theater in a box with powered sub woofer?

S

sdadept

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 3, 2004
Messages
433
I'm looking to buy a mid range home theater sound system to go with my new samsung 60: 720vt 3d tv. All of the 'home theater in a box' systems I see on like newegg don't specify if the subwoofer is powered (i want really solid clear bass).

so its really two questions. What would anyone recommend for home theater sound systems in the $300 to $800 range? And am I even looking at the right thing?
 
Honestly I don't think any of the audio enthusiasts on here would recommend a home theater in a box, I wouldnt either in any case, and definitely not if you are looking for solid clear bass. I can tell you that I have a modest $1200ish into my home theater and it consists of a DTS/DD receiver, left and right front channel speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer. I think it sounds way better than any home theater in a box and honestly when you buy those all in one systems the rear speakers just sound more gimmicky than anything and really don't pull you into the movie at all. Especially the way I've seen some people set and place the side/rear speakers (not saying you are one of them).

Anyways, I would highly recommend buying all the individual components for a solid 3.1 system, 5.1 system, or even just a good 2.1 stereo with a sub... I'm quite positive you will be more please with $600 3.1 setup than you would be with an $800 home theater in a box. If I were in your position I would look at yamaha receivers and polk audio speakers. I have a $250 yamaha receiver and am thoroughly impressed with its clarity and power especially considering the price. Same with polk audio speakers, though i don't have them anymore. I can't give much advice on a sub as I've been using the same 15" sub for the past 10ish years and don't know whats good and not anymore.

edit: as far as subs i can give you a bit of advice, i would look for a sub with at the very minimum, 100 watts rms. mine is 200 rms and have yet to bottom it out or distort it and i definitely crank it during movies and music. for someone starting out i'd say that 100 to 150 watts should be sufficient, and if you look at crutchfield.com and goto the home audio, then to powered subwoofers, there are plenty of highly rated subs. crutchfield can be a bit overpriced but should give you a good idea of what to look for elsewhere. it looks like polk audio, klipsch, infinity, and other well known brands are still producing pretty decent subs given their customer ratings.
 
Last edited:
As with the above, HTIB options are generally disappointing.

Assuming that your budget includes a receiver, I would recommend four main options:

1. Buy a good quality 3.x system now, and then deal with surrounds later as your budget allows. Your front three speakers should always be tonally matched. E.g. they should ideally use the same drivers and be of the same line within a brand. Look for ID (internet direct) deals to save further money.

This would be my personal advice.

2. Forget HTIB, there are plenty of speakers deals which will work within your budget. The above mentioned brands are all a good place to start.

In addition, I would like to add the following:

Jamo 5.0 (~$170, Amazon):
http://www.amazon.com/Jamo-426-HCS-...&qid=1352143753&sr=8-1&keywords=jamo+speakers

Energy 5.x Take Classic (~$400 5.1, ~$195 5.0, Amazon):
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Classi...id=1352143827&sr=8-1&keywords=energy+take+5.1
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-RC-Mic...id=1352143828&sr=8-4&keywords=energy+take+5.1

BIC F12 Sub (~$200, Amazon):
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F...e=UTF8&qid=1352143840&sr=8-1&keywords=BIC+f12

3. Go for a quality 2.x sound system. Surround is great when done properly, but I personally feel that there are times where a quality stereo system can punch well above a fair of budget surround system. Take this into consideration.

4. DIY

As for receivers for the above, Onkyo would be my personal choice for a budget minded receiver, but there are other brands. You should be able to get something more than serviceable for around $200-300.

Depending on which direction you chose to go from the above, etc., others and I may be able to help further.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
sdadept said:
I'm looking to buy a mid range home theater sound system to go with my new samsung 60: 720vt 3d tv. All of the 'home theater in a box' systems I see on like newegg don't specify if the subwoofer is powered (i want really solid clear bass).

so its really two questions. What would anyone recommend for home theater sound systems in the $300 to $800 range? And am I even looking at the right thing?
Click to expand...

Even the Bose Lifestyle 28 I have doesn't hold up to a mediocre dedicated speaker system.

You can get HTiB but be mindful as the others have mentioned here. If your room is bigger than 10x12, you need big speakers to get the clear, hard, and loud response you are looking for. I know this doesn't help much, but I think you are looking in the wrong direction.
 
Aalia Nebhan said:
Genuinely for that money you can develop a reasonable program but you have to develop your elements seperatly. allows say you want a 5.1 encompass i would spend about $300 one a onkyo or yamaha reciever and the rest on stereo audio. people often are puzzled and think the reciever is more essential while actually the stereo audio are far more essential. For example you can use a $300 onkyo reciever with good stereo audio and it will strike you away.

this is the technique i used in my funds audiophile program which i designed for around $1,500. Find the biggest ranked manufacturers like Velodyne, Model, Hsu Study, KEF, Klipsch and look at there elements you can manage. I say to do this because they are all really great audio producers and they offer cost-effective elements that trend styles approved down to them from their top of the line stereo audio which makes them excellent to most other stereo audio in that cost range.
Click to expand...


