Any A/Vphiles out there?

Z

z4fanatic

New member
Hoping someone on the board is knowledgeable in home audio/video.  Went to the Costa Mesa Best Buy yesterday looking for a TV and receiver.  And boy, was it like a used car buying experience. 

I'm in the market for a Panasonic 65vt50, the MSRP is around 3,600 and a receiver to power 2 Definitive Mythos 2's (left/right bookshelf speaker), Definitive Mythos 3 (same as 2's, but this one is center channel), Definitive ProSub 800, and 2 proficient in-ceiling speakers (installed by builder).  This will be a pretty standard 5.1 setup.  The sales guy at Magnolia put together some bogus package for me saying it was a great deal.

TV - 2,900
Receiver - 720 (originally 800, but 10% disc)
HDMI Cables - 320
2 Wall Mounts - 400
Installation - 1,000

I think the TV price is fair, my friend who works at Panasonic can get it for 2,750.  The 3 year interest free basically mitigates that 150 difference, which I'm fine with.  But the receiver is an up-sell I believe.  I don't really follow home a/v anymore, so I don't know what receiver will be needed to power my setup above.  But I'm guessing, I won't need anywhere near the power of that 7.1 Denon 23xx In-Command series receiver they're trying to sell me.

HDMI/Wall Mounts/Installation = I just LOL'd and said no thanks.  So they came back and said TV for 2,900 and Receiver for 720.  I declined since I felt violated from the attempted reaming.

Long story short, can someone recommend me a receiver to power my setup above?  Also, anyone know of a good electrician that can install the system?  My house is all pre-wired, all of the speaker cables and HDMI cables are ran behind the drywall into a media connection plate.  I just need the electrician to mount TV, mount speakers, and install/tune the system.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
 
Just looking for a 5.1, those sales guys were pushing for 4k, and other junk on the Denon receiver they were trying to sell me.  I think my setup will be a slightly above average set-up, so I don't need anything crazy. 

You know any electricians by any chance?  I need them to mount speaker/tv, wire the 5.1 surround sound, install ceiling fans, install pendent lights.  They all have jboxes pre-wired, so just basic installation. 

Thanks!
 
Those prices sound about right without knowing exactly the configuration, setup or performance expectations of your room.  You can get cables and wall mounts for much cheaper at places like www.monoprice.com .  Make sure you buy the 'in-wall' cables if you buy your own.  They have the proper sheaths, etc.
Regarding the equipment, that is about right for retail and the installation may be a bit negotiable.  I would not go the cheapest route in installation since I have see some atrocious or downright unsafe installs from Craigslist installers in the past (I used to have a small PC/Home Theater install business).
 
Thanks Daven.  Yeah, I'd definitely wouldn't go for the cheapest install, but even the company who completed the pre-wiring in my home charges 100/hr for installation.  Best Buy is charging 1k for mounting 2 TVs and basically connecting wires.  That just seemed a bit excessive for me.

I hate paying retail price :)  And I know Best Buy/Magnolia are always flexible on their pricing, it's just about how long you want to finagle with them, and I really don't think I need such a high-end receiver for my setup.  Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
z4fanatic said:
Hoping someone on the board is knowledgeable in home audio/video.  Went to the Costa Mesa Best Buy yesterday looking for a TV and receiver.  And boy, was it like a used car buying experience. 

I'm in the market for a Panasonic 65vt50, the MSRP is around 3,600 and a receiver to power 2 Definitive Mythos 2's (left/right bookshelf speaker), Definitive Mythos 3 (same as 2's, but this one is center channel), Definitive ProSub 800, and 2 proficient in-ceiling speakers (installed by builder).  This will be a pretty standard 5.1 setup.  The sales guy at Magnolia put together some bogus package for me saying it was a great deal.

TV - 2,900
Receiver - 720 (originally 800, but 10% disc)
HDMI Cables - 320
2 Wall Mounts - 400
Installation - 1,000

I think the TV price is fair, my friend who works at Panasonic can get it for 2,750.  The 3 year interest free basically mitigates that 150 difference, which I'm fine with.  But the receiver is an up-sell I believe.  I don't really follow home a/v anymore, so I don't know what receiver will be needed to power my setup above.  But I'm guessing, I won't need anywhere near the power of that 7.1 Denon 23xx In-Command series receiver they're trying to sell me.

HDMI/Wall Mounts/Installation = I just LOL'd and said no thanks.  So they came back and said TV for 2,900 and Receiver for 720.  I declined since I felt violated from the attempted reaming.

