I'm embarrassed to say - I have a PhD in Film & Digital Media from UC Santa Cruz (GO SLUGS!), so it is really more a business expense . . . At least that's what I tell the Mrs. (doesn't work).
I bought a Logitech Z 5300 5.1 system for around $150 a long time ago and have replaced, got rid of, and changed pretty much everything about it. It now has 2 x 15" subwoofers, and 2 x MTX AAL12B cabinets. Found all of it while working on apartments. The control module it has is going out though. I have to sit there and press the on button a ton of times before it ever turns on.
@mihnt omg! I have a Logitech Z-560 4.1 speaker set (their first THX certified one) that I picked up freshman year in college. For a hundred bucks, they were a steal for something so life-altering.
13 years and some soldering work on the control unit later, it's still going strong with an Onkyo receiver and new rear speakers (both from Meh). I tossed in a center speaker from the Z-5500, which I believe has the same Tang Band drivers.
@SpenceMan01 Several of us whom are active posters here have hoarded brand new Panasonic ST and VT series televisions for future use . . . I fucking love my Barco digital cinema projector (but if not for Barco sending me a new one to demo every 4-6 months, I really couldn't afford to keep one), but IMO for everyday viewing no set currently marketed under $5,000 beats the image quality offered by the last plasma sets that Panasonic manufactured and shipped that sold for as little as $900 (50 inch ST). I can easily and immediately tell the difference between a calibrated ST and a VT panel, and I get it, but I'm not going to burn hours away on a VT to watch an everyday cable or OTA broadcast - I'd rather burn the ST panels first.
@Pavlov LG's stunning OLED monsters are well under $2k now (and just over $2k for 4K) and they (gasp) actually do beat the VTs, and even the ZTs. It's un-fucking-believable.
And they do it while clocking in a featherweight 30 lbs, as opposed to the TV's back-breaking 80.
(Wish I'd waited a year on the OLEDs instead of buying my out-of-warranty VT60 which now has a partial panel failure, but it was difficult to predict we'd come this far).
@trisk OLED is absolutely beautiful, but I personally don't care for the slight image distortion that accompanies the curved screen. Also, there are a few (very minor) issues as outlined in the shootouts on AVSForums (but no set is perfect), where I am a top contributor. In another couple of years I anticipate I'll make the switch as the technology advances, but I'll hold on to my plasma hoard, at least for now.
A $70 soundbar with wireless subwoofer that I bought from either Meh or Woot. (Sorry, can't recall which offhand. But I am sure it was you, Meh. Totally had to be you.) And the wireless subwoofer constantly clips out at low volumes, so it is annoying.
@trisk Got a chromecast, and a roku. Still watch on phone. Must have a low-rent mind or something.
My media weakness is headphones. I refuse to tell how many i own that go for over $200 on sale, because i havent counted them. Only one set of beats, a gift. They dont completely suck, they're just worth maybe $60-70 new. You can do better under $100 with refurb or on-sale Sonys.
I have been obsessed with audio gear since I was in high school, some 18ish years ago. Granted my current home theater setup is fairly modest. I definitely don't have more than $1,500 wrapped up in it. But that's only because my house sucks. Just because I have a fairly modest system now doesn't mean that I don't have plans for Home Theater world domination someday. The problem is that I don't want to make major modifications and upgrades to a home that I don't plan on living in for more than a couple more years. Especially upgrades that are extremely involved, that most other people could not care less about. Someday though... once I sell this house and get my "forever home" it's going to be on!
I have a very nice audio system, but it has two channels and zero televisions, and thankfully that means there's no way anyone would call what I have a home theater.
@brhfl I didnt own a tv w a screen larger than 3" for more than a decade. The govt killed it when they went digital. It's kinda cool not to have one around to turn on. I kept winding up doing books or music or going outside.....
Relatively smart shopper: at one point, I had a setup that consisted of a 2014 60" LG plasma paired to 5.1 audio using a mid-tier Sony receiver, JBL Northridge floor/satellite speakers, and a 12" Klipsch sub. Total cost: $1,300.
I've since upgraded to a good Yamaha receiver and will probably drop too much cash on an OLED TV when my LG drops. I still have a 2008 50" Panasonic plasma sitting around that I can't get myself to sell; the picture/colors are still great.
Budget projection setup. Epson 2D 1080 LCD - 1200ish Emotiva/Sherwood AVR - 500 clearance HSU Ventrilloquist/STF1 - 500 discontinued Da-lite Model C 120" manual pull down - 600ish Monoprice cables - 100ish Roku 3, Budget media PC, Blu-ray - 500ish Serving liquor and deluxe nachos in your own home theater? - Priceless.
When I was building the screen I asked wife "How big is too big" (ha ha ha) and she replied "I don't care.. How big is the wall?"
So I built a ~13ft Diagonal 4:3 (~11ft wide) screen I made with materials from https://www.carlofet.com/
I have an Epson HC 8350 (It has LensShift, not stupid Keystoning) I had an Onkyo TX-NR708 but the HDMI board died and Onkyo traded it for a TX-NR838. Enough speakers to get 7.1.2 (Polk speakers RTiA7, CSiA6, FXiA6, and a wireless F/X) A Velodine CHT-12q sub
I'm embarrassed to say - I have a PhD in Film & Digital Media from UC Santa Cruz (GO SLUGS!), so it is really more a business expense . . . At least that's what I tell the Mrs. (doesn't work).
I bought a Logitech Z 5300 5.1 system for around $150 a long time ago and have replaced, got rid of, and changed pretty much everything about it. It now has 2 x 15" subwoofers, and 2 x MTX AAL12B cabinets. Found all of it while working on apartments. The control module it has is going out though. I have to sit there and press the on button a ton of times before it ever turns on.
