Equipment & Product Recommendations

AV Receiver: Yamaha RX-V463 | info

Price: $299.99 | Buy It Now

We bounce back and forth in our AV receiver recommendations - especially at this price point. This year, Yamaha took the spot, though if you can squeeze out a little more from your budget, Harman Kardon's AVR-146 with HDMI switching is a compelling buy as well ($349). The RX-V463 sold us on its integration of both iPod and XM/Sirius Radio features. There are also three component inputs and a 5.1 multi-channel input for legacy audio devices or that new high definition DVD player. An on-screen display, subwoofer output and YPAO auto setup and room EQ round out the features that really make this a bargain product. A summary of options are listed below.

Alternates: Marantz SR3001 ($349) info; Pioneer VSX-817K/S ($299); Harman Kardon AVR-146 ($349) info

DVD Player: Oppo DV-980H | Info

Retail Price: $169 | Buy It Now

At this price you have several options, but Oppo really sticks its neck out and begs for attention. The DV-980H is the latest model form Oppo which combines decent upconversion to 1080p via HDMI with HDMI 1.2a support. This means that the Oppo also doubles as a universal DVD player with support for DVD-Audio and SACD as well.About the only thing that may top this player is a bargain deal on an HD DVD player from Toshiba (but only if you're not in need of DVD-A or SACD support.)

Alternates: Yamaha DVD-S661 ($169) info; Oppo DV-981HD ($229) info

Loudspeakers: EMP ECA-4 Series 5.0 System | review

Price: $499.99 for 5.0 system | Buy it Now

Designed by the same people who brought you RBH Sound's CT-Series, the EMP ECA-series speakers are an incredible value that will deliver a much larger sound than those obtained through cube speakers or most of the Home Theater-in-a-Box (HTiB) systems you will find in big box stores. These compact speakers feature a 1-inch soft dome tweeter and a 4-inch aluminum cone driver (dual drivers for the center channel). They are rated at 8-ohms and go down to 100Hz, allowing them to blend easily with most subwoofers.
Alternates: Yamaha NS-SP7800PN 5.1 System ($599.95) info

Subwoofer: Yamaha YST-FSW100 Slim 130W Sub | info

Price: $149.99 | Buy it Now

Typically, we'd recommend a more robust subwoofer, or even a pair of subs, however we're being very mindful of the overall price of this system. As such, we've also recommended a subwoofer that is more in line with the aesthetic appeal of our loudspeaker recommendation. This matching black Yamaha subwoofer will hide along a wall or next to a couch and allow plenty of low frequency bass without presenting itself as an end table. This sub dips down to 30Hz, so it's going to be a good match for movie nights in a small to medium-sized room.
Alternates: Yamaha YST-225 Subwoofer ($249.95) info; EMP Tek E10s ($499) review

TV: Not included in budget and assumed to already exist.

Recommended requirements

• Component video inputs (s-video connection minimum)
• At least two video inputs

Optional Wish list

• HDTV ready, but preference should be with HDTV tuner
• HDMI inputs

It is not possible to include a high resolution HDTV monitor within the $1,000 recommended system for obvious reasons (there would be no room for any audio components and the display would likely have to be about 24" or smaller). For this very reason, we have decided to default to an existing TV that most owners will have in their home already.

Interconnects and Speaker Cables

After shopping around for bargains, sales or other discounts you will probably still have some money left over. This can be used for additional cables and accessories to complete your Home Theater System.

• 1 - 2 meter component or s-video cable for DVD video $20
• 1-2 meter s-video cable for Monitor Out $10
• 1 - 1meter optical cable $20
• 1 - 4meter coax for subwoofer $20
  

We recommend cables from our Audioholics Approved Cable Vendors

Total System Cost: $1116 (not including cables)

OK, so we went over... that may mean that you have to wait a little linger or start with a 2.1 system and then upgrade to surrounds. Trust us, this will beat out any home theater-in-a-box package deal you'll get at the big box stores. The Audioholics $1K system offers the best bang for the buck when considering all the different product offerings available in most retail stores and online. This system will give you a completed Home Cinema that will get you set up nicely and leave you content - until perhaps your next upgrade!

Total System Cost: $1116 (not including cables)

Enjoy the home theater!