Topic: I'm at a bit of a loss ... Need wife-friendly suggestions.

[evilchris]

If you were to build a system from scratch for less than $1k, what would you get?

It'll be mostly for casual listening (critical listening is done on my Sennheiser HD280 or HD515), movies, and video games.

The problem is that my current setup (Onkyo HT-S760, link) is losing the WAF (wife acceptance factor) War and I've agreed to look into finding something that sounds decent but is less ugly and takes up less room.  She doesn't like that the first thing anyone sees in our living room is a pair of "big speakers on big speaker stands with a big subwoofer).

I've seen recommendations for the T-Amp with a pair of Axiom M3s, but I worry that I'll have a disappointing low-end.  I've heard good things about the Glow Audio stuff, but I don't know that it's within my budget or is even what I'm really looking for.

I'm also going to pitch the idea of dropping the center and surround channels, plus moving the sub behind the couch or something and running a 2.1 system ... I just don't know how well the amp will do its job without the center or surround channels available.

I love my wife, but this sucks.

EDIT: IF YOU HAVE A PLAYBACK RIG THAT YOUR WIFE LOVES, POST PICS. 

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I've dreamed of owning Axioms...

Find an end table that you can hide a sub underneath...

In-Wall speakers???

Drop everything you own and get a SlimDevices Duet, Preamp and Amp.  Amp can be hidden with lengthy cables; Pre and Duet are all that show...

My drunk ass...

Terry

[Nick's Picks]

Music Hall Mambo.
or, a sexy tube integrated (like a Darred)

speakers..., beats me.  thats a hard one.  from my own personal experience, you could have the biggest, baddest most beautiful speakes in the world and she'll still listen to the 20 year old mono kitchen radio.

[StuStu]

I'm happy with the Epos speakers that I'm using for my home theater. For the price, they are excellent. They're also fairly compact, unobtrusive bookshelf speakers for added WAF. You can always add the surrounds and center at a later time. Epos make all of the afformentioned.

The Epos ELS-3 usually retails around $400. I spotted this http://hcmaudio.com/comp.asp?compID=522 from an online retailer. Their current offer is $330 shipped. While I'm not personally familiar with this retailer, that is one hell of a deal!

Stereophile review: http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/104epos/ 

[scervin]

Our living room system consists of a SB Duet, old Marantz receiver I just replace with a new one with HDMI 1.3, and Onix Ref 1's.  In total the system cost $600 including the stands since I already had the receiver.  Wife loves the rosewood since it goes so well with the brazilian cherry floors.

[popskull]

My wife the architect fell in love with me all over again when I moved the tannoy appliances downstairs and set up an older Bose Lifestyle 12 system......my brother bought this in 2003 when they went from Cd to DVD systems, so they are cheep! I see them for less than $500 on ebay complete with sub and 5 cubes

They have a coax dig input that will do dolby digital and 2 channel PCM, but not DTS.

Im happy I can jam on 24 bit DVD-A that I have burned

Wife is happy becouse the circut city decor is gone

Not optimal, but not a bad system for movies/TV/FM/CDs

[Brian Skalinder]

including the stands

What stands are those, Scott?  I'm considering slimming down the LR playback to my VR-1s and doing a separate listening room with my VR-2s, since the VR-2s are pretty darn big for the space in which I have them.  I like the looks of those better than the old stands I have sitting in the basement.