Hello eprebys,
Thank you for your question.
Whew. A lot of questions and I will try to answer them all for you. Do
post for clarification if needed. I have extensive experience with
Home Theater.
1. I have a very small, square room, 12 feet by 12 feet
As you may and may not know, this is the worst possible situation.
What will happen is that any room induced sonic aberrations, and ALL
rooms have them, will be exacerbated. It is MUCH better to have a room
where none of the dimensions are multiples of each other. In other
words, if one dimension is 16', an 8' ceiling will also effect the
same frequencies and you will have peaks and dips in your frequency
response that will have been somewhat smoothed out in a room of
different dimensions.
At this point, I'd like to recommend that you download and read cover
to cover the excellent free articles written by Richard Hardesty. He
provides comprehensive and clear data on rooms and systems without the
advertising induced hype of most, if not all of the popular
publications.
You can find his information here:
Audio Perfectionist
http://www.audioperfectionist.com/index.html
Download the free journals and articles.
2. The most important part: the entire system needs to be returnable
for a full refund.
I won't question your reasoning behind this requirement or comment
further only that there are stores such as Best Buy, Circuit City,
perhaps Good Guys and Tweeter, etc that have 30 day return privileges.
I have never seen any mention of "entire systems" being returned, only
individual components or "home theaters in a box" which are basically
one product. You will have to check with stores in your area to
confirm their return policies.
Do avoid "systems in a box" as they are of the lowest quality most
often.
And do realize that shopping where the entire purchase can be returned
will limit the brands available to you and perhaps also keep you from
obtaining the best pricing if you were to purchase components
individually from dealers that had the best deals on particular
components.
3. 42" plasma screen: ~3000$
This is a little low for a quality 42 inch plasma screen. The
important specifications of these devices vary quite a bit and some of
those are resolution and input signals. I think that you will find
your budget here should be $4,000 or more at today's prices and you
also may require a tuner that may and may not be included. If you will
be using satellite or cable, the tuner will not be necessary.
Check the Plasma TV Buying Guide:
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/wheretobuyarticle.html
for good tips on how to qualify this purchase. The lowest model for
42" they list today is $3779 plus shipping.
Here are some additional informative articles on plasma tv's:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2067153/
Going Gas
When you should buy a plasma TV.
By Fred Kaplan
http://www.plasma-products.com/guide.html
Plasma & Flat Screen TV Buying Tips
4. Consumer line dvd player: 200$
Many good choices here including models from Panasonic, Sony and
Toshiba. There are differences in features such as SACD (Super Audio
CD capability) and Progressive Scan (which would be desirable on a
high quality plasma screen, though more costly than your budget).
5. Decent front and center speakers: 1000$
mediocre rear speakers: 500$
Many choices abound. You will find healthy discussions and opinions at
all of the discussion sites I will list below. Remember that you most
likely will need stands for these as well and that speaker placement
in your room has a great deal to do with the ultimate sound quality
and imaging (the ability to pinpoint sounds in virtual space) you will
experience. Speakers all sound different. There is no perfect speaker
and likewise no perfect room. The room contributes dramatically to the
sound of a speaker, so the way it sounds in the store may not be
anything like the way it sounds in your room. And more than any other
component, speakers are a matter of personal taste. Listen to as many
reputable brands as you can in your price range.
6. integrated amp/surround sound decoder/thingamajig: 1000$
Again, quite a few good choices by the likes of Marantz, Denon, Yamaha
and all the usual audio video manufacturers. My favorite in the price
range? Outlaw Audio - but available only online:
http://www.outlawaudio.com//products/1050.html
Ana amazing buy at only $499!
7. cables: 300$
Not a problem. The most important cables in the system in my opinion
are your speaker cables, though try to use good quality cable all
around. Monster is the most common in the stores, though a bit pricey
and rarely discounted. I think a better alternative, though again
available online only, is Better Cables:
http://www.bettercables.com/
8. What am I missing?
A few things, actually. Most notably, a subwoofer.
Few devices will make as big a difference in the satisfaction you
receive from your system as a good sub. The two best for performance
and value, again in my professional opinion, are only available
online:
SVS Subwoofers
http://www.svsubwoofers.com/
and HSU Research
http://www.hsuresearch.com/
I have owned and loved both. Both have 30 day satisfaction guarantees.
And both are the most highly reviewed, praised and discussed in the
forums I will list below.
Next, room treatment. This can make a HUGE difference in the sound of
your room. A complete discussion would take pages, but here are a few
of my favorite links for room treatments. Spending $200-500 here would
be a very worthwhile investment and you can always add more treatment
as you discover the need for it:
American Acoustics
http://www.americanacoustictechnology.com/
Epanels
http://www.epanels.net/
Acoustics First
http://www.acousticsfirst.com/
Tech Silence
http://technisilence.com/engframe1.html
ASC
http://www.tubetrap.com/
RPG
http://www.rpginc.com/index.htm
And don't forget speaker stands!
Great Audio Video Web Sites and Discussion Forums:
Home Theater Forum
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/index.php
Home Theater Guide
http://www.htguide.com/CFBoards/index.cfm?CFB=1
AVS Forums (EXCELLENT!!)
http://www.avsforum.com/
Harmonic Discord
http://www.harmonicdiscord.com/forums/
Home Theater Spot
http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/ubbthreads.php
Digital Theater Forums
http://www.digitaltheater.com/cfb/index.cfm?CFB=1
eCoustics
http://www.ecoustics.com/Home/Home_Theater/
Home Theater Talk
http://www.hometheatertalk.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi
Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/main.html
The above are some of the best. Do read the above discussions and you
will find more information and quality opinions than you could hope
for.
Search Strategy:
how to buy a plasma tv
personal bookmark lists
I trust my research has provided you with a wealth of information and
links about home theater and has answered your questions. If a link
above should fail to work or anything require further explanation or
research, please do post a Request for Clarification prior to rating
the answer and closing the question and I will be pleased to assist
further.
Regards,
-=clouseau=- |
,
0 Comments
)