# What was your first Home Theater setup



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

In another thread it was brought up and I thought what a great discussion topic.
So, what was your first Home Theater system and when did you buy it?

My first system consisted of a Yamaha E300u surround processor bought new in 1989 that had 35watts per channel on the rear, center and front effect channels I had to use a carver receiver 6250 to power the main channels as it only had pre outs for them.
The E300u only had Dolby pro-logic and Yamaha's famous surround modes like theater, Hall, stadium and more, they worked really well and a friend of mine still uses it today.
For the first little wile I used some self powered Bose Roommate speakers for the rears and a small set of bookshelves for the front effect channels. For my mains I used some LXI speakers made by Sanyo that are still working today.
For the display I used a Yamaha 27" monitor that was $1400 and a Toshiba 4 head HiFi VHS deck that cost me $1200:unbelievable:
I bought a Yamaha CDC 805 CD 5 disc player that I still use today.


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## salvasol (Oct 31, 2006)

:scratchhead: . onder: 

It was a Sony (I still have it, but one channel is not working; I already fix it one time) ... I don't recall the model, but is two separate units ... One has the tuner, tape and CD player and the bottom part is the subwoofer :yes:

It uses one cable between units and speakers are connected through the sub ... this was an open box deal at "Montgomery Ward" :rubeyes: ... I purchased the surround speakers separatelly because they were missing (Pioneer set that I still have too) ... I need to get rid of some stuff I been accumulating during the years :bigsmile:


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## thewire (Jun 28, 2007)

I got my first DVD player, an Aiwa XD-DV-370 for my birthday with The Matrix on DVD. I ended up with 2 RCA outputs to my 27" television, two speakers out of that connected to some speaker terminals, an RCA out of the television to my computer amp, and four more speakers connected to that. They were factory car speakers, and had no enclosures. That is the first HT I put together myself. If you were counting the first HT experience, It would have to be one of the frist rear projection televisions made by magnavox. I used to open that thing up and focus/align the CRT tubes before I could ride a bike. I think it was a 55" but not sure.


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## sparky77 (Feb 22, 2008)

I would have to say back in 87 I had a Pioneer reciever with so called surround sound, it was more like a 4 channel matrix that seemed to always have the surrounds running with just an echo effect. Had it hooked up to an old 24 inch console tv with stereo sound outputs that I picked up at a rummage sale for 20 bucks because the internal speakers were blown. Had the system hooked up to 4 realistic minimus 77 speakers and a 8inch passive sub. Still have the minimus speakers and am planning on refoaming them and using them as my surrounds till I build some custom diy's.


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## atledreier (Mar 2, 2007)

Denon AVR 1600 powering a pair of Monitor Audio MA201. Boston Acoustics VR5 dipole surrounds and a Paradigm CC6 ceter channel. A Paradigm PB110 powered by a NAD 912 amp. A Panasonic VCR as source. Grundig 34" 4:3 CRT tv. That TV was HUUUUGE! 

Most of that kit is still in daily use. I've upgraded a 'bit' since then, but much of it is still usen with friends and relatives. Have some good memories from that kit.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

The first multi-channel setup I had of my own was a Sony HTIB. Don't remember the name, the speakers were pretty small, 3' oblong drivers I think, with a sub that's still in use at my parents place and a receiver that's still used by a friend of mine. I think I paid about $350 in 1999 and it was a great system for that price.

It was the first time I'd really listened to a sat/sub combo and was amazed at the size of the sound.


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Hmmm,... really don't remember all the details but, it was a Kenwood rack system I bought in Okinawa sometime in 1987. Basically a HTiB before the HTiB :bigsmile: Of course it was four boxes, one for the rack, one for each speaker, and one big box with a bunch of little boxes inside that contained the components. It was based around a KM-205 or 206 or maybe even 207 amp (just can't remember the numbers), separate control amp, tuner dual cassette deck, turn table, separate graphic eq. and KL-A900 speakers, I also added a pr. of Bose 601 Series III. A TEAC 4 head Hi-Fi VHS and a 19" Mitsubishi CRT.


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## Hakka (Sep 10, 2006)

Well, i thought it was a home theater at the time 

I had a sherwood stereo receiver with surround outputs that just added echo to the signal, pro logic didn't exist. The source was a mono vhs vcr using a y cable.
Front speakers were the biggest ones i could find at the local store, they had two 15 inchers and a tweeter, i dont think the tweeters worked. Surrounds were my first diy project, i ripped the drivers out of an old ghetto blaster and mounted them in 2 litre plastic ice cream containers. 

The display device was a 10 inch black and white tv.

Beat that! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

My first one was a Pinoneer dvd player, an AWIA two channel amp, a sharp 480x640 lcd projector and some DIY 4-way speakers.

This thread reminds me that I should update my equipment list as it has changed several times since.


