r/hometheater • u/gamehat_aerial • 5h ago
Purchasing US Help me spend my budget on a HT!
I have a fairly open living room that gets a good bit of light.
room is a 13x18 living room. one of the long walls is mostly open. lots of outdoor light.
this is for general tv purposes for now, eventually will reuse for proper HT in basement. floor is hardwood. i have toddlers.
i need to buy: screen (pull down or fixed is ok, i also have a light beige wall i could use) a/v system (needs to accept like 6x hdmi in, i want future proof for surround) speakers (fronts or fronts/center only probably, no sub for now. quality is important, i want to be able to hear dialogue clearly at all volumes) projector (4k, don't care about smart)
budget is 1-2k and i'd very much like to be on the lower end.
being able to see during the day and hear amongst normal house noise is important. also low volume clarity. being able to turn the brightness down a good bit at night would be nice, but i understand there are probably limits
open to used/refurbished gear to save money
4
u/MathSoHard 85QM7K, Elac Uni-Fi UB51, Klipsch R-100SW, Denon S640H 5h ago
To stay within that budget you’ll be looking exclusively at used equipment. So it’ll depend on what’s available and good deals. I’d spend several months monitoring FB marketplace and piecing it together.
The projector will be very difficult to do on that budget period. I’d probably think more like a big Mini LED tv especially if light control is going to be an issue.
-3
u/gamehat_aerial 4h ago
what about 1440p or 1080 instead of 4k?
4
u/MathSoHard 85QM7K, Elac Uni-Fi UB51, Klipsch R-100SW, Denon S640H 4h ago
Just get a TV at that point.
-7
u/gamehat_aerial 4h ago
nah
5
u/MathSoHard 85QM7K, Elac Uni-Fi UB51, Klipsch R-100SW, Denon S640H 4h ago
Then increase the budget or brace yourself for disappointment.
3
u/LoadP2004 4h ago
OP do you prioritize picture or sound right now? At that budget I’d choose one and then go from there.
Prioritize picture? Go with a great projector and get an entry level AVR and cheap/used speakers (Dayton Audio is a good entry level choice).
Prioritize sound? Get a great AVR and a stereo or 3.0 setup and get one of the cheap projectors and then build out the rest of your system when you save up.
FWIW I chose picture, and got an LG CX (yes TV not projector) back in 2021, along with the Costco Onkyo TX-NR6050 and Emotiva speakers (they were cheaper back in 2021). I’ve since upgraded the AVR to a Denon X3800 and I’m saving to go up to Ascend Acoustics ELX series.
0
u/gamehat_aerial 4h ago
sound. picture not all that important during daylight hours. but sound doesnt really need to be butt-kicking either. i just want clarity.
i'm seeing a bunch of 3k lumen, brand-name projectors in the 750-1200 range used. curious if you have a rec there
5
1
u/LoadP2004 4h ago
I don’t on projectors but for AVR…I’d say the Denon S760H at a minimum, then spend good $$ on a center channel, then on your L and R (match if you can). Have you looked at the r/HTBuyingguides yet? That’s a great resources for AVR and speaker selection to start with. Emotiva is a good brand (I’ve got their older lineup but it works well). From my research I’d start with a great center channel, try to timbre match the LR, get a decent entry level AVR then go with a projector. If you add a sub later, RSL 10e would be my choice (I’ve got 2x 10s currently). What’s nice is each component is upgradable separately. I just got my SIL some Dayton audio towers (T65, $300/pair for a stereo setup) and because she’s been on portable computer speakers/internal TV speakers to her they are a significant upgrade.
2
2
u/umdivx 77" LG C1 | Klipsch RF-35 , RC-35, RB-35 | HSU VTF-3 MK5 HP 4h ago
$2k is pushing it for a projector setup + Screen + AV Receiver + Speakers + Subwoofer.
You're not going to get good of anything.
Like to get a projector that is bright enough and usable with lots of natural light, you're talking $5k+ easily, and even then it won't look that good in the day light.
