Help with choosing AVR & Speakers

Hi everybody! I'm new here, and I'm a nice guy..

I'm planning to buy a home theatre system to go with my PS3 and 32"LCD.
I was earlier planning to spend about 30k on some hts package from sony, etc. But then someone suggested that I build my own HTS. Great idea, the only problem being that I'm starting to exceed my budget in my imagination!
Anyways, I have a few of queries:

1. I found somewhere on the internet that Onkyo TX-SR606 is for approx 35-36k. Is that right?

2. I'm thinking of SR606 for HDMI Audio & Video Processing only (& maybe for 1.03a HDMI as well). Is there HDMI AV Processing in cheaper models from other brands? Should I consider SR576 also?

3. I'll also need 7.1 speaker package to go with the 606(?). Any suggestions on a cheap and good package? I can't go over 50-60k for total AVR+7.1Speaker package. Are there any local speakers (like Enbee in the 1980s) that can be considered? I've no idea about the local speaker scenario these days.

I hope my questions don't seem dumb. I'm just so confused right now. And thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers

Welcome to the forum, nice guy. We are looking forward to ehlping you fianlsie your system quickly. At the
same time, please do stay on and help others who look for advise, help etc.

We have already gone through this exercise for antother new member. In any case I will repeat it for your benefit.

{1} & (2)
With regards to the Onkyo 606, the listed price is 35,000. With good bargaining you should be able to get it between 30 to 35,000.

Param, don't get confused with 'HDMI Audio and Video Processing'. HDMI, means High Definition Multimedia Interface, a new way of connecting multiple audio/video components to each other. HDMI does not do any processing either on audio or on video. It just carries both the audio and video signals together in one cable.

Since you are looking at 606 and 576, let me explain the main differences between the two.

Power: 606 - 175 watts per channel. 576 - 160 watts per channel
Video Upscaling: 606 - upto 1080i, pass through of 1080p. 576 - none (video pass through via HDMI)

Audio Processing

Signal to Noise Ratio: 606 - 106dB 576 - 100dB
Dolby Decoder: 606 - DD Plus, TrueHD 576 - Dolby Digital Plus, DD-EX, PLIIx
DTS Decoding: 606 - DTS-HD Master Audio 576 - DTS, ES, NEO6, 96/24

Other than the power, the two advanatges that the 606 has are upscaling upto 1080i, and the capacity to play SACD and DVD-A music.

(2) Assuming your total budget is 60K and you spend 35K on the receiver, you will have 25K left. I would not look at a 7.1 speaker package now, as there are very few DVD available that drive 7.1 channels. They are mostly coded for 5.1. So even if you install a 5.1 you would not miss anything. You can also install additional 2 rear speakers at a later date.

The best bet is to go in for a 5.1 speakaer package from companies such as as KEF (KTH series), Wharfedale (Cinema Package), Mordaunt Short (Genie or Alumni Series), and Yamaha. If you are looking at Indian speakers, you can look at Sonodyne's Geneie 1 HTS. Other Indian companies you can look at are Sanen Acoustic who has a number of HTS systems (Sanen) or Pace Electronics who makes Bose style subwoofer cum ssatellite systems.

There are a number of other manufacturers in Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore, but I am not sure of the Delhi market.

If you can, what you should do is visit Delhi for a day or two, audition some speakers you like and is within your budget. Then armed with the specs, we can decide which is the best for you.

You also have to set aside roughly 5,000 for cables and connectors. This is the bare minimum.

Can some one from Delhi advice Param with details of dealers who sell HTS speaker packages for around 30,000.

Cheers

Hey Venkat, thanks a lot brother. Your reply was quick and your advice is well taken.

I guess I should go for the SR606 then. After posting here I called the Onkyo area manager in Delhi. He told me they're setting up new place in Ludhiana. Got a call from their guy in Ludhiana and he's asked me to come to his place where he has a temp demo room (till they setup showroom here). He didn't give me a price for SR606, but quoted SR575 at 30k. SR576 is not available. Lets see how it goes tomorrow. I'll check out their speaker specs and get back to you guys with those. Any advice on some particular specs I should ask him?
Also, I don't wanta go off topic but is it advisable to try and get the SR606 off Amazon? They're selling it for about $360. Just curious...

