Comments on: Home Theater System for $400

Question: Home Theater System for $400

bigspoon — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 23:27:16 -0800

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?

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 00:27:28 -0800

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.

By: aye

aye — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 03:28:41 -0800

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)

By: Atreides

Atreides — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 04:53:39 -0800

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.

By: niteHawk

niteHawk — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 06:28:28 -0800

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./

By: doctor_negative

doctor_negative — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 06:34:45 -0800

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).

By: skrike

skrike — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 09:05:41 -0800

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