Very true indeed. Start with a decent mid range receiver (7.1, 7.2, 9.2, etc) with internet streaming capability and then buy speakers. Start with the L/R Fronts. Then move to center. After a few months or so you can buy those surrounds.

The Polk Audio Monitor line is a great set of speakers for the entry level home theater. The next higher Polk line is the TSi series. Check 'em out.

http://www.polkaudio.com/

And yes I'm a Polk speaker owner. Don't hate... LOL

My current system is:
Samsung UN55C8000 55" 3D LED
Samsung BD-6900 3D Bluray
Sony DVPCX995V 400 Disc DVD player
WDTV Live media player
Wii
XBox 360 w/Kinnect
Onkyo NR-3009 9.2 AV Receiver 140WPC
Emotiva XPA-2 300WPC Stereo amp
Polk Audio RTiA9 floorstanding speakers
Polk Audio CSiA6 center speaker
Polk Audio F/XiA6 surround speakers
JBL 12" 250W subwoofer

I started with a HTiB (and a high end one at that) and it sounded nice. In smaller living rooms (I move a lot) it sounded OK, but the bass and the clarity were never there. I added two Sony bookshelf speakers, a 100W stereo amp, and a subwoofer and the difference started to become clear. Everything sounded better through these dedicated speakers and amp.

Over the past few years, I started listening to music. Really listening. Getting better recordings, going with FLAC files, Bluray and DVD music discs. I noticed that the power and the clarity still weren't there. When I finally bought the Polk speakers, which I believe are the best speaker value for the money, I was blown away.

If you really want to know how your speakers sound, put in the Bluray "Transformers - Dark Side of the Moon". If you and your guests just stare at the TV with a big, stupid smile on your face, you'll know you've found your setup. My neighbor was smiling an hour later out at the fire pit. He couldn't wipe it off his face after listening to the sound system... :D
 
I started with a HTIB, then a more expensive HTIB. Then I went with an Onkyo SR-606 with Klipsch quintet speakers and a klipsch 10" powered sub. It was nice, but I still felt it was lacking a little bit. So I sold the quintets and bought two Polk monitor 60s, kept the Klipsch sub, and replaced my SR-606 when I acquired the HDMI switching problem. Now running the same setup with a Denon AVR-791, and don't foresee changing anything anytime soon (except the bluray player, but that's another story). I'm very happy with the sound we're getting out of it from our HTPC.

TLDR: Don't buy a HTiB, buy individual components.
 
The only company I've seen make HTIB's worth a damn is Onkyo.

Onkyo's HTIB comes with a discrete component level receiver just like you'd buy off the shelf and a powered subwoofer just like you'd buy off the shelf. The speakers they include are component level as well although not the greatest... still a great start to a good system.
 
I went with a Klipsch HDT-500 (some-such, $300) and a b-stock Yamaha for ~$200; just added some decent Klipsch towers to complete the 7.1 setup.
 
ok, I'm sold. I won't go for htib.

So my next question then is what do I need to start putting together an expandable system? What does a receiver do for me? The audio/video will be coming through HDMI cables from the bluray player, and my HD tivo. I also have cable tv coming from the wall jack. What does a receiver even do in that sort of setup?

If I buy a receiver, can I get one that ultimately can start at 3.1 and eventually move to 5.1? I like the idea of 3.1 as currently my living room isn't wired for surround so getting 5.1 would probably be a waste in the short term before I fix that.

I need very specific recommendations on a sub (powered only please as this is important to me) and speakers. I don't have the budget to go super high end but I could probably drop $800 or so and be ok.
 
Blue Falcon said:
The only company I've seen make HTIB's worth a damn is Onkyo.

Onkyo's HTIB comes with a discrete component level receiver just like you'd buy off the shelf and a powered subwoofer just like you'd buy off the shelf. The speakers they include are component level as well although not the greatest... still a great start to a good system.
Click to expand...

I second this. They make some great HTIB's... but I did piece my setup together quite a bit cheaper.

I went with a refurb Denon 1612 receiver, and some B.A. powered sub and speakers that I got open box... i think I had $400 in my system, and its amazing (for the price)

I would look at the Energy Take Five's if you piece something together. They are awesome.
 
I think HTIB's are fine for smaller rooms. Sound isn't usually cranked up to levels where flaws will be present and the average consumer will still think it sounds GREAT. Even at decently high volumes MOST have great bass response and sound perfectly acceptable. I have 3 different HTIB's spread throughout my house. They all sound perfect in the different rooms. It all depends on your ears and what sounds good to you but I have no problems with HTIB's. Looking for another right now.

My dedicated Theater Room however has all seperate components bought for specific reasons.
 
sdadept said:
ok, I'm sold. I won't go for htib.

So my next question then is what do I need to start putting together an expandable system? What does a receiver do for me? The audio/video will be coming through HDMI cables from the bluray player, and my HD tivo. I also have cable tv coming from the wall jack. What does a receiver even do in that sort of setup?

If I buy a receiver, can I get one that ultimately can start at 3.1 and eventually move to 5.1? I like the idea of 3.1 as currently my living room isn't wired for surround so getting 5.1 would probably be a waste in the short term before I fix that.

