[DoNotHorn]

Finally bought my system and installed it too.

I bought Yamaha 371 Amp and Bose acoustimass 5 series (2.1).
Approximately 46k.

I will add a center speaker (preferably from Polk Audio) later on which costs around 10k.

I had auditioned this in a freinds house and was pretty impressed, I am not an expert in music though.

I wanted to buy Bose 5.1 - 10 series with Yamaha but it was not in stock and totally it would cost around 85k.

I will add the center speaker and the rear surronds later on(Bose does not sell them sepereately so will go with Polk audio or Jamo). I am pretty impressed with the quality of music and movies from these speakers and Wife is happy too for the cute looks.

Regards

[nasirkaka]

Hey guys, help me out.

Requirement:
I am looking at a decent AVR + speakers + DVD player. My budget is around 50K. Would be using it in a L shaped living room where one side of L is got the TV and other part is used for dining. (typical living room size of a modern flat).

Usage:
watching movies on tv (tata sky hd+) and dvds.
Music from ipod.
PS3 connectivity

Restrictions:
I am not too sure about 5.1 or 7.1 speaker systems, as there is not much space for the rear speakers, and i would want to avoid the cable routing and mess it creates. Also i have two super naughty little devils at home, so would prefer something with as less cable routing etc, as possible.

What i have in mind:
Harman kardon AVR 255 clubbed with 2 stereo towers speakers.


please suggest me if i am thinking in the tight direction. If yes, which tower speakers would fit my budget? The HK showroom suggested i go for JBL basic floor standing 3 way speakers. Will that be fine? Does HK AVR255 supports a dual channel selector? What other speakers / AVRs or could i consider? Any inputs would be of much help.

[nasirkaka]

Dilemma:

Just back from auditioning two AVRs of Onkyo:
TX SR309 with jamo S 428 tower speakers in stereo (combined cost: 25+12= 37K)
TX SR509 with jamo S 428 tower speakers in stereo (combined cost:30+12= 42K)

My untrained ears, could not make much difference in sound. but in general it sounded nice. What do you guys think about the above combo? Should i go for it, or look at some mother brand/models in that price range?

Onkyo makes very good amplifiers and Jamo make decent speakers - the thing between the two AVR's is all about futureproofing - the higher model will offer you more functionality as you expand the system .... which you will be tempted to do as time goes on

also the 509 includes audyssey 2eq room correction which could make a huge difference for room equalization ie if your room has difficult acoustic characteristics and if you have to compensate for this then the Audyssey does a wonderful job of auto correction (in my experience)

then the 509 also adds media streaming playback functionality like DLNA which is useful and other stuff like napster and internet radio etc which might not be because it is area dependent BUT I for certain would want DLNA because it helps if you want to expand to a multiroom setup with media stored in a NAS box (network addressable storage)

so even though the differences in sound seem minimal it all depends on how far you wish to go with your system - it might be worth to go for the additional features now for a bit more than to save that cash now and in two years time decide that you have buy a new unit to expand the system because what you have lacks the features to allow the desired expansion

the main thing though is that the additional cost must not put your pocket under any undue pressure so my opinion is that if you can afford the higher spec model than go for that

[nasirkaka]

Thanks naughty001 for your valuable inputs.

After going through this thread, i did understand that its better to go for the best possible amp one can afford, and slowly build around it to taste.

Between the 309 and 509, there is the cost difference of 5k, which in my case is stretchable.

A few doubts i have w.r.t these two avrs.
How important is wattage? some sites mention the 309 @ 120w per channel @ 6 ohm and some mention it as 65w per channel @8 ohm. Even these wattages at different ohms differ from site to site and the brochure which i got from the shop. In nutshell, i wanted to understand the impact of the wattage w.r.t sound output, future expandability, and choice of speakers.

There is a difference in wattage between the 309 and 509. the brochure says 309 @ 120w/ch@ 6 ohm, and for 509 it says 160w/ch@ 8 ohm. How much impact/difference would this make?

509 offers certain additional features like internet radio, audyssey 2EQ network, DLNA. etc which does have an edge over 309.
I was considering the 309 as it would suit my current requirement of music, movies, tatasky and ipod. But now i am more inclined towards the 509 as it gives more scope for future, even though it stretches the budget slightly.

What other speakers could i look at in the range of 15K. I am looking at only two towers to begin with.

[kevintomin]

If possible stretch your budget to get 609 which is THX certified and has better amplifier/filter specs to meet THX requirements.

I would always recommend amplifiers with pre-out so that you can later add stereo amplifier for better performance with two channel music.

Higher wattage is always good, so that the amplifier will not be strained when driving speakers with low impedance. Having said that 120 W/channel is more than sufficient for a reasonably sized room (3mx4m).

