I Built an INSANE Surround Sound Setup for Less than the Most Popular Soundbar

[@dgsprysoup]

Saw the title and already know there’s Facebook marketplace incoming

[@pitmaster226]

Not a bad thing. Love these used deal finds - staying scrappy saves a buck and saves landfill

[@MrBrax]

Crazy how terrible deals on those amps though. I got a Sony one with Atmos and 4k plus speakers for 200€

[@jacobgames3412]

Same

[@Mr.1.i]

They have just gone up $60

[@zatch01]

Good luck finding these marketplace deals if you don’t live in Vancouver/Toronto in Canada

[@TheBigBus111]

Big props to LTT for working so hard to remove the stigma that surrounds used gear. Such a good thing on so many levels.

[@hoofhearted4]

I like buying new. I like having new. I like seeing what the best new bang/buck is. New features, tech, etc. I have never and likely will never use Facebook marketplace. Not only do I not want to buy used and run that risk, I just don't wanna meet up with random people from the internet haha. I'd buy used from a friend or someone whom I can verify trust, but that's about it.

[@fully_factcinated5193]

Absolutely. Buying used, I saved $19k on gear. All high end equipment

[@TheBigBus111]

@@hoofhearted4 And that's totaly fair! As long as you keep that gear until it breaks, or give it / sell it after, that's a good solution too!

[@simonklotz8817]

yes, and the most relevant thing for me is - most of times, you do NOT get ripped off and stuff just works. There are less "bad" people than honest ones, from my experience. You also just have to be aware of some red flags. Buing used is the way to go for so many things...

[@niek024]

I didn't know there was a stigma. Besides my CD- and my Bluray-player, all my audio stuff is used/vintage gear. And my 4k TV was saved from the trash. I could not have afforded this amount of high-end stuff otherwise.

[@2ndHandHomeTheater]

I'm glad this idea is getting pushed by larger KZbinrs. This is the exact reason I started my channel. Older tech can still be usable and even superior in some cases to modern stuff. If you spend some time really searching the web, you can get some very high-quality equipment at bargain bin prices. That's how I built my home theater, and I've never been disappointed by it.

[@ifreakaboutstuff710]

@@2ndHandHomeTheater I'm always using a 5.1 with receiver it's way better than any soundbar I've ever heard

[@null-00000]

You just got a new subscriber

[@fetus2280]

I find older to be Much better, bonus is I find the stuff for free! I scored 3 5.1's in the past year at the side of the road in Mint condition. They tend to get the big stuff out and move in the little soundbar ... I find that stuff to be crap (imo). Youre correct mate, a little time spent researching will get you some great deals. Heck even if theyre blown, a repair shop and a few bucks can save you even More.

[@McLovinMods]

It's amazing how much quality there is in older AV equipment. If you don't take the time to get the right stuff you could end up with a crappy setup but with proper research and the drive you can end up with something amazing for a small price. And like Linus said, it is quite fun and addicting to upgrade your home stereo

[@kuebby]

I just inherited a component stereo from my parents that's older than me (the CD player is 1989, rest is a couple years older). Everything is Sony from when Sony meant quality, and it's all Japanese made.

[@ninobulfa]

I bought a 60$ 7.1 sony full home theater system from a old couple who's downgrading their setup. I googled the model number and it was a $1k retail when it was new few years back. Still have it till this day.

[@timgeurts]

What a steal 🤭🤭

[@davidcrosthwaite]

Is that the Sony Muteki? I always see these going cheap as. I’ve got one for my shed and even grabbed one for a mates place 😂

[@NGC1433]

Sony sold a lot of garbo for crazy sticker prices back in the day. They did a huge Bose trick. I consider anything Home AV Sony - manufactured landfill starting back from CD players. Before that - sure, they were a noble brand.

[@JethroWaldron]

Good tip for solid state amplification and Ohm ratings is: Low into high will fly High into low will blow (Aka a low number impedance from the amp into a high number impedance on the speaker will “fly” or be good, and the reverse will blow something up!)

[@sleepinglama14]

Except you should never use the 4 ohm switch on an AVR because it needlessly cuts the power output. You would have to be listening at stupid volume levels to produce enough heat to kill a transistor at low impedances.

[@equinoxe3d]

@@sleepinglama14 This, that 4-8 Ohm switch led me to a rabbit hole when I searched about it back then. It's basically for clearing certifications (kinda like VW dieselgate) and could be left at 8 regardless.

[@SwirlingDragonMist]

It all hinges on whether the user is going to be pushing the amp hard. Which involves factoring in the room size and most imminently the speaker sensitivity. Also a factor is whether the speakers are are being given a full range signal, or whether the bass is offloaded to a sub. I’d say in most common real world scenarios, it would be preferable to leave the impedance switch at the full 8ohms with 6ohm speakers. Cause the 4ohm setting is a safety throttle, it will limit current all the time, every dynamic thrust will be nerfed, current brings allot of mojo. Even with 4ohm speakers, they’ll perform better at the 8ohm setting. But in some instances it could be catastrophic, the answer being to pair with an appropriate amp, rather than use the switch. What’s interesting is as the amp gets overwhelmed, it’s usually the speakers that fail before the amp, because the harmonic distortion of the amp rises so high that it clips the waveform into a square topped wave, which is like being fed 100% power like a toaster wire. A normal wave is a momentary crest of peak power, a square wave is a continuous plateau at that peak. So really it all goes back to the distortion inside the amp as it flows too much current into the low impedance speaker and looses it’s stability. One would hope the impedance switch would answer this problem, but really it just hinders current, lowering the audio quality. It’s put on products so they can meet regulatory compliance.

[@Atlasworkinprogress]

As someone who is deeply involved in the Home Theater industry, I have to say, this is the kind of videos we need. You don't need to spend thousands on a good home theater. Heck, my home theater, albeit partially subsidized by my job, is around the $1000 mark (though I could have looked used instead of buying through work for similar prices). A few tips. Wiring only has to be done once in a room. I always recommend splurging on Ghost Wire, and some paint that matches your walls. It's a 2 conductor tape you run along the baseboards then up to your speakers, then paint over it with wall paint. You can do the wiring in a day off and never have to worry about it again, and the Ghost Wire is almost invisible, no one who is not specifically looking for it will ever notice it. Also, if you have a decent sized TV console, you won't have to worry about the wires for your Fronts, Sub, and Center. They will be easily hidden behind the TV console, meaning only 2 wiring runs. The number one thing though is be patient. If you are patient, you can easily get 4K capable HDMI switching AVRs with ARC and HDMI CEC for dirt cheap. Especially used Denon S series receivers. If your budget is a little bit bigger, you can get a refurbished Denon or Onkyo that will even support eARC and HDMI 2.1 for around $200 US from places like Accessories4Less. Then just spend what you can on speakers. I also recommend buying piecemeal. Get your AVR and your fronts now. Save and wait, get a center, save and wait, get a sub, save and wait, get your surrounds. Next challenge for LTT? Beat the Dragon for cheaper.

