Team-BHP - The Home Theater thread

I have the pioneer dvp588A and I it is really good....The best part is it plays both sacd and dvd-audio. (we can expect this to hot up in the next year....Bollywood is already into dvd audio with Dhoom2) Its divx playback too is awesome.

But Philips scores over this player in error correction.

I would think twice before buying sony. Their error correction (ability to play scratched discs) is supposed to be the worst among all available dvd players

I got this player from Singapore. I am not sure if they are available with warranty here. In a recent AV expo held in Bangalore, pioneer had a stall and were accepting orders. So I presume they have some presence here.

Hi Guys,

Sorry for butting in the ongoing conversation but since my query is reg.Home Theatre, I had to seek help here.I am looking for a good home theatre system & I went to an audio shop (Pro Acoustics/New Delhi) for an audition today & auditioned the following :

1. Marantz SR series A/V receivers 7500/5600/5500/8001 etc
2. Mordaunt & Short Avant series 908i front standing speakers, (5.1 home theatre set up includes 903i surround speakers,905i centre speaker,309i subwoofer) (Rs.66,500 + tax maybe :-( )
3.Boston Accoustics VR3 front standing speakers (5.1 home theatre set up includes sCR 77 Surround speakers,VRC centre speaker & PV-700 sub-woofer) (Cost - Rs.1,33,500 + tax)
4.Another set of Mordaunt frontstanding speakers (forgot the model name?) with inbuilt sub-woofer..(cost : Rs.1,15,000 inclusive of home theatre 5.1 set up like no.1 above)

I would like to know if any one is using Marantz SR 5600 A/V receiver & / OR Mordaunt Short 908i speakers & how's been the experience ?? How much the receiver (SR 5600 - I am being quoted Rs.30,000 for the same) & the speakers (Mordaunt Short 908i) should cost? And will this be good match Marantz receiver with MS speakers...What other comparable brands (models) I should check out for home theatre set up: Receiver/5.1 Speakers (with a bias towards stereo audio). My budget at the moment is upto Rs.75K.

Would appreciate appreciate feedback from the people who KNOW. I am into 70s-80s music (rock,metal & alternative) & like to watch movies sometimes.

Thanks & Regards
Ash

Hi Guys, (Audiophiles - give me ye sonic ear!!)

I am still awaiting feedback on my previous post on this thread - on Marantz a/v receiver & Mordaunt Short 908i front standing speakers (with 5.1 HT speakers' set up)..Any one out here who's using or have used this set up : audio as well as for HT purpose..Pls do share your experience on the performance of music when stereo set up is used (Receiver performance & frontstanding spkrs) & when 5.1 movie set up is used & the price paid for the components..

Thanks & Regards
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshOnTheRocks (Post 403587)

I am still awaiting feedback on my previous post on this thread - on Marantz a/v receiver & Mordaunt Short 908i front standing speakers (with 5.1 HT speakers' set up) audio as well as for HT purpose.

If your budget for receiver is 75k, other than the "true amplifiers" Navin mentioned, do look at the mid Denons and Harman Kardons as well. Even NAD would be a good option (all 50>60k-ish). Entry level Marantz are not great is the feeling I get.

With 1.5L budget, for a 5.1 speaker system that plays stereo also well, audition KEF Q*, B&W S6*, Monitor Bronze, Mission, Tannoy and even some Wharfedales. KEF and B&W are great speakers, but for allround performance and the value, I would say go for Monitor B. Its basic 5.1 is ~90k and 5.1 with floorstanders, ~1.2 or so. Mate them with HK and give a listen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by navin (Post 403623)

Ash,

Products in your price range you should also consider
Electronics (CD players and Amps): Arcam, Cambridge Audio, Rotel, Creek
Speakers: Monitor Audio, PSB, Dali, Focal, Triangle, KEF...

Hi Navin,

Thanks for your advise..Infact, you've laid out quite a few veritable who's-who in amp./a/v recievers & speakers' brands.

Only problem is finding these brands in Delhi & getting them auditioned..Esp. after the sealing drive lot of audio showrooms have shut shop in South Delhi..However I have contacted an autho.dealer who stocks Cambridge Audio/Dyna Audio/Dali speakers..I have told him my requirements & the approx. budget. I am likely to get a revert from him on the fitment models/specs..Then maybe I will get to audition..

I have heard a lot about Axiom Audio (M80ti speakers/HTS) & Tannoy..But I believe tAxiom have internet based selling model only (30 day trial period)..No audition possible prior to commiting to buy..I am keen to check out NAD amp./receiver toobut dunno if they are available in Delhi..

Will keep you all posted on my search for home theatre system & audition experiences..

Thanks so much!
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by determinus (Post 403692)

Hi Determinus, Thanks for your feedback.

