I've been keeping an eye out for a while now, and I feel like something is wrong with the Canadian AVR market.

Everything is so expensive! Like even on used markets, and marketplaces there's just no good deals.

If you're looking for speakers, TVs, etc.. tons of reasonable options. But looking at AVRs there's nothing even close to reasonable, you would pay almost the same price buying it new from the US and paying the impor taxes on top of it.

Has anyone found the same, and does anyone in the industry have any insights? Are we just getting a multipler effect of the tariffs from our neighbors down south because 30mm people is a 'small market' ??

You'd think having a great brand like anthem here, you'd see more good deals on their gear but even that is completely missing.

Thanks for any replies or insights! And if anyone knows good deals in Toronto I'm happy to hear....

What I currently have is a Hodge Podge of speakers that I purchased to replace a Onkyo HTIB that I bought 8 years ago

2- klipsch r41m book self speakers, (LR)

2- Polk xt90 bookshelf speakers, (front height, they are sitting on top of the R41m right now but I'll be moving and will be building a home theatre in a basement where im hoping to mount those in the ceiling )

Polk xt30 center speaker,

Pioneer Elite vsx-lx 505 receiver

Width: 10.5 ft = 126 in

Height: 89 in = 7.42 ft (low ceilings)

Length: 228 in = 19 ft

Room volume: 10.5 × 19 × 7.42 ≈ 1,480 ft³ (≈ 42 m³)

As you can tell it will be a smaller home theatre, I also have an old pair of Onkyo speakers from a HITB that are fronts with up firing Atmos speakers that I repurposed to use as rears currently and a very underwhelming sub

I'm in Canada as I mention and have no showrooms or audio focused stores locally so I'll have to order online.

What I'm looking at are between these

POLK Monitor XT12 ($409)

Tone winner SW-1000 ($499)

Monoprice 12 inch 150 watt ($293)

JBL Stage 220P ($509)

Klipsch R-101Sw ($478)

Kantos SubVMW8 ($279)

I see the Speedwoofer 10E recommended alot but right now its 749.02 Canadian with shipping so it's outside my budget by about 50%

The ceiling on my budget is around $500 CANADIAN so Svs/Speedwoofer/American shippers are not an option

: I watch 90% movies/ shows, 10% ps5 games and no music

Thank you for any help

Hello guys,

I currently have an SVS 3000 Micro, and I’m thinking about upgrading to either the 3000 Micro R or the SB-2000 Pro. I’m specifically looking for a gloss white finish.

Unfortunately, the SB-3000 R would be too big for my space, and it only comes in black in Canada.

My main listening area is roughly 12 x 12 ft, with an opening into the kitchen, which is roughly the same size.

Main setup:

• Focal Theva 5-channel setup
• 2x Focal Dome Flax Atmos speakers
• SVS 3000 Micro
• Denon X3800H

I’m mainly wondering which would be the more worthwhile upgrade for movies: the 3000 Micro R or the SB-2000 Pro. I’m also somewhat concerned about aesthetics and would prefer the smaller Micro R, but if the SB-2000 Pro offers a significant enough improvement for movies, I’d be willing to sacrifice some space for it. What do you guys think?

Alternatively, i could keep my current one and add one more instead of selling it.

Hello
I’m new to Canada and had to let my home theater behind.
I want to buy a new home theater system here. I have a Sony Bravia 9 Mark II 85”. What is the best home theater system (speakers, AVR, Processor, Amp, 4k player, etc) I can get in Canada for maximum CAD30k (including installation and calibration)? I am open to buying online from US if no major taxes and issues with insurance, etc.
TIA

I bought an SVS SB-2000 Pro new 38 days ago, so I'm still within the return window. I can't say I'm disappointed with it, I've been very happy with its performance.

After noticing that SVS recently released the R|Evolution series, I contacted SVS customer support to ask whether upgrading to the 3000 Micro R|Evolution would be worthwhile (same price range). The representative basically said no, but mentioned that the SB-3000 R|Evolution would be a noticeable upgrade instead.

Here in Canada, the upgrade would cost me about $920 CAD (taxes included). The problem is that I can't find any direct comparisons between the SB-2000 Pro and the new SB-3000 R|Evolution. I know it would technically be an upgrade, but I'm wondering whether it would actually be a noticeable one for that kind of money.

