Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 135
veteran
|
OP
veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 135 |
Hey all,
I have been looking for some advice on a beginner home theatre system. I want to keep the HT separate from my 2.1 stereo system. I don't have a great TV, yet, but I recently got an amazing deal on two pairs of Michaura speakers (M55 and M66, built by Axiom). So I would only really need a sub and a centre in order to have 5.1 on a dedicated HT system. What I don't have is a clue about HT receivers. I would like to get a Sony 40" LCD HDTV (after some serious footwork, I have decided that's the best one out there for the money. And I don't want any bigger). I really only want to spend around $300-$500 on something for now that I will be able to live with when I get the TV. I'm not sure I need HDMI, or whether I fully understand how sound works with HDMI. I'm totally open to looking for something used too.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks very much!
Zoë
The more you love music, the more you love music.
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654 |
Zoe, keeping well within your budget, a very good deal at the moment(these things sometimes change daily)is the Onkyo 605 factory refurb from Accessories4less for about $350 with free shipping.
-----------------------------------
Enjoy the music, not the equipment.
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 395
devotee
|
devotee
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 395 |
I really only want to spend around $300-$500 on something for now that I will be able to live with when I get the TV. I'm not sure I need HDMI, or whether I fully understand how sound works with HDMI.
Zoë
One thing I noticed when my brother was looking for a Rx was that none of the stuff under $700 at Future Shop/Best Buy (Denon, HK, Yamaha, Pioneer, Sony) accepted audio over HDMI, despite being HDMI v1.3. I think the Denon 788 (1908) was the cheapest at $699. Mind you, you have probably noticed that A/V Rx are about half the price down south.
M80s/VP160/QS8s/EP350; M22s; M3s.
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 868
aficionado
|
aficionado
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 868 |
I would concour that for around $350 the Onkyo 605 is a good value.
Dave
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 135
veteran
|
OP
veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 135 |
Thanks everyone! I guess I've got a real newbie question here, which is do I have to use the HDMI for audio? Can I just use it for video? Will I really notice that big of a difference in video from RCA cables?
The more you love music, the more you love music.
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
|
axiomite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1 |
Zoe, since I don't have an HDMI compatible receiver, I hook my HD DVD player directly to my TV. I use the analog connections from the DVD player to my receiver for audio. The only problem I have is that I have to turn the volume all the way down on my TV because the HDMI carries both audio and video to the TV and I don't have any way to turn the audio portion off.
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,833
axiomite
|
axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,833 |
I run the hdmi to my tv from my dvd player but I run the audio via optical to the receiver. It works great as far as I can tell.
Rick
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7
Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
|
Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7 |
The only problem I have is that I have to turn the volume all the way down on my TV because the HDMI carries both audio and video to the TV and I don't have any way to turn the audio portion off. There's really no way to turn the TV speaker off? What about a mute button instead of dialing down the volume? Or does that make it say mute on the TV the whole time? Just curious about your TV, I suppose.
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
|
axiomite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1 |
It says "mute" the entire time.
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
|
|
|
Re: Beginner HT system advice
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7
Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
|
Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7 |
On the off chance, is there something like a Display button, and would that affect the Mute message appearing on the screen? I imagine it wouldn't affect that, but shots in the dark pass the time.
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics24,945
Posts442,489
Members15,617
|
Most Online2,082 Jan 22nd, 2020
|
|
0 members (),
891
guests, and
3
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|