....expanding from car audio into home...need help


i certainly need help...tons of opinions desired...

alright...i've spent about 3 years forming great and wonderful opinions on car audio.

however, none of the brands that i use in my car make home stuff.....well, i take that back...nakamichi does. i'm sure that car audio stuff wouldn't work as well in the home as home audio would....

however....i don't want to jump into the higher end stuff for my apartment that i have in my car.

i'd like to get a *decent* reciever/tuner (i don't even know what the difference is) that i can hook up to my new bigscreen. (my roommates and i went in on a new toshiba 50" projection)

so...about what would i be looking to spend for a quality, low priced *thing* that will get me surround sound (and i assume that the new digital thingy is better than 5.1 surround?)

so...help me out guys. :) i know that it's all INCREDIBLY subjective....but, i'm pretty sure that i don't want to buy anything that they sell at best buy or circuit city, so i gotta get on the web to get help.

i appreciate it. :)
onlyshawn
OK...let me try to take one more stab at this. Since you are splitting the TV with a roommate (I hope you have decided who takes it with them when you guys move) I think that I have a good suggestion for the rest. SC53 had a good Idea with the Outlaw audio. I have read nothing but good reviews on it for the most part. You can get unbelievable bargains on NAD nowadays, but from what I have heard, old NAD (which I have) is way better than new NAD, (with the exception of the "S" series) One of you can get the outlaw and take it with them when they move.

For the Speakers, I wouldnt recommend running 4 ohm speakers from a receiver. Many high end speakers are 4 ohm but they require alot of power. When mass market stuff is run in 4ohm mode, distortion ratings rise significantly from what I understand versus high end separates some of which I have heard are stable, and clean down to a 1ohm load. B&W 303's have been getting great reviews and I think they are about $150 a piece...Get 5 of these and a powered sub and your place will rock.

With regards to DTS 5.1. Lots of dvd's are being formatted this way and Music is also leaning that way with many artists remastering their stuff in 5.1. Only a handful of titles are available in 7.1 and 10.2 just had it's release not too long ago (I dont even know if it's in private homes yet although I'm sure Bill Gates & the likes have it) If I were you, I would opt to be the one to buy the speakers since they might end up being the most versatile part of the package. I sure wouldn't want to have to lug a 50" big screen with me from place to place.

Hope this Helps

P.S.
When it comes time for speaker cables & interconnects, one of the most important things IMHO is to upgrade from the standard RCA patch cords that come with the DVD player to better interconnects...even entry level is a BIG step up.
oh...i'm a big, GIANT fan of used. :) tireguy...that's about exactly what i needed. i think i'll go with the onkyo or the denon...just because the name is a little more easily recognized. i'm sure the outlaw is good, but if i've never heard of it, the airheads that i would be trying to sell it to around here wouldn't have heard of it. :) that's the problem i have w/ my car stereo equipment. if it doesn't say 'JL' or 'Kicker', forget about selling it. grrr.

we already stepped up to the component video wires (red, green, blue) from the dvd to the tv.
onlyshawn

don't WASTE your money on 5:1 home theatre

get a great two channel setup instead
with seperate amp and preamp
(or at least an NAD integrated)

music isn't a 5 channel thing
and only a few movies are worth it

I have a killer 2 channel setup
with a Proton 36" tube tv
it blows away any home surround system soundwise anyone I know has compared it to (the owner's opinions, not my biased one)
and the money is spent on the components and great music reproduction
not bells and whistles

to stay on the inexpensive side
stick with manufacturers like NAD or SOnic Frontiers on the amp and preamp (you'll leap up to the real expensive stuff later), buy used on audiogon or get a nice deal at your local reputable dealer. Speakers? B&W or Paradign
CD? get a nice CD/DVD combo Toshiba, NAD
don't forget to spend a little money on interconnects

anyway
good luck

Tom
go check out outlaws reviews at www.audioreview.com most customers say that they beat any $1000 receiver at $499. Outlaws website is WWW.outlawaudio.com. If you go with the denon, try to get a used avr5600 or 5700...maybe now is the time to teach your friends that the best stuff out there is the stuff they haven't heard of. Check out the Rotel receivers too