Long story short, can someone recommend me a receiver to power my setup above?  Also, anyone know of a good electrician that can install the system?  My house is all pre-wired, all of the speaker cables and HDMI cables are ran behind the drywall into a media connection plate.  I just need the electrician to mount TV, mount speakers, and install/tune the system.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
Click to expand...

Off topic but can I ask why you decided on Plasma?  To me, picture quality is the first place to start.  Our main TV is in the great room obviously which has a lot of windows.  For bright rooms, its LED over plasma.  Starting install this week.  Looked okay in the store, but a bit worried about black quality since i got the side lit Samsung. 

Also, Magnolia guy at Best Buy (where I bought the TV) really tried to pour on the sales pitch for their home theater, but he was smokin crack.  Just got my TV and got out of there... 

For your audio setup, first question is what are you trying to do?  If this is for the great room, then I will tell you stay clear of anything too expensive because most of the time, you will be wasting your money.  great rooms are predesigned and often times, you don't have a lot of flexibility for speaker location.    in addition, most people don't make changes to a room for acoustic qualities.  For example, I have a large great room connected to a large dining room and we have hardwood floors everywhere.    I get a lot of echo in our downstairs and it's not a great place for theater quality sound.  Beyond that, I have a wife and soon to be 2 kids so i don't think I will be blasting the system for movies any time in the near future. 

So, a receiver like Homer recommended makes complete sense.  for me, I'm trying to keep as much as I can out of sight, so in ceiling and in wall work the best for me.  Good luck. 
 
akim997 said:
z4fanatic said:
Hoping someone on the board is knowledgeable in home audio/video.  Went to the Costa Mesa Best Buy yesterday looking for a TV and receiver.  And boy, was it like a used car buying experience. 

I'm in the market for a Panasonic 65vt50, the MSRP is around 3,600 and a receiver to power 2 Definitive Mythos 2's (left/right bookshelf speaker), Definitive Mythos 3 (same as 2's, but this one is center channel), Definitive ProSub 800, and 2 proficient in-ceiling speakers (installed by builder).  This will be a pretty standard 5.1 setup.  The sales guy at Magnolia put together some bogus package for me saying it was a great deal.

TV - 2,900
Receiver - 720 (originally 800, but 10% disc)
HDMI Cables - 320
2 Wall Mounts - 400
Installation - 1,000

I think the TV price is fair, my friend who works at Panasonic can get it for 2,750.  The 3 year interest free basically mitigates that 150 difference, which I'm fine with.  But the receiver is an up-sell I believe.  I don't really follow home a/v anymore, so I don't know what receiver will be needed to power my setup above.  But I'm guessing, I won't need anywhere near the power of that 7.1 Denon 23xx In-Command series receiver they're trying to sell me.

HDMI/Wall Mounts/Installation = I just LOL'd and said no thanks.  So they came back and said TV for 2,900 and Receiver for 720.  I declined since I felt violated from the attempted reaming.

Long story short, can someone recommend me a receiver to power my setup above?  Also, anyone know of a good electrician that can install the system?  My house is all pre-wired, all of the speaker cables and HDMI cables are ran behind the drywall into a media connection plate.  I just need the electrician to mount TV, mount speakers, and install/tune the system.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
Click to expand...

Off topic but can I ask why you decided on Plasma?  To me, picture quality is the first place to start.  Our main TV is in the great room obviously which has a lot of windows.  For bright rooms, its LED over plasma.  Starting install this week.  Looked okay in the store, but a bit worried about black quality since i got the side lit Samsung. 

Also, Magnolia guy at Best Buy (where I bought the TV) really tried to pour on the sales pitch for their home theater, but he was smokin crack.  Just got my TV and got out of there... 

For your audio setup, first question is what are you trying to do?  If this is for the great room, then I will tell you stay clear of anything too expensive because most of the time, you will be wasting your money.  great rooms are predesigned and often times, you don't have a lot of flexibility for speaker location.    in addition, most people don't make changes to a room for acoustic qualities.  For example, I have a large great room connected to a large dining room and we have hardwood floors everywhere.    I get a lot of echo in our downstairs and it's not a great place for theater quality sound.  Beyond that, I have a wife and soon to be 2 kids so i don't think I will be blasting the system for movies any time in the near future. 

