Is this a good 5.1 home theater setup?

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scrawnypaleguy

Limp Gawd
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My Logitech Z-5500 setup died recently and I thought now might be a good time to upgrade to a "real" home theater system. I don't know much but I've been reading reviews and this speaker/receiver combo seems to be a big hit and a good price:

http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Take-Classic-System-Black/dp/B001202C44/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-VSX-1...UTF8&coliid=I1D44MJHMVS113&colid=NYJQPKXY0XSE

My question is, do I need anything else besides these two things (and speaker wire and mounts, obviously) to hook up to my PS3 and HDTV for the best sound possible? Any input or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
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Good speakers for a smaller room. I prefer Onkyo to Pioneer myself bt they still make quality products. You may get several alternate suggestions, but it will usually be preferences. For a total budget of about $900 I think I would do it a little differently personally. Less money on the receiver, more money on the sub. really depends on room size though.
 
The Energy Takes are good small satellite speakers, I have no personal experience with the sub in that set. I bought the 5.0 set back when they were on sale for ~$130 from Newegg and I paired them with a BIC H-100 sub for $239 and it makes a great setup for a smaller room. At that price point, I was hard pressed to find better.

I agree with ID about receivers, I personally prefer Onkyo, but Pioneer is a solid choice as well. I am on my 3rd Onkyo receiver over the last 15 years, and they have all been excellent performers for the price paid.
 
Thanks for the input. I'm going with the Pioneer based on Gizmodo's review: http://gizmodo.com/5485322/pioneers...nd-not-only-because-you-control-it-via-iphone

I like it because it has that auto calibration thing and more user-friendly GUI. This will be my first "true" home theater system so I wanted something easy to set up. I'm in a relatively small apartment so I don't want (or need) huge bass. I liked the Z-5500's bass and even that was a bit too much at some times (I'm sure my neighbors could hear), so as long as the sub included with the Energy setup is comparable I'll be happy. I'm pretty sure this will be better than the Z-5500s, but I just wanted to be sure.
 
there is more to bass than volume. clarity and frequency response namely. I have a z5500 and there is no clarity and it focuses on the boomy 80-100mhz range. Its fine for what i use it for...in the kids game room...but not for theater use. Subs are like sports cars...once you have had a real one, all those other little things arent enough anymore. maybe the better fiscal advice is to stay away from them actually. but if you decide to get itno it, the bic is the best budget choice. designed with the help of HSU research, it has good pedigree and should be a night and day difference for you from the logitech, even at low volumes.
 
That's good advice. I've never heard anything to compare to the Z-5500 so that's why I liked the sound. I'm sure you're right that once I get some real nice stuff I'll be able to tell the difference... I just wish I could sample some of these items before buying them. For now I'll just have to go by price and reviews, and the 5.1 Energy setup is actually cheaper than the 5.0 set on Amazon, so if I end up getting this system I'll have to stick with the included sub, at least for a while.

Thanks for your opinion! It helps to hear from someone who knows what's good.
 
I firmly believe that when it comes to speakers, what is good is what makes you happy. sound is so subjective that you really just have to take everyones opinions with a grain of salt and just give some stuff a shot. Good luck, I am sure you will be happy witht hat setup coming from the z5500.
 
I did a quick search and saw that the 5.1 set was cheaper than just the 5.0 satellites, so it makes sense to at least start there. If you want the set to grow, you can always resale the sub and step up to something more powerful. If you want deep, powerful bass from a sub, the BIC I mentioned is a great solution at it's price point, but it WILL disturb your neighbors. I own my house and have mine turned way down and it still shakes the house. It's perfect for home theater, and it is a "real sub" that has a good pedigree and and is generally very well liked at it's price point.

Speakers ARE subjective - what sounds like crap to one, others rave about, and there is a slippery slope on the price vs performance ratio. You can spend many thousands of dollars and there are places that offer more in depth information than this forum - AVS Forums is almost overwhelming in the amount of data and opinions on these subjects, or you can spend a more modest amount and still come away with something that sounds awesome - for your budget.

I was leery of ordering the Energy's without listening to them, but the overwhelming favorable reviews and the low price made pulling the trigger easier.
 
Yeah I don't want a huge powerful subwoofer since I live on the top floor of my apartment building and have neighbors below me.

Like I said, I'm coming from a Z-5500 and that (being my first foray into surround sound) blew me away with how good it was. I'm sure this setup will be even better, owing to the fact that it can do full DTS HD master audio from my bluray player.

I'm not looking to spend a ton, I just want a quality system that will last me a good long time. I'm no audiophile since I know that road leads to verrrrrry expensive things :p
 
@scrawnypaleguy

I would stay away from any Pioneer receiver that is not an Elite model You can get a better Denon or Onkyo for same price.........
 
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another good option for a bit cheaper than your first suggestion...

from slickdeals:
Newegg has Klipsch HD 500 5.1 Speaker Set + Onkyo TX-SR508 7.1 Home Theater Receiver for $600 with free shipping. Thanks deeds

1. Click Here, add Klipsch HD 500 to cart
2. Enter promo code FREEGFT68A
3. Onkyo TX-SR508 Receiver will be added automatically
4. Total will be $600
 
Wow, that's a good deal. Would this sound as good as the Pioneer/Energy combo I was considering? And how easy is it to set up that receiver?
 
scrawnypaleguy said:
Wow, that's a good deal. Would this sound as good as the Pioneer/Energy combo I was considering? And how easy is it to set up that receiver?
Click to expand...

