Best Complete HomeTheater USED for $5000.00

I would use a DLP front projector under $1.5k, like the Infocus 4805 or Optoma H31. Get a 92" 16:9 DaLite HighPower manual pulldown screen for $200, a panavise ceiling mount for $20 (for the PJ), and forget the Plasma, unless you want to watch "teevee".

I'd get a McCormack DNA amp used and a pair of Magnepan 1.6s used. Not sure on the Pre/Pro. A high-end denon, pioneer elite, or onkyo universal player would be the ticket for your source. How much gear to your want/need to change?

Aroc,

You make an interesting argument for a 2k investment for the teevee. How does the picture quality comare to the 50" or 60" dlp projection 20" deep boxes out there? What are the implications of about ambient room light, which I have. I am contemplating replacing a 34" hdtv tube box with something bigger, and as Saffy, doing some home theatre.

I hope I am not highjacking here, Thanks for the ideas.

You need to be able to control the lighting for a front projection system. They work best in a darkened room. If you want to add some lighting for balance, it should be backlighting at no more than 10% of the light of the image. If you want a more flexible situation, use a rear projection CRT or DLP tv. Alternately, you could go for a plasma or LCD flat panel display.

I'd say it's so close that is doesn't matter. Once you experience a 92 or 120 inch front projection system a 50 or 60 inch TV suddenly seems as small as a 19 inch. Front projection is such a better HT experience, that even 65 inches isn't enough. It's the whole gestalt thing. Sure a 1080i or 720p display might have more detail, but truthfully the two projectors I've cited (and I mentioned two VERY SPECIFIC models on purpose) do 480p so well that (to me) it simply does not matter.

BTW, everyone who's seen my set-up says they prefer it to any plasma (even the big 60 inchers). Take a moment to digest that comment. My friends (non-technical minded people) are saying this entry-level projector meets or beat the best that they have seen. It is simply that good. The PQ really is jaw dropping. People just do not know what is possible with $1.5k worth of front projection. Most said if they could deal with the install (you have to mount a projector and a screen, calibrate, focus, align, and manage some light control). But it really is worth it if you are technically inclined. Else just get a TV (RPTV or plasma) and "plop" it down in your living room, not installation needed - they're all-in-one units. This is one of the dividing lines. The front PJ install it a little more involved. But if you can level a TT and align a cartridge, I think you are qualified to do this.

As for ambient light, let me say this. If you can read a newspaper, then there is too much light. Plain and simple. These are for serious HTs. Any ambient light failing on the screen is going to kill your picture. This is one of the reasons why in addition to heavy drapes and blinds, most home theaters do not have white walls. White walls bounce around an aweful lot of ambient light. And some of this is going to fall on your screen. White walls are so 90's, anyway. ;-) So take your wife and use this as an excuse to go to Home Depot or Lowes and get some paint.

I would think long and hard about adding multi-channel. I, too, am a
confirmed two channel guy. I set up an ultimate two channel music and
multi-channel HT in one system. But, I found that very few films even use
rear surrounds and the ones that do -- Star Wars, Twister, etc -- aren't the
type I typically watch. And even those only use the full surround for part of
the film. Twister, for example, has a five minute surround sequence at the
beginning of the film and then never really uses surround again. But, this
brings up another point. You find yourself watching parts of crummy movies
over and over because they utilize surround and you want to use your
surround system. So, you end up watching the pod race sequence from Star
Wars or the beginning of Twister every time your friends or relatives come
over until you're sick of it. I finally took all of the surround stuff, put it in
another room so my kids could enjoy it, but I keep a 43" plasma in my
listening room and I watch movies in two-channel. With my system, the
voices image in the center, right in the center of my screen. I like this so
much better than having a center channel. If your two channel system
sounds great for music, chances are very good that it will sound great for
movies, too. Maybe add a sub-woofer for the occasional room shaking stuff.
You know, when you watch the pod race or the first five minutes of Twister.

Just offering another perspective.