Home audio- help me spend $300

[Red coupe]

Im looking to spend about $300, maybe $400 max after all taxes and a what not...

Just looking to get a decent set up for my room, 2 speaker stereo is fine, I don't know that I have room for surround sound as im not trying to mount any speakers or anything.

Decent sound quality is important but the majority of the music played through it would probably be MP3's recorded at 128kbps so I don't need top of the line.

I also already have theseBut they are old to the point where some of the speaker's have rotted away, I one of the tweeters has a hole punched in the cone.

Do you guys think it would be better to try and replace the damaged speakers in these and buy a receiver, or just buy all new floor speakers?

[Slipstream]

If you're looking for nice speakers I have a set of Yamaha towers and bookshelfs that I'm selling. If you just want one of the sets, you'll still have enough for a decent reciever and cd/mp3 player.

[nvrplzd240]

I have a semi old JVC shelf system or whatever its supposed to be called.. It sounds great.. this is the only thing close to it out right now.. mines not dvd capable or anything, but i recommend JVC

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm...il.do

[Red coupe]

^^I kinda wanted to get away from one of those stereo's and more towards like a reciver and some speakers....I Don't need a CD player and all that stuff, Since I'm pretty much only playing stuff off my Computer(or through my computer, I have a record player hooked up to it too) maybe I would be best off just getting some real nice coputer speakers? All the recivers I see are near the $300 mark straight off the bat, before even getting into speakers...

[nvrplzd240]

i see what your sayin.. but imo thats the best bang for your buck

i have mine hooked up to my computer through an aux input in the back of the receiver itself, and theres enough power to push a whole lot.. i was lookin at seperates like you are for a while, but they're so expensive to get the same sound as with a shelf system

o well, nvm sry I failed

[joe603]

You could get a nice sub/speaker setup for computers. If you go with seperate components, a decent reciever will cost 200-300 alone, then you'll need speakers too...Check out best buy or circuit city...I'm sure you'll find something you'll like.

[Slipstream]

Why don't you head out to the garment district in LA? You can find stuff there cheap. I got an entire Kenwood home theater system for a bit over $300.

[PoorManQ45]

Check out the $50 a pair insignia bookshelves at best buy. There's alot of chatter on the internet about them. Stock they sound good, but you can upgrade the crossover and get a very flat frequency response.

Combine that with an X-sub X-sub

Then get a cheap sherwood receiver or something like that

[PoorManQ45]

This will put you around $300

Or instead of that X-sub you could go to Circuit City and pick up one of those MTX 12" powered subs. It's a little boomy for movies, but just fine for music when calibrated properly

[Red coupe]

Im worried less about bass, in fact less boomy will be better late at night so I dont keep anyone up...

Ill check those out, thnkts for the tip...

[PoorManQ45]

A quick tip: Check out craigslist.com .

This is how I found a pair of Infinity SM-152s for $100.

These would fit what you're looking for perfectly

[Red coupe]

I think Im gonna go swing by best buy right now and check those out..I also have 2 10" JL subs I used to have in a car...how easy/cost effective would it be to build a box/get and amp for home use?

[PoorManQ45]

here's my recommendation:http://losangeles.craigslist.o....html

Better yet, shoot this guy an email:http://losangeles.craigslist.o....html

Trust me, you'll be more then satisfied with those.

But I'd buy the proper surround for the woofers. He used a generic 12" surround. Cerwin Vega surrounds are always that orange/red color.

No biggie though. I've got a pair of D-3s with the generic 10" surround and they sound/hit fine

[Red coupe]

Those look a little big, pluss for what ever reason I dont like buying used as much...I like going to the the store and picking out a set and bringing home nice new boxes of stuff

What do you think about the car subs for home use?Would I just need an amp, a box and powersource? come to think of it I still have the amp I used with them too...Come to think of it I still have this ampIts the 4 channel ~800 amp version.... It works other then the port for the external bass adjustment nob...

[PoorManQ45]

Those look a little big, pluss for what ever reason I dont like buying used as much...I like going to the the store and picking out a set and bringing home nice new boxes of stuff

Tell you what.. I'll ship a couple boxes to the shipper. They can put them in there and write, "New speakers" on them and you can be happy.

LOL. Seriously though. I'd shoot that guy an email. 9/10 times the person will offer to let you play the speakers before you buy them. If they don't have a receiver, bring your own.

Now, if they refuse to let you listen to them first then just don't deal with them.

[PoorManQ45]

What do you think about the car subs for home use?Would I just need an amp, a box and powersource? come to think of it I still have the amp I used with them too...Come to think of it I still have this ampIts the 4 channel ~800 amp version.... It works other then the port for the external bass adjustment nob...

If you want to use a car amp to power them you'll have to drop ~$100 on a high current power converter. You need like 40 amps.

THat won't be cheap. It'd be cheaper to go to partsexpress.com and pick up a 100w plate amp.

Seriously though. Trust me. Shoot that Cerwin Vega seller an email.

