AVR Needed

frnd08

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I have a Bravia KLV26T400A, an LG DV388 and a Philips 5.1 channel analog speaker system (connected by RCA cables).

Now, I want to go for an AVR. My budget is around 20K. It can be stretched for a thousand bucks or two if its really worth it.

Query:
Now the point is, do I have to ditch my analog home theatre once I get the AVR and go for a digital one/HTS?

Connectivity issues:
I connect my LCD to my dvd player via HDMI. From my dvd player i connect 6 rca cables to my philips 5.1 channel speaker system. I am having an HD ready tv, so it has only 1 HDMI connector. How would I connect my tv, dvd player etc. with the AVR?

Please suggest a quality AVR around my budget and help me sort out these issues.
Thanks for ur help in advance.
 
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I have a Bravia KLV26T400A, an LG DV388 and a Philips 5.1 channel analog speaker system (connected by RCA cables). Now, I want to go for an AVR. My budget is around 20K. It can be stretched for a thousand bucks or two if its really worth it.

If you are ready to use the existing speakers, you can spend all of 20K on an AVR. If not, you can look at a entry level HTS.

Either way, I do not see the new entry level AVR or the entry level HTS providing you any significant quality jump from your current system. Such entry level products have very minimal sound processing and literally no video processing. It may be better if you are ready to wait for some time till when you are ready to spend some 50,000. At that price points AVRs such as Onlyo 606, Denon 1909, Yamaha 663 will be a major move into sound and video processing.

Now the point is, do I have to ditch my analog home theatre once I get the AVR and go for a digital one/HTS?

You cannot use the AVR and your current system in the same room. You can ,of course shift, your current system to a bedroom or something, and use the new AVR based system as your HT.

I connect my LCD to my dvd player via HDMI. From my dvd player i connect 6 rca cables to my philips 5.1 channel speaker system. I am having an HD ready tv, so it has only 1 HDMI connector. How would I connect my tv, dvd player etc. with the AVR?

An AVR will have one or more HDMI inputs, in addition to composite, component, S-Video, and various audio inputs. . Generally you connect all sources (CD Player, DVD Player, etc) to the AVR. You then connect the TV to the AVR through a single HDMI cable. The AVR will process the video and send it to the TV for display. It will process the audio, amplify it, and send it to the speakers for sound. Once the AVR is decided, we can provide specific instructions. It is not very difficult, don't worry.

Cheers
 
The other day I went to E-Zone, Kolkata and asked them about the prices of entry level AVR cum HTS.

They told me entry level Onkyo or Yamaha products would cost around 20-22K. And they said the price was including the AVR. however he said that if i went for a denon entry level AVR it would cost around 20K for the AVR itself.

btw, i think most AVR have a 5.1 channel RCA input sockets, isnt it? in that case, cant i connect my analog home theatre to the AVR?

and whats the price of Denon 1909?

One more thing, my current dvd player LG DV388 upscales to 1080p (full hd). will i find any "noticable" difference between its upscaling and the upscaling of Denon 1909 or others in that range?
 
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PHP:
btw, i think most AVR have a 5.1 channel RCA input sockets, isnt it? in that case, cant i connect my analog home theatre to the AVR?

Your Analog 5.1 has inputs for amplification and finally giving it to the speakers. there is no signal/output is coming out of the Analog 5.1. Connecting Inputs of one system with anothr will be of no use.
 
They told me entry level Onkyo or Yamaha products would cost around 20-22K. And they said the price was including the AVR. however he said that if i went for a denon entry level AVR it would cost around 20K for the AVR itself.

Let us be a little clear on the products we are talking about. An AVR is a Audio/Video Receiver that processes sound and video. You have to buy speakers, a DVD Player, and a TV separately.

An Home Theater System (HTS) such as the ones you looked at are very minimal AVRs that come with entry level speakers. Such AVRs are stripped by the manufacturer to support just Dolby and/or DTS, have no video processing etc. Then they are attached to entry level speakers and sold as a set.

