# Home Theater setup recommendations



## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

Hello all, 

I am looking to upgrade/update my current HT setup. Currently, I am running a 5.1 system with the following:

Samsung 650 series 46" 120 hz LCD
Yamaha RXV-2500 7.1 130wpc receiver
JBL E-series floorstanding, center
Infinity Primus rears
Home-built 12" 250w sub

There is MUCH room for improvement in this system (purchased pieces over a period of time during clearance sales/b-stock etc.). I want to finally invest in a complete system that I will not need to update in the near future.

Here is what I am thinking about purchasing:
(TV remaining the same)

Klipsch RF-82 II Floorstanders
Klipsch RC-62 II Center
Klipsch RS-52 II Surrounds
Package: $2,525.00 on Sound Distributors website

Subwoofer: up for debate

Emotiva UMC-1 A/V processor
$699 on Emotiva website
Emotiva UPA-7 125wpc 7-channel amp
$599 on Emotiva website

My goals:

To obtain a decent system for home theater and music purposes. I do not consider myself an audiophile by any means, but I AM a fan of music and movies played at decent quality. I enjoy a wide variety of movies, from action to comedy, to scifi and horror. My musical tastes are more focused: classic rock, modern progressive rock, and even a bit of metal. Examples of my favorites include Boston, the Eagles, Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Beatles as far as the older stuff is concerned. I also like bands such as Metallica, Motley Crue, Guns n' Roses, Dream Theater in the hard rock/metal catagory. 

For sound, I am looking for something that brings out the best in this style of music, that also works well for movies. Speakers must be able to handle the mass explosions in the movies and be able to reproduce the hard-hitting guitar riffs of the heavier music. This should let you know how I enjoy my sound.

My Concerns:

1) Are the speakers appropriate to the total listening experience as laid out above?

2) Are the Emotiva separates appropriate? Should I just go for a multichannel A/V receiver? 

3) My thoughts were that the amplifier would last me near-indefinately as long as it is paired with a current processor. When the time comes to upgrade to new technology (HDMO becoming obsolete, etc.) all I would have to do is upgrade the processor. Am I on the right track with this kind of thinking?

4) The Emotiva processor uses HDMI 1.3 inputs. I understand that 1.4 is out there. What am I missing with that? 

5) The Emotiva amplifier is 125 wpc, all channels driven. Given that the Klipsch speakers are pretty efficient, I believe this would be plenty of power. Is this right?

6) I am open to suggestions for subwoofers. I feel that (though probably in error) most subwoofers sound alike to my untrained ear.

7) What is your general opinion of this system?

I am NOT interested in 3dtv at this point, and do not believe I will in the forseeable future.

My focus is on VALUE, I am hoping I did a pretty good job on finding equipment with "bang for the buck."

Any other recommendations and other observations would really help. 

Thanks in advance!


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## Ares (Nov 23, 2009)

Wow that's a lot to cover but I'll give it a go, you are correct that Klipsch makes very efficient speakers the RF-82 is 98dB @ 2.83V / 1m same for the RF-62 and the RF-52 96dB @ 2.83V / 1m. One question the RF-52's are floorstanding speakers are these it or did you mean the RS-52 which are 95 @ 2.83V / 1m? To your question of HDMI 1.4 this feature is found on 3D ready receivers and TVs but that doesn't mean you can't still own a receiver with HDMI 1.4 it will still be backwards compatible with your current TV.

Have you had a chance to audition these speakers? If not I would strongly suggest you do so to see if horn tweeters are your cup of tea, one thing when auditioning any speaker take music that you know well to make sure you'll like the way your music will sound on them. Let's say you like the way they sound, if it where me and it was my money here is what I would do IMO.









Onkyo - TX-NR3008 THX™ Ultra2 Plus™ Certified 9.2 Channel Network Receiver

or 









Onkyo - TX-NR1008 THX™ Select2 Plus™ Certified 3-D Ready 9.2-Channel Network Receiver

Both of these are factory refurbs but offer the manufactures warranty but since they are refurbs they are offered at about 40% off what A-stock would cost also Accessories4less is an authorized Onkyo dealers. The 3008 is second to the flagship model and it offers the latest auto room correction which is Audyssey MultEQ XT32 vs the 1008 which is two steps back with Audyssey MultEQ.


For Subs the list of good subs are long and without knowing the measurements of the room this setup will be I'll just be spit balling here.










PB12-NSD DSP will start shipping in 2Qtr of 2011










PC12-NSD same as the first just in cylinder form an available now just in case you can't wait.









eD A5 - 350









HSU VTF-3 MK3

This is what I would look at if it where me I hope this helps a bit. Anymore questions fire away and we'll try to answer as fast as we can.


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks for the quick reply. Correction to my original post:
Klipsch RF-82 II Floorstanders
Klipsch *RC*-62 II Center
Klipsch *RS*-52 II Surrounds

Accessories4less is a new website to me, prices look amazing on there. I'll give them a good look. 

I've heard great things about SVS and Hsu subs. I'll look at their specs and dimensions to see how they fit my room. 350W should be enough power for me.


