B&W 683 5.1 theatre vs CM9 theatre for 221 sq.ft. bedroom?

[Eddierockks]

Hi folks, seniors, gurus & audiophiles,

I have recently been studying a lot about speakers and avr's, all thanks to you guys. It has been a pleasurable experience so far with so much knowledge to gain and many FM's give you ready-to-refer links of whatever that you are looking in for.

I've been referred PSB, MA RX8, Paradigm Studio, Polk A9's, Kef Q900, Deftech BP10's, Dali Ikon MK2, etc. for my bedroom ht setup with a budget of, ah, I started of with 2-2.5 lacs, then stretched it to 3-3.5 lacs and now you'd be surprised at my following desire. Let's go!

Somehow or the other, I always used to like Bose. But, then that was earlier, and also because I have been happily using their QC3's, Companion 5's, Sounddock portable, etc. So maybe I always thought that they are the best. Few years ago, when I started reading hifi magazines, HFV forum, and other forums, etc. I began to realize that there are much more options available for a certain price that one wants to shell out. During this time, I developed my secret love/inclination towards B&W by just reading it's reviews. Too bad that there aren't any dealers for the same in Punjab here. To say the least, we don't have the above mentioned various brands here for auditioning etc. You can even say that I would always buy something of a brand that I can even flaunt sometimes (although that's rare and only when company is over at my place hyeah:). Which means that if a same range product even has better sonic capabilities if compared to something like B&W, I guess I would buy B&W. Anyhow, I don't have a dedicated HT room as of now and my requirements would be easily filled with something like B&W, etc.

About me, I'm not an audiophile by any measure, not a DIY person as well, not because I don't want to, but I'm too busy with my work and frequent travelling that I just can't take out time to do some stuff on my own. I'm in export business so schedules are unpredictable.

So, here I am, now looking at two systems (both being 5.1 setups) - B&W 683 theatre (around 3.5 lacs incl. AVR approx.) vs B&W CM9/8 theatre (around 7 lacs incl. AVR approx.) for my 221 sq.ft. bedroom (17ft.x13ft.). What do you guys think? Is CM9 too big for the room? Would that be an overkill? My wife is suggesting me to buy whatever I feel would be the best for my satisfaction. She knows that I might buy let's say a comparatively cheaper product and would 100% regret it later on. So, she has been very supportive about it and has left the decision entirely upon me. I am in turn relying on your precious suggestions. It will be great if we can talk about both systems' pros and cons here referring to my bedroom size. I believe that nothing can make me happier than owning a great B&W system:yahoo:. I could be wrong as well.

As of now, I'm feeling confused about other systems and arranging time for their auditioning, etc. Too much of my energy these days is spent on internet reading about reviews, buying magazines, etc. The more I read, the more recommendations I get, the more I end up being nowhere at the end of the day. There are just too many knowledge banks that I feel I am yet to reach there. Just for the record, I'm impatient by nature as well which makes the whole scenario even worse. Even back in 2011, when I started for my HT hunt, I started probably late in september. I had my marriage functions in mid-October. So I was just too busy to take out time but had the same budget (3-3.5 lacs). Back then, I bought an Audi A4 (my first car from my own earnings:yahoo and for the HT, I bought an Onkyo HTS 3400 with the aim of ultimately shifting it to my parents' room (almost same size as my room). Believe me, they don't have any interest in HT but it was me who wanted a decent priced HT which if in any case, even goes bad, I wouldn't feel pathetic about it because it was only for 25k with good reviews for that price range. The only point of mentioning this 2011 story was to convince some FM's here that I am genuinely willing to purchase and not just wasting my own as well everybody else' time here.

I have attached my room pictures(in a messed up state for now) for you FM's to have a better assessment. As usual, your input guides me and many others like me. So, it is always welcome with open hands and always appreciated a lot. Apologies for the long post.

Regards,
Aakash

 

[mpw]

for 221 sq ft and if you are into HT.. take something which will give you space to walk about or even dance in your room. I suppose that rules our floorstanders completely.

But if i assume that you are in for B&W.. take the setup with 4 bookshelves ( the 685 ) + 1 center and sub woofer. The front 2 can be on stands and the rear 2 can be mounted on a small bracket on the wall ( maybe yor dealer will help you position these )

221 sq ft is not too much of an area to cover so bookshelves should be sufficient - soundwise. For impact maybe instead of a B&W sub you may try something like SVS sub woofer of Hsu etc..

For SVS there is an India dealer too..

B&W sub should be good too in case you like to stick with B&W

so its all upto you..

In a way.. impatience is good to channelize into purchase. There are more important things in life and maybe just maybe you may want think about what you want to do with what you save.

PS : select a powerful avr like the denon 3313 i think and you maybe even able to use its modrn features to stream music around the house

PS2 : I am a standmount guy and maybe folks having Floorstanders will chip in too.

PS3 : YMMV.. whatever rocks your boat.

rgds,
mpw

 

[navin advani]

I've been referred PSB, MA RX8, Paradigm Studio, Polk A9's, Kef Q900, Deftech BP10's, Dali Ikon MK2, etc. ...Which means that if a same range product even has better sonic capabilities if compared to something like B&W, I guess I would buy B&W. .. - B&W 683 theatre (around 3.5 lacs incl. AVR approx.) vs B&W CM9/8 theatre (around 7 lacs incl. AVR approx.) for my 221 sq.ft. bedroom (17ft.x13ft.).

for 221 sq ft and if you are into HT.. take something which will give you space to walk about or even dance in your room. I suppose that rules our floorstanders completely.