Now I am not saying these systems are bad. For their price, HTS from Onkyo, Yamaha and other companies provide satisfactory performance. But my point is that you will be getting similar performance from the system you already have. You must decide what you want to improve from you current system. You have decent a HD Ready TV. So look for a system that can scale upto 720P at the minimum.

btw, i think most AVR have a 5.1 channel RCA input sockets, isnt it? in that case, cant i connect my analog home theater to the AVR?

I don't understand this question. Connect an analog HT system to an AVR? What are the components of the analog HT system? As I explained in my previous post, you connect a DVD Player to the AVR, and the TV to the AVR.

and whats the price of Denon 1909?

These products cost from some 30,000 to about 50,000.

Cheers
 
thanks again!

so, i should be looking at around 50K for a decent quality AVR.

Now i have a 26" LCD so no prob with that.

I have an LG DV388 dvd player (although I want to upgrade to PS3 sometime later), and i hope thats ok with an AVR of that quality.

Now, what i need to change is my speaker system, right?
so my 5.1 channel audio needs to go.

so, what should i go for as far as audio systems are concerned, to synchronise with that sort of an AVR? moreover how are speaker systems connected to an avr? via coaxial cable/optical cable?

one small point, how is the upscaling of my dvd player different from the upscaling of an AVR. my lg dv388 upscales to full hd via hdmi.

thanks for ur help!
 
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I have an LG DV388 dvd player (although I want to upgrade to PS3 sometime later), and i hope thats ok with an AVR of that quality.

This is a good player and will give you good service for a few more years till you buy your new PS3 or BD Player.

Now, what i need to change is my speaker system, right? so my 5.1 channel audio needs to go.

Not necessarily. If you like the sound of the speakers you can connect them to your new AVR and continue to enjoy them for some more time.

so, what should i go for as far as audio systems are concerned, to synchronise with that sort of an AVR? moreover how are speaker systems connected to an avr? via coaxial cable/optical cable?

Please read my detailed article - AVR Connectivity - where I have explained all the connections with pictures. Speakers are connected using what is called 'speaker cables'. As I said, please read the AVR Connectivity for more details.

one small point, how is the upscaling of my dvd player different from the upscaling of an AVR. my lg dv388 upscales to full hd via hdmi.

Upscaling, whether done by the DVD Player, the AVR or even an independent scaling unit is all the same. The unit takes a signal with lower resolution (such as 480i), deinterlaces it if needed, and adds more pixel information to display it on a TV at a higher resolution (such as 720P). Now which is better depends a lot on the scaling processor used within the unit.

Since you are using a 26 inch LCD, you will be happy with a unit (such as your existing DVD Player) that scales well to 720P. I would advise you focus more on the audio capabilities of the AVR that you are looking to purchase.

Cheers
 
At that price points AVRs such as Onlyo 606, Denon 1909, Yamaha 663 will be a major move into sound and video processing.

Hi Venkat, this is probably a typical question, but I have also been bitten by the AV bug, and your advice would be great.
I had also shortlisted the above AVR's along with the marantz 5003. I was leaning towards the Denon 1909 over all of these.
I am getting these from Singapore in the next week or two. The marantz and the yamaha are a bit cheaper, and the Onkyo and the denon are exactly the same price.
Which one out of these AVR's would you go for? Thanks
 
Which one out of these AVR's would you go for? Thanks

This depends a lot on your taste in music and movies. But in general, I would use the following order:

1. For Movies

Yamaha 663
Onkyo 606
Denon 1909
Marantz 5003/6003

2. For Music

Marantz 5003/6003
Yamaha 663
Denon 1909
Onkyo 606

All these are of course personal opinions based on hearing these systems, and the kind of movies and music I listen to. I would strongly suggest you audition all of them and then decide.

The Denon 1909 is a good receiver. Just pair them with good speakers.

Cheers
 
This depends a lot on your taste in music and movies. But in general, I would use the following order:

1. For Movies

Yamaha 663
Onkyo 606
Denon 1909
Marantz 5003/6003

2. For Music

Marantz 5003/6003
Yamaha 663
Denon 1909
Onkyo 606

All these are of course personal opinions based on hearing these systems, and the kind of movies and music I listen to. I would strongly suggest you audition all of them and then decide.