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

Looks like a good choice on speakers.
I'd go with the Emotiva pre/pro and amp over an AVR. your right, the amp will last for a very long time, though pre/pro features will continue to improve.
For subs, I'd recommend an Outlaw LFM-1EX. I't's made by Hsu, so the sounds are similar.
No subs don't all sound the same. You want something that will give you good bass extension ( The Outlaw will do 16hz while some sobs only go down to around 30 hz) , something that will give you a good "compressed" feel in your room, and something that sounds clean without getting boomy. 
No problem with the subs recommended above, but don't just go to Best Buy and grab a sub.


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## virtualpj (Feb 15, 2011)

Strongly agree with Ares' suggestion to listen to the speakers you want to purchase. Everyone's ears are different and with speakers there are no objective criteria on which to base your decisions. Even if I love a speaker, you may not, making it tough to recommend whether or not it's a good fit for you.

I'd also agree that Emotiva is a great choice for bang-for-the-buck. I've got three of their amps and a USP-1, and love them.

On subs, I'll throw Rythmik into the mix. I've got two F15HP's and they sound outstanding.


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

I was able to audition the RF-7 II complete system today. I really enjoyed it, but they are more than I am willing to pay. I haven't found anyone with the RF-82 II system, but I would assume (possibly wrongly) that the RF-82 system would have similar sound characteristics. In playing music, I heard lots that I may have missed before, the way the pick hits the strings of the guitars, the way the tips of the drumsticks hit the drums. It seemed like there was more realism there and more music to be heard than before. And then there were the movies... wow. That's all I've got to say.

I'm still thinking about the pre/pro, amp vs avr. The Onkyo 707 is very inexpensive ($399 on a4l!) and seems to have similar features as the Emotiva pre/pro. It has the preouts that I could use with the separate amp, but at 100 wpc with efficient Klipsch's, I may not even need extra amplification. Is there any big benefit to using Emotiva's A/V processor?

As far as the subs go, I'm leaning towards the Hsu listed a couple posts up. The dimensions are the big thing for me. I also saw the eD A5s-300, seems to have good specs in a very compact enclosure. However it's a sealed sub, which I don't have much experience with. Any big downfalls with this design?

Thanks for the help thusfar!


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## Tufelhundin (Jan 25, 2010)

Concerning the speakers I agree with the above for its about what "you" like to hear. The RF/RS are very easy to drive and due to this I would spend my coin on an AVR with XT32 like the 3008 mentioned above then get separates. The 3008 has a powerful amp package for an AVR and the XT32 is mighty powerful. If you decide to get the external amp at a later date then so be it but I feel the 3008 would be very valuable dues to its capability and amp package.

Irishstout had them in his home for an audition and he may give you his thoughts....see this thread.

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/svsound/37119-sts-02-centre-ordered-crossing-my-fingers.html



Not sure what your room size is and I see you are looking at the HSU "good choice", but you could email SVS and tell them the room dimensions and what you use your system for "% movies / % music" and anything that you may prefer and how loud you listen and ask what SVS sub they recommend and they will respond quickly and you will at least know their thoughts on their product :just in case you may happen to look in their direction". I'm sure HSU will do the same for you as well.


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## Ares (Nov 23, 2009)

Well it nice to know that your cool with a horn tweet now you will know what to expect in terms of sound, the RF-7's goes 3hz lower and has 3dB more in sensitivity. One of the reasons I chose the Onkyos was for the Audyssey whether it's MultEQ, MultEQ XT or the latest MultEQ XT32 Auto Calibration is consider by many as one of the best Auto Cal systems on the market right. Of course many have different preferences such as MCACC, YPAO. I like Audyssey since it will calibrate for multiple listening positions vs just one like the others I mentioned, Tufelhundin has made some good points if you feel that you'll need an amp down the road you can added with the two I suggest and including the Onkyo 707. 

One other point that Tufelhundin made and it's a good one what size is the room that all this gear will be in, this will help us narrow down a recommendation for a sub nothing worse than having a sub that is to small for a room. I have never owned a sealed sub so I'm not qualified to answer that question sorry, now if you where to ask me how do I turn my PS3 into a grill I'm more than qualified to answer that.:bigsmile:


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Concerning ported subs and sealed subs.
Generally speaking, sealed subs will play lower and will have a flatter response than a ported sub. 
But the sealed sub needs more power than ported subs, so ported subs are easier to 'go loud.'
The port in a sub is not just a hole, it's size and implementation is critical for proper response. So anytime you go for a ported sub, make sure it's built by a highly reputable company.


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

To OP:
In order to obtain the most accurate suggestions and feedback please post your room dimensions (LxWxH and state in feet or meters). Also you could tell us what media device you plan to use (i.e. PS3, separate BR/DVD player, Xbox, Cable/Satellite, Etc).

Just so we can provide more relevant feedback.


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

smurphy522 said:


> To OP:
> In order to obtain the most accurate suggestions and feedback please post your room dimensions (LxWxH and state in feet or meters). Also you could tell us what media device you plan to use (i.e. PS3, separate BR/DVD player, Xbox, Cable/Satellite, Etc).
> 
> Just so we can provide more relevant feedback.


