Home Theater System for $400

August 6, 2006 11:27 PM

Can I get a decent home theater system for $400?

My dad recently decided that he wanted to get a 5.1 speaker system for our TV. He says he is willing to spend $400, although I would bet I could convince him to spend a couple hundred more. To me and my limited knowledge of home theater speakers, this sounds like too little to get a good system. Could we get a decent system for $400 (including the receiver but we already have a solid DVD player), what would you get with this money? What are some good buys and what brands should be avoided?

posted by bigspoon to shopping (6 comments total)

You know your dad and his tastes, and what he cares about and what he doesn't.

But I wouldn't spend $400. $400 seems to me to be one of those price points where you're likely to get taken.

If your dad really doesn't give a damn about sound quality, I might spend $200-250 on a set of powered speakers with a digital input. There are plenty on Amazon in that range. All will be radically unspectacular.

If he does give a damn about sound quality, a perfectly good receiver will run you $200--250 and a set of 5 good speakers maybe another $750. Maybe a bit less; you can get bundles from Paradigm for $500.

I do not speak from my own ears, but have read consistently that you can do better buying from the cheaper products of at least nominally higher-end manufacturers (PSB / Energy / Paradigm / etc) than you will by buying $500 of Infinity or Polk stuff from Best Buy.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:27 AM on August 7, 2006

Are you sure you need 5.1? If you can only spend $400, you would probably have far better quality with mid-range 2.0 or 2.1 monitors. I will second ROU_Xenophobe's claim that all low-end powered 5.1 sets are complete junk (especially Logitech's)
posted by aye at 3:28 AM on August 7, 2006

Well, unless your dad is an audio nut and spends time making sure he has just the perfect output, I'd be willing to say that he'd be happy with a $400 system. Heck, I was. I got just a simple Sony dvd/receiver integrated 5.1 system from Sam's club for about $350. I've been entirely satisfied with the setup (until the dvd part broke...which I found a way to bypass, but have since foresworn buying integrated again). If all you want is a home theater system with 5.1 just do some research on the base price models in that area and wander down to your local store of choice. My future brother-in-law, who has worked in the recording industry (and does know sound quality) told my sister when she was interested in purchasing a sound system that for the price she was willing to pay she could get just about anything that'd work for her. I think he only suggested getting a system with a seperate receiver and to focus most on the receiver, versus the speakers.
posted by Atreides at 4:53 AM on August 7, 2006

For $400, you can do what I did, and am very happy...

Join Club Onkyo (it's free) and look at what they have on sale.
Right now there is a 5.1 for $89 with the club membership, and it's not a bad deal at all.

Keep an eye out at outpost.com for the Polk R15s to go on sale again. They Go on sale for $40 + shipping every month or so it seems... at $40 for a pair you just can't beat them.

Athena Sub is considered one of the best low cost Subs one can buy, and they can be found for about $125 on sale

Center channel.. with the R15s, you really want a Polk center. Again, Outpost sale to the rescue... the CSi25 goes on sale pretty regularly for $60. Barring that Circuit City generally has one for ~$100 - the CSM, which is the same speakers in a different cabinet.


Receiver - $89
Front and rear Surrounds - $80
Sub - $125
Center - $100

That'll get you a real good system for under $400, in which the speakers can be used in an expanded (6.1 7.1) system if you go that route n the future./
posted by niteHawk at 6:28 AM on August 7, 2006

It all depends on the definition of decent. From my definition, you can't even buy a decent pair of stereo speakers for $400 (to say nothing of a five channel amp).
posted by doctor_negative at 6:34 AM on August 7, 2006

seconded the onkyo suggestion

I spent 400 under for a refurbished onkyo 780 home theater in a box. They have the refurbished 790 on the site for 369 right now, its an amazing 7.1 system and sounds really great in my basement. If you only want a 5.1 they have other HTIB systems but the 790 comes with a great receiver and you dont have to use the rear 2 speakers if you dont want. The refurb I got was free of any defects, and did come with all the wires and batteries even though the site says it doesnt, the first box I got had a cracked speaker case, they sent me a shipping label took the entire box back and sent a brand new one the next day, really great customer service.

shop onkyo
posted by skrike at 9:05 AM on August 7, 2006