View Single Post
jcoley2
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Darien CT
Send a message via AIM to jcoley2  
2008-01-13, 10:03

I saw that we already have a great thread on those that already have a home theater were they can post their systems specs and pics:

AppleNova Home Theather Setup Thread

But I thought I would start a thread where people thinking of setting up a home theater can come and exchange purchasing advice.

My issue: I am finally getting around to setting up our first true home theater on our third floor. Main part of the room is 16 x 24 wide with a small gym hooked next to it in a separate room through a traditional door (important issue since I would like to play music on the home theater and hear it when working out in the gym.) Main room also has a high peaked ceiling (maybe 16 feet or so), so the room has a lot of volume.

We purchased a Panasonic 50" Plasma (can remember model number) on Christmas 2006 with 1080p and 2 HDMI inputs. All we currently have hooked to it is a PS3 and a DVR box from Cablevision. I mostly go up there to watch HD football and Basketball but the kids are starting to use it more and more versus the traditional TV we have on our family room.

It wasn't until the past Christmas that I actually got some Blu-Ray DVDs for the kids (Lost Season 3, Pirates) and hooked the PS3 to the TV with a HDMI cable that we saw what we were missing. Heck, even Madden 2007 PS3 game looked amazing.

So now I am on a mission to buy a home theater system and make this TV the primary area to view TV. I went out this past week to look at the various options in my budget (I started at $1000 and realized that was not going to cut it if for no other reason that I need a receiver that is going to cost a lot, so I moved the budget up to $3000.) But I realized that since I bought my last speaker/stereo system (like 1982 ) there are so many more options and manufactures I have never heard of.

I currently have two systems from two firms being pitched to me:

Best Buy
1. Receiver: Sony STR-DG910
2. Front and Rear Speakers: Def Tech BP7006BLA
3. Center Channel: Def Tech Mytthosseve
4. Sub Woofer: none necessary since each Def Tech speaker has it built it

When I got this recommendation, I actually like the sound but have never heard of Definitive Technologies--any one know them? Also, the idea of burying the subwoofer into each speaker seems foreign (gimmicky?) to me.

I then went to my local stereo guy that I have used once in my life to see what they recommended:

Local Stereo Store
1. Receiver: Denon 2808CI
2. Front Speakers: Monitor Audio RS270
3. Rear Speakers: Monitor Audio R90 but on a integrated stand made specifically for them
4. Sub Woofer: Monitor Audio R360
5. Center: Another Monitor Audio but can't find the model number

I have always thought Denon products where good price/value but this receiver he is recommending is twice the cost of the Sony. However, the speakers are a little cheaper all-in than the Def Tech Speakers.

One of the reason he is recommending this Denon receiver is the ability to scale up non HD TV signals to look a lot like HD. I forget the term he used but said this alone doubles the cost of the receiver but will make watching regular TV on the 50" plasma more pleasurable--any one think this is true or a waste of money?

Also, any experience with either of these two speaker manufactures or any other ideas.

Now that I got a job, I can buy more Apple products!
  quote