Need Guidance for Stereo Setup

Hi friends,

I got some idea about my requirements.

Based on that pls help to chose the best within my budget.

My room size 12*25

Preferances:

Source : 12K
models:
Pioneer DV-48AV
Yamaha DVD-S1700
Harman Kardon DVD 48

Amp: 15-20K

Harman HK980 amp,HK 3480 st receiver,
SR4021 Marantz

Speakers: 35K
Wharfedale Daimond 9.6 (used one also),
MA RS6,MS 908i


I not aware of any matching issue between these items. If there is better choice within the price ponit pls let me know. I would like to know cost of the above mentioned speakers in India.

Thanks,
Ajith

Hi Ajit,
Room size is 12 ft X 25 ft correct ? Should be able to accomodate floor standers. For speakers the MA RS 6 is good and a very popular FS in the price range.
Why are u opting for a DVD player as ur source?U mention the desire to set up a stereo system in which case u should opt for a cd player. Options are the Marantz 5001 , CA Azur (540 or 640), Nad 521 or the newer entry level 515.
Regarding an amplifier u have mentioned stereo Receivers, which will limit ur options. Buy a good integrated amp and u can add a budget tuner if u do listen to the radio.Have not heard any of the receivers so cant pick. But can suggest u some decent integrateds i.e Nad C 352/355, marantz Pm 7001. Both should be Ok with ur speakers .
Also look at the pre owned gear(classifieds) on this forum and elsewhere. U will get more Value for ur money.
Regards

Dear Dinyaar,
I listed those players because they have DVD-Audio and SACD support.
I have much knoledge in this field.I thought these formats will provide higher resolution. What is ur openion about about SACD and dvd-audio?
Or shall i go for a dedicated cd player now and add these later?

Tuner is not neccessary. As I have an av reciver-Yamaha 661, integrated amp will be wise choice. Could you PM me the price range of these listed components.
I could not extent budget over 65K.

Kindly Give valuable suggestions.

Ajith

Room size is correct 12ft × 25ft

Hi Ajit,
DVD Audio i have not heard but i have an SACD player and a few SACD s. Frankly some of my RBCD s sound as good as the SACD s and there is limited material available which is another drawback. I have a Marantz dvd player and its stereo performance is less than satisfactory. Keep in mind a marantz DVD player is a little more musical than pioneer/yamaha and the likes. Have not heard any harman products in a while so cant comment on them.
Prices of the gear i mentioned should be:-
Marantz cd 5001 - 15K, Nad 521 -18K, nad 515- 15 K, Nad C 352 - 27K, C 355 -32K, Marantz Pm 7001 - 28K and finally MA RS 6 -50K.
Regards

*Nad C 352 is now discontinued and replaced by C355 so if the dealer has leftover stock u may get it even cheaper.

Hello Ajitlal

For the budget of 65k and you are ready to go for used one., why could you try some power / pre combination from NAD , Rotel and the like , personally i have listened and owned marantz product , CD 5001 is a very good player for the money . if you definitely want a SACD player , then go for SA 7001 ... i have one and am very much satisfied with the performance.

tharun.

Ajith/Dinyaar:

I am getting a little confused here.

Ajith you want SACD/DVD-A. I can understand your interest in multichannel audio. But for this you do need both an AVR that decode LPCM and, at the least, a 5.1 speaker set up.

If you play your DVD player through a stereo amp and just two speakers, you will get only two channel audio.

Am I missing something here, or kicking myself in my mouth?

Cheers

I ve an av receiver RX_661(yamaha). But I don think it will support LPCM decoding..
** Does a good universal DVD player play audio CDs as better as a deicated CD player?**

Aahhhh! Now I get it. You already have an AVR, the 661 and trying to see if you can match a DVD Player with that.

I read the specs of the 661, and no, it does not decode LPCM. So if you want to listen to SACD and DVD-A, you have to buy a DVD Player that does the decoding. You can attach the DVD Player to the AVR through 6 or 8 analogue RCA cables, depending upon whether you need 5.1 or 7.1

Your question, 'Does a good universal DVD player play audio CDs as better as a deicated CD player?' is difficult to answer.

Both the DVD Player and the AVR have additional circuits to decode video as well a lot of other functions. 'Purists' believe this adds 'noise' at both the playing and the amplification part. This could be tru to a certain degree as AVR, in particular, are complicated equipment. But modern AVRs provide for a 'audio only', or 'pure audio' circuitry that is supposed to shorten all the unnecessary electronics needed for just two channel amplification. Some DVD players also have such circuitry.

Compared to a CD player, a DVD Player also is a little more complicated. It has to manage higher frequency range, handle MPEG 2 decompression, and decode a lot of audio and video codecs.

Strictly speaking a DVD Player will find it hard to replicate the sound of a good CD player. But I do believe that companies such as Cambridge Audio and NAD whose lineage comes from audio have created DVD Players that play audio CDs also very well. Ultimately the best judge are your own ears.