You can hardly make any difference between 309 and 509. But the extra money you pay for 509 is for the Audyssey setup, which is worth spending for sound correction for your room.

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Thanks naughty001 for your valuable inputs.

After going through this thread, i did understand that its better to go for the best possible amp one can afford, and slowly build around it to taste.

Between the 309 and 509, there is the cost difference of 5k, which in my case is stretchable.

Having said that 120 W/channel is more than sufficient for a reasonably sized room (3mx4m).

most AVR's will quote a figure at 1khz and with a highish figure of THD and with only one channel driven - at a proper rating of 20hz to 20khz all channels driven you will probably get a more accurate power figure around half what the claimed figure is

I use a stereo amp rated at 80 watts @ 8ohms from 20hz to 20khz with both channels driven and for stereo music it easily gives me room filling sound but remember that at 6 ohm impedance the speakers probably draw around 120 watts from the amp AND the sensitivity of the speaker is 92db and the room is around 12m X 5,5m and i rarely move the volume dial above the 11-o-clock position if you look at the dial as a clock face

either way i would not really bother too much about power ratings - because to increase SPL levels by 3db you need to increase to twice the amount of power available ie form a given SPL at a given amount of power .... let us use 60 watts as an example you need to go to 120 watts to get 3 db more and to add an additional 3db you need to go to 240 watts - so these power differences of 20 watts or so only make a psychological difference (or maybe give you bragging rights)

I would agree with going for the 609 which then gets you to 7.1 sound amongst other advantages including the THX certification etc BUT the million Rupee question is can you afford the additional amount required for the higher value purchase

as for speakers - i would aim to get that stereo pair and then later i would look to get the matching centre and rear speakers in the Jamo range - the reason is pretty straightforward - if the speakers use similar drivers and are from the same series/range then the sonic signatures closely match and you preserve the coherence of the set - imagine if you used a different brand of centre speaker for example and you are watchig a movie like "Bad Boys 2" where Will Smith is weaving a Ferrari 575 Maranello during a car chase scene - while the car is on the left then the left speaker will be reproducing the mighty roar of a V12 engine in full flow - as the car weaves and moves to the centre it can sound like a 4 cylinder engine and as it reaches the extreme right it could start sounding like V12 again ... so to keep the sound consistent you need the same brand and range of speakers all round - the subwoofer can be a different brand because most subs can be easily integrated because they play low frequency effects only

[smurthy2807]

Hi guys - just entering the (very new) world of Hi-Fi and Home Theater and have read pretty much all of this fabulous thread that have resulted in me understanding the following (please correct me if I'm wrong):

1) It's best to separate your musical needs from your theater needs.
2) It's best to invest in the best speakers you like and can afford and build your electronics around them.
3) For an average room (12' x 18'), you can spend between 1-1.5L and get a very nice HT experience going.
4) Hi-Fi Audio is a different animal - the sky is the limit.
5) Certain electronics brands naturally mate with certain speaker brands.

Having said the above, my situation is as follows:

- 12' x 15' listening area - typical apartment living room.
- The bulk of my output is going to be music, movies are going to be played but not regularly.
- The music I listen to ranges from Classic Rock through to Progressive Rock/ Metal and some heavier metal stuff.
- I currently have a base model Sony HTIB that I regretted buying the moment I set it up and listened to a couple CDs! Sony DVD player with single HDMI out
- A 3-4 year old LG Scarlet TV that has 2 HDMI inputs
- I'm a complete Apple fanboy - have an iPad, iPhone, Mac and an Apple TV 2G that is lying doing nothing currently since the two HDMI inputs on the TV are taken by the DVD player and Tata Sky.
- The Airplay feature is something that's very important to me

What I want for around 1L:
- A system that plays music really well
- One that can perform reasonably well on movies
- One that can better the performance of my Tata Sky HD content.

What my research here has told me:
- I can afford basically a decent-good AVR (not going Hi-Fi amp since I lose the opportunity of upscaling/movies et al) and a pair of floor standers for the front - that takes care of my musical needs and I can build a HT setup as and when the desire picks up.
- Actual hardware: A Marantz SR5006 mated to Polk TSI 400s or 500s (both I haven't demo'ed).

I demo'ed the Tannoy Mercury V4s driven by a Denon 1912 at Home Theater store, JP Nagar, BLR and found it to be really, really nice! I'm seriously considering the Tannoys. I've asked Lokesh to organize for the SR5006 for a demo and should be doing that tomorrow. I've also spoken to Mukesh of Music Ranch, Jayanagar - he carries Marantz, Tannoy, and DefTech - I'll go by his place tomorrow/ day after.

Now - would appreciate the forum's inputs :-)

1) It's best to separate your musical needs from your theater needs.