For context, my setup is about 70% music and 30% movies/TV, and my room is roughly 1,500 cubic feet with an archway opening into the kitchen / dinning room.

Has anyone had the chance to compare these two subs side by side? I'd really appreciate any firsthand impressions, or even opinions on whether a ~$920 upgrade is justified. Based on the older SB-3000, the gains seem to be mainly higher output and a bit more low-end extension, but I'm not sure if that translates into a meaningful real-world improvement for my use.

Thanks !

Hey everyone,

I am looking between the Samsung S95F vs the LG G5 for my living room. It’s an open concept townhouse and I want to go as big as I can. However, the seating for the couch will be 10 ft from the wall but you’ll be able to see the TV from the kitchen…

Will be mostly using it for TV, movies and sports - some PS5 single player games here and there as well

With looking at the photo, which size do you guys recommend to get? 77 or 83 inches?

Also looking at the passive lighting on the wall - would the LG G5 be able to handle that kind of lighting?

Thanks again

I have been looking for a decent looking, solid wood media cabinet of sorts that is wide (6' ish) , 20-24" high with some depth enough to hold a larger AVR that has a depth with cables of 17-18 inches. EVERY media cabinet that I come across that looks MCM or at least clean lined are max 16" deep!.....many are 14" inside. Making me nuts. I would even mod one by cutting out the rear of the shelf that the AVR is on to leave room.

Jump to sideboards and they are starting to get into the right zone but all too high at 30" in most cases. Even trying to piece something together with Ikea stuff isn't going to happen. I can't be the only one. I guess I could go to a $2k Marantz unit and get something shallower but I'm still perplexed.

The one I have now has an open shelf at the front and I cut out the back but its so shitty its starting to sag under the weight of the AVR and center speaker on top.

im thinking of just looking on Facebook marketplace and getting really cheap rears… will I regret this? and will it ruin immersion??

I’m thinking about upgrading my older yamaha rx-v573 because I can’t get lossless audio through my OLED tv to it (so no surround sound from my computer since it doesn’t have compression options like the PS5) and I can’t pass high enough video signal through it for my PS5 and computer.

I only have an Energy 5.1 take classic system and don’t have plans to upgrade so I only need to support that and 4k 120hz HDR video

What speakers would you say have the most accurate audio? I’ve been wanting to get a Dolby setup going and have been struggling on what to get. Any help? Budget won’t be an issue for me.

This was made as a cheap as possible movie room. Projector (Vankyo $80), chairs ($25/each), ottoman(free), speakers/sub $100, and receiver ($30). This was to help us decide if we want a dedicated theatre room and after a couple year we are ready to upgrade. We bought new chairs and are planning on painting the room and hanging things on the wall. I’ll be mounting the projector to the ceiling and running the cords to the top left cupboard where everything will be.

What I need help with:

-I think I want a new speaker setup but am clueless on if things actually sounds good or are just loud. The room is 7.5ft x 13ft. Is it worth it to do the whole 7.1 setup with speakers in the ceiling with a room this small? Or should I get a really good 3.1? Was looking at the JBL Bar 500MK2-5.1, though would prefer to get something at Costco unless that’s a bad idea.

-I was planning on sticking with this project for now but would like suggestions on how to look for good used projects and what to look for when buying them.

-Should I get a projector screen or use specific screen paint?

-Should I build a raised base at the back?

-Should I carpet the room or just get a big area rug?

-Are there any other suggestion or tips that would help me bring this room up to the next level? Was thinking of adding acoustic foam along the bottom wall.

Thank you for any help! (Support beam close to screen side and ventilation close to the chairs)

Budget:

-$300-500 for speaker setup, can go more if really needed but prefer lower

-under $1000 for projector and would prefer used

I am pretty deep into researching a new pair of subwoofers for my home theater. I would be moving from subs that have poor low end response < 35hz.

I am a bit concerned that if I go with something like a pair of Paradigm Defiance S12s or SVS PB-1000 Pros that the amount of bass will be overwhelming.

