Recommendations for Apartment Home Theater System

[OzoneSea]

I've been looking into getting a home theater system for a while now but I'm very new to the space. I have an apartment so I can't go all out and I plan on living here for several years until I can afford to buy my own place. However, either there's decent sound insulation between me and my neighbors or I just don't listen to movies and TV shows loud enough to cause issues with them so volume shouldn't be an issue. For reference, I currently have an LG CX 55" TV. The speakers are meh at best and lack the low end I would like. I was thinking of just doing a 2.1 setup to begin with and upgrade slowly from there. From here I don't know where to begin. Bookshelf speakers would be preferable for left and right as my TV is surrounded by two bookshelves. I also need an AV receiver but it also needs to be relatively short (<= 6") as that's all I have space for in my entertainment center. For speakers, I've been looking at the Polk Signature Elites but I'm open to any recommendations. I've heard Denon is a good brand for AV receivers as well but, again, I'm open to recommendations.

[Deadpool2onBlu-Ray]

15 minutes ago, OzoneSea said:

I've been looking into getting a home theater system for a while now but I'm very new to the space. I have an apartment so I can't go all out and I plan on living here for several years until I can afford to buy my own place. However, either there's decent sound insulation between me and my neighbors or I just don't listen to movies and TV shows loud enough to cause issues with them so volume shouldn't be an issue. For reference, I currently have an LG CX 55" TV. The speakers are meh at best and lack the low end I would like. I was thinking of just doing a 2.1 setup to begin with and upgrade slowly from there. From here I don't know where to begin. Bookshelf speakers would be preferable for left and right as my TV is surrounded by two bookshelves. I also need an AV receiver but it also needs to be relatively short (<= 6") as that's all I have space for in my entertainment center. For speakers, I've been looking at the Polk Signature Elites but I'm open to any recommendations. I've heard Denon is a good brand for AV receivers as well but, again, I'm open to recommendations.

Kef Q150 are good for the price when they go on sale for ~$250

[wseaton]

There are too many bookshelf speakers in the < $500 price range to mention. For two channel I generally suggest more directional speakers like Klipsch, JBL, etc, but its all up to taste.

 

Get a sub vs larger speakers. That way you can tune it to your neighbors tolerance levels. 

[dalekphalm]

On 11/10/2022 at 3:40 PM, OzoneSea said:

I've been looking into getting a home theater system for a while now but I'm very new to the space. I have an apartment so I can't go all out and I plan on living here for several years until I can afford to buy my own place. However, either there's decent sound insulation between me and my neighbors or I just don't listen to movies and TV shows loud enough to cause issues with them so volume shouldn't be an issue. For reference, I currently have an LG CX 55" TV. The speakers are meh at best and lack the low end I would like. I was thinking of just doing a 2.1 setup to begin with and upgrade slowly from there. From here I don't know where to begin. Bookshelf speakers would be preferable for left and right as my TV is surrounded by two bookshelves. I also need an AV receiver but it also needs to be relatively short (<= 6") as that's all I have space for in my entertainment center. For speakers, I've been looking at the Polk Signature Elites but I'm open to any recommendations. I've heard Denon is a good brand for AV receivers as well but, again, I'm open to recommendations.

When you say you need a "short" AV Receiver, less than 6" - can you clarify:

Are you talking about the width (6" left to right), or the depth (6" front to back)? (Or the Height? If 6" Height is your restriction, you're actually in luck, but you'll likely pay a premium here).

 

Either way, you're going to struggle hard finding a good AV receiver that fits either of those requirements. AV Receivers tend to be LARGE - usually due to the amp built inside.

 

I have this AV Receiver (It's a good budget range AV Receiver but it does not support ATMOS, which is a deal breaker for some people):

Yamaha RX-V385

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/av_receivers_amps/rx-v385_u/index.html

 

This AV receiver is:

Width x Height x Depth: 17-1/8" x 6-3/8" x 12-3/8"

 

So it's just over 17" wide and over 12" deep. This is typical for an AV Receiver's dimensions.

 

When AVR manufacturers make "small" AV Receivers, generally they prioritize the Height of the AV receiver, not the width or depth (I assume depth is your issue but it's not clear in your post).

 

Take this, for example:

https://downhomedigital.net/receivers/best-slim-av-receiver/

The one they recommend is the Marantz NR1711:

https://www.marantz.com/en-ca/product/av-receivers/nr1711

 

It's "slim" because it's only 4" in Height. But the Width is 17" (same as mine) and the Depth is 14" (so it's even deeper than mine).

 

Here's another roundup:

https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/7-best-small-5-1-receivers-feature-heavy-compact-av-receivers-compared/

 

So you'll need to decide exactly how much space you can dedicate to the Receiver, since this may be a deal breaker for you.

 

Size aside, for AV Receivers, going with any of the major brand names: Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, Sony, etc, will get you a good Receiver. You mostly want to look at the features that are must-haves, and the price (Also consider how powerful the built-in Amp is, but most will be powerful enough for a smaller setup).

 

Mine, for example, is 5.1, and lacks ATMOS or the higher channel configs - but it supports DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD, which were my primary requirements. For a budget receiver, I highly recommend it. But if you are looking for much longer term horizons, you may want to consider ATMOS, 5.2.1/7.2, and other features. Budget will dictate how many of these features you can get.

[seanondemand]

How big a space are we talking about here? If it’s a smaller space, I would have a hard look at soundbars, they’ve gotten very cost effective and in a smaller space could give you the separation you would be looking for. A number of them have sub/surround options too (albeit wireless ones, which is honestly probably fine)

[dalekphalm]

7 hours ago, seanondemand said:

How big a space are we talking about here? If it’s a smaller space, I would have a hard look at soundbars, they’ve gotten very cost effective and in a smaller space could give you the separation you would be looking for. A number of them have sub/surround options too (albeit wireless ones, which is honestly probably fine)

Soundbars definitely have their place - and simplicity is often one of the best parts.

[cmndr]

My go to for such a set up would be a pair of JBL 530 speakers (KEF Q150s can also work in this instance). They go relatively low and you might be able to skip on the subwoofer (normally I don't recommend skipping the sub but you'd be looking into somewhat reducing low frequencies anyway which would necessitate a relatively pricey AVR). Then you'd add on an amp like an Aiyima A07.

As an FYI, unless you're trying to save on budget, a 4.0 system isn't necessarily any louder than a 2.0 system. It, loosely speaking, spreads about the same amount of sound around.