[ampere]

Decide do you really need a 7.1 system. A 5.1 should be good enough for our homes. If you living room is large, where you plan to install it, ensure that you have enough space to keep all the speakers and at the same time, it does not clutter the room.

[ampere]

A Question on Centre Speaker:

When you buy an LCD TV, how/where do you install the centre speaker?
LCD is so slim, that it (centre speaker) cannot be placed above the LCD TV.

[NetfreakBombay]

You have to hang it just a few inches above the TV. So that there is enough space to lift the TV from wall mount .

Since most AVRs now have auto calibration, they can correct lots of speaker placement issues. You will place calibration mike at the place where you usually sit to watch movies. AVR will change volume level of individual speakers to correct placement issues.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

You have to hang it just a few inches above the TV. So that there is enough space to lift the TV from wall mount .

Since most AVRs now have auto calibration, they can correct lots of speaker placement issues. You will place calibration mike at the place where you usually sit to watch movies. AVR will change volume level of individual speakers to correct placement issues.

The problem is that I had initially planned to have a table top TV and hence designed a display cabinet accordingly.

[NetfreakBombay]

You can place it below the TV as well. You will have to use a feature in AVE that will play the dialogues so that they appear to be played at a level close to TV.

In Yamaha, this feature is called "Dialogue Lift".

[BMWlover]

@ Ampere, the system is going to be professionally installed keeping the sound stage in mind in a dedicated room. With the advent of bluerays, I don't see any benefit of going for a 5.1 when a 7.1 is achievable within almost the same cost. The room is fairly large at 20'x30'x10' so speaker placement is not an issue.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by BMWlover

@ Ampere, the system is going to be professionally installed keeping the sound stage in mind in a dedicated room. With the advent of bluerays, I don't see any benefit of going for a 5.1 when a 7.1 is achievable within almost the same cost. The room is fairly large at 20'x30'x10' so speaker placement is not an issue.

All hardware is 7.1 supported. But the software is not.
Last I recall that Gladiator had a 6.1 soundtrack. Rest is all 5.1. i.e. the discreet channels are only 5.1.

Even if you do have 7.1 sound system installed,the last 2 channels will just replicate most likely one of the 5 channels.

[BMWlover]

Fillmore, while it is true that most movies don't have a 7.1 soundtrack, many new movies coming out actually do (Statistics Page - Blu-rayStats.com displays less than 200 titles). The audio dealer was pushing me for a 9.1 setup lol, now that would be overkill..obviously the 9.1 setup would not be all discreet channels but according to him will offer better SQ and a bigger soundstage, any thoughts on that?
This setup is something that is going to be a long-term investment so why not make it future-proof at a fraction of the cost? Adding any speakers will be near impossible later on anyway.
So any info on which brands I should look out for? as of now thinking of investing in a focal audio setup as have heard good things about them, but they are insanely expensive, specially in India..

[zaks]

Originally Posted by BMWlover

@ Ampere, the system is going to be professionally installed keeping the sound stage in mind in a dedicated room. With the advent of bluerays, I don't see any benefit of going for a 5.1 when a 7.1 is achievable within almost the same cost. The room is fairly large at 20'x30'x10' so speaker placement is not an issue.

If you wait a little longer you can have the Dolby Prologic 9.2 system, already the Onkyo TX-NR3007features this latest surround.

The n.1 sound setup is going the way of megapixel madness.

[naj]

Hi!
I did an audition of Jamo 606 towers and then Klipsch F30 towers at Pankaj.
Well the Klipsch were really fantastic ,infact they were much better than the Paradigm 9 towers which I had auditioned Earlier.

By the way I did go to The Oceanic Sound the other day. This time was a little different. The manager there was extremely co-op .
This is the same Indian company which makes the Cadence speakers and Valve amps.
Because its their house brand ,I was adviced to drop all the other speakers and told to buy cadence.
A denon 1311+cheap poineer dvd player +their only 2 tower dyamic floor standers- Result- It was heaven. Absolutely no need for a sub.No need for anything else just the floor standers are adequate. That was real Hi end.
In fact I feel that I am one of the lucky people who have had a chance to hear Cadence and Mr Sharma did spend quite some time with me.

Oceanic advice- Marantz Amp- 100w+100w- 25K, Cadence dynamic floor standers- 125K/pair.

