Legit Reviews

I'm 100% confused.

Here is what I have.

Samsung CRT TV
Nintendo Wii
DVD Recorder
Tivo (Well at the end of the week I'll have it)

The TV only has I Component input, so I have to continue to change the Component out when I want to watch A DVD or Play Wii

Currently I have an old 100W 2.1 System. Its good but I think I can get better.

I want to speed 350 or less. Receiver needs 2 Component Inputs, HDTV ready would be nice but not needed.

Should I buy a Home Theatre in a Box or make my own? I'll be buying online. What about connecting the sound via digital? Does that sound better?

If anyone has an links to places I can do some research feel free to post them.

add links for each component

looking at these speakers

http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4965491

and this reciever

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR304S-C ... 683&sr=1-1

How big of a room do you have?
HTiaB are fine if you dont have too big of a room or you're looking for convenience setting it all up.
I have a Sony HTiaB and I'll put my Logitech 680Z's up against it any day!

Polk & Onkyo, you cant hardly go wrong!
How many of those Polks do you plan on buying? 2 or 3 pair and a center channel speaker?
If thats what your thinking about doing, look at a dedicated center channel speaker.
They are made with voices in mind, so they carry more of the Mid & High frequency range, which most voices are in!
Digital connections are always better than analog! Less chance for interference, especially optical connections!

I'm a huge fan of Polk Audio. Literally, every speaker I own (home and car) are from Polk, and unless you've listened to those speakers in person, I would pass on them. Their smaller drivers seem to be very limited in output. And with 100 watts of power from the receiver, I fear that you would be over powering them to the point of poor sound quality at any decent listening level.

I have these as my rear speakers on my 7 channel 110w Sony receiver and they work pretty well.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Polk-Flo ... tDetail.do

If you are in need of bookshelf speakers, I don't really have any recommendations for Polk within your budget... though I've never been one to go with "cheap" systems, I've always tried my best to match entry level components and the outcome is usually pretty good.

I would recommend you head to Circuit City, Best Buy, etc and listen to as many speakers as you can and fill in the choices from there. I'd rather pay a little more for decent sound, than spend $XX on something to fit a budget that didn't sound as good to me. IMO.

I agree with DaIceMan - go and listen!

When I got my surround system I was looking at a cheaper $250 setup, but when I heard the Onkyo in action, I spent the $400 (on sale at the time ) for the whole kit.

I like the complete kits jsut because the speakers were made for the receiver setup. I would rather have Cerwin Vega speakers, but when I hooked up my buddies to the surround, it sounded like CRAP! Surround systems arent supposed to be able to rip your heart out with music, but they will with a movie ;)

Mike

Oh and a LOT of them have CRAPPY bass!!

I cant tell you a system to look at because i think your price is too low. I would not go with a 5.1 surround now a days. I would get at least 6.1 and probably 7.1, which would mean more money.

You get what you pay for! ( How much are those video cards for a computer ;) )

So what exactly do you need? It sounds like you have a few speakers already, but you are wanting maybe a receiver or HTiB to route things through?

If you can live with the sound and build up later, I would put money into a solid receiver that will do (at the very least) component video switching - in other words, takes in component (thus HD) video signals and outputs them via component (thus HD). You can always use the speakers you have now and build in the future. If you go HTiB then you limit yourself with the receiver, imo.

Check out the Denon line of receivers here: (not gonna tell you the one I own! )

My recommendation: AVR-587 (Takes three Component Vid in and street price for way under $350)