@mihnt omg! I have a Logitech Z-560 4.1 speaker set (their first THX certified one) that I picked up freshman year in college. For a hundred bucks, they were a steal for something so life-altering.
13 years and some soldering work on the control unit later, it's still going strong with an Onkyo receiver and new rear speakers (both from Meh). I tossed in a center speaker from the Z-5500, which I believe has the same Tang Band drivers.
I just upgraded to my 1st HDTV, I might have something resembling a really shitty home theater sometime around 2058.
I have a low-mid line audio setup, but I splurged on my 60" Panasonic VT60... last of the great plasmas. I love that damn TV.
@SpenceMan01 Several of us whom are active posters here have hoarded brand new Panasonic ST and VT series televisions for future use . . . I fucking love my Barco digital cinema projector (but if not for Barco sending me a new one to demo every 4-6 months, I really couldn't afford to keep one), but IMO for everyday viewing no set currently marketed under $5,000 beats the image quality offered by the last plasma sets that Panasonic manufactured and shipped that sold for as little as $900 (50 inch ST). I can easily and immediately tell the difference between a calibrated ST and a VT panel, and I get it, but I'm not going to burn hours away on a VT to watch an everyday cable or OTA broadcast - I'd rather burn the ST panels first.
Cherish that VT.
@Pavlov LG's stunning OLED monsters are well under $2k now (and just over $2k for 4K) and they (gasp) actually do beat the VTs, and even the ZTs. It's un-fucking-believable.
And they do it while clocking in a featherweight 30 lbs, as opposed to the TV's back-breaking 80.
(Wish I'd waited a year on the OLEDs instead of buying my out-of-warranty VT60 which now has a partial panel failure, but it was difficult to predict we'd come this far).
@trisk OLED is absolutely beautiful, but I personally don't care for the slight image distortion that accompanies the curved screen. Also, there are a few (very minor) issues as outlined in the shootouts on AVSForums (but no set is perfect), where I am a top contributor. In another couple of years I anticipate I'll make the switch as the technology advances, but I'll hold on to my plasma hoard, at least for now.
: )
Probably 75% of what gets watched on TV in my home is animated. Don't need hdtv for that.
A $70 soundbar with wireless subwoofer that I bought from either Meh or Woot. (Sorry, can't recall which offhand. But I am sure it was you, Meh. Totally had to be you.) And the wireless subwoofer constantly clips out at low volumes, so it is annoying.
In spite of having dropped a bit on $ on a system, i somehow watch everything streamed on a phone, thats most of my viewing. Just too damned lazy.
@f00l Time to get a Chromecast?
@trisk
Got a chromecast, and a roku. Still watch on phone. Must have a low-rent mind or something.
My media weakness is headphones. I refuse to tell how many i own that go for over $200 on sale, because i havent counted them. Only one set of beats, a gift. They dont completely suck, they're just worth maybe $60-70 new. You can do better under $100 with refurb or on-sale Sonys.
My home budget for an audio system is basically whatever shitty pair of headphones I can find.
I have been obsessed with audio gear since I was in high school, some 18ish years ago. Granted my current home theater setup is fairly modest. I definitely don't have more than $1,500 wrapped up in it. But that's only because my house sucks. Just because I have a fairly modest system now doesn't mean that I don't have plans for Home Theater world domination someday. The problem is that I don't want to make major modifications and upgrades to a home that I don't plan on living in for more than a couple more years. Especially upgrades that are extremely involved, that most other people could not care less about. Someday though... once I sell this house and get my "forever home" it's going to be on!
I have a very nice audio system, but it has two channels and zero televisions, and thankfully that means there's no way anyone would call what I have a home theater.
@brhfl
I didnt own a tv w a screen larger than 3" for more than a decade. The govt killed it when they went digital. It's kinda cool not to have one around to turn on. I kept winding up doing books or music or going outside.....
Relatively smart shopper: at one point, I had a setup that consisted of a 2014 60" LG plasma paired to 5.1 audio using a mid-tier Sony receiver, JBL Northridge floor/satellite speakers, and a 12" Klipsch sub. Total cost: $1,300.
I've since upgraded to a good Yamaha receiver and will probably drop too much cash on an OLED TV when my LG drops. I still have a 2008 50" Panasonic plasma sitting around that I can't get myself to sell; the picture/colors are still great.
Budget projection setup.
Epson 2D 1080 LCD - 1200ish
Emotiva/Sherwood AVR - 500 clearance
HSU Ventrilloquist/STF1 - 500 discontinued
Da-lite Model C 120" manual pull down - 600ish
Monoprice cables - 100ish
Roku 3, Budget media PC, Blu-ray - 500ish
Serving liquor and deluxe nachos in your own home theater? - Priceless.
My wife calls our setup "Wall TV".
When I was building the screen I asked wife "How big is too big" (ha ha ha) and she replied "I don't care.. How big is the wall?"
So I built a ~13ft Diagonal 4:3 (~11ft wide) screen I made with materials from https://www.carlofet.com/
I have an Epson HC 8350 (It has LensShift, not stupid Keystoning)
I had an Onkyo TX-NR708 but the HDMI board died and Onkyo traded it for a TX-NR838.
Enough speakers to get 7.1.2 (Polk speakers RTiA7, CSiA6, FXiA6, and a wireless F/X)
A Velodine CHT-12q sub
Ps3/Ps4/X-Box/Roku/RaspberryPi/IpodDock/etc..
32" TV and a speaker dock