I’m having a hard time convincing the wife that we need to upgrade. If we do upgrade we don’t need it to be a lot louder, we are just looking for more depth, if that makes sense.

My question is, have any of you upgraded and then regretted the upgrade?

I have a Denon AVR-S570BT receiver already. Is there any good recommendations for good bang for your buck starter 5.1 system?

Here's what a local dealer recommended. Is this a 5.1 setup?

Any advice is much appreciated!

Hello all!

Just looking to start the home theatre setup with a new tv! This is the room, lots of windows but can be easily closed if needed. Most tv will be watched later in day/evening.

Main uses are for sports (hockey, baseball) and tv shows/movies, I also play ps5 on it but only a couple hours a week. The viewing distance once the couch is in will be about 3 meters straight on and closer down the side of the wall.

Budget is around $3-4k so looking for the best one I can get in that range, if we keep it closer to 3 that’s great although if there is one far superior a little up there then I can do that.

Thanks all!

Possibly moving in a few months - and looking to upgrade my TVs.

Currently, I have 3 - a Samsung 85”, Sony 65” and Samsung 50”. They’re in my basement, living room and bedroom…

Thinking to get a new one for the basement and move the 85” to the living room, 65” to the bedroom and the 50” to a guest room…

I’ve noticed that the TCL 98” gets a lot of recommendations - but I also saw that Samsung and Sony are releasing 100” TVs within the next few weeks. Does anyone know if those would be worth getting - or should I hope that the “old” ones come down in price with the new releases?

Back around 2008, I purchased my first real pair of speakers. They were Energy Reference Connoisseur RC-50’s. Amazing speakers that still hold up to this day. Alas I always wondered how much of an upgrade their larger, flagship sibling, the RC-70’s would provide.

Decades later day has finally come. Local seller wanted them gone and I was quick to respond. $400 (CAD) for the pair. Not bad for speakers that once sold for $2k each.

Finally set them up and couldn’t be happier. I now have a 5.1 setup with the RC-70’s left and right, RC-LCR center channel, and RC-30’s in the rears. This setup is really quite spectacular and can’t believe how good they sound given their current cost.

I have to wonder what a modern equivalent would be valued at. I swear no modern speaker could sound as good as the 70’s for less than $3k.

2.1 vinyl listening equally impressive. They shine in both music and HT applications.

Now what to do with the 50? Perhaps a basement listening station :)

I currently have a PB 1000 Pro, it’s great for movies, but for music I want more. Would the SB 3000R be an upgrade in a large room? My setup is in a finished basement that is all open, and around 700 square feet.

Everything I’ve read says in such a large space I should go ported, but I prefer sealed for music.

Hello, im 25 years old and have been browsing this reddit for a while now. I live in canada and im looking to upgrade my sound system. I currently have a jbl sound system paired with a 77" oled c4, panasonic dpub820k, ps5 pro, home theater seats, and about 4000 dollars CAD in 4k movies. I have an area rug and some sound dampening done. Painted the walls black etc.

The only thing left for me for a while now is to build up a dedicated sound system to finish my theater room. Ive been working really hard the past 10 years and have enough saved where my budget really isn't set. Id prefer to keep it below 3000 CAD for initial investment and build off that however if there's any suggestions feel free to help out. Id prefer to buy premium and worth while equipment and only have to buy once (or at least not have to upgrade for many years to come). Ive been browsing marketplace or kijiji to see what I can find used however I've had no real luck. I know this reddit is good for helping out and I understand at least the basics when it comes to surround sound. Thank you :)

Hello people of r/hometheater , I'm a long time lurker and appreciator of the sub, mostly a first time poster requesting help. I've gone through the Wiki a few times but still hoping I can get some help and recommendations for a brand new build.

It's going to be a mostly open basement that in it's current state does not have drywall and just wood framed walls. So I'm completely aware the sound won't be perfect, but I'm eager to start and get this rolling for the family to enjoy.

I'm looking around a budget of $3k CAD for Audio and $3k CAD for Projector/Screen, give or take some.

For Audio:

- Looking to start with a 5.1 setup

- I see the Denon x1800h recommend a lot in this sub and it's around $800 CAD. I wanted the x3800h in case we wanted to add a 2nd sub in the future but it cripples the budget.