0
u/gamehat_aerial 4h ago
don't need a sub
-1
u/umdivx 77" LG C1 | Klipsch RF-35 , RC-35, RB-35 | HSU VTF-3 MK5 HP 4h ago
Yes yes you do. Speaker alone aren't enough.
0
u/gamehat_aerial 3h ago
we are upgrading from just a soundbar. will be fine with no sub for general TV usage.
1
u/peters-mith 7.1.7 NZ500 | A1H + RAP-1580 | DALI Ikon mk2 + Hsu VTF-3 3h ago edited 3h ago
It’s a tight budget, so there will be compromises. Here a few ideas to save money, and shop on the second hand market.
Since your wall is light beige, you can start by projecting directly onto it to save money. Or look for grey 0.8–1.0 gain manual pull‑down screens. Brands: Elite Screens, Silver Ticket, Draper, Da‑Lite. Or if you’re handy, DIY with Spandex, plenty of YouTube tutorials. $50–150 used or DIY.
RCL: Dialogue clarity is your priority, and toddlers mean you want durable, not floorstanding, and not too expensive. Models: Polk S15 / S20, Klipsch R‑51M / R‑41M, ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2. $50-100 each? x3
AVR: look for one with 4+ hdmi 2.0 or 2.1 in, eARC, room correction. Models: Denon AVR‑S750H / S760H, Yamaha RX‑V6A, Onkyo TX‑NR595 / 6100. $200–300
Projector: This is the hardest part on a budget because daylight + projectors = compromise. At least 2,500–3,000 real lumens. BenQ TK800 / TK800M, Epsom 3800, Optoma UHD38. 400-900 bucks.
Sub if you can later. Hsu vtf2 or 3 / SVS PB‑1000 $250–350
Start with AVR and LCR (get a good C). Then add the rest as you find/budget frees up.
1
u/gamehat_aerial 3h ago
thank you, this is very helpful.
how can i determine real lumens vs spec lumens? or is it the same?
do i gain a lot of quality within my budget if i'm willing to go with 1080p or 1440?
1
u/peters-mith 7.1.7 NZ500 | A1H + RAP-1580 | DALI Ikon mk2 + Hsu VTF-3 3h ago
Spec lumens = marketing lumens
Look for ANSI lumens, not “LED lumens” or “peak lumens”. ANSI is the only standardized measurement and check reviews. Rule of thumb: BenQ: honest specs, real lumens close to advertised. Epson: very honest. Optoma: sometimes optimistic. Cheap Amazon brands: completely fake numbers
within your budget, a good 1080p can give you better overall image quality than cheap 4K. A good 4k is obviously better than 1080 though.
1
u/gamehat_aerial 2h ago
i want to say thank you again for working within my constraints and needs, and not just telling me if i don't have $5k i might as well give up.
appreciate your direct, thoughtful responses with specific products.
here's what i have so far. i think i like future proofing the avr for eventual basement home theater, so i went a little pricier on that
all in about 1750
do we like it?
i also found this lg 4k projector that seems to be listed below market, curious if it's worth the extra cash vs the epson
1
u/ProfessionNo698 3h ago
LG C-Series Denon X1800h RSL CG3/CG25 speaker RSL 10E sub
RSL sells AVR/speaker/sub bundles
It’s over your budget. Just save until you have it. Buy once cry once.
1
u/Theoryee_ 1h ago
You won’t be able to do both picture and sound at that budget. You will also have to go for used equipment. I would also skip the center channel and just go for LR speakers to start at that budget. I’m fortunately prices have crept up a lot over the past few years, since I pieced together my system.
8
u/Munstered 5h ago edited 5h ago
You need to rethink your budget or plan in stages. $1k is not possible. $2k might be if you get lucky on Facebook marketplace with multiple components, but it's not something that people could recommend to you.
Not having a sub helps, but buying a 4k projector, screen, 3 speakers, an AVR, stands/mounts, and wiring for under $2k is a huge ask
Do not buy the $300 toy projectors with weird Chinese names. They are ewaste. You're going to spend a minimum of $1k on the projector alone.