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## superchad (Mar 7, 2008)

AHHH my first time, I remember it well...sorta.

I had a Pioneer Pro Logic model reciever, Panasonic dual haed Laserdisc, Panasonic HIFI VCR, a matched set of JBL's all around and a Kenwood remote powered sub with all MIT cables and a 32' Sony Trinitron which I thought was really great cause via remote you could spin the stand to adjust viewing angle..............my how the times have changed! The 6th week of DVD players release in I think 1998 I bought a $800 Panasonic model that also did Karoke, now a $39 unit is better!


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2008)

I had stereo's for a while as a teen and eventually hooked up my reciever (Pioneer VSX-505S i believe) to the TV my parents let me use, I had Yamaha's back then 3-ways 12" in the front 8" in the rear. Flash foward a few years out on my own have enough cash, and DVD-players also just hit the 250 with rebate mark. Picked me up at 32" toshiba crt and a panasonic dvd-player (Sold to my Dad he still has both) Already had a Hitachi 6-head HiFi VCR. Got a Kenwood Dolby Digital reciever for the DVD's not long after that. Speakers were 4-way KLH 15" for the fronts (notice a trend of mine), still using the 3-way 8" Yamaha's for the rears (blew the 12"s) and eventually picked up an Optimus/RCA Center the Linaeum Tweeter one with 5" "Woven Kevlar" woofers, still using that center to this day. And a JBL 10" sub.

I've since grown up from the more speakers is better but still 15" woofers is impressive.


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## PT800 (Feb 19, 2008)

salvasol said:


> :scratchhead: . onder:
> 
> It was a Sony (I still have it, but one channel is not working; I already fix it one time) ... I don't recall the model, but is two separate units ... One has the tuner, tape and CD player and the bottom part is the subwoofer :yes:


You had the same experience with Sony as I did.
I bought Sony's top end prologic receiver in '91, had in the shop 2 or 3 times, until I replaced it in '99.
I used what was the first consumer sat/sub system, JBL L212, which was just a 2.1 sytem dating back to the late '70s. As I didn't have enough room for larger surrounds, I bought a small pair of RS speakers that were wall mounted.
The normal setup for that Sony receiver was to use the tv speaker for the center, as its center output was only a pre-out.
After I built a bigger room in '97, I started to upgrade everything.


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## Wayde (Jun 5, 2006)

Ahhh yes. The memories come rolling back.

My first 'big' TV was a "Curtis Mathes" (really an NEC) 27" picture tube set. I recall marveling that the news anchor’s head was about the size of a real person’s head when telling you the news. It was a huge picture at that time. I didn’t delay running the analog two-channel RCA outs into my stereo. This was my first ‘home theater’. An NAD separate pre/power amp setup but it was only two-channel.

Multi-channel was introduced a year or so later with an Adcom Dolby Pro-Logic decoder/add-on thingy. It provided three speaker outs - center, and two rear. I had Boston Acoustic di-pole speakers as surrounds and BA center.

It blew me away hearing raindrops and ambient echos when people would walk indoor/outdoor.


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## tenzip (May 4, 2007)

My first experience with better-than-TV-speakers was with a 25" RCA, that actually had a 10W/ch amp for stereo speakers. I just hit up a garage sale or Goodwill or something for some speakers and some zip cord finished the "HT". Must be 20 years ago or thereabouts. It only died about 7 years ago, I think.

I kinda went into hibernation as far as HT went until about 2-3 years ago, when my kids started wanting to go to the theater more. I decided to start on the HT at that point.


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## salvasol (Oct 31, 2006)

PT800 said:


> You had the same experience with Sony as I did...


I checked and the model number is Sony HCD 551 ... here is a partial picture I found online, that's half of the system, the other half is the subwoofer that's undeneath the cabinet where you place this unit


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## dtsmucker (Sep 16, 2008)

This is a good thread for bringin back the memories..A little embarassing..

This all started when I discovered a Home Cinema magazine that was available in the UK called VTV. If memory serves me right it merged with What Video and TV in the end..
My first venture into "Home Theatre" was way back in 1994, A Sharp 4 head NICAM VHS vcr played all the movies I had, all 6 of them..
An Aiwa NSX-D858. 3-disc CD changer, 2 tape decks, tuner and a "fancy" graphic eq. Dolby Pro-Logic was amazing.. Top Gun just blew my trousers off :dizzy:.
The 2 stereo main loudspeakers were meaty enough and the satellites did a fair job of adding effects. I couldn't afford a dedicated powered subwoofer so my Dad lent me a Rotel tuner amp that had a dead left channel. I then coupled it to an ICE Subwoofer that had a 12" Kenwood driver.. It rocked, not.

The TV was a 21" Akai... Crikey how times and tech have changed..

All the best Kev.


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