opinions on 7.1 speaker sets only PLEASE

...you should be posting in the toys forum.

Sorry, no offense intended here, but you cannot get anything that even comes close to the word quality with 7 speakers and a sub for that range or even several times times that range.

I'm surprised you didn't say you wanted the 7.1 system to include large floor standing speakers with dual 10'' woofers and a sub with a 15'' driver all for $300.

The reason you can't find anything under the word quality in this range is that it doesn't exist.

You are chasing numbers here. You will find lots more 7.1 systems in cheap HTIB systems running about $500 or more than in more expensive quality systems. Forget the 7.1 thing and learn what really makes a surround speaker system sound decent.

You got hooked on the 7.1 term and presumed that all 7.1 systems must be better than 5.1 systems, not true (if all things were equal in the speaker's quality wise and you had the room for the extra 2 speakers then fine). So now you will ask why do most of the better receivers have 7 amps. That is for when and if you want to upgrade. You will probably find that 95% of all quality home theater systems over a starting price of about $1000 or more are 5.1 with 7.1 capable receivers.

You could have bought an entry level surround 5.1 or 6.1 receiver and maybe saved a few bucks. In your price range don't get caught up in chasing numbers and the ''latest'' like 1080p, HDMI. 7.1, upconverting, etc. I know you already have a lot of what I just listed. Now you are trying to cut corners on the sound which is 50% of the fun. Save until you can buy some decent speaker.

Suggest you either wait until you have more money for an entry level 5.1 speaker system of reasonable quality which would run at $500-$600 at the very least or start with two decent speakers and then add the center and two surrounds speakers that are an exact match (from the same brand and series of speakers that have the same identical tweeter) Then add a powered sub as you can afford it. Only last and if you have the money then you can add a 6th and 7th speakers. My advice is to forget the 6th and 7th speakers and put that money instead into better 5.1 speakers.

It is the quality of the speakers and not whether you have 5.1 or 7.1 that is important.

RR6

You can get a 7.1 speaker set with a 230 watt powered sub from Onkyo for 350 bucks. I have an Onkyo HTIB hts790 that I got for 430 after two rebates through Circuit City online after two rebates. Just 80 dollars more for the receiver, however, the aforementioned speaker set is a newer and most likely improved set. Onkyo is generally better regarded as a manufacturer of receivers than Sony is. RoadRunner has a point about quality, but you did mention that this is not that big of a concern for you. I am happy with my set, although I know there is much better out there. I just didn't want to spend the money; there is a small chance I may upgrade my sub in the near future. Gotta play with more locations first perhaps, but its difficult because the thing is so big.