[@swunt10]

Ok, can you explain what HDMI ARC and CEC is? What they do and what the difference is. Even googling that confuses me.

[@unabletochoose]

OMG thank you! I have wanted a home theatre for a long time, I would even have the space for it, but the cables I couldn't figure out how not to be ugly.. that was the only reason I wanted to buy a soundbar, but I couldn't find one that was good enough for my needs (at a decent price). This Ghost Wire idea gave me hope that I could have a HT setup finally!!

[@tirkentube]

i thought they already did that (beat the dragon for cheaper). didn't they make that video when they built the room they're in?

[@mmaciek15]

@@swunt10 HDMI ARC is an Audio Return Channel, so basically you are using HDMI to transmit audio to the reciever not the banana jacks or Toslink(optical cable). HDMI CEC is Consumer Electronics Control, so if you power up the HDMI using device e.g. PlayStation, Xbox, AV Reciever it can power up the TV at the same time. If you shutdown the TV it will the same way shutdown other HDMI devices.

[@TheElfangor]

I have a 5.1 setup with dedicated AVR that I bought new on black friday 2014 and it was less than 800€. All matching full range premium speakers too, Magnat Verctor 207 fronts, 203 rears and 213 center. Magnat Betasub 30A is more than enough bass. Just need to search for people wanting to get rid of their old speakers.

[@SteebMo]

I'd love a scrapyard wars that was just for a home theater setup. It gets even better if your budget is a little higher. AVRs have supported 5.1 over Optical or Coax for literal decades, so you can use almost all of the higher budget to get better speakers and a good quality sub or even integrate stand-alone DSP stuff that gives you modern tuning and EQ features.

[@kennethwilson8236]

That's a great idea

[@nicholaspuckett7839]

That would be Sick!

[@Ga11onator]

It would be great, this kinda felt like a scrapyard wars with them buying lots of marketplace stuff 😄 although a competition would be very subjective. And least with scrapyard wars they got benchmarks. But can you benchmark sound systems? 🤔 Actually, maybe you can 😅

[@Paul-uy1ru]

Raise the budget and go to the complete setup with seats/couch TV decorations and the sound setup. This should be a nobrainer!

[@Paul-uy1ru]

@@Ga11onatorcue the labs team…

[@sensuifu_]

Recycle, reuse, reduce, and get savings by doing so. Great advice that many might overlook

[@hvglaser]

And if you want to save even more money, refuse :)

[@leviathan19]

actually the order of importance is as follows Reduce first, Reuse second and Recycle third and last.

[@LeDechaine]

Hail eco-audiophiles (tm). Seriously though, there's not much reason to buy new when literally legendary stuff can be cheaper than... well, sound bars.

[@PizzaofMe]

This is something I have actually echoed for a long time. I have friends who spent ~2000usd on soundbars with subwoofers, that honestly does not sound that great... However, once I got my system for less than theirs and it sounds soooooo much better, they converted. I hope this will open up more people to the great experience of sound.

[@doctajuice]

This is exactly what I did for the 2 home theater systems in my house. Total budget for both sound systems was probably just over $1000 usd and they both sound phenomenal. A big thing to consider with budget is the size of the room you're installing in. My larger system has tower fronts and dual 10" subs, but the smaller system is on all bookshelf speakers and a single 8" sub and it still fills the room just as well. If you don't have a massive room you don't need a massive system to fill it so you can budget to fit

[@doniscoming]

Old audio solutions rock! I bought a 10 year old LG blu ray player with 5.1 for 80 bucks that used to cost 500 and it is great!

[@silotx]

Its great if you have the space for it and running cables everywhere unless you have wiring in your walls.

[@toddblankenship7164]

Unless ur cripplingly lazy you can hide the wire under the baseboards or behind them

[@jacobgames3412]

Nice

[@doniscoming]

@@silotx well I didnt hide them, I just tucked them together with velcro behind shelves and paintings wherever I could. Its not perfect but at my projector setup I dont care that much about it 🤷‍♂️

[@Freek1989]

Same here, 15 yo sony 5.1 to which I still did not buy a sub. Just place them where they should be and it's great!

[@Nitrospartan911]

The year is 2058, LTT uploads a video about Linus' home theater. They are testing it with Encanto again

[@robertlinke2666]

the thing is, it would actually be a good way to keep comparisons fair over time

[@oracle3366]

A standard isn't standard if it's changed. Encanto checks the boxes for audio and visual quality testing. Just like Linus' home theater that the average person will never make.

[@mattkevin]

I watched Encanto with my family and thought it was mid.

[@robertlinke2666]

@@mattkevin the pint of displaying it here isn't that it is a great movie, but that it has amazing sound and visuals, making it a great point of comparison

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

I watched a group of professionals comparing a bunch of this years new TV's against a $40K professional monitor. The materials they used were often a decade old and still it was used for testing the latest and greatest OLED TV's. It was interesting to see how large the differences was in some cases, especially in how they handled details in shadows. Now the reference was considered "the right way" for how everything would look and I remember in one case where details in the shadows was perfectly visible on the reference but the TV's varied widely with every thing from being so dark the details disappeared to one that was almost exactly the same as the picture on the reference screen. But often they were so close that I felt like they were throwing dice to decide on the winner. But yea, the videos they tested with was not the latest of even particularly new. Often I also was surprised like when they used a scene from the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie and another test used the a scene from the Wonder Woman 1984 movie...

[@Chickenpatty878]

Still rocking my thrift shop home theater setup in the basement. No arc, just an old receiver with optical audio and some mismatched speakers. Insane how much more enjoyable movies are with any type of setup like that. It kills me when people use tv speakers

[@leshinar]

i worked as a mover a while back, the guy was remodelling half the house. while taking stuff out he goes "i was gonna throw these away, they're like from the 80s or so..."... "these" happened to be a 500w yamaha receiver and a pair of 80W JBLs. i very kindly took them from the owner and gently disposed of them straight into my lliving room and added a thrift shop sub... are they pretty? no.. but nobody cared when the Rohirrim rode to Gondor and we felt it through the floor

[@hollis1223]

I hate my TV speakers, luckily my parents decided to get new speakers, so my wife and I get the old receiver and 5 20-year old sony speakers. I can't wait to set it up

[@ArKay-nj2nh]

Totally . I started adding stereo speakers to just about anything, even mounting them outside, back in the '60's. After buying my first 'Real' Stereo in '76, the rest is history and I've been adding ever since.

