The $5000 Home Theater

Continuing my series on what kind of home theater you can get at various budget levels, here's an option for a $5,000 home theater system.

When I discussed a $5000 home theater last year, I had proposed a step up from a 50” DLP to a 46” LCD. Today, a similar (actually better) 46” LCD is part of the $2500 package! So I’ve stepped up the TV in this package to a 52” LCD, with very similar specs to the $2500 system. I also moved from an HTIB all-in-one system to a component-based system. So you get a separate receiver, Blu-Ray player, and speaker package in this system. And as I did last year, I added in a one-touch remote control and a wall-mount option, as well as high-quality power surge protection for both the TV and the other components.

The Television

I’ve increased the size of the television from 46” to 52” in the $5,000 package. Unfortunately, at this price point, I couldn’t squeeze in a 120 Hz model without giving up something else significant, like the remote, the larger screen size, or the component-based audio system.

So the TV here is in the same model line as in the $2500 system, but it’s 6” larger. And it’s mounted on the wall, which really adds an elegance to the room that a table-mount simply can’t duplicate. The remaining components would be mounted in a cabinet under or near the TV.

The Receiver

With the expanded budget on this system, I decided to put in a Denon A/V receiver, plus a separate Blu-Ray player. More on the Blu-Ray in a minute.

The separate A/V receiver is a much better alternative than the HTIB because of the higher-quality amplifier and other components. Because of this, it sounds better than the HTIB, especially at high or low volume levels. Interestingly, almost any receiver can sound ok within a narrow volume band. But when you try to rock the house, many very low end amplifiers just can’t put out the volume cleanly, and you get distortion. And at low volumes, they lose way too much detail to be able to deliver the full range of tones that you expect, so you can't understand the dialogue.

The Blu-Ray Player

Pretty much everyone these days has a library of DVDs that you like to watch, or subscribes to a service like Blockbuster or Netflix. Even a regular DVD will look better on a high-def TV than on a regular TV, but if you really want to take advantage of all that video power, you need a Blu-Ray player. There’s simply no other video source that delivers the full potential of hi-def.

When I added this player in, though, I wanted to put in a little bit of a different spin. So the Blu-Ray player I selected was Samsung’s entry-level player, the BD-P1600. This player is interesting because it supports a couple of features that weren’t even available a year or two ago.

First, you get the capability to have Profile 2.0 supported (you have to add a 1 GB memory card and a network connection to do this). Profile 2.0 gives you the full capability of the Blu-Ray spec, including multiple camera views and Internet-based interactivity. So you could interact with the stars of the movie, play online games, or whatever other content the producers dream up. And you’re not limited to whatever was created at the time the disc was pressed.

Many people I talk with don’t really care about Profile 2.0, but they get very excited when I tell them about the next feature – online Netflix movie streaming. Imagine never having to wait for your movies to arrive in the mail, never having to send them back, and never worrying whether they’ll have the disc you want to watch. Simply connect to your Netflix queue, select the movie you want to watch, and press play.

Now, not all content from Netflix is available online, much less in hi-def, but the selection is large and growing. My wife and I recently caught up on older episodes of the TV show "Heroes" using the Netflix online option, and I have to say, it was very convenient. The video quality was a bit lower than ideal, due to the high bandwidth requirements, but the convenience couldn’t be beat.

The Speakers

Since we don’t have an HTIB in this package that already includes speakers, we needed to look for a speaker package that fit the overall system. We settled on a Polk Audio system that includes a center channel, left and right main speakers, and left and right surround speakers, plus a subwoofer. This is a great mid-level speaker package that balances well with the entire system.

The Remote

One of the great step-up features of this package is the addition of a one-touch universal remote control. Now, this isn’t like the universal remote that comes with many TVs, cable or satellite boxes, or other devices. We would set up this remote so that you can simply press one button, say, “Watch TV”, and the entire system is turned on and set to all of the right inputs – no remembering which input the satellite receiver is on for the TV, the receiver, etc. And more importantly, no trying to teach your babysitter or mother-in-law how to use your system!
I could (and will) spend an entire column on universal remotes, so I’ll just say this is a “must-have” part of any mid-range or better home theater system.

Power

Electronics today are sensitive pieces of computer equipment. And they are just as subject to power surges and brownouts as your desktop computer. So we always add in good-quality surge protection into any mid-range or higher package. And since we’re mounting your TV on the wall (where very few people have power outlets), we need to get power there to allow you to actually turn on the TV!

We use excellent products from Panamax, including both a very high-quality surge strip and an in-wall power extension kit that meets the electrical codes. So you’re doubly protected, and as a bonus you get that electrical outlet just where it’s needed for your TV.

Installation

We chose to do an on-wall installation at this price-point. We specified 6 hours of installation labor, which includes mounting the bracket, running the video and power cables through the wall, mounting the TV, setting up the speakers and receiver, and running the speaker wires inside the wall. Your situation may be unique, and may take more or less time, so get in touch with us for a quote.

Since we’ll use two technicians on a job like this, we’d be in and out of your home in about a half-day. That’s a lot less time than you’d spend to do it yourself, and we clean up, too! Plus, our work is guaranteed, so you know your TV and speakers won’t fall off the wall. Isn’t it worth it to spend just a little more for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your system was professionally installed?

Calibration

As before, this level only includes an audio calibration. We will set your TV to an appropriate standard setting for you, and this will offer some improvement from the factory setting. And of course, the audio calibrations are what will make your system really shine.

As with any package, you can always make trade-offs. If you want better sound, you could step up to a better receiver and speakers, while switching to a smaller TV. If you want a larger screen, you could go back to an HTIB. If you want an even better one-touch remote, you could consider table-mounting the TV. The options are endless, and the answer to the right system lies in your room, your style, and your budget.

Next time, I'll step up to the $10K level. There are a lot more options here, so stay tuned.

For more information on how Inspired Electronics, Inc. can put in your dream home theater, visit our web site at http://www.inspired-electronics.com/ or call us at 847.471.4420 for a consultation or demonstration in our showroom!

Rob