Great thread idea. I have the exact same stand for my setup.

Top row: Sony VHS VCR; DirecTV HR-20 DVR; Xbox360 with HD-DVD add-on
Bottom row: Pioneer double cassette deck; Pioneer DVD player (480p output); Panasonic DVD-Recorder; Playstation 2; Denon AVR-2805 receiver

Speakers: Vandersteen 2Ce
Subwoofer: SVS PB-10.

Remote: Home Theater Master MX-700

The only upgrades I want to make now is a new DVD player (probably the Oppo 981).

Wishlist: TSU7000 remote control; Denon AVR-2807 receiver (same as mine, but with DVI switching); Surround sound system (undecided); Playstation 3

I remember a while ago posting in OOT for advice on DVD and a sound system. You recommended what you have, and as a result bought both. I am very happy with both purchases, the DVD player is very nice. The sound system is ok,although even on surround it doesnt feel like surround, but for the purchase price I am happy. So thank you for the recommendation, it has worked out well.

Your post just made me think of an awesome quote from a decision by Justice Brandeis: "Sunlight is the best of disinfectants." It's so true. Anything that you can see is less likely to get messed up. Agree 100% on having no enclosures anywhere. Look how nice the bush stand looks in the pic on the site. That looks 1000x better than a closed cabinet door with a trashy setup behind it.

gusmahler,

Get that mirror out from behind your system!

Otherwise very nice setup.

2k stereo audio system specs? anyone here use McIntosh stuff? My TV setup downstairs is a 32 inch samsung hd, hooked to a 1978 Marantz 1060b, hooked to KEF C40 speakers. I've never been able to turn the Marantz past 40% as when i got to 35 the neighbors came over immediately to complain

I just got the KDS60A2000 for X-mas and love it.

I'm running a Denon AVR-4800, Monitor Audio mains and Cambridge Soundworks for the remainder of the 5.1 system. I'm planning on upgrading everything to Monitor Audio in the future.

I have a cheapo Sony DVD, but will wait for companies to produce a BluRay/HD DVD player that has proven itself.

Thanks. We'll be getting rid of the mirror very soon. It's a big, heavy mirror that fit in well in my previous house. It was OK in my current house, with the smaller TV. Now, you can't even see the mirror because the TV takes up so much room.

WRT to wall mounting, my wife initially wanted a wall-mount a plasma. I pointed out to her that we have 9 components that need some sort of rack, so it wouldn't really save any room.

If I could hide the components in the wall, then I would do wall mount. But we couldn't in our current house, so we went with the DLP.

i have a prejudice against soft-remotes. i know certain models, including that one, have some programmable physical buttons but the bulk of the navigation still appears to be screen-based. if i can't control it in the dark with tactile feedback, i don't like it. i think it comes with hardcore dvr usage. i need play, pause, ff, and rw to be like extensions of my thought.

Astro (or anyone),

Can you give your ideal setup if you only had, say, $4-5K total to spend on the setup and if 50" was absolutely largest TV you could fit in your space?

I will also be moving into a condo, with limited space and (somewhat) limited budget (mostly by the wife - but whatever).

- TWP

I love you. I get weird looks from people who come over and see me with non-stretched 4:3.

I have a smaller Sony RPLCD, the smaller bush stand, a slightly older version of the Onkyo HTIB, a series 2 tivo...I am a poor man's astroglide.

I recommend the Onkyo packages to everyone I know. I've had mine for ~5 years. It sounds fantastic. I'd guess 90% of the people in the market for surround sound would be ecstatic with it, especially considering the price tag.

i think you'll be waiting for a while. if i had some other dvd player i would have no regrets about picking up an oppo today.

if/when microsoft releases the 65nm cpu, hdmi, 120gb "zephyr" xbox 360 i'll buy it in a flash for gaming and hd-dvd.

i like being able to read displays, easily insert discs, etc. i think i was absent on the day this whole techno-embarassment thing was being taught, but it seems to be quite popular with wives. monolithic furniture that opens up to reveal, gasp, a TELEVISION! hiding components too, i don't get it. are they really considered unsightly? i also hate the upscale home trend where refrigerators and dishwashers are given facades and hidden handles to blend in with the cabinets. i like stainless stuff that's usable and right out in the open.

TWP,

What do you want it to do?

1) Is MP3/streaming audio/tv type stuff important to you
2) Do you need a cassette deck?
3) Do you own a lot of CDs?
4) How big is the space?
5) Are you going to use it predominantly for music, or for dvds/gamgin?

Do you need all new equipment, or no?

MP3 from an iPod would be ideal but is not a deal breaker. Streaming tv I don't need at all.

What's that? (read: no)

Yes, but don't listen to them THAT often. Wouldn't mind having some nice CD playback capability, though. Goes slightly below iPod capability in terms of 'nice to haves'. I.e. would be willing to pay $100 for each capability probably, but not $300 each.

22' x 15' but not sure precisely where tv/couch will be located.

TV/movies. Maybe slight gaming (haven't played in months, but go in spurts every few months.) Not much music, but would be nice-to-have as mentioned above.

Generally avoid non-new stuff unless there is a very good reason (like a car).

i just went to amazon and put everything from my OP in the cart. the pre-shipping total is $4,256.25.

I have a cool setup at my lake house. Sharp 45 aquos direct LCD with a Yamaha YS-1 "sound projector" and a velodyne subwoofer. Sorry, don't know the model numbers, but for a small space the system rocks hard.

I have the 60" sony sxrd at home and love it.

But TV's too big and space is an issue. So if you had to downsize the TV, what would you downsize to (I understand the reason you went for this technology was related to large size of your TV) and where would you spend the extra moolah, keeping the total between 4-5K? That was really what I was asking...

the 55" is the 55a2000, the 50" is the 50a2000. same sets, smaller screens.

so even at 50" the comment "flat panel lcds are not yet large and cost-effective enough for me to consider" still stands?

i think most lcds in that range are are 46" or 52". and more expensive than sxrd if decent.

TWP,

Plasma's are probably more effective at that size, and not really that expensive.

I actually think plasmas are nicer than astro's TV. I saw too many issues with viewing angles and just raw bulk when I was looking at Wegas as an option. If you need 60, that's where you have to go, but in the 42-50 range, I'd stick with a plasma.

your 2-channel audio thread from OOT

I only counted the costs of the integrated + speakers, since the CD player isn't really part of the home theater, and I can't remember what brand or how much the overpriced cables I bought were. Rega integrated was ~$950 iirc, and dynaudio bookshelfs were a little over $1k.

the viewing angle argument has never held water with me. i haven't analyzed it from different perspectives, but my couches are in fixed positions and in a direct line of sight to the television. since that's where i sit during regular watching, i have never experienced a problem. if i happen to be walking down the hallway and glance at the weather or something, i can still see it fine.

Viewing angle was more important for me because I'm still moving every damn year (thankfully not this one) and not positive where/how the TV will be set up. I most def did notice it in the store.

If you've got reasonable control of where the TV will be, it's not as big of a deal.

The end deal breaker for me was that after like 5 different stores, nothing looked as sharp to me as the Panny Plasma (it came down to that or the 42inc Wega for me).