While I would love to have 75K budget allocated for the receiver alone sadly thats not the case yet sorry: esp.with the room size contraints etc..50 k is more like it though..Isn't Denon part of the D&M group (as in Denon & Marantz) & won't they be using similar components for both the brands..What I am implying is (I can be totally wrong & way of line here) the performance for matching models is likely to be similar..Ur thoughts on this?? Yet to chek out HK though..the only entry level HK a/v receiver I know gives out only 45 watt output per channel..

I will try & search the various speaker brands mentioned by you especially Monitor,B&W provided I can find them in Delhi..Max.I would like to go for speaker package (with floor standing spkrs) is 1L. Hopefully I should get good bang for the buck in this..

Anyone know where all these brands mentioned above in Navin's & Determinus's posts can be auditioned in Delhi..DELHI GUYS PLEASE HELP!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshOnTheRocks (Post 403924)

While I would love to have 75K budget allocated for the receiver alone sadly thats not the case yet esp.with the room size contraints etc..50 k is more like it though..

Thought I saw 75k next to receivers in your post, and then some shortlisted speaker packages were above 1 lac, so I assumed those were your budgets. My bad.

Entry level Marantz are not known (IMO) to be great buys. But say, the Denon 1907 which costs 30-35k has been rated the best entry level A/V receiver in 2006, by many HT reviews. Even Onkyo 503/603 are pretty good entry level models. One thing that you need to check is if each channel has discreet amplification. Some of the newer Yamaha's do not.

But there is an altogether different route to take also. The fully digital amplification. Sony's DZ series are cheap and 550 was rated the best HT package under 30k (It is discontinued perhaps, but there should be an equivalent model). In digital receiver, Panasonic SXR25/45 are small and excellent value.

Quote:

Yet to chek out HK though..the only entry level HK a/v receiver I know gives out only 45 watt output per channel..

They are known to underrate their amps. So 45w rating by HK would probably be across the band and would stand good to a 100w Sony or Yamaha. Also since your room space is small, you wouldnt need great amplification unless you want to wake up your neighbors.

If you need floor standers in your 5.1 and under 1 lac, then Wharfedale Diamond 9 is the only option (90k). But some mid size packages (all bookshelf) like Epos EL1 or Monitor Bronze are known to be amazing and comes 80-90k. Even KEF IQ has a speaker package that is ~1L, but they are better off with music than movies, I hear. I would stick with the Monitor Bronze as the best buy.

Electronics die in 5 years. By new technology/format or by design. So one advice I can give you is to invest more into speakers; Its technology hasnt changed for 150 years, and will stay for another 50.

To easily get hold of the AV dealers in Delhi, buy the latest AVMax.

EDIT: Mordaunt Shorts as well as Dalis are great lookers, but *at entry level* not great performers.

Hi Determinus,
I have only been able to listen to Marantz & Mordaunt Shorts (also Boston acoustics VR3) combo & the sales manager is quite willing to give me a good deal as this place is quite close from where I stay & often drop in to listen to music & have heard the shotlisted combos few times already. Due to a qurik of fate I have to go thru a budget rationalisation for my audio purchase :-( my budget for av receiver & 5.1 speakers stands curtailed & hence I would not be able to justify a higher spend on home theatre at the moment..Max.1L & i will be able to manage it from Marantz & MS combo with this budget.

Please tell me in Marantz,excluding entry level receivers,which ones will be a good buy?? Also from the old range if one needs to consider an av receiver which one it should be?? I am getting SR 5600 7400 at a v.good price..SR 7500 is there as well SR 8500 (though I believe these are discontinued but performance happens to be quite good & that too at a discounted price)..Also the lack of HDMI option in the just mentioned receivers will be a major shortcoming for watching video..??

Also I have realised that Mordaunt & SHort speakers go very well with Marantz receivers..Secondly the MS speakers under question are not entry levels..908i floorstanders are their frontline speakers (not considering the much touted & very expensive Performance 6 series) along with the 5.1 i series combo & sound very nice with rock music & movie sound tracks..natural audio reproduction,hardly any colouring,good base,not overtly bright & good mid range..Little less bright & peppy sound..

Whats your take on the same..Look forward to hearing from you.

audio guru's, i need some suggestions please:

Have planned on picking up a Sony Home Theater system - DAV-DZ120K.

linky : Sony India - like no other

I loved the sound quality and the price is just within my reach. Have been postponing this purchase for over 2 years now.

Can the audi guru's throw more light on this product (pro's and con's with regard to sound, service backup, reliability, etc). I mostly will be using this for action movies and music dvd's.

What are my alternatives (like buying each unit separately) without compromising on the sound quality and reliability as well as after sales support and service? Please keep in mind my budget cannot go beyond INR 16k.

thnx.