# Audiophiles, recommend a home theater setup **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980 "2004-03-12T22:52:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/1 "2004-03-12T22:52:28Z")
I have recently read a lot about how Bose systems are nothing but $200 systems with fancy marketing, and that technically, they blow. They phyiscally do not play about 1/3 of the audible spectrum. I have now seen the light, and sold my Bose system. I’m looking for a replacement, and hoping that some audiophiles can recommend a new setup for me. Criteria: Total price - absolutely no more than $1500, shooting for ~ $1000 or less What I use it for - watching Tivo-recorded programs, watching live TV (digital cable), playing MP3 from my computer, listening to streaming audio from my computer What I don’t use it for - radio, movies (very rare) What I value - sound quality, decent styling What I hate - expensive and extensive cabling, speaker stands, giant speaker enclosures What frequencies I use already (for those contemplating wireless rear speakers) - 900Mhz phone, 2.4Ghz 802.11b/Bluetooth, 91.9FM (wireless speaker outside) What are your thoughts? Thanks, Seth ---
**Author:** ![drame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@drame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drame)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/2 "2004-03-12T23:17:01Z")
Looked into Klipsch? ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/3 "2004-03-12T23:37:50Z")
I personally would recommend a used [Linn](http://www.linn.co.uk) Classik and a set of bookshelf speakers, but that’d mean you’d need speaker stands. The Classik is a good entry step into real hi-fi. If your’e willing to put up with speaker stands, Paradigm Atom speakers are surprisingly good for the price. You might also want to check into [Rotel](http://www.rotel.com) gear–they’re known for good equipment at a good price. Since it looks like most of your listening is from relatively lo-fi sources (TV/MP3), you might even want to look at some of the little Denon shelf systems. ---
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/4 "2004-03-12T23:41:08Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > You might also want to check into [Rotel](http://www.rotel.com) gear–they’re known for good equipment at a good price. Heh. I thought Rotel was a spicy canned tomato mixture. 😃 The part about speaker stands that I don’t like is that I’d like it to not be a prominent design feature of my living room. Seth ---
**Author:** ![dinoboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dinoboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinoboy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/5 "2004-03-12T23:48:29Z")
You gotta go and test-drive a variety of systems and speakers to find what you like. For instance, I own an older Adcom system (with paradigm and infinity speakers) which I think rocks, though I’ve heard mixed reviews about their equipment. Sites like [this](http://www.audioreview.com/defaultcrx.aspx) may help you to narrow down your search. [Here’s](http://www.audioweb.com/) a good information site as well. Something to keep in mind when purchasing; electronic equipment works to the level of the lowest quality component. So its usually a good idea to keep everything around the same quality and upgrade each component in steps. Good hunting ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/6 "2004-03-13T00:27:57Z")
Also check out the low end B&W speakers. B&W makes some of the better speakers on the market (their high-end units are about $40K a pair). I put in a Yamaha amp and five B&W speakers and a subwoofer for right around what you are looking at. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/audiophiles-recommend-a-home-theater-setup/233980/7 "2004-03-13T04:53:32Z")
Moved to IMHO. - **xash** General Questions Moderator