surround sound systems

[dejet]

Ok, so after new years I should come into my yearly bonus. After I pay off my CC Im looking at around $700 that I can bank on a system. I understand if I want a great system its going to cost more then this.

More so I am looking at maybe building it slowly over the course of the year. Is that a bad idea? Should I just stash what I have and save up to buy everything at once?

Anyways if its not that bad of a idea to build it what speakers would you start with?

Also, if that is a bad idea. I might be able to save around ~1500 to blow all at once by march. is there a better system I could buy as a hole for that price?

It will be going into a upstairs room, size I think is 20/ 15. with a ceiling hight of 10 feet. Something like that anyways. Note I dont own anything for the system. It has to be built. All I have is my 42 inch TV

any insight or ideas?

[Aevis]

sounds like you just want a decent bang for the buck all-in-one surround system for movies/gaming and if those 20/15 are square meters, your 700$ will last. my first surround system was an all-in-one for ~600 and i've never had anyone complaining about the sound. additionally, your room is rather small and it seems like your first surround system too. i'd like to give you some specific setups but i live in switzerland and have no idea of good bang for the bucks offers in the US.

now why i wouldn't save for more in your current position is, because once you get into thinking about a "real" surround system, those 700 will last....for a center speaker and that's lower middleclass. or that 1500 makes a good middleclass amp. i'm sure, someone like kareface can give you better insights on such setups. it contains a lot more research about individual parts and how they mix together and your personal sound preference. as example, i went from my all-in-one to an onkyo tx-nr1008 amp, 2 x KEF iQ70 (front speakers), 3 x KEF iQ30 (center and surrounds), sub still missing. i've read a lot about how onkyo's with KEF iQ70s create crystal clear highs which isn't appealing to everyone and that i should rather go with a denon amp. after some tests @ local hifi store, i decided for the onkyo and i love the combo now. the iQ70s are also excellent for stereo music, which is about 30% of my overall system usage.

with an all-in-one, you don't have to worry about such questions. at least here in europe, you can get some decent systems (like teufel's impaq 3000) for 800-900, which deliver good sound for movie/gaming to < 25 qm rooms and last for your first 3-4 "virgin" surround system years

[dejet]

Good to no that my price rang can get a OK system. It is my first time buying one. It will be mostly for TV/Movies. Gaming not so much anymore, maybe play on my TV once every few weeks, my ps3/360 are only used for netflix now lol.

it is a decent size bedroom, but ya you are right its not that big if you where to compare it to say a living room.

It seems there is a lot more to go into a custom system then lol. So maybe I will hold off on that for the time being. As I dont have the money to do so anyways by the looks of it.