[@Zomboy4313]

You’re gonna hate this, my parents have a sound bar but they use the TV speakers

[@mrrandomperson3106]

I've got one of those cheap Sony 5.1 setups here. Bought it second hand, cost me more in petrol driving to pick it up! There's a case to be made for getting something better, but the shape of the room means 7.1 is out of the question, so all I'd be doing is replacing components like-for-like. I probably need a new TV first, but good luck finding something decent with all the component/composite/etc. inputs that all my consoles are plugged into.

[@mardybum4309]

This video was pretty spot on with how my home audio setup has evolved over the years.

[@HogoTVOfficial]

Meanwhile at Linus's neighbours: "Why the fuck is Linus watching Encanto 36 times in a row?"

[@CasepbX]

He gets paid to promote it.

[@ChrisSmithSmooth]

The price isn't the problem that Soundbars solve (At least for me) - It's fitting them in. I wish I had space for a proper set up as there's literally a pair of RS6 speakers at my parents that would be epic to have for my TV, I just can't fit them anywhere 😅

[@JohnDoe-qj3iv]

I feel like even just having 2 sperate stereo setup, where you can adjust individual speakers positions goes a long way. Heck if you can add even a half decent centre channel and a small subwoofer, it'll probably give you a much better performance than just having a Soundbar.

[@harmarize]

yeah, I do have surround, (a 5.0 setup) but speakers arent in ideal spaces, because there are where it fits. I have a sub, but dont use it, cause kids bedrooms are right above it and annoys them (or they cant sleep) if it is on.

[@richarddavis2605]

I've never had room to properly place rear speakers

[@jacobsimm9609]

there's a q acoustic TV sound bar, which hooks onto your TV with decent speakers left and right. could be a start :)

[@webfischi]

Space is a real problem, I got myself the Yamaha SR-C30A because it's one of the only short soundbars with a sub, because of size restrictions. But I got it the smart way, I searched for a company that sells products with damaged packaging and got it for like half the price.

[@290asd]

I have to say but your content has been banging for a while and I love the more budget oriented way things have gotten. The used market is really good at the moment and its good that someone like you is showing how good things you can get for fraction of the price

[@carlitosoe]

I've noticed that change too! Love it

[@victorkreig6089]

That's what happens when you get a different lead for writing, David is a fountain of great ideas and it shows in the things they create. It's not that the previous lead was bad but their mind was very clearly focused in one direction and that direction had run it's course

[@PrograError]

Gotta say, since the shutdown, it had gotten more rooted. They might still reach the sky, but still slightly rooted… more rooted than Marques these days, anyway…

[@raypals4468]

I bought my sound bar and subwoffer from a thrift store for 8 dollars and its paid for itself 1000x times over already. I love it. Its a decent Sony unit.

[@TheG121]

this is literraly just what I needed right now, I couldn't find many of these on youtube, thanks!

[@Gil-e1z]

Love it Linus ! Audiophile here and loving hearing you talk about the subject! Give us more please! Fan of yours since before Linus cat tips came out and my beloved Bengal was still around, ( I will see you someday again Felix) . Nothing but the deepest admiration.

[@sangeetachauhan3958]

That crisp 4K tho ✨

[@B0TJERRYX]

Oh yess. I can totally see the 4k specs while watching in 480p.......

[@danrulz98]

If only he yelled "Let's go gambling" during that bit

[@TechnoMinded-qp5in]

@@B0TJERRYX What's funny is most content is 1080p and people worship 4k for no reason at all unless it's a remaster or newer TV Show or Movie that supports it there's not a whole lot in 4k TBH if you got an AMOLED screen with 1080p is all you really need to cut the cost and no differences from using 4k or even 8k it's trippy when you see an AMOLED screen for the first time.

[@MasterCraft_48]

​@@danrulz98 lmao wrong channel for that

[@tuemose22]

@@B0TJERRYX yup get a pc, and not a gameboy 1.. and make your hamster, run faster in the powerwheel for the pc power hahaha.. because even my phone, can run this in 2160k! you must be homeless

[@ScytheNoire]

10:31 No, we love you. You are entertaining. You are everyone's goofy friend.

[@plumokin5535]

I'm so glad this comment is here. That part made me so sad to hear that he feels that way

[@theaterlightman89]

Honestly, goodwill is a game changer, you can regularly find av recievers for 20-$40, find some vintage towers for $20-50 and add in your fill

[@foxriver9156]

Totally! I used to move around the country every couple years, just following different adventures. Each time I landed in a new home the first thing I would do, before even moving any boxes, was to run to goodwill and pick up a decent and super cheap 2.1 setup. Gotta get them tunes rocking to move and unpack by. That, and you figure out what volume you can run before neighbors aaahh "stop by to welcome you to the neighborhood" :D

[@BlindReflex]

Definitely, it's cool to see there's a big community behind thrifty home theater setups. Sound quality over the last 10 ish years seems like I lost art. Either ridiculously expensive, a subpar soundbar, or worthless thin panel TV speakers. I've been trying to convince people for years to get a surround setup used at a thrift store or FB mp.

[@Mr.BananaManYT]

damn I need a goodwill like yours.

[@victorkreig6089]

Too bad at a lot of them the scum employees keep all the good stuff for themselves or take them home and sell them online Nothing boils my blood more

[@prpunk787]

my goodwill sells empty smuckers jars for $5 (they are $3 at the supermarket with jam in them)......

[@Hiwired96]

Awesome video, really love it! Buying used is a game changer for audio. Extra tip for the next level DIY'ers under us: Looking for speakers with blown up woofers/tweeters can net you amazing stuff for next to nothing (often free!). After you have replaced the woofer with a modern affordable equivalent they can sound better than the original when it was new. I have done it for all of the speakers in my 7.1 setup and I am super happy with it. All of the speakers are more than 15 years old, but everybody that listens to it is blown away!

[@johnmickey5017]

Exactly how I got a $600 sub for $50. One surround repair kit and an hour of time, and it’s been part of my system for 5 years now.