The Denon 1909 is a good receiver. Just pair them with good speakers.

Cheers

Thanks, however I do notice that you have ranked the Yamaha, higher than the Denon for both movies and music, so it seems to be a better overall package?
I think the Marantz is out. What freaks me out about the Onkyo 606 is issues with heating, and buzzing noise (its also the ugliest of the lot!).
The Yamaha has just two HDMI I think, probably another redundant question but important for future proofing, which is better for Upscaling,
Hmm Yamaha or Denon? Bite the bullet for me :)
 
Thanks, however I do notice that you have ranked the Yamaha, higher than the Denon for both movies and music, so it seems to be a better overall package?

The Yamaha has just two HDMI I think, probably another redundant question but important for future proofing, which is better for Upscaling, Hmm Yamaha or Denon? Bite the bullet for me :)

As I said this is a personal opinion. I have no doubt the Yamaha 663 beats the Denon 1909 on movies, but I have listened to both Yamaha 663 and Denon 1909 extensively for music also. My ears tend to lean towards the Yamaha. Unfortunately for Denon, PorFx were not able to demonstrate the 1909 properly. They always had some problem - speakers not available, a shop assistant who could not adjust frequency settings properly, low quality cables etc. The Yamaha, on the other hand, was blessed with the extensive knowledge and capability of Raghu from Decibel.

Over the last 4 weeks I have ordered for both the Denon 1909 and the Yamaha 663 for two different HTs systems I am setting up for my friends. I would again suggest you personally listen to both and pick one that your ears like.

Cheers
 
Over here in kolkata, denon 1909 and yamaha 663 are available. not the rest.

is there any way, i can get any electronics products from Mumbai or Bangalore?

do the sellers carry out out of station deals?
 
Over here in kolkata, denon 1909 and yamaha 663 are available. not the rest. is there any way, i can get any electronics products from Mumbai or Bangalore? do the sellers carry out out of station deals?

I am sure they do. If you close a deal with a dealer in another city, he will be happy to courier the system to you. I have ordered for Wharfedale speakers with a dealer in Chennai to be delivered in Cochin.

BUT, that will not help you as afar as auditioning goes. And you must personally listen to the system before you put in your money.

Frnd, I am yet a little unclear on you exact requirements. Make a list of what improvement you are looking for from your existing system, and then we may even be able to get you a system with a lower budget. Some of the points I can think of are the following:

1. What video resolution are you looking for?
2. Some idea of the amplifier power you need
3. Do you need heavy bass?
4. Do you listen at high volumes?
5. Some idea of the kind of movies and music you like.

Cheers
 
I am sure they do. If you close a deal with a dealer in another city, he will be happy to courier the system to you. I have ordered for Wharfedale speakers with a dealer in Chennai to be delivered in Cochin.

BUT, that will not help you as afar as auditioning goes. And you must personally listen to the system before you put in your money.

Frnd, I am yet a little unclear on you exact requirements. Make a list of what improvement you are looking for from your existing system, and then we may even be able to get you a system with a lower budget. Some of the points I can think of are the following:

1. What video resolution are you looking for?
2. Some idea of the amplifier power you need
3. Do you need heavy bass?
4. Do you listen at high volumes?
5. Some idea of the kind of movies and music you like.

Cheers

1. I would love to watch videos at 1080p! Full HD is awesome! Actually my current LG dvd player is doing the full hd thingy, but i'd love it if something does it better.

2. well my current Philips 5.1 system reads 2800Watts. I'm not sure but something a bit more than that would be really helpful.

3. I need bass yes, but i live in an apartment, so full bass I cant afford to have the luxury of. But a decent amount would be lovely.