This room is a multipurpose living/dining room (semi-open floor plan). The size of the room is approx 16'x24'. The portion of the room used for A/V is approx 16'x13' (about the right half of the room), viewing distance about 10' from the tv.

Devices are PS3, XBox 360, Comcast HD-DVR.



> Irishstout had them in his home for an audition and he may give you his thoughts....see this thread.
> 
> http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...y-fingers.html


This post gave me alot of good insight, thanks.


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

So, to update everyone, I placed my order for the Klipsch rf-82 system as described above from Sound Distributers:

(see link on below post)

At $2,525, being a authorized dealer, and free subwoofer (Premier Acoustics PA-150), the deal looked very good.

I'm not sure about the sub, but it was free (and free shipping on the entire order). Anyone know anything about it?

Also, I'll probably be ordering an Onkyo 808 from A4L. The more looking I did, the better the deal looked on the Onkyo ($599) vs the Emotiva setup ($599+$699) I was considering. 

The jury is still out on the subwoofer. It's easy to lose sight and see the subwoofer price inflate to over $1000 without being careful. Hell, maybe that freebie in the Klipsch deal is all I need. In that case, I'll wait until I receive it to give it a listen to before I go out and order a different one.


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

Link from Sound Distributors, since I've reached my required 5 postings before I post links:
http://www.sounddistributors.com/bu...rid=243&cat_name=Klipsch+Home+Theater+Systems


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

I'm getting very excited, my new Klipsch RF-82 II system is set to arrive on Monday and now it's time for new receiver shopping =))).

Right now, the Onkyo 808 seems to be the easy to go for the moment. I do have questions though. What additional features does the 1008 have over the 808?

From what I see:
* Same wattage
* 1008 is 9.2 (I don't really need any more than 7)
* Same THX cert.
* 1008 has VLSC, and isf calibration (I don't know what these are)
* Inputs are adequate on both
* Both have Audyssey MultEQ

Is there anything extra that I'm not seeing? If not, I think the better deal would come from the 808 ($240 difference). 

Do the Onkyos support USB video via external HDD? I have used a flash drive in my samsung TV to play movie files (.wmv maybe?) with optical out to the receiver. However the quality is not near 100% of what it's like on the computer. Anyway, do the Onkyo receivers also play video files from a flash drive/external HDD? My friends like to tote around their video libraries when the come down to hang out and better playback would be awesome.

Thanks!


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## Tufelhundin (Jan 25, 2010)

In my eyes the 808 is the better buy for the money, the 3008 would be a huge step up from the 808. If you want more power, stronger Audy then the 808 and don't need 1.4 then check A4L and look at the 3007. Congrats on your 82's, really waiting to hear your impression with them after some time. They are very efficient and either Onk will drive them quite well.


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

New update =)

I finally decided on an AVR and ordered it on Friday. Went with the Onkyo 1007, price being $100 more than the 808.

What I gained:
*2 extra channels of amplification
*THX Ultra2 cert (from Select2)
*Independent Block Construction (Amp/preprocessor)
*Neural surround
*VLSC
*isf Calibration control
*Zone 2 video
*A few more inputs
*Audyssey MultEQ XT (from MultEQ)

What I lost from going with a xxx7 model:
*HDMI 1.4

I am lucky that I bought the last one on Accessories4less (I think it was sold out and they must have gotten another one in). I think the extra $100 was totally worth it, considering I am not interested in 3d.

On a side note, the Klipsch's are exceeding my expectations of them. They literally beg me to turn the volume higher and higher - I've heard no strain for them at all yet while running the 130wpc Yamaha RX-V2500 at -30 dB. I am afraid to turn it any higher or else the neighbors would probably hunt me down.

Thank you all at hometheatershack for your valuable advice and depth of resources throughout the forums.


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## Tufelhundin (Jan 25, 2010)

bdon said:


> New update =)
> 
> I finally decided on an AVR and ordered it on Friday. *Went with the Onkyo 1007*, price being $100 more than the 808.
> 
> ...




Congrats on your purchase! :T


May I ask where you go the 1007? Was it new/refurb, or????


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## bdon (Feb 14, 2011)

Tufelhundin said:


> Congrats on your purchase! :T
> 
> 
> May I ask where you go the 1007? Was it new/refurb, or????


The 1007 was refurbished on Accessories4less.com for $699.99. They may be out of stock now since I got the last one.


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

bdon said:


> This room is a multipurpose living/dining room (semi-open floor plan). The size of the room is approx 16'x24'. The portion of the room used for A/V is approx 16'x13' (about the right half of the room), viewing distance about 10' from the tv.


I understand the desire to upgrade your audio equipment, but the display would have been the first thing I upgraded if you're at all concerned with PQ (or any semblance to HT). You're not even getting the full benefit of 720p on that display from that distance, let alone any 1080p benefit. From that distance you should have a minimum of a 55" display and preferably 70"+.


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