So, a receiver like Homer recommended makes complete sense.  for me, I'm trying to keep as much as I can out of sight, so in ceiling and in wall work the best for me.  Good luck.
Click to expand...

great minds think alike  :D
 
z4fanatic said:
Thanks Daven.  Yeah, I'd definitely wouldn't go for the cheapest install, but even the company who completed the pre-wiring in my home charges 100/hr for installation.  Best Buy is charging 1k for mounting 2 TVs and basically connecting wires.  That just seemed a bit excessive for me.

I hate paying retail price :)  And I know Best Buy/Magnolia are always flexible on their pricing, it's just about how long you want to finagle with them, and I really don't think I need such a high-end receiver for my setup.  Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

If that is all they are doing then it is steep unless there is some unique configuration/difficulty in your walls, etc.
In my previous home when the guys were installing my home security system, one of the installers hit an electrical line in the wall and shorted out the circuit along with taking out the Lutron dimmer and some of the actual wire.  Had to cut a nice hole in the wall to repair the electrical wiring and then replace the switch.  All the guy could say was, 'Whoops'.  Ugh...
 
I'm going to be the contrarian in this plasma vs LCD debate.  Ambient light can be controlled with blinds, shutters, curtains, etc.  But for straight picture quality, plasma is my pick.  Especially considering the off axis degradation of picture quality of LCDs.  This is almost a deal breaker for me, I say almost cuz there's a dearth of quality plasma manufacturers outside of Panasonic.  I mourned the death of Pioneer's TV division as I consider their last generation of Kuro plasmas the industry standard for consumer HDTVs.  That being said, the new(ish) Sharp Elite LCD HDTVs come close to picture quality of the old Pioneer Kuros.

Akim is correct about room correction.  Ppl spend thousands of dollars on A/V equipment without giving a thought to the most important factor in sound reproduction...the room itself.  I've heard modest systems in a corrected room blow away a poor room filled with audiophile equipment 10x more expensive.  Correct speaker placement, strategically placed furniture, curtains, rugs and bookshelves, wall mounted sound diffusers/absorbers, bass traps, all have a much bigger influence on sound than the actual equipment themselves.  Some of these things won't pass the wife acceptance factor for decor so all of us have to make some compromises...unless of course you're lucky enough to have a dedicated home theater room.  The one thing about receivers that I look for (talking about movies now, not 2 channel music listening) is their room correction software used.  Besides the things I listed above, these algorithms can have a big impact on your sound.  Some are better than others and some are proprietary.  Yamaha and Pioneer have their own schemes.  I'm partial to Audyssey.  Audyssey has lots of algorithms, I would look for receivers that have XT32 as this will correct the whole frequency including the bass.  Audyssey XT is pretty good but doesn't correct the deep end.  Unfortunately, receivers with XT32 are currently cost prohibitive.  I recommend checking out AVSforum for in depth discussion on all things A/V.  Those geeks know everything about this stuff.  I'm a member over there also.  Also, I'm glad you didn't fall for the snake oil regarding cables...such a scam.

Btw, I have Arcam electronics with Vandersteen speakers.  I used to be more of a stereo guy, but now am more movies cuz of my daughter.  Nothing like watching Yo Gabba Gabba in surround...oy veh.

Just thought of something to add.  Over on AVS forum, there's lots of pros that will come to your house to do installs and calibrate your TV (highly recommended).  I would look over there for someone local that has good references from other board members and possibly use that person.  Good luck.

 
best buy is clueless about HDMI cables, they treat them like they are gold.  i was perusing the isles and saw their house brand dynex 6ft hdmi cables going for $30 or something ridiculous like that.  monoprice all the way...

One good thing about having the person you bought the tv from installing it for you, is that if you notice any screen uniformity issues you can just have them take it back right away...hauling around a 65'' plasma is a pain in the butt even in the biggest of SUVs.  Doesn't justify overspending by a lot, but if it's a matter of $50, I think it's worth it
 
I was at CES last year and saw the 55" LG  OLED TV's and wow, they blew away everything I have seen in 2D and 3D to date even though it is a passive 3D setup.  The colors were saturated, blacks were super inky and the 3D reproduction was impressive.  I am not a 3DTV fan and this TV actually made me want one.  Now the trick  is to actually see if they mass produce it.
 
I think I have a few HDMI cables lying around.  If someone wants one just let me know and I'll give them to ya.  I think they are 6ft ones.
 