4. I rarely listen at high volumes, but sometimes in the morning I love to put the volume a few notches higher than normal! (But I would love something which gives me true 5.1 output with surround effect. My current philips 5.1 stuff isnt really giving me the surround sound effect, the wires are falling short.Plus listening to Dolby and DTS in its truest sense isnt possible for me as my home theatre isnt really good at that. As far as 2.1 is concerned, it rocks! So, I would love something which gives me surround sound effect as its meant to be heard.)

5. I watch documentaries, action movies, nothing specific really. Music is purely English Pop/Blues and Soft Rock. i rarely listen to hard rock. except for avril lavigne and linkin park.


Thanks for helping! You're really making a difference to this community.
 
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1. I would love to watch videos at 1080p! Full HD is awesome! Actually my current LG dvd player is doing the full hd thingy, but i'd love it if something does it better.

FullHD or 1080P processing with an AVR is an expensive proposition. It would be better to stick to an DVD Player that can upscale to 1080P. DVD Players such as the LG and Pioneer uses Mediatek processing for scaling and it is very very good. And they are inexpensive.

2. well my current Philips 5.1 system reads 2800Watts. I'm not sure but something a bit more than that would be really helpful.

You should look at something like the Yamaha RX-V563 that provides 90 watts into 7 channels. This will cost you some 30,000. This will be 630 watts against your current 280 watts. Plus it accepts 1080P signals. It also processes sound at 192/24 which will give you good sound. The 563 has the same sound signature as the 663 and believe me it is very good.

3. I need bass yes, but i live in an apartment, so full bass I cant afford to have the luxury of. But a decent amount would be lovely.

Well that is good. We will stick with your current speakers and look at expansion slowly over the next 6 odd months. If possible, we can also look at two good floor standing speakers for your front that will deliver reasonable bass.

4. I rarely listen at high volumes, but sometimes in the morning I love to put the volume a few notches higher than normal! (But I would love something which gives me true 5.1 output with surround effect. My current philips 5.1 stuff isnt really giving me the surround sound effect, the wires are falling short.Plus listening to Dolby and DTS in its truest sense isnt possible for me as my home theatre isnt really good at that. As far as 2.1 is concerned, it rocks! So, I would love something which gives me surround sound effect as its meant to be heard.)

The Yamaha 563 will process all Dolby and DTS audio Codecs will and give you and true full 5.1 sound. Plus Yamaha has some special sound processing for movies that other manufacturers do not have.

5. I watch documentaries, action movies, nothing specific really. Music is purely English Pop/Blues and Soft Rock. i rarely listen to hard rock. except for avril lavigne and linkin park.

Again this is good. The Yamaha or AVRs similar to that will fit in well. Another product you can look at is the Marantz 4003.

Cheers
 
Thank you so much venkatcr! I cannot thank you enough.


Please help me out with this:

My speaker system has the following specs: (as written on the cover of it)
Output Power (RMS)- 75 W
Satellite - 5x10 W
Subwoofer - 25W

So, thats the actual specs of my home theatre.

Will the Yamaha avr help me reach optimum performance with this setup?
 
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Thank you so much venkatcr! I cannot thank you enough.


Please help me out with this:

My speaker system has the following specs: (as written on the cover of it)
Output Power (RMS)- 75 W
Satellite - 5x10 W
Subwoofer - 25W

So, thats the actual specs of my home theatre.

Will the Yamaha avr help me reach optimum performance with this setup?

I think your speakers have 8 ohms impedence - then without a sweat it can drive your speakers.
 
Actually the wires of my home theatre are a bit short. thats one of the reasons why i dont get the surround sound effect.

is there any way to increase the length of the speaker wires from the central subwoofer?
 
Actually the wires of my home theatre are a bit short. thats one of the reasons why i dont get the surround sound effect.

is there any way to increase the length of the speaker wires from the central subwoofer?

You can do this in two ways:

1. Replace the existing cable with new cables of the desired length.
2. Remove the cable from the speaker end, cut the wire, and attach another cable like you do with an electrical wire. Attach the other end of the new cable to the speaker. Use a good quality tape to bind the cables together. If you can solder the wires together, it will be better.

Personally I am uncomfortable with the 2nd option. Replace the cables if you can.

Cheers
 
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