I need very specific recommendations on a sub (powered only please as this is important to me) and speakers. I don't have the budget to go super high end but I could probably drop $800 or so and be ok.
Click to expand...


your receiver is your amplifier, decoder, and brains of the system. you can plug one HDMI cable to the tv from it, and plug everything else into the receiver and use the receiver to switch sources.

for the receiver you have two options. first how much can you spend on a receiver? it looks like 800$ is your total price so if you went for a 3.1 system, you could probably go for a $250ish receiver and have plenty left. look for onkyo, denon, yamaha. they are all good choices and dont get caught up on wattages, my yamaha is only 80watts per channel and more than enough power to drive my center channel and 12" fronts.

they sell stereo receivers, or 5.1 receivers and up. (someone correct me if i'm out of date here) if you only plan on stereo then the obvious choice is a stereo receiver, though nowadays its hard to find stereo only receivers and they are usually low quality. Don't even look at a 7.1 receiver as its probably too much and wasted resources (you said you will probably just do 3.1). your best option would be to get a 5.1 receiver, and yes, you can have it take advantage of whatever speakers you have and create a 2.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1 setup and whatever else fits your imagination. when you go through the settings just tell it what speakers you DON'T have hooked up, and itll route the sound from the nonexistant channels to the front speakers/sub/anything that is hooked up and suitable. im very pleased with my 3.1 setup and also like that i just need two more speakers and nothing else when im ready to upgrade to 5.1.

do you have specific size requirements for a sub? driver size or physical size of the actual box? i would start looking here http://www.crutchfield.com/g_12300/Powered-Subwoofers.html?avf=N steer clear of anything under 100 watts. i would suggest 150 watts+ since you place emphasis on wanting clear clean bass. just quickly browsing through id say this one http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107PSW125B/Polk-Audio-PSW125-Black.html?tp=187 is gonna be the best bang for the buck and give you what you want. subs can be pretty dang pricey but a good one is worth it. once you find the model you want it might be worth it to check amazon for lower prices

edit: just saw you want recommendations of speakers too. i would check out some on crutchfield.com, the customer reviews dont lie so just pick and choose but try to keep the same series all around. for example if you use the Polk Audio TSi series front speakers, then use a TSi series center channel as well to ensure they are acoustically matched. Polk Audio are definitely my top choice for budget minded/quality sound. i have the TSi CS10 center channel and for the price its freaking amazing, really crisp and clear. Polk/Infinity/Klipsch should all more than meet your expectations.
 
Last edited:
TESLA said:
As with the above, HTIB options are generally disappointing.

Assuming that your budget includes a receiver, I would recommend four main options:

1. Buy a good quality 3.x system now, and then deal with surrounds later as your budget allows. Your front three speakers should always be tonally matched. E.g. they should ideally use the same drivers and be of the same line within a brand. Look for ID (internet direct) deals to save further money.

This would be my personal advice.

2. Forget HTIB, there are plenty of speakers deals which will work within your budget. The above mentioned brands are all a good place to start.

In addition, I would like to add the following:

Jamo 5.0 (~$170, Amazon):
http://www.amazon.com/Jamo-426-HCS-...&qid=1352143753&sr=8-1&keywords=jamo+speakers

Energy 5.x Take Classic (~$400 5.1, ~$195 5.0, Amazon):
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Classi...id=1352143827&sr=8-1&keywords=energy+take+5.1
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-RC-Mic...id=1352143828&sr=8-4&keywords=energy+take+5.1

BIC F12 Sub (~$200, Amazon):
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F...e=UTF8&qid=1352143840&sr=8-1&keywords=BIC+f12

3. Go for a quality 2.x sound system. Surround is great when done properly, but I personally feel that there are times where a quality stereo system can punch well above a fair of budget surround system. Take this into consideration.

4. DIY

As for receivers for the above, Onkyo would be my personal choice for a budget minded receiver, but there are other brands. You should be able to get something more than serviceable for around $200-300.

Depending on which direction you chose to go from the above, etc., others and I may be able to help further.
Click to expand...

+1 for the Energy RC Micros. They sound fantastic, look great, and take up very little space.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Long time HT buff here - the HSU sets are some of the best on the market. They sound fantastic and are your best bet in your price range.

HSU Value 1

I also agree with some of the suggestions to do 2.x or 3.x. When doing a budget build a good quality 2.x channel system will always sound better than a HTiB or other subpar system, ALWAYS. Depending on your seating though you may need a center channel if you have off axis seating.

EDIT: I see someone beat me to the HSU suggestion. They truly make awesome stuff. Also take a look around audiogon.com for used stuff. I've had nothing but good things happen when using that site.
As far as a receiver goes I would look for something like this Denon.
 
Last edited:
That HSU package looks to be really nice.

Emotiva is also have a sale right now on their bookshelves ($159/pair and up).
 
TESLA said:
That HSU package looks to be really nice.

Emotiva is also have a sale right now on their bookshelves ($159/pair and up).
Click to expand...

Yeah Emo makes some great stuff. I have one of their amps at home and 2 in the office running the distributed audio system here. They all overperform as far as their specs go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top