Only if you are an audiophile and if you listen to only audiophile category music, because an AVR would suffice for most average people who havent really had a high quality system previously

For people who are fanatical about sound then possibly separating the stereo system from the HT system can make sense

but if you are going to buy an AVR with the intention of later splitting HT and stereo then it is better to get an AVR which features pre-outs which will allow you to connect your stereo system as the fronts if you use the AVR as a preamp or maybe even use an integrated stereo amplifier with a HT bypass feature

[nasirkaka]

Thanks kevintomin and naughty001 for your inputs.

I do get your points to go with 609 for better future possibilities as its a 7.1, more power, pre-out, etc.
In Bangalore (modern world) the 509 is costing 30K and the 609 is 44k, after discount. The difference of 14k would be too much for me to stretch at this point. Also, i am not an audiophile, and am just looking at a decent AVR to suit my requirements of DVDs, tatasky, ipod, and soon to acquire a ps3.

considering my budget constrains, I guess 509 clubbed with two jamo towers (S 428) to begin with, would do the job. Will buy the unit around 5/6 of Jan (after the salary credit ). Are there any PDIs/other points, i need to keep in mind while taking the delivery? Do i ask for any particular cables/ connectors/ accessories? Any pointers to keep in mind while setting it up? yes, its the first time for me

Just one more stupid Q. With 509 i hope i will be able to run the picture on TV and and sound through the speakers, from two different sources. can someone please confirm that.

Do i ask for any particular cables/ connectors/ accessories?

well you definitely need some speaker cable - the speaker cable can be connected directly to binding posts or you can use Banana plugs if they are cheaply available - i actually prefer two prong spade connectors because of their tight fit but they do not fit on all speaker binding posts so the second choice if you wish to use a connector is a set of banana plugs but naked wire can fit onto the binding posts just as easily

in terms of other cables you need to actually look at how you are going to connect your sources and each source would be different eg some dvd players would use the normal AV cables [composite - RCA based which should have yellow (for video) and red and white (for audio)] but some would use HDMI - the dealer would assist you with this if you ask him and will suggest what is required for each source

good luck with whatever you buy, I hope it provides you lots of enjoyment

i hope i will be able to run the picture on TV and and sound through the speakers, from two different sources. can someone please confirm that.

yes you will definitely be able to do that because most modern receivers are audio as well as video switching devices and in fact some will also be capable of upconverting video from composite and component sources to HDMI even if required

[nasirkaka]

good luck with whatever you buy, I hope it provides you lots of enjoyment

Thanks. shall share the experience soon..

The modern world said they will give me 3 mts of speaker cables free. I have a couple of HDMIs and one more is supplied with tata sky. Lots of basic RCAs lying around, so i guess basics are covered to begin with.

[smurthy2807]

Originally Posted by naughty001

Only if you are an audiophile and if you listen to only audiophile category music, because an AVR would suffice for most average people who havent really had a high quality system previously

Thanks Naughty001. Point taken. Armed with this information, I visited Music Ranch at Jayanagar after fixing up with Mukesh. Asked him to demo the Marantz SR5005 with Tannoy Mercury V4s and DefTech BP6s for reference.

He didn't have a ready SR5006 that he could demo, but said that primary difference between the two was airplay capability on the SR5006.

So kicked up with some JJ Cale and was blown away by the performance. The Deftechs were different and when I got to some Joe Satriani, I could make out why the Deftechs cost 50% more - better than the Tannoys, but wifey and I were extremely happy with the Tannoys and decided to stick to that. The only thing I'm worried about is that the Tannoys were a little boomy and I don't have the space to keep them too far away from the back walls.

Mukesh reaffirmed my choice and recommended that I buy a better CD player to get the best out of the Marantz. Said that the Marantz universal player UD5005 would be a great fit if I could afford it. Recommended that I buy quickly so I could take the final of his Rs.46/USD pricing. His next shipment is going to be at Rs.53/USD so much more expensive. I'm sure there is a little of hardsell there but bottom line, we were sold!

Pricing discussion began and final offer that was made to me was:
SR5006 with B/W: Rs.51,000
Tannoy V4s with B/W: Rs.29,500
UD5005 with B/W: Rs.30,000
I have in principle agreed on the AVR and the speakers and said I'll make a call on the universal player and get back to him.

Planning to complete transaction tomorrow evening. Will consult this thread before finalizing though.

Thanks all!

[diyguy]

Folks, I received my Yamaha RX-A810 receiver yesterday from the US. I am to get a 220-110 Step down first and then get hold of good speakers.
Need advice on the speakers, what I should get. I would like 2 Towers. Budget maybe maximum 50K for whole 7.1 setup, if possible.
Others who are purchasing now, kindly do linkify your models, so I can have a look as well.

[naveenroy]

Anyone know if those multi-CD players are still available anywhere? I am not really looking for a great source per se but more interested in the ability to load up multiple audio CDs and listen rather than have to load/unload each CD as I listen to it.