https://www.audioholics.comWhere audio and video equipment undergoes rigorous objective and subjective tests by our staff, ensuring that marketing slogans aren't the only guidelines for your home theater choices.Fri, 10 May 2024 17:00:00 -0000https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2-channel-stereo-recommendations-high-end-2.0-musicIf you're looking to build a solid two-channel hifi system with an upgrade path to Dolby Atmos, we've got a solution that costs under $3,500 and allows for future expansion based on your needs and budget. This system consists of components we've directly reviewed and/or have user experiences with and we feel the components chosen offer great synergy together.Fri, 10 May 2024 17:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2-channel-stereo-recommendations-high-end-2.0-musicRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/amazon-recommended-audiophile-2-channel-system-for-under-750With the preponderance of speakers out there on Amazon how is one to choose a good 2-channel system? We've put together a 2-channel holiday wish list on a budget that even discriminating audiophiles would enjoy! Check out our sub $750 2-channel system that offers surprisingly great fidelity and a high quality DAC to get the most out of our digital audio sources. Be sure to watch our related YouTube discussion. Thu, 02 Jan 2020 15:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/amazon-recommended-audiophile-2-channel-system-for-under-750Recommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/1-500-5.1-channelDo you want to build a respectable and aesthetically pleasing home theater, but only have $1,500 to spend on the whole kit and caboodle? Forget that HTiB system from your local big box and check out our Audioholics Amazon exclusive $1,500 5.2.4 recommended home theater system featuring components from Sony, Polk and Onkyo. We built a setup on a shoestring budget that will provide much better than HTiB performance, features immersive surround. Some of these deals are limited time so act quickly.Mon, 11 Nov 2019 06:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/1-500-5.1-channelRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/1000-5.1-channel-recommended-systemDo you want to build a respectable and aesthetically pleasing home theater, but only have $1,500 to spend on the whole kit and caboodle? Forget that HTiB system from your local big box: while the prices of such setups are usually attractive, their performance typically leaves a lot to be desired. Instead, take a peak at the Audioholics $1,500 5.1 recommended home theater system. We built a setup on a shoestring budget that will provide better than HTiB performance, with future expandability into a fully immersive surround experience.Wed, 04 Sep 2019 05:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/1000-5.1-channel-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/recommended-5.1-focused-audio-system-for-under-700You like home theater systems but don't have the cash on hand to really go all out? Check out our budget friendly 5.1 recommended home theater system for under $750! Our goal was to offer a system rivaling a sound bar while also doing justice to critical music listening too. In the end we ended up with a 5.1 system complete with everything you need except for the display for your new home theater system. Read on to see how we accomplished this mission. Thu, 08 Aug 2019 23:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/recommended-5.1-focused-audio-system-for-under-700Recommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2500-5.1-channel-recommended-system$2,500 is the sweet spot where things start to get interesting when building a 5.1 home theater system. Unlike the $1,000 5.1 system we built recently, there aren't any glaring compromises to speak of. With top name speaker manufacturers offering all in one 5.1 speaker systems for around $1000, you can get into some serious peripheral equipment with the ability to expand into immersive 3D sound with a small future purchase of additional speakers. Curious to see what equipment we picked? Keep reading.Mon, 03 Jul 2017 14:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2500-5.1-channel-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/towers-of-power-a-look-at-the-best-super-speakersThere is no replacement for displacement” is an adage among automobile enthusiasts that holds up just as well in the audio world. Big sounds, in both amplitude and frequency wavelength, need big speakers to be properly reproduced. And for high-fidelity big sound, size alone will not do; a speaker will also need good design and high-quality components, which brings up the cost. And if you want it to fit in with your home decor, the speaker will need a reasonable footprint and nice finish, which also adds to the cost. This article is a small roundup of some big speakers, and not inexpensive ones either, but a life-like sound demands life-size speakers.Wed, 03 Feb 2016 14:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/towers-of-power-a-look-at-the-best-super-speakersRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/rise-of-the-super-subwoofers-a-comparison-guideThere are those among us who crave an epic level of bass performance that an 8" micro-subwoofer from a big box electronics store cannot even hope of beginning to meet. Happily, some of the subwoofers which have recently become available look poised to meet many of the most demanding bass fanatic's demands for subwoofer performance. In this article, we take a look at a selection of these new 'super subwoofers' and the different approaches they use to achieve bass nirvana. They are big, they are heavy, and they are expensive. But, for those who do not want to compromise on both the quality and quantity of bass that meets or exceeds our own Extreme Bassaholic rating, the cost is well worth the reward.Wed, 18 Nov 2015 13:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/rise-of-the-super-subwoofers-a-comparison-guideRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/6500-7.x-channel-recommended-systemThe Audioholics $6,500 recommended home theater is a bit different from some of our other systems. This time, we wanted to build a setup where attention to aesthetics went beyond the usual "well...it's not THAT ugly." Needless to say, there are no towers in this system, nor is our first choice of subwoofer a ported, refrigerator sized behemoth. Does that mean performance went out the window? Not at all. Interested to see our component choices? Click to keep reading. Sun, 22 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/6500-7.x-channel-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/high-end-7.x-recommended-systemToday we're going to have a little fun building a high end home theater system. That whole business about budgets and making compromises to meet a price? That's going out the window. At the same time, we're not looking to burn money just for the sake of doing so. We're not wasting time on magic