$800 Budget for Home Stereo... what to get? Open to suggestions

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

Whats goin on guys. My brother is looking to get a home theater system for a smaller room, his budget is $800 bucks. He already has the reciever, just needs the system and sub (hopefully included) I am open to suggestions. He WAS looking at one of the bose systems, but I am trying to turn him another way unless I hear some good reviews about them. Ive just always heard there is much better for the money. Thanks.

please include model names with your suggestions. He is also open to shopping through ebay or other lower priced sites. Thanks.

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[CapzNCoilz 10+ year member]

Well as stupid as this sounds, I purchased the Bose system from TARGET, yep target for $500.

It has 2 speakers and a woofer, I purchased some bose speaker stands from best buy for a $100 and they sound awesome!

It isn't true 5.1 but sure sounds like it, also the woofer it came with puts out a good amount of power as well. You can always check that out if it interests you.

 

[CapzNCoilz 10+ year member]

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_2/601-4474898-1908952?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000A0QIEC

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

anyone else....?? Im not looking for anything target would sell. Here is the deal.. My brother was talking to some guy on overstock.com who claimed he was selling the new 4,000 dollar bose system for 8-900 bucks...I forget which model it is, but that is more in the performance range he is looking for... I know he wont get THAT good for 8-900 bucks, but something pretty dam good. And its gotta be at least 5.1

 

[CapzNCoilz 10+ year member]

You asked and I supplied.

Thing is they sell it everywhere, target is just where I picked mine up.

Sams club, costco, best buy, etc etc.

It sounds great, and for $500 it is 10x better than a home theater in a box you would buy from another big box store. Also it was also a big focus on mine not to have a ton of wires going everywhere, so this was ultimately the best choice for me.

 

[CapzNCoilz 10+ year member]

Also on another note, people shouldn't try and do home theater on a budget, because in the end it never works out.

I don't believe any legit bose speaker system going for that price...You have to watch out with some shady sellers as you will most likely not get warranty.

Good luck!

 

[Scoobydoo 5,000+ posts]

Find a Paradigm or NHT dealer in your area and go listen to them

You could piece one of those together for $800 and it would be much better than Bose crap

 

[1 Hugh Jass 10+ year member]

I have a set of Paradigm Monitor 7's I am selling. I'd like to get $400 for them. Let me know and I can send some pics. Check out some reviews and ask around, these are awesome speakers.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

If you do some searching and go to some Home audio shops you can prabably find a set of B&W DM600 S3 or DM601 S3 or a good used set of DM603 S3 for that price. Ask them about display models and that type of thing.

Basically the best thing I can say is go into a shop and do some looking/listening and be honest to the sales guy about how much you have to spend. They will usually help you out because they want your business!

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Interesting link to some guy that's selling stuff.....

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=23498

Wharfedale is pretty good....

 

[jflash 10+ year member]

i know you said he already has a receiver but at this price why not get another one. refurbished for $299. i bought a refurbished receiver from them 4 years ago it looked brand new and i never had a problem with it.

http://www.shoponkyo.com/detail.cfm?productid=HT-S790&modelid=110&group_id=1&detail=1&ext_war=1

once you sign up for club onkyo the price changes to $299.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

If he is looking to spend $800 on speakers and a subwoofer I am probably thinking a whole set with a receiver for $300 is a little lower quality than he is looking for....

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

This is what im looking for....you know how if you go to an authorized dealer and try to get an Orion 2500D....they sell them for like 800-1500 dollars....but we ALL know that we can find them for about 500 on average....that is the equivalent im looking for in this home theater system. Any retail store I go to...800 bucks wont get me to far, at least for what Im looking for.

Just like I can go to best buy and get a pair of pioneer speakers for like 275 bucks, or I can go to the Rainbow website and get some speakers that would blow the pioneers away for the same price....see what im sayin...?

This is what my brother is looking at now.. http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT&product=ls48_dvd_index

supposedly this guy has this model, and the one below it for about 800 bucks.....but again..im trying to steer him away from bose.

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

This is what im looking for....you know how if you go to an authorized dealer and try to get an Orion 2500D....they sell them for like 800-1500 dollars....but we ALL know that we can find them for about 500 on average....that is the equivalent im looking for in this home theater system. Any retail store I go to...800 bucks wont get me to far, at least for what Im looking for.
Just like I can go to best buy and get a pair of pioneer speakers for like 275 bucks, or I can go to the Rainbow website and get some speakers that would blow the pioneers away for the same price....see what im sayin...?

This is what my brother is looking at now.. http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT&product=ls48_dvd_index

supposedly this guy has this model, and the one below it for about 800 bucks.....but again..im trying to steer him away from bose.

Athena and Paradigm both make nice budget speakers. For a sub, maybe something by dayton?