Topic: time for an "upgrade". need some help on a low end (best buy) system.....

[ducati]

Yes, $400 is for 2.  The 5.1 system includes the tiniest sub you'll ever likely see.  The thing is smaller than a shoebox 

Skip 5.1 entirely at this budget point, imo, and you'll get something far more musically satisfying. 

[scervin]

Just he stated that he was looking at HT.  I'm not in the camp that says a great 2 channel system will better a 5.1 channel system for movies.  Just doesn't happen. 

sc

[ducati]

I disagree.  I don't like 5.1 until you spend some bux on it.  A good 5.1 system will shine...  But I've found a good 2-channel system can sound great, too.

For instance, I'm running a HD cable box > almarro A205A SET amp > almarro M2A speakers in my home office.  I recently had ProAc Tablette Ref 8's in that room (less expensive).  I have an LCD TV in the middle and sometimes watch movies when my wife is using the big rig for something else.  This system consistently surprises me with the vast sonic expanse it delivers, far bettering the enjoyment I got out of my old HD box > Denon 1802 > 5 B&W DM302's with a Velodyne sub.  Both rigs cost about the same if you consider the ProAc's.

So yes, I'd much rather have a small tube amp and 2 Dreamcatchers than a low-cost 5.1 setup.  Every time.  And it will sound much better on music, too.  And your upgrade path, should you so choose to add 5.1, will lead you to a much better rig in the end.   Some people say it's about priorities, that 2-channel cannot do well with movies.  I simply disagree.

Now when you're talking serious bux, you have many options that allow you to tie a 2-channel and 5.1 in a high-quality rig. 

[scervin]

I do agree with you that a cheap HTIB will be garbage and a nice 2.1 for the same will be better, but again with say $3k 5.1, 2 channel can't touch it for movies.  Some folks only care about the 5.1 performance anyhow.  We will have to agree to disagree.

sc

[ducati]

I don't disagree with you, our lines are just drawn in different spots, I think

The original poster said "Best Buy" which necessarily meant a sub 3k budget.  Hence my recco!

[scervin]

Gotcha!    What do you consider good 5.1?  Just curious.  When my employer decides to stop losing $8.6 billion a year I'll feel more comfortable about purchasing new gear.  I fo one need to have good 2 channel and good 5.1.  My short list includes Pass Labs X250.5 and X3 with AVM 30 or used D1 and not sure yet, but may consider a 2 channel pre with HT bypass.  Balanced outs are a must as I need to run 30' to amps.  Hopefully in Q2 things will have settled down.  We are all waiting for the 4000 salaried cut by the end of Q1 (at least this is the latest rumor).

[Gordon]

The original poster said "Best Buy" which necessarily meant a sub 3k budget.  Hence my recco!

way under 3k   around $650 shipped.  got it all but haven't hooked it up yet.  lets put it this way,  anything is better than what I had

[ducati]

Gotcha!    What do you consider good 5.1?  Just curious.  When my employer decides to stop losing $8.6 billion a year I'll feel more comfortable about purchasing new gear.  I fo one need to have good 2 channel and good 5.1.  My short list includes Pass Labs X250.5 and X3 with AVM 30 or used D1 and not sure yet, but may consider a 2 channel pre with HT bypass.  Balanced outs are a must as I need to run 30' to amps.  Hopefully in Q2 things will have settled down.  We are all waiting for the 4000 salaried cut by the end of Q1 (at least this is the latest rumor).

I like the 2-channel pre HT bypass option.  I have been doing this for years, it's the only way I can do both 5.1 and 2-channel.  I'm not a 5.1 nut, so my money is usually drained into the 2-channel rig...  But the beauty of doing it this way is you can go as wild as you want, on both ends.  To my ears, 5.1 pre/pro's just do *not* sounds as good as hifi 2-channel pre's.  So with the HT Bypass setup, you can have your SOTA 5.1 pre/pro AND your favorite 2-channel pre, best of both worlds.

I don't have a SOTA multichannel pre/pro.  I'd like to get one someday, as my Denon 5.1 receiver isn't cutting it.  When I had the McCormack UDP-1 (5.1 out to the denon) I realized how colored and grainy the Denon is.  I'm missing alot.

We're going to finish the basement next year or thereabouts, and I'm going to do a projector rig.  I am tired of having large objects between my speakers, and dream of the day I can roll the screen out of the way (I'm really a hifi 2 channel nut, ya know).  But when putting together the "movie theater" part of the system, I want something nice this time.  We do watch alot of movies.  I want to put together a system that wows me both in movie mode and hifi mode.

[bgalizio]

I know the original poster has made his decisions already, but I thought I'd chime in with my playback system. I have an Onkyo TX-SR503 receiver (http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR503&class=Receiver&p=i) and Athena S3 speakers (http://www.athenaspeakers.com/modelS3.htm), which sounds great for this price point. I want to add a 5.1 setup sometime this year and will probably go with the Athena Micra 6 system. I like having all audio/video stuff together in one room, so this works easiest for me. Yes, I like tubes, but am not quite ready for that yet.