cables, nor are we recommending ultra-exotic gear because of the intangible cool factor. Simply put, we're building a system that looks and sounds like a million bucks, without going out of our way to actually try and spend seven figures.Wed, 11 Jun 2014 00:15:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/high-end-7.x-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/5000-5.2-channel-recommended-systemIf you've ever been on our forums, you'll have run into a post (or made one yourself) along the lines of "I have $XXXX to spend, please help me build a home theater." If $5,000 happens to be your magic number, to you we say: have no fear, the Audioholics are here! Today we're put together a killer 5.2 channel system that combines affordability, high performance, and respectable WAF. Curious to see our component choices? Click to keep reading.Tue, 27 May 2014 12:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/5000-5.2-channel-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/4000-recommended-two-channelIf your first impression after reading our $10,000 two channel system recommendations was "maybe when I hit the lotto", never fear, the Audioholics have you covered. This time around, we drop the price down to the $4,000 mark, with an aim to retain as much performance as possible. Needless to say, there are a few compromises; niceties like dual SB13-Ultras and $1,200 CD/SACD players aren't happening on this budget. However, no apologies need to made for the end performance of the resulting system. This is one killer combo that will provide many fine years of service with upgrade paths to the future.Fri, 23 May 2014 00:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/4000-recommended-two-channelRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2014-1000-two-channel-stereo-recommended-systemTrying to be an Audioholic when you have a cash flow problem can be a challenge. But we all started somewhere and we aren't so far removed from those heady days of college that we can't remember what it was like to scrape together all your change to buy a new speaker or component. We asked ourselves a question - "If we only had a grand and wanted to buy a brand new $1000 stereo system, what would we get?" Here is the answer.Wed, 21 May 2014 13:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2014-1000-two-channel-stereo-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/10-000-two-channel-recommended-systemAre you an audiophile? Do you happen to have $10,000 laying around? Do you need a new two channel system? Even if you answered no to any of these questions, you'll want to check out our equipment choices for building a top of the line hifi stereo system in the $10,000 price class. With a focus on achieving exceptional performance without sacrificing good looks, this is a system both you and your interior decorator can appreciate. Mon, 19 May 2014 12:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/10-000-two-channel-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/audioholics-store-2k-systemThe $2500 system represents extreme value and emphasis on audio performance. At this price its not typical to get such high performance and beautiful aesthetics all wrapped in one package. Harman Kardon provides all of your amplification needs with solid power delivery and decoding of all the latest HD formats. EMP provides the beautifully constructed and acclaimed speaker and subwoofer solutions to transform your living room into a mega cineplex. Get ready to entertain family and friends often as once they find out you've assembled a system of this caliber they will be visiting more frequently. Make sure they bring they supply of popcorn and beer as well as the occasional Blu-ray rental. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:45:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/audioholics-store-2k-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2-500-recommended-home-theaterIf you have $2,500 to spend on a 5.1 surround sound we can't think of any better system to buy than this one. $2,500 is absolutely everything you will need, including cables, power protection, and Blu-ray player. Just add a TV and you will have a completely new home theater. We hand picked every product in this system because of their extremely high performance vs price ratio. You will be hard pressed to find better equipment for the money, and often times for even double the money. For $2,500 you will end up with a home theater on a budget that will make your friend's "home-theater-in-a-box" or expensive "cube" system look like toys.Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2-500-recommended-home-theaterRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/store-1000-audioThe $1000 system delivers a solid 5.1 surround sound experience for a bargain price. While the $1000 system won't include a flat panel display, it does feature great components such an AirPlay-compatible A/V receiver and a Blu-ray Disc Player that supports NetFlix streaming. This level of system will present a more than subtle upgrade of the audio and video capabilities of a television or even a soundbar. For those looking to make the move into a true 5.1 home theater system, this is going to be a major upgrade.Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/store-1000-audioRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/recommended-2-000-budget-2.0-two-channel-stereo-systemEach of our buying guides has a different set of goals, sometimes we go for ultimate performance in loo of looks, other times aesthetic appeal is very important. This $2,000 two-channel stereo guide strikes a balance between performance, looks, and price. We wanted to put together a system that most people could afford financially and could convince their spouse would look good in the home. With that target in mind, we put together a list of everything you would need, from speakers to speaker cables. Additionally, if you want to customize the system to your specific tastes, there are alternative options listed for each product category that can be mixed and matched to modify the system to your needs.Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:25:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/recommended-2-000-budget-2.0-two-channel-stereo-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/home-theater-accessoriesA new TV, speakers, A/V receiver, or subwoofer might be the most exciting pieces of equipment to purchase for a home theater, but there are a plethora of accessories that are truly needed in order to complete a system. From HDMI cables and speaker wire to surge protection, it can be difficult to sift through all of the different products and figure out what to buy. Well, we have done the leg work for you. We used to do it a lot - right within our other buying guides... which made us think: Shouldn't we split out the necessities into their own guide? Now we have. This article guides you through everything you will need to get your system up and running properly.Thu, 31 May 2012 03:20:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/home-theater-accessoriesRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/6k-home-theater-systemPutting together a complete home theater system from soup to nuts can be a daunting task. Just how much should one budget? What are the best products for the price? And what is right for your needs? These are common questions you may have or should have when assembling a home theater system. We can't always give you the right answer, but we can throw in and at least give some decent recommendations based on our knowledge of what's got excellent "bang for the buck" qualities as well as what we've determined simply performs in accordance with what we want our readers to expect. We set forth to put together a complete system on a budget of around $6.5k (including the Display) with the following goals in mind: 1) Have the ability to play cleanly at high output levels, 2) Make sure the system was reasonably priced, and 3) Incorporate "classy" looking products for high WAF.Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/6k-home-theater-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2011-3.5k-recommended-systemThere are as many ways to build a $3500 home theater system as there are people. Chances are, you have some of this stuff already. You aren't likely to be starting from scratch. That means, you can either ignore the parts of the recommended system you already have or take a gander at some of our alternates to make up the difference. Don't worry, we'll help you spend that hard-earned money. Building the perfect system is a very personal thing, but we think our list is a great place to start.Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2011-3.5k-recommended-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2011-1k-recommended-5.1-systemTo put together a $1,000 system for a new user can be a bit daunting. A system of this price is going to require some cost cutting measures. For $1,000 you are going to have a hard time finding anything but small, satellite speakers. Receivers will have HDMI and 3D but not much else. But we've managed to put together a system that not only has all 5 speakers and a sub, but also a Blu-ray player, Netflix and more streaming, and a full fledged receiver. If you have one or more of the components already, you can really improve on this system with some of our Alternate Suggestions. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:30:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/2011-1k-recommended-5.1-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/store-750-audio-systemFrom time to time we put together systems we feel are simply excellent purchases for our readers and which represent an excellent value for consumers. The $750 system, while it won't include such niceties as a display or power conditioner, will present an excellent upgrade of audio and video capabilities for those looking to make the move into a true 5.1 home theater system.Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/store-750-audio-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-3500-balanced-av-systemThe following is an entry-level system designed to balance the desire for optimal quality of both audio and video aspects of the room. Key things to note are that this could be a front projection system (no screen, DIY screen, or an inexpensive pull-down “starter” product), or a flat panel or rear projection system depending upon the desired screen size.Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:30:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-3500-balanced-av-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-25k-home-theater-systemNow we're talking home theater... The $25K recommended system takes some of the best equipment for the money and puts it together for an impressive immersive environment. Whether you're a two-channel nut or a fan of movies on the big screen, this system will deliver the satisfaction for all types of source material. These products are some of the best performers available that won't make you take out a second mortgage.Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:05:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-25k-home-theater-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-1000-bare-bones-systemLooking for an entry level home theater system? This is what we recommend for $1000. It will keep you from getting ripped off by the big box stores and deliver more than the average home theater in a box.Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-1000-bare-bones-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/75-000-multi-zone-home-theater-systemWe decided to go all out on this $75,000 and include mostly top notch products priced right at the crest of that place your budget hits the point of diminishing returns. This means we included some of the finest A/V products "smart" money can buy. You can possibly do better, but not likely for the price.Tue, 01 May 2007 23:59:23 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/75-000-multi-zone-home-theater-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-12k-home-theater-systemSo, you are thinking about putting together a Home Theater system and have a $12,000 budget? It's very easy to spend $12,000. All you have to do is buy a Flagship receiver or Processor / Amp combo for $4500, a set of mid to high end speakers for $3000-$4000, a high end DVD player for $1200, an HDTV Rear Projector for $3000 (or smaller Plasma for $4000), some cables, and you're done! Right?Wed, 07 Feb 2007 23:00:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-12k-home-theater-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-7500-video-centric-systemIn this system we've added a few more things. We've integrated remote control choices, terminated cables and a healthier budget on just about all components.Thu, 25 Jan 2007 02:34:31 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-7500-video-centric-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-5000-video-centric-systemThis system tilts decidedly towards a preference for making sure the video aspects are favored. This system is for home theater buffs who may not spend as much time listening to two-channel music, but who favor the high-impact value of a good theater-killer system. Grab the popcorn, and a pen and paper and let's get started...Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:35:20 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-5000-video-centric-systemRecommended Home Theater Systemshttps://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-5000-audio-centric-systemThis system tilts decidedly towards a preference for making sure the audio aspects are favored. While the display may look under-funded, realize that if you focus on 720p front projection or a 42-inch plasma you may be surprised at what you can find.Wed, 24 Jan 2007 06:30:00 -0000 https://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/the-5000-audio-centric-systemRecommended Home Theater Systems