with nicer speakers if you went 2.1 though.

for upscaling, that would be the receivers job. you would need dolby pro logic or similar.

the energy set or monoprice clone arent high end speakers.. but for the price they are quite competent and generally a setup with those and a reciever is much preferred over the limited htib systems which do not always work well with other sources besides the included dvd player. while there are other good sets out there (boston acoustics has a decent sounding model.. klipsch has another) its a bit cheaper and more widely regarded i'd say.

klipsch kb-15's paired with a klipsch k100sw and a receiver of your choice might make a good little setup if you wanted 2.1. both have decent prices on amazon. as for receivers.. on the cheap i'd say a sony or onkyo 5.1/7.1 unit would be ideal. you can always upgrade later on to a bigger system then and it has a built in lfe jack for the subwoofer so connections are a bit easier.

 

[swzeng]

is 5.1 needed? up to you. on your budget you could go with nicer speakers if you went 2.1 though.

for upscaling, that would be the receivers job. you would need dolby pro logic or similar.

the energy set or monoprice clone arent high end speakers.. but for the price they are quite competent and generally a setup with those and a reciever is much preferred over the limited htib systems which do not always work well with other sources besides the included dvd player. while there are other good sets out there (boston acoustics has a decent sounding model.. klipsch has another) its a bit cheaper and more widely regarded i'd say.

klipsch kb-15's paired with a klipsch k100sw and a receiver of your choice might make a good little setup if you wanted 2.1. both have decent prices on amazon. as for receivers.. on the cheap i'd say a sony or onkyo 5.1/7.1 unit would be ideal. you can always upgrade later on to a bigger system then and it has a built in lfe jack for the subwoofer so connections are a bit easier.

Thanks for all the great info on this topic, this helps a lot. I think I am going into the 2.1. Also I read into your other post, will you suggest Wharfedale - Diamond 10.1 + ELEGIANT 200W 12V Mini Hi-Fi Amplifier Booster

https/www.amazon.com/ELEGIANT-Amplifier-Booster-Adapter-Motorcycle/dp/B01JO59IUY/ref=zg_bs_537344_4?th=1

 

[ssddx]

i've recommended the wharfdale 10 series for people in uk since they are good speakers and at a reasonable price point. they are more expensive in the usa so i dont normally recommend them here as other good options exist. since you were using the amazon.com not .co.uk i assumed you were usa?

i would not have recommended that amplifier for those speakers. that unit looks to be around the same or less quality as the lepai units. you can use them for light duty or small speakers but honestly the wattage output on them is highly overrated and has a very high %THD rate when you crank it up. the diamond 10 is also not as efficient as say the klipsch i recommended so will be a bit harder to power as well. generally speaking, speakers with higher sensitivity will be easier to power than ones with a lower value. on big amps this is not as big of an issue but when pairing with low power amps it could turn into something to take note of.

it seems like you keep wanting to spend almost zero on an amplifier like you feel its not important and to be completely honest with you its going to come back and bite you. a low power low quality amplifier is fine if you're setting up a sub $100 speaker system on a small budget with low power speakers but has no place in any set of any decent quality.

at bare minimum if going for speakers over $100 i'd get a half decent mini amp like a dta-120. ideally for bigger speakers or if you need to connect up multiple sources a receiver is a better choice. why a receiver and not a bigger amp? better amps tend to cost more than receivers as there arent many mid-level products to pick from which makes receivers more of a good pick. plus, receivers (if going 5.1 model not 2.0) allows you to upgrade to more speakers in the future and can handle multiple sources at once.

its possible to hook a subwoofer up to only a stereo receiver by going receiver->sub->speakers if the sub has high level inputs and outputs. if it doesnt, you're going to want something that has an lfe port (generally 5.1 units). if using an amplifier you would need to split the signal before the amp and send one to the sub input and one to the speaker amp (if using powered sub).

your call what you want to go with.. but i will say you will not be happy with a cheap little mini amp. just something to keep in mind.

AA have any suggestions for mid-fi speakers amps? i cant say i know of any off the top of my head.

 

[swzeng]

i've recommended the wharfdale 10 series for people in uk since they are good speakers and at a reasonable price point. they are more expensive in the usa so i dont normally recommend them here as other good options exist. since you were using the amazon.com not .co.uk i assumed you were usa?

i would not have recommended that amplifier for those speakers. that unit looks to be around the same or less quality as the lepai units. you can use them for light duty or small speakers but honestly the wattage output on them is highly overrated and has a very high %THD rate when you crank it up. the diamond 10 is also not as efficient as say the klipsch i recommended so will be a bit harder to power as well. generally speaking, speakers with higher sensitivity will be easier to power than ones with a lower value. on big amps this is not as big of an issue but when pairing with low power amps it could turn into something to take note of.

it seems like you keep wanting to spend almost zero on an amplifier like you feel its not important and to be completely honest with you its going to come back and bite you. a low power low quality amplifier is fine if you're setting up a sub $100 speaker system on a small budget with low power speakers but has no place in any set of any decent quality.