[@IXISSV]

I have lived with an av receiver since about 1994. Its the best way to go for sound quality and stereo separation 😎 I started off with a Kenwood av receiver, now using a Denon DD 7.1 system with monitor audio bronze 50 front speakers, mission centre & rears & a powered sub. The monitor audio"s really come alive when cranked above -35db ❤️ I do use a soundbar at my desk when I work, but only used instead if the crappy laptop speakers

[@lecrazykid25]

18 seconds in and going to see how this compares to my system at home

[@jansmit941]

*smell

[@justindavis3387]

thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!! i have been trying to explain this to my friends and family for years. but you guy can actually show it making it easier to understand

[@callum5733]

10:30 “do not put this in the video. People already hate me” awe, don’t say this Elijah. I enjoy when you host and write videos. And I bet the silent majority do too.

[@carrionwithout_me]

I was shocked at who could hate Elijah?!?! Like no dude. He's great. He's a young guy with a big heart and loves LTT. What more could you want out of a host/writer?!

[@xeno1998]

Elijah is a legend, love his appearances in any video from LMG.

[@concerned_citizen7]

This is awesome! It's exactly what I did a few months ago, ever since then it has amazed me and how good of a setup it is. I can't believe more people don't know how rewarding it is to set something like this up.

[@turbokadett]

THIS!!! I get hammered in various subreddits when I try to champion older/cheaper audio gear! I got so sick of seeing the same comments of "Junk", "Trash" and "Bro, I kno ur budget is $80 but just spend $460 on these instead" that I'm trying to get a subreddit (r/BasicAudio) off the ground to encourage people to take the first steps. e.g. A pair of reasonable PC speakers from Goodwill/Thrift/Charity shops with decimate most in-built TV speakers, a cheap 2 channel bluetooth amp and some speakers from an old hifi will whip many bluetooth speakers. The list goes on and I'd love to more of this content.... Scrapyard Wars Audio/Home Cinema Edition?

[@Xyler94]

My 7.1 system uses 2 speakers from 1987 that my parents bought for a stereo system. A pair of Technics Tower speakers. They sound incredible to this day. Paired with Polk audio center channel, Polk indoor/outdoor speakers for surround, and a pair of Polk in ceiling speakers for above sound, and a large Polk subwoofer... This system crushes in the audio department.

[@dbeerewout]

Seems ya like Polk... A LOT!

[@kennethwilson8236]

Still have my technics tower floor speakers.

[@kennethwilson8236]

That's a great setup

[@victorkreig6089]

Panasonic ruled the world back then no matter what sony ponies tell you

[@PowrUsr.]

33 yo B&W 2.0 setup here from my parents... Still beyond awesome, and such a clean set-up! No surround, but no big deal. Audio quality and volume/warmth > surround for me. My wife always has to stop me in thrift stores. I think I'd own an entire speakerstore by now.

[@Sammi84]

Stereo systems are 80% the sound for 20% the effort. I'm just enjoying a cheap panasonic micro stereo system, because it fits inside the shelf system underneath my tv. And it sounds great.

[@Acepilot8Gaming]

I really love how much clearer the audio becomes even for the audio the mics pick up

[@q0w1e2r3t4y5]

I love this content. Especially as I just went through a similar experience a few months ago. Since then I've been trying to convince my friends to ditch their Logitech deskop speakers and buy used hi-fi or home theater equipment for their living room. People just don't know what they're missing. Also, people think that if they have a budget for such stuff, they can only spend it on new equipment. Buying used can basically double the leap in improvement since you're spending your budget on stuff that used to cost way more. I mean what is a scratch or a small tear (signs of usage and time) gonna do to your experience in front of the monitor or the TV? It is not even a tradeoff. Being shiny and new adds absolutely nothing to what you're hearing. So I enjoyed this video a great deal!

[@SIRROM12]

This is exactly what I did for my home theatre set up! and old surround sound system from 2003 that would of retailed for $3000+ got it for basically nothing and by far one of the best things I ever did!

[@Erdie5]

I used to have a Yamaha 5.1 system downstairs. But honestly? The cheap vizio 2.1 sound bar with a sub we bought a decade ago to compliment the vizio TV means the wife gets to use one remote for everything, which *does* have value. I won't pretend the sound is the same, but it isn't that far off. The important bit is don't spend much on a sound bar, and make sure it has a separate sub module.

[@kpreet1996]

Most receivers and TV's post 2010ish should have hdmi arc and cec for a simple install and only needing 1 remote

[@DxCBuG]

I have a lot of LG Soundbars with. 2.1 (wireless sub) and I think they are very good for the minimal effort and space they take to set up. Also they are cheap.

[@larsvegas1505]

2 nice speakers and no sub would sound better.. esp if ur also listnin to music trough it.. but also stages better when watchin a movie. i dont care much for the surrounds they are a hastle to instal with the wires.. and only add somethng if ur watchin movies a lot.

[@richardheumann1887]

@@DxCBuG What is cheap for you?

[@DxCBuG]

@@richardheumann1887 I think mine was 140 bucks (€) new and the bigger better Version.. the SJ4 at the time 180... But it was. Years on the market and also dropped to 120 for a while. If you get them used... It's a damn bargain

[@BlackHoleForge]

10:33 Elijah we don't hate you. If we give you grief, it's because we love you and want to see you grow.

[@watercannonscollaboration2281]

16:27 a soundbar is definitely easier in a lot of aspects, but the extra time invested definitely pays off and also gives you a sense of accomplishment

[@alexandernasteski1059]

If you are really patient and watch the marketplace you can grab really good deals over time, best part about a surround sound system is it doesn't have to be completed from day one, I spent 3 years swapping in and out components until I was happy

[@TheQuickSilver101]

You've put more work into this one sound system than I have in my last 5 primary sound systems. Kudos!

[@BerserkingKantus]

I bought Polk audio t series set of 2 large tower speakers, a center speaker and 2 book shelf speakers when I worked at Walmart on clearance for $150 with my black Friday discount. And put them is a $70 receiver I got from a friend, it was amazing compared to what I had before. I have since added a 10 inch sub and 2 additional speakers to my setup with a bigger receiver and I have to run it all at -30 since the receiver goes very loud.

[@akyhne]

6:40 You can hook up all the subs you want, with a MiniDSP 2x4 HD digital signal processor. Of course, that's an additional $300.

[@RNGwhydoihavetoregis]

2.2 pc setup here, I avoided that DSP device by using a virtual stereo device listened to by my 6ch device (motherboard, soundcard, usb dac). the channel duplication and other DSP done locally with EQAPO. the problem with having 6/8ch out as default is stuff thinks you want surround sound and won't give you the option for stereo. The AVR I picked up in '16 was from '04 because pre-outs were replaced with other features. neither solution is perfect, but I do have miniDSPs calibrated microphone umik-1 though (-$125). the really expensive items for a nice speaker setup is the house and room treatment to address bass that lingers for too long.

