Great bass is the hardest part of the sonic picture to do just right.
or so many threads here and elsewhere have said.
Costs are a matter of your own device. How they will break down ultimately depends on all of your choices.
The above notes on treating the room are very accurate and a must do at some point. Sooner is better Im sure. But again, all things in due time and affordability.
BUT
if you look at a system as a work in progress instead of a one off all at once project, this hobby becomes vastly simpler. Naturally, if budget permits
. Then go all in right up front! Ill assume theres no money tree in the back yard and say do what is possible now and then add to it later on.
Every multi ch system Ive owned has begun as a stereo system. Then a sub was added. Then rear ch speakers were added. Then a center ch speaker. Then things began to get upgraded. Every effort was initiated with a HT receiver too
. later, it was upgraded
when funds permitted
or not.
Advice?
In a moderate sized room or less, begin with a pair of nice monitors for mains. Floor or stand types.. you pick. These will likely either get traded off or used as rears later
. Again, you pick.
Get a very good active sub. If possible something with room correction built in, or at least a parametric eq. My room is about 2600 cu ft closed off. I have a DD 15. and I could stand one more
sonically. I also cant afford one more
so Ill live with it this way forever or until I can add another. Simple huh? No one will shoot me either way.
. Even two different sized subs can work well if each one has variable levels and so forth. HSU
SVS
Velodyne
REL
Paradigm
Definitive Tech, etc., all make some pretty good subs that are affordable for the most part.
In AV systems the sub sonic cues in film are vastly important and quite plentiful. Owning a quick powerful unit will definitely enhance your viewing events
I guarantee it. In fact think hard on that point. The soundtrack alone provides a lot of them, let alone the guns, cars, monsters and space ships.
The front speakers are important to voice closely. Mains and center. The rears arent so important. Neither do they need to be quite so costly as the rest if you get my drift.
Mains & Sub (s) are important for aV
were I to add another exact same sub in my room the ratio of subs to speakers would in MSRP speak, equal 8:10. or 80% of the current in house, speaker expenditures.
As many here will say twin subs is the better approach, THX says it should be 4
. So again
you pick. Many only use one. Im sure some out there dont do even that! Again, you pick.
One of if not the greatest things in this hobby is just that
we pick. There are few unbreakable rules. Optimizing the sound of ones rig is usually done once one has a rig to optimize. Its pretty tuff to tweak a thing in advance. Also one needs to know more about what sound they have and what sound is really like in order to affect such a polishing up of things.
If you choose a receiver with the auto EQ feature many today now have as standard equipment, and you eq your sub in first with its own calibration process, you wont be far off the beam
if at all. Technology has come a long way now and made the end result much easier to come by for even the beginner audiophile.
Everything here is optional. Everything. There is no perfect either. Thats important to remember
perfect is just an illusion
. A mirage. I guarantee, your best effort will be a very good one. Especially if you can both pay attention to, and sift thru the counsel given in this thread and others.
Very good luck.