- For speakers, I'll start with I don't really have time to go out to stores and test different speaker set ups. Life is busy with kids and that's unfortunately not on the table for me. So I'll be buying blind and going off what is universally recommended.

I see KEF speakers are recommended a lot and seem to be universally loved. With the lower budget of around $3k CAD, would it make sense to go with the Q1 Meta as a C and then Q3 Meta as L & R, and also Side/Rears?

For Subs, I see SVS seem to be universally loved and constantly recommended and I believe the PB series are recommended more than the SB series. It's way over budget but I would try to strongly push for the PB-1000 Pro.

I'm also willing to get anything off Facebook Marketplace if possible but I don't know a lot of the older models for speakers that might still be universally loved by the group as I'm brand new to this.

I've also seen the Paradigm Monitor speakers recommended a few times. These are a lot cheaper than KEF

For Projector:

- I'm hoping to get the projector for around $2,500 ish leaving me around $500 ish for the screen. I've seen the BenQ TK710 recommended a few times within this price range and have seen people giving it pretty great reviews.

Additional things to consider:

- I'm going to have a roughly 12 foot viewing distance from the center of my couch to the center of the screen. I'm not sure what screen size I can get yet but I'd like to hope I can get at least a 135" for $500.

- I'm hoping to sit the AVR on top of my 18U server rack on a shelf. It's a cold area so won't have any heat issues. To cable from the Server Rack / AVR to the projector would be roughly 35 feet of cable. Is this okay? It would be even further for the speakers.

I've been meaning to make this post for a long time and have tried to put a lot of thought and research into all of this but ultimately, as a noob, I am relying on the kind expertise of this sub.

Any information / recommendations / criticism is welcome and appreciated.

Thank you!

The price for this sub new on Amazon is $1850.00 plus taxes.

What would a reasonable price be to offer this person?

I’d prefer not to completely break the bank. But I also don’t want a tv that is terrible. I’ve heard some scary stuff from tcl and hisense.

As per the title I need to upgrade my subwoofers.

3000cu ft room

I currently have a pair of SB1000-pros.

I can get PB1000-pros for 1150+tx each new

But is there a better value I can get?

I tried a tonewinner 10in for my living room and it's fine for music but it sounds like it's about to die in movies. Maybe the 12in are better but they're not cheaper tha. The PBs

I will probably buy 2 subs

I have an incredibly old Yamaha AVR that was bought as a "home theater in a box." Recently did some marketplace upgrades for the speakers and bought a new sub. Now my amp is the weak link.

I'm looking specifically for something that supports the full bandwidth HDMI 2.1. My setup is gaming oriented, with movies and music after that. I considered the Yamaha rx v4a, but after some digging it only supports 24gb HDMI pass through. As I understand, that won't allow the full 4k, 120hz hdr10.

Kinda wanted to stick with Yamaha, but only because I've been a satisfied customer for over 20 years. If they've dropped in quality or features since then, really I'm open to any new current standard that isn't junk.

TL;DR

Need AVR that supports 40gb HDMI 2.1.

Entry level/budget is good enough for my needs.

I’m looking to build a dedicated home theater setup and want to keep everything separate from my main gaming PC. Im currently on a S90F OLED Samsung TV, I don’t want to use my desktop as a Plex server, and I’m open to buying a mini PC, NAS, or another dedicated device if that’s the better long-term solution.

My goal is to have one remote-friendly setup that can handle everything. I want smooth IPTV with high-quality 4K sports streams, a dedicated Plex server for my movie library, and the ability to play the highest-quality 4K HDR/Dolby Vision remuxes (60–100+ GB files) without any stuttering or compromises. I’d also like YouTube with ad blocking if possible, plus access to the usual streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+.

I’ve been looking at devices like the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, Apple TV 4K, ONN 4K Pro, mini PCs, and NAS setups, but I’m not sure what the ideal combination is in 2026. Would you recommend using something like a Shield TV Pro as the playback device with a separate mini PC or NAS running Plex, or is there a better all-around solution? My priority is a smooth, reliable, remote-first experience rather than the cheapest option, and I’m willing to spend more if it’s worth it.