OK, The Onkyo HT-S6100 Or Build A Home Theater?
I'm not HUGE on the high end stuff, but want something that's future proof and sounds excellent. The Onkyo seems to be the leader. Sure I can spend thousands purchasing the components separately. But can I really match the Onkyo for price if I get the components separately, and still have an equivalent sounding system?
If you are here asking, then you must care about sound quality, but you probably are on a budget.
I'd build the system, however you don't have to spend crazy amounts on high end stuff to blow the doors off these all in one home theaters.
These types of systems are great for tight budgets, and people that just don't want to fuss with anything. They have their place.
But honestly, these things are so cheaply made, even when you spend 500, 800, even a thousand dollars.
My number one gripe with them is how dirty the amps are. Look at all the packages, at all price ranges. Virtually all of them have amps with a 10% THD (total harmonic distortion) they are just too dirty. You'll hear hiss on silent passages.
The speakers are always the cheapest, flimsy, thin-walled things around.
You can do better and not spend much more, plus by building the system it's more future proof and you can slide out any component that fails and replace only that one thing. If your HT system fails, like the DVD or amp, you have to chuck the whole thing, who's gonna fix it?
The downside is that it's more work to research the parts, and buy, and possibly bid if you use ebay.
I built a HT system years ago. But when blu ray came out with the new HD dolby and HD dts, I was covered because I had 6.1 analog inputs. I buy a blu ray with onboard decoders with multi-analog out and I'm covered. Had I purchased a HT, I'd be stuck with the old dolby and dts (they still kick though)
When blu ray came, I slid out the DVD, and slid in a blu ray player.
When I was making more money and wanted a better center channel it was all good.
I'd start by researching older used receivers. Sony ES and Pioneer Elite. You can grab a used one, that's 100 watts x5, has the multi-channel inputs for blu ray and all the features you want, plus the power is clean. It will handle virtually all your gear. But to save money you might have to skip HDMI. Just run HDMI straight to the TV if you make use of that connection. You can get this for 175 to $300 bucks depending on model.
Next, I'd start looking at bookshelf speakers, maybe Polk or another good budget brand. Get a name brand for the front three (left, right, center) and get some cheapos for the rear to save some bucks, the rears aren't active all the time anyway. You could get away with anywhere from 100-200 bucks depending on what you do here.
If you have DVD now, that's fine, it will plug right in. A good receiver will have all the digital inputs you could ever want.
If you don't have blu ray, it's cheap and getting cheaper so no rush on that. I'd save the subwoofer for last. You could get an older Polk for about a 100 bucks. It doesn't need to be the biggest baddest, any entry level polk with a 10" sub will rock the living room.
Cable you can buy cheap at home depot or online.
For 500 to 700 bucks, spead out over time so you will feel it less, you can build a system that rocks, and that will be flexible for changing formats and be easy to upgrade when you feel like it.
Sony ES and Pioneer Elite are their higher end lines, you don't find these at bestbuy and circuit city. You can get an older one that might not have the newest bells and whistles, but the amps and quality are top-notch.
Sony ES
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-STR-DA5ES-7-1-receiver-Dolby-Digital-EX-DTS-ES_W0QQitemZ300286847439QQcmdZViewItemQQptZReceivers_Tuners?hash=item300286847439&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Pioneer Elite http://cgi.ebay.com/PIONEER-ELITE-VSX-27TX-HOME-THEATER-RECEIVER_W0QQitemZ180319982919QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHome_Theater_in_a_Box?hash=item180319982919&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
high end yamaha. It was $2000 back in 2001. I paid 600 for a new one in 2003. Now it's nothing. It is a fine machine. http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-RX-V3000-6-1-channel-600-Watt-Receiver_W0QQitemZ270330120724QQcmdZViewItemQQptZReceivers_Tuners?hash=item270330120724&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Anyway, just some examples.
Good luck
If you are here asking, then you must care about sound quality, but you probably are on a budget.
I’d build the system, however you don’t have to spend crazy amounts on high end stuff to blow the doors off these all in one home theaters.
These types of systems are great for tight budgets, and people that just don’t want to fuss with anything. They have their place.
But honestly, these things are so cheaply made, even when you spend 500, 800, even a thousand dollars.
My number one gripe with them is how dirty the amps are. Look at all the packages, at all price ranges. Virtually all of them have amps with a 10% THD (total harmonic distortion) they are just too dirty. You’ll hear hiss on silent passages.
The speakers are always the cheapest, flimsy, thin-walled things around.
