What would be the best surround system for large room in basement?

Question

Finished basement...TV on the wall..

The room has a low ceiling and is opened to the playroom.

3 walls + the open section to the playroom if you know what I mean. I would like to spend around $500.

Thanks for your inputs.

Answer 1

Maybe i can help:) First things first, if you do not want to run wires for your rear speakers, there are systems with semi wireless rears. I say semi wireless because there is a smaller mini receiver that receives the rear signal wirelessly without having to run cables from your big receiver to the back. Panasonic makes the two that i have seen and if memory serves, they are anywhere from $430 to about $550(for the model with larger front speakers). If you don't mind running rear speaker wire there is one HTIB (Home Theater In a Box) that i am particularly fond of and it is made by samsung. I'll put some links at the bottom of this so you can check those systems out. I personally would rather build my own. I mean picking out a receiver, front speakers, rears, center, and the sub. Building your own will give you MUCH more tweakability and give you a better sound, but if you want to get a one step solution the HTIBs are the way to go. Go into a store somewhere and take a look around I can make suggestions, but its more or less a matter of opinion. Hope this helps.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?... Panasonic SC-PT950

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?... Panasonic SC-PT750

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?... Samsung HT-TX72 (my favorite)

Answer 2

There are 2.1 sound systems and speaker bars that give you a 5.1 effect with 1 or 2 speaker arrays and a subwoofer. They don't sound nearly as good as a true 5.1 surround, but for your situation, they may do a better job with ease of setup and cost effectiveness. Sony, Bose, Altec Lansing, and others make these units. Some can be had for around $500 new, while others may cost around $500 used.

Btw, wireless rear speakers are a bad solution if you don't have an outlet near the rear of this "room" since you'd have to run an extention cord for the rear speakers.

Answer 3

Just so you know, you cannot have the best surround system for a large room in a basement for $500. I dont mean to sound rude, but $500 is not even going to give you something average. An OK reciever is going to cost more than $500 just by itself. So throw words like best out of the window. What you need to find is an all-in-one system that comes with the speakers and the reciever (sometimes even a DVD player). Samsung, LG, Panasonic,... all make home theater in a box. They are not the best, but atleast you will have a surround system that you can enjoy.

Answer 4

500 wont get you much a dvd recorder thats all you need to spend at leat 500dolers if you want quality you can by buy aspeaker pakage fromdbdynamics that will set you back1999dollers that includes to floor standers two rears and a sub as well as centre channel amplaphication a yamaharx-v2700 at around 2499dollers if you want blue ray a ps3 would be mysaloution cheaper than a stand alone player coast 699 dollers try harvy normen

Answer 5

$500 gives you a limited budget for new equipment.

There are HTiB (Home Theater in a Box) options, and a few of them are decent, very simple, and easy to set up. But, they are limited in terms of their flexibility and capability so, should you decide to change things for the better, an HTiB system may not be able to grow with your needs and wants.

Echoing another comment, you should consider finding used equipment for 5.1 surround sound with DTS and Dolby Digital support.

Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo, Harman/Kardon, Rotel, Pioneer ELITE (not the regular Pioneer line), and Sony ES (not the regular Sony line) have made excellent 5.1 receivers that can be had relatively cheaply from used sources, such as eBay (but check seller feedback and make sure the seller will pack the item properly and insure it for shipment).

You will also have to find speakers, so I would recommend Cerwin-Vega!, Klipsch, JBL, or Infinity as good starting points for entry level. Don't get speakers from cheaper brands such as KLH, Jensen, or the like. And be especially wary of the "white van speaker scam;" Google the term for more details.

Be advised that you might still have to spend more than $500 if you decide to invest in a component setup rather than an HTiB.

Answer 6

For $500, you're far better off checking out used equipment than buying crappy new stuff. Look for a used 5.1 receiver with Dolby Digital. (The new ones are 7.1, so a good used 5.1 could be had for $200 or less.) Stick with name brands like Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon, Harmon Kardon. Be a little wary of Pioneer, Sony and JVC -- they're perfectly fine, but test them first.

For speakers, forgo the subwoofer (for now) and get decent-sized towers for the left and right, and if possible, a comparable center channel. Again, go with good brands. If you pick a full-range tower, you should get sufficient bass response, such that you may not need a subwoofer. (A subwoofer is great, but with your budget, it's far better to have two good main speakers than a so-so sub and two crappy mains.)

For the money, this will blow away ANY home-theatre-in-a-box system out there.

Answer 7

Onkyo makes great home theatre systems.

Answer 8

Watch the ad's at best buy.  

Get a good Yamaha receiver with HDMI inputs also look at JBL speakers.  

I went in to best buy and for 650 I got a Yamaha Receiver and a great JBL speaker set.  They always have great deals.  Ask them and they will put a deal together for you.  

Also Circuit city does good deals.

Stay away from high end places where they will suggest higher end items.  You may not really need to get a 120 watts system,  100 watts should be plenty.  

Good luck if you need any thing else email me!