[@fermitupoupon1754]

Having gone down the used hifi setup rabbit hole years ago, I'd say the biggest upgrade you can do for the price of a half-decent soundbar is to get a good 3.1 setup. It removes the need to run cables for side/rear/top speakers, but you still get a massive improvement in sound quality. I started out with this when my last set of 4.1 PC surround speakers died. I decided that I was fed up with proprietary connectors and bad on-board DACs and set myself the challenge of building a better setup for less money than that Logitech Z something or other that was popular back then. I ended up with a very nice 3.1 setup that has since grown to a 5.1.2 setup. Over the years I just snapped up bargains on ebay here and there. The only problem is that once you've gone this route you can't ever go back, because all of the reasonably priced sound system in a box setups just don't cut it when compared to second hand hifi at the same budget.

[@Sammi84]

Just a basic stereo system is worlds better than a soundbar. They're small, cheap, clear and loud. Soundbars are just bad.

[@redi6]

some people overlook that center channel but it makes a big difference, especially in movies that tend to have the musical score and sound effects drown out the dialogue. I got rid of my 3.1 setup and went with a 2.1 soundbar and sub to save space and make things cleaner. honestly the soundbar sounds fine, but it's the center channel that I really miss.

[@tanneryurcevich1808]

Stand behind this 100% about 2 months ago I was looking into a new soundbar for our living room. Found a complete klipsch sound system with an onkyo receiver and 5 foot tower speakers all for 600 bucks. Would never go back to a soundbar now!

[@martinteunisse3666]

Great video! I am glad the video switching feature was mentioned. I feel like that is such an undervalued feature from receivers. It saved my setup with my projector where I could only pair my speakers to one video input.

[@foxorian]

I used to use a Bang & Olufsen soundbar, which honestly sounded pretty great (but was not cheap.) Then one day I discovered a 5.0 pair of KEF Q speakers (Q5 left and right towers, Q9C center, and Q1 rears, all matching wood finish) on facebook marketplace for just $500 for all 5. I decided to give them a go, picked up a used Marantz 7.1 receiver (so I could run the towers in Bi-Amp mode) for $500 and was so absolutely thoroughly blown away by how much better they were than the B&O soundbar for a fraction of the price I immediately sold the soundbar and have been in home hifi bliss since. Those KEFs are 20+ years old and still sound perfect. Highly recommend them if you come across them in the wild.

[@Singlebarrel2323]

Yes!!! I have a Polk Magnfi soundbar with sub and surrounds and it’s a really good performer when it comes to sound bars. Definitely one of the better options sub $1000… However.. I recently decided to buy a bundle at Best Buy since I’ve been wanting to try a WiiM amp and I was blown away by the stereo image I got from the small bookshelf speakers and a sub $300 amp. If I’m getting this kind of detail from a cheap low power amp I could only imagine how much better they are with a sub and a quality AVR with surrounds. For $675 + a sub I think it’s hard to beat this bundle when comparing to a sound bar. I don’t think any bar/sub combo close to the price would come anywhere near that setup. Maybe I’ve just been out of the audio game too long to realize what you can get from budget speakers 😂

[@johnhicks1919]

Ive been living this life for years. Beat advice i can give, ask your older relatives bc they have a ton of components in storage. Always. Speakers too

[@BronyumHexofloride]

another peice of advice i can give is: "Dont be afraid to get your hands dirty" old speakers may need a little loving to bring them back to thier prime but the payoff after refoaming a vintage driver or replacing a old dried out capacitor on a crossover can be well worth it also never be afraid to crack open a pair of speakers, the purists would butcher me for this but ive removed DIN connectors from speakers to install "banana plug" binding posts to use them with newer less proprietery setups

[@GrackAlaciN]

In my case it was the other way around. I was upgrading my old Denon AVR-1910, and gave it to my dad. Around the same time one of my friends was selling his surround setup super cheap to just empty his apartment before moving in with his girlfriend, so my dad got a complete 5.1 speaker set for less than $100, pretty decent quality too. I replaced my rear speakers a few months ago, and he bought my old ones for next to nothing. And he got his Blu-ray player for free when my sister and brother-in-law upgraded their player.

[@Gamerboots]

This just in - Buying used is cheaper sometimes, but more work than buying new. I love collecting used audio technology, its so fun and goofy and dumb but I love it

[@foxriver9156]

Same. Its a hobby I got addicted to about 5 years ago. Its soooo satisfying to see a pair of great speakers show up cheap on marketplace, and have no competition to buy them. Though, now that Linus made this video I'll probably put the hobby aside for a while and let other people get into it.

[@victorkreig6089]

If you call having fun work then sure

[@BIGBADSPARTAN217]

Literally just upgraded my home theater set up with polks elite series speakers and upgraded my avr with a new denon and I ca say I have never been happier with my purchase movies really come alive now and music is deep and clear love it!

[@ArKay-nj2nh]

No Brainer for me, since the '60's, before I was even a teenager. I guess I was influenced by my Father who was one of 3 Techs that started the Audio / Visual Dept. at SFU in '66. They had full size theaters built and used Altec Lancing VOTT's. At 12, I was removing speakers from anything I could collect and made speaker boxes. Learned the hard way about electro magnet speakers when I wanted to remove one from an old large radio my father gave me and extend the cable and put the speaker in it's own cabinet. Yes, even unplugged, the cables through me across the room. Undeterred I brushed myself off and measured the voltage across the power lines running to the electromagnet, I believe it was at 600v before bleeding down.( what fun ) I added a Heathkit tube amp my father had built and 'voila', I had my own Stereo using two different power amps and a hand me down stereo record player. Ten years later, after joining the Armed Forces as a Tech, I spent 10 months wages on my first 'Real' Stereo. My Father and I had visited a lot of his connections and listened to many high end systems pushing Altec Lancing, JBL and Tannoy's. I decided on all SONY equipment, including the flagship TC-177SD, which I still have and Tannoy Berkleys. Liked the Berkleys so much I acquired an additional 2 Tannoy Ardens which sometimes I stacked the Berkleys on top of since they had identical 15" drivers. So Yes, why not hook up your TV to your 'Sound System' . Been doing it for over 50 years and still to this day, except with multiple 7.2 and 9.2 systems. I've collected dozens of older flagship speakers and receivers used, as low as 20 cents to the dollar. Paradigm Studio, KEF, Energy, ( mostly towers) Onkyo and Pioneer. Don't get me started on Flagship TV's. KURO, Panasonic, Samsung and Hitachi Directors Series Plasmas along with a rare ELITE pro-70x5fd. What do you do with over 60 speakers? ( hint - picture your ceiling as another floor ) Makes for great surround for movies, I've even tried a newer Atmos receiver for a second height system. All my Systems and rooms are linked together with distribution amps, switches and active HDMI cables, some components with RCA's ( 400CD Player ). Another thing I've discovered is using an older RCA Distribution Amp to allow Multiple Subs to reach their maximum volume. I've also hooked up my Museum of semi-flagship Computers (Z77, X99's, X299's, X399, Z390, Z490's, Z590 to all my surround systems. So, you have to start somewhere, you won't regret hooking up speakers to your TV or computer and the upgrade path is infinite.