I decided on the Panasonic plasma due to a lot of favorable reviews from individuals on AVS Forum and CNET.  Also a lot of people are saying the VT50 is a lot like the Pioneer Kuros...  I couldn't justify spending an extra 4k for the Elite, so the Panny was next in line.

The speakers I have are from 06, I installed them once, moved out of the apartment and never installed them again.  I had Shea Homes pre-wire the entire great room for 3 wall mounted speakers (left/right/center) and a 65" wall mounted TV, and 2 in-ceiling speakers (rears), and a sub.  All the wires go through a centralized media connection plate.

I just want to find a receiver that will do the work, but my lack of knowledge in A/V is hindering that effort.  5.1 is what I'm going for, nothing over the top...  Just really unsure what's needed to power the speakers.  Also I plan on connecting PS3/XBOX/WII/KTV machine lol to the receiver.

Here's a link to the left/right/center speakers and sub I have
http://www.definitivetech.com/products/mythos-three
http://www.definitivetech.com/products/prosub-800

Thanks again for all your help guys.


akim997 said:
z4fanatic said:
Hoping someone on the board is knowledgeable in home audio/video.  Went to the Costa Mesa Best Buy yesterday looking for a TV and receiver.  And boy, was it like a used car buying experience. 

I'm in the market for a Panasonic 65vt50, the MSRP is around 3,600 and a receiver to power 2 Definitive Mythos 2's (left/right bookshelf speaker), Definitive Mythos 3 (same as 2's, but this one is center channel), Definitive ProSub 800, and 2 proficient in-ceiling speakers (installed by builder).  This will be a pretty standard 5.1 setup.  The sales guy at Magnolia put together some bogus package for me saying it was a great deal.

TV - 2,900
Receiver - 720 (originally 800, but 10% disc)
HDMI Cables - 320
2 Wall Mounts - 400
Installation - 1,000

I think the TV price is fair, my friend who works at Panasonic can get it for 2,750.  The 3 year interest free basically mitigates that 150 difference, which I'm fine with.  But the receiver is an up-sell I believe.  I don't really follow home a/v anymore, so I don't know what receiver will be needed to power my setup above.  But I'm guessing, I won't need anywhere near the power of that 7.1 Denon 23xx In-Command series receiver they're trying to sell me.

HDMI/Wall Mounts/Installation = I just LOL'd and said no thanks.  So they came back and said TV for 2,900 and Receiver for 720.  I declined since I felt violated from the attempted reaming.

Long story short, can someone recommend me a receiver to power my setup above?  Also, anyone know of a good electrician that can install the system?  My house is all pre-wired, all of the speaker cables and HDMI cables are ran behind the drywall into a media connection plate.  I just need the electrician to mount TV, mount speakers, and install/tune the system.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
Click to expand...

Off topic but can I ask why you decided on Plasma?  To me, picture quality is the first place to start.  Our main TV is in the great room obviously which has a lot of windows.  For bright rooms, its LED over plasma.  Starting install this week.  Looked okay in the store, but a bit worried about black quality since i got the side lit Samsung. 

Also, Magnolia guy at Best Buy (where I bought the TV) really tried to pour on the sales pitch for their home theater, but he was smokin crack.  Just got my TV and got out of there... 

For your audio setup, first question is what are you trying to do?  If this is for the great room, then I will tell you stay clear of anything too expensive because most of the time, you will be wasting your money.  great rooms are predesigned and often times, you don't have a lot of flexibility for speaker location.    in addition, most people don't make changes to a room for acoustic qualities.  For example, I have a large great room connected to a large dining room and we have hardwood floors everywhere.    I get a lot of echo in our downstairs and it's not a great place for theater quality sound.  Beyond that, I have a wife and soon to be 2 kids so i don't think I will be blasting the system for movies any time in the near future. 

So, a receiver like Homer recommended makes complete sense.  for me, I'm trying to keep as much as I can out of sight, so in ceiling and in wall work the best for me.  Good luck.
Click to expand...
 
Update:

So I went to the Best Buy in Chino Hills to attempt another shot at purchasing the A/V equipment.  They had a grand opening yesterday so I figured I might be able to get a better since management probably wanted to boost revenue figures for the opening.

I had one of the best shopping experiences ever...  Regular Best Buy staff are so much more accommodating and down to earth than those d-bags at Magnolia.  I was able to score a pretty good deal.

Panasonic 65VT50.

MSRP was 3699.99, I got the TV for 2750.00, down 150 from Magnolia's "rock bottom pricing".