at bare minimum if going for speakers over $100 i'd get a half decent mini amp like a dta-120. ideally for bigger speakers or if you need to connect up multiple sources a receiver is a better choice. why a receiver and not a bigger amp? better amps tend to cost more than receivers as there arent many mid-level products to pick from which makes receivers more of a good pick. plus, receivers (if going 5.1 model not 2.0) allows you to upgrade to more speakers in the future and can handle multiple sources at once.

its possible to hook a subwoofer up to only a stereo receiver by going receiver->sub->speakers if the sub has high level inputs and outputs. if it doesnt, you're going to want something that has an lfe port (generally 5.1 units). if using an amplifier you would need to split the signal before the amp and send one to the sub input and one to the speaker amp (if using powered sub).

your call what you want to go with.. but i will say you will not be happy with a cheap little mini amp. just something to keep in mind.

AA have any suggestions for mid-fi speakers amps? i cant say i know of any off the top of my head.

Again, thanks for the help. I will with the klipsch set and look for an onkyo 5.1.

 

[swzeng]

i've recommended the wharfdale 10 series for people in uk since they are good speakers and at a reasonable price point. they are more expensive in the usa so i dont normally recommend them here as other good options exist. since you were using the amazon.com not .co.uk i assumed you were usa?

i would not have recommended that amplifier for those speakers. that unit looks to be around the same or less quality as the lepai units. you can use them for light duty or small speakers but honestly the wattage output on them is highly overrated and has a very high %THD rate when you crank it up. the diamond 10 is also not as efficient as say the klipsch i recommended so will be a bit harder to power as well. generally speaking, speakers with higher sensitivity will be easier to power than ones with a lower value. on big amps this is not as big of an issue but when pairing with low power amps it could turn into something to take note of.

it seems like you keep wanting to spend almost zero on an amplifier like you feel its not important and to be completely honest with you its going to come back and bite you. a low power low quality amplifier is fine if you're setting up a sub $100 speaker system on a small budget with low power speakers but has no place in any set of any decent quality.

at bare minimum if going for speakers over $100 i'd get a half decent mini amp like a dta-120. ideally for bigger speakers or if you need to connect up multiple sources a receiver is a better choice. why a receiver and not a bigger amp? better amps tend to cost more than receivers as there arent many mid-level products to pick from which makes receivers more of a good pick. plus, receivers (if going 5.1 model not 2.0) allows you to upgrade to more speakers in the future and can handle multiple sources at once.

its possible to hook a subwoofer up to only a stereo receiver by going receiver->sub->speakers if the sub has high level inputs and outputs. if it doesnt, you're going to want something that has an lfe port (generally 5.1 units). if using an amplifier you would need to split the signal before the amp and send one to the sub input and one to the speaker amp (if using powered sub).

your call what you want to go with.. but i will say you will not be happy with a cheap little mini amp. just something to keep in mind.

AA have any suggestions for mid-fi speakers amps? i cant say i know of any off the top of my head.

Just curious will Pioneer SP-BS22 be comparable, the reason is Klipsch is not amazon prime where i can get fast shipment plus good return policy. I saw Pioneer SP-BS22 for around similar price with prime avilable. Also saw something about woofer with this one. Does that mean I can get away without a sub? I rarely turn up my current bose companion 3 sub, I think i have the sub turn at 30%.

https/www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2LG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1UEANNTHF1WVH&coliid=I1ZZ95JA9Y3GX5

 

[ssddx]

bs22 arent bad speakers either. less sensitive though. i think they will be a bit warmer sounding and a bit less detailed on treble but not bad. no, to hit super low notes a subwoofer would still be needed.. but having one really isnt required at all if you can do without the super low tones. a simple stereo receiver would work fine then.

 

[swzeng]

ok thanks again! Just curious did you personally tested all these speakers, I am just really impressed on your knowledge for speakers.

 

[ssddx]

not all of them. some i've heard while others i've read quite a bit on and listened to the opinion of those who have heard. i've heard good feedback from people picking klipsch, wharfdale and energy on here. i personally own a klipsch setup (quintet iv and sub).

as for amps, we use a dta120 and two receivers (one a pioneer one a sony).

its impossible to know it all or have tested it all. while i've certainly spent a fair bit of time listening, i also have done much reading as well

 

[swzeng]

not all of them. some i've heard while others i've read quite a bit on and listened to the opinion of those who have heard. i've heard good feedback from people picking klipsch, wharfdale and energy on here. i personally own a klipsch setup (quintet iv and sub).

as for amps, we use a dta120 and two receivers (one a pioneer one a sony).

its impossible to know it all or have tested it all. while i've certainly spent a fair bit of time listening, i also have done much reading as well

Hope you doing well, sorry to bring up this again. So I am ready to pull the trigger this month and just saw Klipsch HD Theater SB 3 on sale for 289 from Amazon. I saw some review mentioned this soundbar use to be around 700...wondering if this is worth to buy. Specially comparing to hifi like Klipsch KB-15?