[@OGruurd]

@@ArKay-nj2nh Honestly, that sounds awesome.

[@Marco_Onyxheart]

I grabbed my speakers off the street. They're pretty nice Philips ones. I just had to get a Denon AV receiver for 200 euros secondhand, and my audio is amazing.

[@victorkreig6089]

the dutch's audio chops are MASSIVLY overlooked and tbh I'm kinda glad they are otherwise they'd end up like those douchebags at Voxx running Klipsch

[@VRStoned1978]

second hand midtange hifi is seriously undervalued. imagine all those nice old surround recievers..

[@jothain]

Oh hell yeah. Everyone can get into good audio if they want. I've occasionally seen even high end stuff for like less than 10th of their normal value. I assume some of these are from people that have been into audio, but passed away and relatives/family are selling some stuff out not realizing the value. But anyway, indeed the mid tier stuff that's like 10 years old or more. It absolutely shouldn't ever be dismissed. They're still really good after all these years. Plus mostly it's stuff that you can't even kill by use. Well unless some kid pokes like knife through speaker or something. But that also being said, I've seen really good stuff with just the middle speaker "dome?" (I honestly don't know the correct english word for that) being just bit crushed and usually they can be easily fixed/pulled back and virtually nobody would even notice anything even if the dome is pushed in.

[@TheElfangor]

@@jothain I have once obtained a very very high end pre-amp that was like 9.000€ new for free because a distant relative passed away and they thought it didn't work since it is a pre-amp and the speakers they connected didn't work. They just had to wire up an amp between them. So yeah, those deals exist and are pretty common actually. And you're right - as long as you dont overdrive the speakers or amp and they dont get too hot, you can't really kill them. My AVR was bought new 2014 and still goes strong with daily use after 10 years.

[@maximilianmustermann5763]

@@jothain Even new, the value of some hifi equipment often goes down fast. The last floor standing hifi speakers I bought were 45% off because they were a discontinued model and the store had to make space. Especially speakers often have these crazy discounts once the new models hit the market.

[@yiggawhat]

​@@maximilianmustermann5763because they are heavy and audiophiles love to upgrade constantly meanwhile selling takes time because shipping this stuff is a hassle😅 thats to our advantage though

[@godsarc]

Mrwhosetheboss's theatre setup is a dream, LTT's theatre setup a reality and mine is non-existent. 😅😅😅.

[@ShaunRuigrok]

I have pieced together my setup thanks to the generosity of others (a friend cleaning out the estate of his late family member), FB Marketplace, and rubbish piles on the side of the road. I paid a grand total of $39, and have ended up with a pretty sweet 6.1 audio setup made from a mix of Sony (amp), Dali (centre), GLL (L+R), Harman (sub), and Voll (surrounds). I spent an afternoon to wire up, set up, balance and adjust levels, etc. for my room, but it sounds *phenomenal*. Paired with the 65” LG OLED I picked up on Marketplace, and my place is now the go-to for movie nights with friends and family. So worth it!

[@TomGrievee]

Got my mate hooked up like this. He wanted to plug in a $200 aldi stereo. Managed to get him an Onkyo amp for $100, 10" Yamaha sub for $60, and large Yamaha floor standing speakers for $120. This is all Australian dollars so about $182 freedom dollars converted. Such a great upgrade

[@Calakapepe]

If you get a... 150 or 200 USD soundbar WITH a subwoofer.. its surprising how good the audio is while not being insanely expensive. .. and how wide of audio it puts out. I have a small room and personally put my wooder behind my couch to literally feel all the boom and mimic a more dimensional setup despite the 2.1 setup

[@jothain]

BUT you can still buy insanely good amp, S tons better speakers and sub for same price from used market that will absolutely crush any soundbar. Heck you could almost buy very small Genelec speakers for stereo sound and add active sub. Note that those speakers are active and they're honestly studio quality stuff that'll likely even play at higher volume.

[@cr0wN_]

If you have modern Tv you can even buy a bluetooth speaker for cheaper and just hook it up to always charge. They will sound better than any soundbar. Crazy how popular they are considering they are just slightly better than built in Tv speakers.

[@nieno9760]

@@jothain Yes, but you are completely missing the problem. You still need some ample room to physically being able to add those speakers and sub. Not everyone lives in a house and especially appartements where there's enough place to actually put them. You can make them work for some cases but it generally comes to some major inconvenience just for having better sound from your tv.

[@ThePokemon12149]

Bro didn't watch the video

[@sangarios]

ok i bought all the equipment now I just need to insulate my whole apartment so my neighbors doesn't kill me! jokes aside I'm not sure any tip including facebook market place works outside Us or Canada.

[@sethschroeder]

What happens to stuff people want to get rid of? They throw it out? Something is happening to it.

[@enderduck4253]

Facebook marketplace is just one of the best options they have, but pretty much every country has some equivalent platform for buying/selling used things. Yeah, the deals might not necessarily be replicable, but it's still likely that you find something similar for a good price if you look for it.

[@sangarios]

@@enderduck4253 of course there are other sites. but as you said the deals are very different. I was just trying to point that out.

[@yiggawhat]

put your sub on a cement plate and put thick foam under it to decouple your sub from the floor. Makes noise for your neighbour alot more tolerable and the bass sounds even better

[@nathans5773]

As a person who regularly watches marketplace/Craigslist/Offerup for audio gear, I can confirm you can easily pick up a 5.1 speaker set up and HDMI capable receiver for $285 US. It might take you a couple weeks of checking but this kind of entry level gear doesn’t tend to sell quickly so you do not have to worry about jumping on the listing as soon as it is posted. One caveat, this assumes you are in a larger metro area. Secondhand audio gear can be harder to find, and often more expensive, in smaller communities.

[@jamieproctor7109]

One thing to remember looking at speakers is that they don't get worse just maybe a little less convenient (size, cables, amps. etc) but if it was good when it came out it's still good.

