$6,500 7.x Channel Recommended Home Theater System

Yeah, we get it: some of the recommended systems we’ve built feature some pretty large speakers that may not fly in your household. Not everyone has the space or a spouse willing to accept big towers. Today’s $6,500 7.X recommended system isn’t like that. This time we’re sticking with smaller, more attractive units that are more placement-friendly and likelier to pass the WAF test. Does that mean you’re paying more for less performance than our $5,000 5.2 channel recommended system? Not at all.  Don’t let the size of these speakers fool you. Definitive Technology employs excellent drivers and their speakers are both very revealing and dynamic sounding to please even the most critical audiophiles.

Loudspeakers: Definitive Technology

StudioMonitor 65, CS-8040HD, SR-8080BP, & StudioMonitor 45

MSRP: $2,495 | Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 65 Review

Usually we like to specify floorstanding speakers for our recommended home theater systems. Counter to intuition, this preference has nothing to do with bass extension, and everything to do with dynamic output capability. Of course not every bookshelf speaker has a problem delivering big output, Definitive Technology’s StudioMonitor 65 being a perfect example. Boasting a pair of 5.25” drivers mated to a 6” x 12” passive radiator, output shouldn’t be an issue. In fact, we’ve tested the SM65’s in the past and found that they have no trouble maintaining composure even at excessive levels. Of course, output means nothing if sound quality is sacrificed. Fortunately, as the name suggests, the SM65’s are incredibly accurate, with good tonal balance and precise imaging. Add in the CS-8040HD at center, the SR-8080BP’s in the side surround slot, and a pair of StudioMonitor 45’s for the rear surrounds, and you’ve got yourself seven fantastic channels of audio without a huge footprint.  Their beautifully crafted cabinets will also score big points with your significant other.  Did we mention these speakers sound fantastic?  It's certainly worth restating!

Subwoofer: Martin Logan Dynamo 1500X: $1,600

MSRP: $1,600 | Martin Logan Dynamo 1500X Review

What’s this, a small sealed subwoofer being recommended for a home theater system? Don’t let its diminutive looks fool you: the Dynamo 1500X is a Bassaholic Large certified subwoofer, meaning it has been deemed capable of maintaining adequate headroom in spaces of 3000-5000 cubic feet, and/or for users who listen at moderate levels with occasional high volume playback. Combine that with an enclosure small enough to slip by a significant other without much fuss and the option for an attractive gloss black finish, and you’ve got a winner in our books. You also have an upgrade path in the future by simply adding another Dynamo 1500X to yield the dual sub benefits of smoothing out bass response for your listening area.

Of course, if you’ve got the room and a spouse that isn’t too fussy about what you’re putting in your theater, you might consider our alternative choice, a pair of Outlaw LFM-1 EX’s. Also a Bassaholic Large certified subwoofer, a pair of these bad boys will have no trouble filling the largest rooms with deep bass for a bit less cost than the aforementioned Dynamo ($649/each).   Though you loose the aesthetic appeal and bass calibration feature and some musicality of its more costly brethren. 
Alternative: Outlaw LFM-1 EX x2

A/V Receiver: Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A2040

MSRP: $1,700

Yamaha’s RX-A2040 has everything a home theater enthusiast might ask for: 9 channels of amplification; YPAO auto-setup and calibration; advanced multi-zone capability with a Zone 2 HDMI output and up to 4 zones of audio; networking features including vTuner, Spotify, and Airplay; and 4K video passthrough and upscaling are all on board. Audiophiles shouldn’t feel left out either with the inclusion premium parts to optimize sound quality, including ESS Technology’s reference grade SABRE DAC. Also, if you find that the RX-2040’s ample output capabilities just aren’t enough (140W into 8 ohms, 0.06% THD, 20Hz-20kHz, 2 ch driven), preamplifier outputs are available to give users the option to utilize an outboard amplifier.

Blu-ray Player: OPPO BDP-103

MSRP: $499 | OPPO BDP-103 Review

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: OPPO’s BDP-103 delivers a heck of a lot for not much coin. The BDP-103 is of course a Blu-ray player with the ability to upscale content to 4K, but that just scratches the surface. It can also play SACDs and DVD-A discs, allowing your theater to become a multi-channel music system. In addition, the BDP-103 features a network input for streaming A/V content, including Netflix, Vudu, and Pandora. Long story short: the OPPO has the capacity to be a one stop shop for all your media playback needs.

Cables: Blue Jeans Cables: ~$125

Blue Jeans is our go to cable vendor for a simple reason: they offer high quality products at affordable prices, and unlike so many other cable companies, they hold the BS. They offer raw 12AWG speaker wire starting at $0.52/foot, though they also sell terminated cables for a bit extra. Blue Jeans also sells no-nonsense interconnects (including balanced XLR cables) and subwoofer cables. Prices will of course vary based on the lengths that you need; however, the total seen above is based on the following:

• 100’ of Belden 5000UE speaker wire: $52.00

• 1x3’ + 1x8’ Belden Series-FE HDMI cables: $41.25

• 1x15’ Belden LC-1 subwoofer cables: $30.25

Surge Protection: Panamax SP8-AV

MSRP: $70

The Panamax SP8-AV is a fairly basic device. It offers 1125 joules of surge protection for 8 outlets, as well as a modicum of EMI/RFI noise rejection. In the event of a catastrophic surge, the SP8-AV's circuitry will disconnect your equipment from the line, helping to ensure its safety. Considering the modest price tag, we consider it cheap insurance to keep your equipment reasonably safe. Take our word for it when we say it’s never fun to see pricey components fry.

Summary

Many times, building a system that places real importance on size and looks leads to compromises in performance. This isn’t one of them. Fronted by the Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 65s and the Martin Logan Dynamo 1500X, the Audioholics $6,500 7.X recommended home theater is anything but short on output and sound quality. Of course, if you have an addiction to bass and enough space to accommodate a pair of relatively large subwoofers, we haven’t forgotten you either with our alternative subwoofer recommendation. However, regardless of which road you take, you can feel confident in knowing you’ve got a system that looks good and won’t leave you wanting for more on movie night.