You can do better and not spend much more, plus by building the system it’s more future proof and you can slide out any component that fails and replace only that one thing. If your HT system fails, like the DVD or amp, you have to chuck the whole thing, who’s gonna fix it?
The downside is that it’s more work to research the parts, and buy, and possibly bid if you use ebay.
I built a HT system years ago. But when blu ray came out with the new HD dolby and HD dts, I was covered because I had 6.1 analog inputs. I buy a blu ray with onboard decoders with multi-analog out and I’m covered. Had I purchased a HT, I’d be stuck with the old dolby and dts (they still kick though)
When blu ray came, I slid out the DVD, and slid in a blu ray player.
When I was making more money and wanted a better center channel it was all good.
I’d start by researching older used receivers. Sony ES and Pioneer Elite. You can grab a used one, that’s 100 watts x5, has the multi-channel inputs for blu ray and all the features you want, plus the power is clean. It will handle virtually all your gear. But to save money you might have to skip HDMI. Just run HDMI straight to the TV if you make use of that connection. You can get this for 175 to $300 bucks depending on model.
Next, I’d start looking at bookshelf speakers, maybe Polk or another good budget brand. Get a name brand for the front three (left, right, center) and get some cheapos for the rear to save some bucks, the rears aren’t active all the time anyway. You could get away with anywhere from 100-200 bucks depending on what you do here.
If you have DVD now, that’s fine, it will plug right in. A good receiver will have all the digital inputs you could ever want.
If you don’t have blu ray, it’s cheap and getting cheaper so no rush on that. I’d save the subwoofer for last. You could get an older Polk for about a 100 bucks. It doesn’t need to be the biggest baddest, any entry level polk with a 10" sub will rock the living room.
Cable you can buy cheap at home depot or online.
For 500 to 700 bucks, spead out over time so you will feel it less, you can build a system that rocks, and that will be flexible for changing formats and be easy to upgrade when you feel like it.
Sony ES and Pioneer Elite are their higher end lines, you don’t find these at bestbuy and circuit city. You can get an older one that might not have the newest bells and whistles, but the amps and quality are top-notch.
Sony ES
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-STR-DA5ES-7-1-receiver-Dolby-Digital-EX-DTS-ES_W0QQitemZ300286847439QQcmdZViewItemQQptZReceivers_Tuners?hash=item300286847439&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Pioneer Elite http://cgi.ebay.com/PIONEER-ELITE-VSX-27TX-HOME-THEATER-RECEIVER_W0QQitemZ180319982919QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHome_Theater_in_a_Box?hash=item180319982919&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
high end yamaha. It was $2000 back in 2001. I paid 600 for a new one in 2003. Now it’s nothing. It is a fine machine. http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-RX-V3000-6-1-channel-600-Watt-Receiver_W0QQitemZ270330120724QQcmdZViewItemQQptZReceivers_Tuners?hash=item270330120724&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Anyway, just some examples.
Good luck
References :
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References :
Like stated before, home theater "systems" come with low quality speakers. Onkyo is a fine receiver but their speakers are cheap!!
I went with a Yamaha HTR 6130 R
receiver and Infinity Optimus speakers (all from http://www.bpav.com). I’d put this system against most with movies and music.
Shop around. Onkyo is not the only brand out there!!
Good luck
References :
When I built my home theater system last year I was on a tight budget. But I had a PS3, so I wanted something that could handle HD audio and video. I spent a lot of time shopping around and asking questions. Once I balanced features with price it seemed a no-brainer to go with the Onkyo TX-SR606. It’s affordability (~$350) and specs have made it the Model T of HD home theater receivers. I went through the same procedure when selecting my speakers. Once again, the same product kept popping up. I went with the Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 speaker set. There are higher quality speakers out there, but at $200 they’re a value that can’t be beat.
If you want a bundled system you should buy one that is receiver-based rather than player-based. The highest value receiver-based systems are made by Onkyo. Since it’s based on the TX-SR606, the HT-S6100 is the least expensive HD-ready system. That’s why I’d buy if I were in the market for a bundled receiver-based surround sound system. My only reservation is with the speakers. I know it’s a 7.1 system, but I have no desire for anything more than 5.1 right now. And because Onkyo is known for their receivers and not their speakers, it’s possible they aren’t quite as nice as those you could get elsewhere.
So, as with any other purchase, you must balance what you want with what you can afford. Obviously you don’t want Bose because Bose is an antonym for value.
References :