[@NatesHomeTours]

About 5 years ago I scored one of the best deals for a 5.1 surround sound system. I got a full set of Klipsch Quintet 3 5.1 speakers and the accompanying 12 inch, 300 watt powered sub and a Pioneer VSX-917V for basically a steal. I paid $100. When it was all new it would have been over $1200. It was only 3 years old and she was going thru a divorce and wanted everything of her ex's out of the house. I still to this day use those speakers, but have since swapped out to a more powerful Onkyo TX-SR494. It rocks the room I have it set up in. The sub I have set at 0 on the receiver and only 1/4 of the gain on the sub and it will vibrate the walls to point you think stuff will come down.

[@JezzVega]

0:40 is this a reference to Uptown Funk???

[@a-_-botm8809]

@@JezzVega uptown funk? what do you mean sir, i want to learn, pls teach me

[@samk2407]

One thing you do have to keep in mind tho is that people also buy soundbars because they don't have space for speakers and stuff. I personally could fit a soundbar in my apartment but could definitely not fit several large speakers

[@maheshbhutada]

@@samk2407 my thoughts exactly... A lot of people live in apartments with small living room's instead of dedicated media rooms

[@samk2407]

@maheshbhutada yeah I mean I don't think Linus is unaware that most ppl don't have a home theater, if u had like a suburban house you could probably do this in your living room, it's just unhelpful if you are someone who lives in the city in an apartment where your living room is also your bedroom or your kitchen...

[@JulianRasch-g6v]

true but, there are also smaller book speakers even some that dont care if they are closer to the walls, i would always try go go for a 2.0 or 2.1 system with dedicated AVR and speakers u get so much more for ur money and can upgrade down the road..

[@jothain]

It's legit point and if one isn't really into entertainment and just wants like more clarity to people speaking in TV. I absolutely understand the choice. But if even like occasional movie usage and there's bit of room. One can get small sized setup for very little money.

[@andrewmcewan9145]

I gave my friends a decent 2.1 setup with a chipamp volume controlled over hdmi cec. This isn't really an excuse. If you need to drop the .1 thats fine. realistic minimus 7 Cambridge soundworks pc works mini sub and amp Hdmi earc audio extractor. All under $100 Had a tpa3116 board lined up but fell on the soundworks that allready had the sub circuitry so just went with that. The pc sub dosen't have really deep bass so it's good for the tiny apartment.

[@VaraNiN]

15:25 So 325 CAD = 235 USD, but 329 CAD = 279 USD? Something's not quite adding up lol

[@jarnobot]

I've been upgrading my set with second hand and good value new equipment like this for years, while also encouraging friends to do the same, especially when they don't have anything proper or are considering a soundbar. Often when I've made an upgrade my old stuff goes to friends as well. Even some cheap stereo speaker set + amp of a brand that you've never heard of was a significant upgrade from listening music/videos on their TV and they are always very happy and grateful for it. It's nice to be able to make your friends happy with stuff you don't use anymore, while also giving that equipment a new life. Some of those friends still use the set I gave them, some have gotten into audio themselves and have upgraded to very nice sets too :) My own main set was not even that expensive, but it sounds great!

[@ChaseDuRand]

I already know I’m going to love this episode. I do this all the time

[@phil2of3]

@0:40 how about, I don't have the room for such equipment

[@vwolf2]

Exactly what I was thinking but it's a cool excuse for a video nonetheless.

[@AAllinsonNN]

That’s honestly kind of crap. Speakers are the size of a few books and can be made to fit in any space. It’s just a matter of priority

[@nieno9760]

@@AAllinsonNN Damn you must have massive books then

[@richardheumann1887]

There are milk pack speakers you know? They are small and will fit in any house/room. And are a dime a dozen ... At least in Europe. I own Sony ones and they sound great.

[@anthonydefr]

Well if you don't have much room I would look at a mini amp with just 2 speaker's. These mini amps put plenty of power out there.

[@s2kDan]

PSA: please do not sit on your receiver.

[@Briceronie]

me and my tiny off brand amazon sound bar are offended. i just dont trust people off facebook to buy things lol

[@GreaseLord5]

Those bed bugs livin in the sound mesh...

[@victorkreig6089]

If you can't trust your neighbors you might as well go live innawoods

[@irvrhettman4853]

I have a Klipsch and OSD 5.2.4 home theater. I also have a 20 year old Kenwood receiver, those exact same Philips FWB-MC50 speakers, and a subwoofer in my workshop. The Philips work amazing, have a decent mid-bass response, and fill my entire workshop with a ton of sound. They're not on the same level as my Klipsch in my theater, but for something I got for so little, I am extremely satisfied. Big money or little money, I always recommend looking at used markets for gear rather than buying the first big-box store option.

[@robertvantine2810]

Back in 2000, my Brother and I hooked up our RCA 27 inch TV to a receiver. Had four decent sized speakers two up top and two below. Then had the Blu ray player, VHS recorder, N64, SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega 32X, and PS1 all hooked up to that. My Mom still has a receiver, record player, cassette tape deck, Blu ray player, 2x boom box speakers, and 2x bigger speakers all hooked up. Still has pretty great sound. She didn't peel the plastic off the flat screen TV though. Makes it a lot easier to dust and really doesn't affect viewing at all.

[@rd4k04]

Good luck getting your wives to approve all those bulky speakers and subs everywhere in the living room.

[@RutterButter]

Don't worry, you can replace those too!

[@maximilianmustermann5763]

Every hifi enthusiast knows the waf - the wife acceptance factor. Women seem to have a biologically engrained hatred against hifi speakers. And the better the speakers, the more they hate them.

[@asdesdvfq222c]

this may be heresy - but I prefer simple 2.0/2.1/2.2 setups over any surround systems. Two giant tower speakers with a ton of power, supplemented by a subwoofer or two for the subbass - that is all I need. No worries about center channel, rear channels, matching different kinds of speakers/volumes/positions - simple 2 channel stereo is genuinely underrated and can still absolutely fill a room with sound.

[@kivylius]

3.1 also is the way too, i find center a must for movies.

[@greenmachine3395]

Oh good lord that bad audio

[@Skrillfreak]

I scored a set of klipsch (2x r51, r52c, 2x r41m, r12SW) with a pair of svs prime elevation for 400 total, then i got a couple 5.1 recievers with multi channel analog input for 70 bucks (used for amps only) and then finally an emotiva MC1 pre-amp for up to 13.2 atmos ($350?!?!?!). For now its just 5.1.2 but its got room to expand on the cheap. Used audio gear is WHERE ITS AT! Feasibly i could have 13 channel for less than 1000 dollars if i can find a few more speakers, but I'm happy with the quality gains I've gotten so far

[@FeedScrn]

That was a fun video. Thanks. Yes there is a lot of decent used audio equipment out there. - At 14:30 - True about the speaker system tuning. That will make a night and day difference.

