How do you pick a good home theater system?

What is the best possible THX Select 2 Home Theater System for the least amount of money?

• Audiophiles please help me pick out an entire home theater system for as little money as possible. My wife will not let me spend more than $800. I prefer 7.1 surround but a can start with 5.1 and up-grade to 7.1 later. All speakers and A/V Receiver must be THX Select 2 certified and timbre matched. Try to get it as close to as 800$ as possible I may be able to talk her in to a little more. THANK YOU

• Answer:

  Why on earth do you care about THX ratings??? The original THX was developed based on an article by Siegfried Linkwitz in a 1978 issue of Wireless World. It's 34 year old technology! THX certification is pretty meaningless. You would be better served to look at current reviews in Stereophile or Home Theatre Magazine and completely ignore THX ratings. It's really hard to put together a nice system for only $800. Perhaps the wife will allow you to build over time starting with just a nice AVR and two main speakers for about $800. Then over time add a center speaker, subwoofer and finally surrounds. I wouldn't worry about 7.1 over 5.1, my theatre http://www.mfk-projects.com/home_theatre.htm is just 5.1... actually 5.2 (stereo subs). I don't feel the need to go to 7.2. Here is an AVR... http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/VSX-40 Bookshelf speakers... http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MRBBX1 Later add a second set of the above speakers for surround, this center... http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MRBBXCE and this sub... http://emotiva.com/xref_sub10.shtm If she won't let you get away with this build a little at a time approach then it's going to be really hard to get decent sound with just $800 total. It's all relative though, it depends on what you call, "decent sound". mk