....expanding from car audio into home...need help

Sounds like you need the whole enchilada with Verde sauce. The first thing I would do is set a budget. Were you planning on accumulating stuff slowly or all at once?

If you want to take the slow road A Denon receiver (150 watts X 5) with a decent DVD player both DTS compatible would be a good place to start. Add your main left and right speakers and some monster gold tip cables. This will get you going.

Next try to add a matching center channel (Remember this is your most important speaker for H/T so don't go cheep) then I would add a decent sub followed by two surround speakers. That should do it.

When programming for viewing check the movie for DTS software make sure you enter the audio set-up menu and program accordingly before viewing.

Keep in mind this is a basic low cost system (Approx. $1500.00 to $2000.00) As time goes on you can buy and sell pieces to build your dream system. But for now I'd start with the basics and work my way up slowly.

I second all of the recommendations above. I would add to what one writer suggested. Center Channel speaker for a Home Theater setup is VERY important! Many who are novices think that they should save money on two items that seem less important when they are in fact vitally important. The one is the center channel speaker and the second is the subwoofer. Don't try to save money with a cheap subwoofer. Finally, the receivers mentioned above are IMHO, all about the same. I would add the Rotel receiver to the mix. Don't have the same power ratings but sound better.

LOL...don't worry...i won't be nixing the subwoofer. i've got 2 10's in my truck (diamond) oz audio components, a nakamichi head unit, arc audio amps, and audiocontrol xover. i'm not going to be skimping. :)

i understand soundstaging....a while ago, people tried center channels in cars...but, since we're so *close* to the speakers, you can get a great soundstage from the kickpanel area, and sometimes some supplemental tweeters in the a-pillar area....just play w/ phasing a little bit, and you're good to go.

anyway...all of this advice was exactly what i needed. i'm sure that i'll end up going w/ speaker brands that also have car audio lines, like focal or dynaudio, but if i'm not going to get a nakamichi reciever (which i still might, though noone mentioned it??) i don't know where to look. if anyone happens to see a great deal anywhere now, let me know.

grace,
shawn

ah...i forgot to answer. i'll probably be going relatively slowly. my roommates and i have a piecemeal system at the moment...it's a stereo setup w/ an old sony reciever, and some technics towers, a new toshiba dvd and toshiba 50" projection. my first purchase will be the reciever, then probably a center channel, then the rears. i will probably end up building my own front mains, like i said, w/ focal or dyne or something i know (can i ever use car audio stuff at home? do any recievers run 4 ohm speakers?)

so...i'm worried about the reciever right now. i'd really like to find a nak av-8.

do most movies come w/ dts now, or is that still rare?

I just made the same step you might possibly make...I was always a big car stereo buff & swore by Nakamichis old stuff such as the pa304 amp and many other Nak components that made up my system. In the car audio realm, Nak is one of the better ones out there, however, in home audio, I dont think they will quite have the sound you are looking for and are definitely not really high end IMHO. I got rid of my prized car stereo when I sold my car in 1995 and have missed the sound ever since. I built a couple systems since then and still couldnt match the sound...however, since you are moving from high end car audio to high end home like myself you may find what I am doing interesting. I first bought a pair of decent speakers. You can find plenty of great speakers that you have probably never heard of used for 500-1000. I then bought a used Bryston B-60 on a Dr's recommendation (he has 4 systems totalling over 250k) The amp was a little over 800 and let me tell you...I would trade this 2 channel sound with home theater (since I use it for music equally) for any Denon NAD Nakamichi etc etc. I originally demoed my B&W CDM1nt's with a Denon AVR5800. The 60 watt (mine specs at 70) BLOWS the Denon away...I know that I have only just entered the realm of high end audio and am pretty close to the bottom of the ladder but If you think that car audio can be addictive, wait till you have a taste of this candy.

Enjoy