Receiver is good, maybe better
Speakers are preferential on the listener
Sub probably better, but pretty close either way
 
I have had no problems setting up the 3 different onkyo models I have owned. I agree with the above comments and have one more to add...you save about $277
 
The Onkyo receiver listed has Audyssey DynamicEQ, which is like the Pioneer auto calibration. It has a setup mode that uses and included mic that you place near your listening area and it generates test tones and sets the system up for you. Pretty painless.
 
I've had those Energy Take Classics for about a year now. I had them in a fairly large room before and they had some trouble to really fill the room with sound. I've since moved them into a basement about half the size. I have them paired with a Harmon/Kardon AVR145 and a Acoustech F12 sub. I think it sounds excellent for the price. Youll be pleased.
 
if you liek the sound of horns. I like them personally and would recommend this for the money for sure. a full size bookshelf and a BIC sub takes the setup to the next level in detail, range, and response. hmmm...I am tempted just for the heck of it. too bad I am not able to drop $500 just for the heck of it. I would be sleeping on the couch just for the heck of it.
 
If you are going to consider Klipsch, go listen to them first. Some love em, some hate em. I hate em. Too screetchy for me.
And why the Pioneer hate? I have a VSX-1018 that IS an elite, except for the color of the display. Pioneeer's top of the line non-elite models are generally equivalent to the Elite line.
The only real problem I have with the 1020 is that is has no Pre-outs to hook up separate amps in the future.
 
nobody has hated on Pioneer. We have all said that they make good stuff and he would be happy. Its just at his price points there are better values.
 
onyxbfly said:
@scrawnypaleguy

I would stay away from any Pioneer receiver that is not an Elite model You can get a better Denon or Onkyo for same price.........
Click to expand...

Ok, too harsh on the "hate", but here is one post I saw.
 
@JohnDC

My opinion was based on the year prior to the model line that the OP posted. After research It seems that this years offerings are that much stronger and seem to be manufactured better than the previous yrs. This yrs offerings actually come close for those who areo n the fence between budget and Elite status for Pioneer receivers. I still feel that you can get a better Onkyo or Denon for the price range. Not to mention having a sharp eye on the HK store on eBay.....
 
I would still agree...You can get a better Denon or Onkyo for the same price
 
Last edited:
IDversusEGO said:
I would still agree...You can get a better Denon or Onkyo for the same price
Click to expand...

I can't quite agree with that right now. The 1020 came out not so long ago and from what i've seen pioneers don't go that much below msrp until the replacement model is about to come out (when compared to onkyos). But since it came out more recently it does have features that older model onkyo and denons don't have.

the 1020 is 445 at newegg right now, what would a "better" onkyo or denon be at that price? when comparing the pio1020 with the onkyo 608 and denon 1910 I would say the systems are fairly equal, with the pioneer providing a couple more features. But the onkyo and the denon have been on sale for 375 (or a little bit less).

A "better" onkyo would be the 708 - which cannot be had for close to the same price as the pioneer, same with the denon AVR-2311CI...I'm not going to include the older models because they are not hdmi 1.4. Technically the denon 1910 should not even be included in this comparison and the unreleased 1911 should be used instead.
 
Here you go this is a "better" onkyo for less than the pio with hdmi 1.4

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR508-7-1-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B003BEDQQW

And reaching the 450 price mark we have this onkyo....

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BIFOL8/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?ie=UTF8&cloe_id=6c4291bb-c3e4-4de1-a737-16c5bdd9668b&attrMsgId=LPWidget-A2&pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0039XQQX0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08DDFGH4X3YDNWQ8JBN7

It really is a buyers market now because they are introducing new features and making the entry level receivers more feature rich and more powerful etc......
 
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I oversimplified my satement the second time. My intent was that the Onkyo line offers better values. sometiems it is a better prodcut for the same price, sometimes it is the same product for a better price. either way, higher value with Onkyo. Also, I think most people overbuy on the receiver side and underspend on speakers. to use a car analogy...its like buying a corvette and putting bicycle tires on it. if your budget is $1000 I believe that a max of $300 goes to the receiver. Max. I would like it to be closer to $200.
 
@IDversusEGO,

I never thought about it that way. I'm used to spending as much as possible on the receiever to try to get as many features as possible, because once the money is spent lord knows when it will come back around for an upgrade. But your analogy makes perfect sense and I will reflect that when advising future clients etc. Speaker technology has not really changed within the last few years. But receiver technology always changes. Good quality speakers can last a lifetime Whereas with receivers one wil be looking for an upgrade as soon as the new hotness comes around. Either way unless you are single or not budget minded not to mention independantly wealthy lol, Its hard to say honey I want to spend $$$$ over last yrs receiver purchase lol. Or one can sneak it in and sell the old one.
 
Most receivers in this price range are a toss-up, and we recommend what we personally like and have experience with. They all have similar features, similar amp sections and power ranges. Receivers will color the sound stage much less than speakers will, so the advice to spend the most of your budget on speakers is spot on. As you said, speaker technology has changed little, so investing in the best you can afford pays much better dividends in speakers over receivers. There has been nothing "wrong" with the last two Onkyo receivers I have upgraded from - I just needed/wanted more features or input standards have changed/evolved over the years.
 
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