Thanks again Venkat n cheers.

At this juncture, if you have decided on a 606, all I can say is look for speakers that can handle about 150watts at 8 ohms with a frequency response of 10Hz to 100KHz. Don't worry much about the frequency response, as these specs will be very expensive. Just look for wattage and good sounding speakers.

Forget about the Amazon, unless you have some amazing contact in Customs.

Cheers

hi!

visited the local onkyo guy. the fu was trying to sell me a yamaha+jamo606 for 1.5Lac!! crazy. When I insisted that I knew what I wanted to buy and asked for a quote on SR606, he told me to buy it from delhi as he sells only high-end systems. I think he meant "I sell only to ignorant fools who listen to my demo setup and give me 1.5L for something that costs 60k". hehehe, he wasn't even telling me which speakers he was using. just kept telling me "Sir, just listen to the sound quality and you'll buy the package for 1.5L". had a hard time getting out of him the fact that the speakers were jamo606. sigh...
i guess i'll have to drive down to delhi to look for a dealer there.
any suggestions on where i should go look for the avr and speakers in delhi.

Cheers

The best place will be Onkyo's showroom at the following address.

K-1/79, Ground Floor,
Opp. South Park Apartment (Gate No.1),
Chittaranjan Park,
New Delhi - 110 019.
Ph:011 - 4160 3109, 4050 2619,
Telefax: 2627 8935,
Moblie:98117 76762
Email:delhi@onkyo.co.jp

For speakers, you will have to contact the companies I mentioned and find out their dealers or showrooms in Delhi. I would suggest you arm yourself with a list of showrooms / dealers you will visit with and the product you will audition before you leave Ludhiana.

If you need help, let me know and I will see waht I can do.

Cheers

hi, I have an update ....

Met this sonodyne chap in ludhiana. He has suggested the following system to me...
denon AVR1908 --> 40k
sonodyne genie2 speakers 2nos --> 8k each
sonodyne 200w SubWoofer --> 25k

This would give me a 2.1 system initially. Later he says we can add 3 more genies to get 5.1 ....

Any comments on this setup?
Is AVR1908 better than SR606?

Also visited mordaunt-short dealer. He suggested
906i tower pair --> 27k
with their bipolars and sw... don't remember the price for those.

Also called wharfedale dealer in chandigarh, he suggested
diamond 9.5 --> 27k
3 surround speaker set --> 10k
SW --> 18k


I'm really getting confused now!!

Hi Param,

Check this link for AVR 1908. The dealer is quoting you 4K more for it.
For your info, this is an Indian site.

regards

Denon AVR-1908 85W 7 Channel A/V Home theatre Receiver at the best price in India! Sumaria.in

Even Pro-FX lists it at 37,900 Profx - Advanced Audio Solutions . He's obviously not giving you good prices.

Have you auditioned the Denon and Sonodyne together? The Genie 2 has good reviews from AV Max. But in my opinion, it may lose it's musicality in a short time. This is because the speakers are enclosed in die cast aluminum. I have a feeling, that driven for some time, the body will start resonating.

At the same time, I have heard the Sonodyne with Denon and it did sound nice, though a little forward. Mind you this audition of mine was a long time ago.

Is Denon better than Onkyo? Well there is a thread in this forum where this has been discussed, though not seriously. I would say the Onkyo has more power and more features. It will drive your speakers for movies very well and sound good for music too, unless you listen at very high volumes. The Denon may run out of steam when driven hard, but may sound good for music. The Onkyo is supposed to have more Dynamics. Please read the reviews at TV, home cinema and hi-fi reviews and news from the experts at whathifi.com.

It is important that you audition both and then decide for yourself. Download the specs for both models and see. If you have some confusion, we will always be happy to help.

MS are good speakers, though I have not heard them. The Onkyo and MS combination is very popular around the world.

I am using the Wharfedale Diamonds with my Onkyo 875, and I am quite happy with it. I get very precise sound for movies, and I get good sound for movies. Wharfedale, particularly the Diamonds, are good for both movies and music.

Patience my friend. You are getting into something that many of us have spent years researching before deciding. You get into HT and music at this scale, it is a life long passion. Please, please audition the systems and speakers. Do not buy anything without an audition.

We will all help you as much as we can.

Cheers