Klipsch synergy F30 floor standers- 55 k with Pankaj on Laxmi road.

Cheers,
Naj

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by BMWlover

Fillmore, while it is true that most movies don't have a 7.1 soundtrack, many new movies coming out actually do (Statistics Page - Blu-rayStats.com displays less than 200 titles). The audio dealer was pushing me for a 9.1 setup lol, now that would be overkill..obviously the 9.1 setup would not be all discreet channels but according to him will offer better SQ and a bigger soundstage, any thoughts on that?
This setup is something that is going to be a long-term investment so why not make it future-proof at a fraction of the cost? Adding any speakers will be near impossible later on anyway.
So any info on which brands I should look out for? as of now thinking of investing in a focal audio setup as have heard good things about them, but they are insanely expensive, specially in India..

BMWlover,
Good to hear that Blu-Rays are available in 6.1 and 7.1.

I would say w.r.t. to the AVR if the difference is not much go in for a 9.1 channel Amp. You need not connect 9 speakers, you can just connect 7 for now. And later if Blu-Rays come in 9.1 you can consider purchasing the additional 2 speakers and hooking them up since your AVR would already have support for it.

The 9th channel speakers are supposed to be Roof mounted. Reserved for reproducing sounds of falling objects in the video.

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by BMWlover

Fillmore, while it is true that most movies don't have a 7.1 soundtrack, many new movies coming out actually do (Statistics Page - Blu-rayStats.com displays less than 200 titles). The audio dealer was pushing me for a 9.1 setup lol, now that would be overkill..obviously the 9.1 setup would not be all discreet channels but according to him will offer better SQ and a bigger soundstage, any thoughts on that?
This setup is something that is going to be a long-term investment so why not make it future-proof at a fraction of the cost? Adding any speakers will be near impossible later on anyway.
So any info on which brands I should look out for? as of now thinking of investing in a focal audio setup as have heard good things about them, but they are insanely expensive, specially in India..

BMWLover, the kind of speakers you are looking for, you need separate monoblock or stereo amps. A receiver won't cut in. I've heard the focal electra multiple times and it sounds absolutely terrible unless you provide it quality clean power - think Mark Levinson, Classe, Krell, McIntosh and the likes. Giving those speakers a denon receiver is like giving a Ferrari cheapo MRF tyres. I hope you get the point. More so with a B&W 800D/801D - these go best with atleast 300-400W of clean power.

[BMWlover]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

BMWLover, the kind of speakers you are looking for, you need separate monoblock or stereo amps. A receiver won't cut in. I've heard the focal electra multiple times and it sounds absolutely terrible unless you provide it quality clean power - think Mark Levinson, Classe, Krell, McIntosh and the likes. Giving those speakers a denon receiver is like giving a Ferrari cheapo MRF tyres. I hope you get the point. More so with a B&W 800D/801D - these go best with atleast 300-400W of clean power.

Thanks for the info, I am kind of a noob when it comes to audio equipment this high-end, so please bear with me if I ask any dumb questions.

So reignofchaos, I am then looking at a monoblock amp from McIntosh(Krell and Mark Levinson should be way out of range) and the like to power my front two towers (either the Electra 1038 Be or 800Ds) , and another separate 7 channel for my surround speakers and sub, amirite?
Also, could you please share thoughts/info on the Focal Electra setup you listened to? Would that be a sound buy or would you advice me to look at other brands?
Could you also direct me to a knowledgeable dealer that stocks amps this high-end and could arrange demos of different setups so I could judge things better?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BMWlover

@ Ampere, the system is going to be professionally installed keeping the sound stage in mind in a dedicated room. With the advent of bluerays, I don't see any benefit of going for a 5.1 when a 7.1 is achievable within almost the same cost. The room is fairly large at 20'x30'x10' so speaker placement is not an issue.

I agree to what you say because now we get a 7.1 system for a the price of a 5.1. But as Fillmore said, how many movies we get for 7.1? So my point was not on investing on a 7.1 AVR (because that is default available) but on a 7 speaker system (as to do we really need it?)

[arjunrudra]

I dont know if this is the right thread but I'm planning to buy a high quality stereo player and anted inputs on the same.
I want something with an aux in and it should mainly play cd's.
I have shortlisted the Bang and Olufsen Beosound 1 and the Bose acoustic wave music and the normal wave music aswell.
PLease give me any other suggestions aswell.