Make sure you can demo them first. If you buy them and then they fail I'll send you $10

Just trust me on this one. You'd be more then satisfied with those Cerwin Vegas

[Red coupe]

lol I wouldn't buy speakers with out listening to them...Those are pretty nice then? how tall are they?

[Slipstream]

You can run a car amp, but you'll need a power converter and it's not something you want to use except for testing car audi equip. As far as car speakers, we had a set of decent twelves in a wedge enclosure and the home stereo receiver put out too much and the box ended up splitting across the back from the bass. I'd stick with home speakers for home.

[Red coupe]

You can run a car amp, but you'll need a power converter and it's not something you want to use except for testing car audi equip. As far as car speakers, we had a set of decent twelves in a wedge enclosure and the home stereo receiver put out too much and the box ended up splitting across the back from the bass. I'd stick with home speakers for home.

fine

[PoorManQ45]

Those are pretty nice then? how tall are they?

Yep, very nice.

dimensions are 32"HX16.5"Wx13.75"D and 57LBS each

[PoorManQ45]

fine

Trust me, with these Cerwin Vegas you won't even think about adding sub(s)

[Looneybomber]

This will push you over budget, but here goes.

This amp will put out 230w x 2 @ 4ohm, 160x2 @ 8 ohm.http://www.partsexpress.com/pe...8-749 The best part is, is it has RCA inputs!

Your speakers? Some Cerwin Vega's with a 12" driver. I have the LS-12's but they don't make them anymore. Because of that you can possibly pick them up cheap somewhere! They give alright extension till about 30hz. As a bonus, they're loud as hell! I've used them to DJ at 1 party, 1 wedding and a wedding reception...plus supply music to my wing of the dorm room back in the day With careful shopping you can still be under 400 bucks but have a rocking stereo!

Trust me, with these Cerwin Vegas you won't even think about adding sub(s)

I have a 110x7 THX receiver (140x2) powering my vega's and I still want more bass. Years from now I will build a box with 2, 15's or 4, 12's and power it with a Crown K2 amp...Or atleast that's the rediculous idea I've had for nearly a year now. 120db @ 20hz can be attainable!

[PoorManQ45]

I have a 110x7 THX receiver (140x2) powering my vega's and I still want more bass. Years from now I will build a box with 2, 15's or 4, 12's and power it with a Crown K2 amp...Or atleast that's the rediculous idea I've had for nearly a year now. 120db @ 20hz can be attainable!

Yeah, I know what you mean. But remember, it's not how low they go(music), but rather how much surface area(SD) and excursion(Xmax) they have.

My RE 38s are tuned to 27hz, but I don't play them for music. I'll play hip hop(for dancing) and stuff with a heavy bass line through them. THey do just fine.

Now if I want a little extract bass... All I have to do is tune on my sub . Note, it's not finished, but it is up and running.

Instead of building your own you could just buy an SVS sub .

Note: I was considering using some nice(fast) 18" drivers(x4) in a ~50ft^3 tuned to ~30hz. This would be able to hit 130dB anechoic cleanly.

Looney: Have you tried placing the Cerwin Vegas in corners?

[Looneybomber]

Note: I was considering using some nice(fast) 18" drivers(x4) in a ~50ft^3 tuned to ~30hz. This would be able to hit 130dB anechoic cleanly.

50^3 Holy crap!

Looney: Have you tried placing the Cerwin Vegas in corners?

One is in a corner (not a good corner) and the other is 4" from the wall. It's impossible for me to get them both in a corner. Either way, they're done well before the subsonic threshold. Ideally, I'd like 2, 15's tuned to around 15-17hz (ported). That however would require a large box, hence the reason I would design it as an end table. To do that I would need to have one rear facing and one down facing that way I can keep it close to at least one wall in the corner. My only objection to that is no matter what people say about bass being "non directional" it is still identifyable and I will be able to tell that it's comming from the left or right of me instead of where all the rest of the sound is comming from. Next to the TV.

Anyway I have time before I start on that project. Plus I need to get good at doing a piano black finish because that's what I want the enclosure covered in...That or a beech vaneer (sp)

Here is a picture of the room my system currently resides in. I say that because it's at my parents house and not my house. My roomates stuff is over here so there's no room for my stuff.

[PoorManQ45]

Looney: YOu know about SVS

You could just buy one or two of their ultra/2s

two 12s have more surface area then a 15" too

[Felipe]

switch the loveseat with the couch and T.V. w/ speakers with the old sewing machine

[PoorManQ45]

or put the TV where the couch is and the couch where the sewing machine is

[Looneybomber]

You could just buy one or two of their ultra/2s

It's a possibility, but 1) that would be expensive and 2) not as much fun.

switch the loveseat with the couch and T.V. w/ speakers with the old sewing machine

or put the TV where the couch is and the couch where the sewing machine is

Umm that's at my parents house and nothing is getting moved anywhere. It's my moms room and her decorations.

See all the stuff on the walls? Yeah, they like to rattle out their own tunes too...plus they fall off onto the sofa