[@gavinbar1988]

15:30 when is the movie coming out?

[@cubertmiso]

09:09 linus pee-pee shows

[@AliYassinToma]

sooo 15:50 its just laziness no need to sugar coat it..

[@danieldougan269]

This is precisely the way I built the 5.1 system in my living room, and it's great. Even though I have a fairly beefy center channel, I still have issues hearing dialogue, and that is partly a function of the stupid way people are mastering movies today and the obnoxious HVAC system in my apartment. I'd really love the space and privacy (no neighbors on the other side of the wall) to just crank the system I have, but suffice it to say, it's PLENTY for me.

[@Drew7321]

My first theater setup was quite janky. It was amazing to me. A year passed and then I wanted better. Over the last 7 years, I have been gradually upgrading everything. You really can piece a fantastic system together from marketplace OR some aggressive deal shopping in stores or online. Now, I'm rocking 7.2 system driven by a 4K Denon receiver. I even added bass shakers to the underside of my couch. The only caution I give is that once you start, it's addictive to get it to perfection.

[@transfer1992]

Man, this is me basically my whole life. I took pride in having mixed setups like this that blown my friends' ears up. Since a year I was finally able to buy myself a very nice set of set of 5.1.2 speakers, but this video brings joyful tears to my eyes :)

[@axel8grease]

Holy good timing on this, I just spent $300 on some used AVR and 2 speakers and a sub, and my living room literally sounds as immersive as my local theater. Soundbars have such a massive premium for ease-of-use.

[@ThatLobsterMan]

The upgradability enables people to piecemeal a good setup over time. I bought a receiver and two bookshelfs to start, then a subwoofer, and a little ways down the road - I will get my center and rear channels. This allowed me to spend over time to get something I couldn't have afforded and still enjoy it instead of being stuck with something I know is lackluster.

[@tomr5121]

I did the same thing with an older Yamaha receiver (5.1) and random decent speakers. The only New item was the powered subwoofer. It really leveled up the experience and about doubled the system cost😂 Really happy with the overall performance!

[@compaqdeskpro5770]

I started with a similar Sony speaker kit, a dedicated Onkyo operating over ARC I picked up from a thrift store for $15 was a major upgrade in many ways, and another lesson learned was the the center is the most important.

[@BrewmasterDonegan]

I did this exact thing. I remembered my father had a 5.1 speaker setup from an old home theater system from the early 2000s. I got a used 2006 Yamaha AVR for cheap. Basically I got a 5.1 system for almost free and compared to my TCL TVs speakers it KICKS ASS

[@rpfour4]

15:30 That looks like a John Woo movie I would watch.

[@gadrian7853]

This video encouraged me to try next time when upgrading the sound system to look into used market. Thank you LTT.

[@iwev1852]

I live in an apartment, I need something that's not too quiet. A soundbar is perfect as it has handicapped the audio enough to never cause complaints. Where as the old 7.1 would get complaints playing below 10. Unfortunately living standards is the reason I and many others I know have went with a soundbar. Good enough for movies/TV, no complaints.

[@yiggawhat]

i dont know how the apartment building is built but i had the same issue mostly with my sub, as low frequencies travel through everything way better. The solution was a cement piece under my sub standing on thick foam. The sub is crisper now and you can barely hear the bass through walls. I Spray painted the cement black so it doesnt even look bad

[@sokola311]

Fun to do indeed! The speaker heights and angles are also part of the formula. :) Great video guys!!

[@liftedplane]

Years ago I bought a crazy nice Yamaha system on marketplace for about $150, it was still being sold new though it was aging out. Brand new it was about 1500. one of the best purchases I've ever made.

[@tyler.enterprises]

I’ve got the Bosw TV Speaker shown in the video and I use it at my desk since I’m space constrained. It works really well for that. I also have a 7.1 ch surround system in my basement which is incredible. But I could never fit that in my bedroom. I think that’s where soundbars shine; when there’s not enough room for something better.

[@pinballbd]

I am a student in college and I did this exact thing because I am majoring in Film production and I wanted to mix my short films in 5.1 and be able to hear what they sound like. Best decision I’ve ever made. I use it to watch movies and everything and it is great.

[@GoodBoyShep]

There are some AMAZING edifier bookshelf speakers you can get for any setup. Even computer gaming. Great bass

[@offroader23]

A good center channel is absolutely the foundation for proper movie watching. All of my systems are patched together older surround systems with optical or HDMI audio and work fantastically.

[@SpamMaster57]

The two best tips I have for budget audio: - Use a cheap TOSLINK/HDMI to RCA adapter and get a 20 year old high-end AVR, I've bought this setup multiple times under $50. - Sony SS series speakers were the best value underdogs, but nobody valued them. Their price is usually $10 per good quality (but poorly crossovered) floorstanding speaker pair. They have such good bass that this setup can rival entry level 5.1s in 5.0 configs. Also, if you play content from a PC, you could use either REW or my Cavern for Dirac-level calibration for free, and calibration is the single best thing you could have. I'd argue getting a MiniDSP Dirac box is the only $200(?) upgrade ever worth mentioning for old systems.

[@lomein2186]

ah this helps with so much more than home audio! Seriously, thank you for the explanations. There are some portions of the video that explain more than any yt video for car audio

[@Stoobers]

Great video. I bought a new house that came with a Monitor Audio 5 speaker setup installed (wall mounted, chased cabling etc), so I did every bit of research I could do to find an AVR and sub that would compliment those speakers and be seamless to my TV. And I'm glad I did. I got a huge deal on the speakers seeing as they were bundled along with the house itself, bought a secondhand Denon AVR, and Wharfdale active sub, and my word do they sound amazing... to the point it is 500 seat cinema quality emersion sound. I can make the house shake and not drop the trebles lol. Do your homework, and don't just go for sound bars! It's really worth some time and research!

[@vincentstuer]

My dad bought a used Denon receiver with a set of JBL speakers, he hid a cable in the crawl space under the floor for the back channels so the wires do not look ugly, it's the best thing we did for the tv setup

[@gbhsyst]

Finally, LTT touching my hidden gem hobby, sigh. Older, chonky, well made and rigid but cheap af speakers are the real deal.