Denon 2113CI Receiver

MSRP was 649.99, I got the receiver for 469.99, Magnolia offered only 10% off the 650.  I got BB's management to price match EastCoast TV's (some bootleg online store out in NJ).

Speak/TV mounting + Setup

Got this for 400 total, Magnolia wanted 1k

KitchenAid KFC22EVMS Counter-Depth Fridge
MSRP 3199.99, I got this for 2550.00

Plus got 2 front loading Whirlpool Washer/Dryer combo at clearance price + additional 15% off, which saved me close to 700 bucks off retail.

200 bucks worth of Reward Zone gift certs, and 3 years no interest financing...

I think the culture at Best Buy is changing, they realize in order to stay competitive with online retailers they need to price-match and be aggressive with pricing.  They were price matching left and right without any hesitation; their employees even surfed the internet to find price matching for me on washer/dry cords. 

If any of you guys are looking to buy electronics, I definitely recommend going back to Best Buy.





 
Nice to hear you had a great experience at BB.  There's lots of haters of BB, but I hope they survive.  It's tough for B&M businesses to compete with online establishments especially considering the razor thin margins of consumer electronics.  I bought a Pioneer Elite Kuro years back from BB and it went smoothly, still love that TV.  I'm a fan of Panasonic and Denon, great companies that put out stellar products at real world price points.  Please don't mount your TV over the fireplace.  I understand why ppl do it, but not ergonomically correct.  The center of the TV should be eye level at the normal seated position.  Enjoy your new toys!
 
Yeah definitely.  My fireplace is on the corner so I'll be mounting perfectly at eye level.  I think if Best Buy keeps this price matching up, they'll win back a lot of customers in CA since AMZN charges tax now.

I absolutely love the Elite Kuros, that's such an awesome TV.  I like the new Elites too, but I can't justify the 4k premium over the VT50, but those TV's are amazing...

There are definitely a lot of BB haters, but I think if you deal with the right employees you'll have a great experience... 

Did you ever get a warranty on your TV?  Those warranties are so damn expensive...  Not sure if it's worth it or not.
 
Those tv warranties are not necessary - waste of cash. BB makes huge profit margins on those. Coscto throws in a second year of warranty.
 
qwerty said:
Those tv warranties are not necessary - waste of cash. BB makes huge profit margins on those. Coscto throws in a second year of warranty.
Click to expand...
+1,000,000

I put big ticket items on a CC that gives an extra year of warranty.  However, I would buy an extended warranty if it was a good value, such as $99 for an extra 5 years on my washer and dryer.  Glad I bought that one cuz my dryer needed a new drum 4 years after purchase.  In home repair for free.
 
I'm a fan of BB... just wish they had more showroom models so that I can see what the items look and feel like before I buy.

And now that Amazon is charging tax in CA... BB can come close to matching prices.

Nice to hear your price-matching was easy... I remember a few years ago when I was trying to price match a TV, I had the ad in hand, it was in stock at the competitor and they were still giving me a hard time that they couldn't match it because it was "below cost". I felt like I was at car dealership because they kept referring me up the chain to managers... but finally they relented and they even gave me some discounts on other stuff because I was "patient" with them.

And I agree with qwerty about not needing a warranty... I've rarely had problems with a TV I've owned... even the old heavy CRT ones. My LCD TVs are all working fine and they are all 3 to 6 years old. But then again, that's why I won't spend more than $1000-$1200 on a TV because if after the 1st or 2nd year it kaputs on me... replacement isn't such a big deal. (Disclaimer: Some of my friends have had issues with their LCDs but some were under warranty and others were like year 4 or 5)
 
True that Bones...  well the problem with BB's online sales is UMRP and the inability to allow other vendors to post their prices, unlike Amazon.  Speaking of Amazon, it seems like a lot of their prices in electronics are finally displaying UMRP prices, and there isn't as much flux in pricing between large vendors.

I perfectly agree with you and the article, most people use Best Buy to window shop, since their website is well designed and their stores have great displays.  But when it comes to purchasing, unless you're a Chinese jew like myself, most people do not realize BB is always willingly to negotiate pricing.  This is/was their issue, and always will be unless the general public becomes aware of the flexibility in BB's pricing.

They're actually re-modeling and closing/consolidating a lot of stores.  It's a very wide open floor plan, with less junk like CD's/Stereos/etc...  Hopefully they can turn it around.  I've always liked Best Buy and it would be a shame if they went out the same way as Circuit City...

 
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