MPW is right. Unless you are expecting to play your system really loud I would consider a set of bookshelves (that can sound good when wall mounted) and a pair of subwoofers. 220 sq. ft is kinda small given that you still have to fit a bed, wardrobes, etc.. in the same space.

B&W CM line is better built than their 68x line. Sure they cost twice as much but in the end you get a better built product (the sound signature might be roughly the same). I have found many B&W products too forward but that is just me. There are many here who are very happy with this brand. It was one of the first higher end speaker brands to enter India (in the early 90s).

 

[Eddierockks]

for 221 sq ft and if you are into HT.. take something which will give you space to walk about or even dance in your room. I suppose that rules our floorstanders completely.

But if i assume that you are in for B&W.. take the setup with 4 bookshelves ( the 685 ) + 1 center and sub woofer. The front 2 can be on stands and the rear 2 can be mounted on a small bracket on the wall ( maybe yor dealer will help you position these )

221 sq ft is not too much of an area to cover so bookshelves should be sufficient - soundwise. For impact maybe instead of a B&W sub you may try something like SVS sub woofer of Hsu etc..

For SVS there is an India dealer too..

B&W sub should be good too in case you like to stick with B&W

so its all upto you..

In a way.. impatience is good to channelize into purchase. There are more important things in life and maybe just maybe you may want think about what you want to do with what you save.

PS : select a powerful avr like the denon 3313 i think and you maybe even able to use its modrn features to stream music around the house

PS2 : I am a standmount guy and maybe folks having Floorstanders will chip in too.

PS3 : YMMV.. whatever rocks your boat.

rgds,
mpw

Thanks for your detailed suggestions MPW, appreciate it. I would try to answer each point in as much detail as possible.

For my personal preference, I always wanted big floorstanders for myself once my room gets final makeover. So, I appreciate what you have suggested, but then I would like to stick to Front FS only. For rear, as of now, I am considering BS as well as I want a BIG CENTRE speaker for this setup. I normally prefer listening at higher volumes, maybe it's because of the HTS 3400, but then, even when I am driving, using iMac, heck, even listening on my headphones, I prefer it LOUD

For the space, as you can now see in the pictures, 2nd one precisely, I am going to get rid of the cabinet on the right side of the room, right before the door for my dressing room. Also, I plan to have no cupboards,wardrobes,storage,etc. in my bedroom as I have purposely got a nice sized dressing room as well as a separate personal store (2nd wardrobe) on the left side of the room. Therefore, I would only have my bed (6'x6'3") with 2 side storage drawers (3' in width, couple of drawers), a small coffee table with 2 chairs (in front or on the side of the bed) and my HT cabinet + iMac cabinet. Once I make the final call, after some usage, I can consider shifting the iMac to the Entertainment lounge in my room which is pretty big and there, I would have all my gadgetry, a pro cinema with a bar hyeah:

For the sub, I actually wanted not to use B&W sub on my own. I wanted to get a BIGG sub and at the moment, have only auditioned Velodyne 15" (EQ Max) with 2 dealers apart from normal ones. I loved it actually and seeing that 2 good dealers are using it in their demo rooms, I was impressed. I did demo a Deftech sub (12") as well which my dealer told me was 5-6 years old but couldn't get a clearer picture of it because he had also installed a second sub in his demo room from REL and pretty small to the one from deftech. There was just too much bass in the room that I got uncomfortable. So, I would audition it again, whenever I am in Delhi. Yes, I managed to find the details for SVS Indian partner, but HSU, are they available here with warranty? Because I couldn't find their dealer in India. Anyhow, have dropped them an email and will update you about it later.

Regarding the AVR, I was recently told that such big FS would need extra amplification to run them in their full potential. Does that mean that if I buy an AVR (eg. Denon 3313) which can give 125W per channel, and my front FS (683 for example) need 25W - 200W into 8V on unclipped programme as per their brochure, does that mean that the FS would break soon? Or they wouldn't perform fully on their potential? Do I need to set aside some budget for power amplifier as well? I checked Whatshifi mag and I couldn't find a power amp for less than 1 lacs!:sad: Kindly advise me here. I would also like install ceiling speakers in my washroom as well as the dressing room for Zone 2 listening. I'm kinda excited about that because I have to lug around my sounddock portable.

 

[Eddierockks]

B&W CM line is better built than their 68x line. Sure they cost twice as much but in the end you get a better built product (the sound signature might be roughly the same). I have found many B&W products too forward but that is just me. There are many here who are very happy with this brand. It was one of the first higher end speaker brands to enter India (in the early 90s).

Hi Navin

Is it only the built quality at double the price?:sad: Have you auditioned them before? Please share your experience. Also, please guide me about the quote when you say B&W products are TOO FORWARD. What does that imply? Sorry, I have no knowledge about it.

 

[navin advani]

Thanks for your detailed suggestions MPW, appreciate it. I would try to answer each point in as much detail as possible.

when you say B&W products are TOO FORWARD. What does that imply? Sorry, I have no knowledge about it.

1. Be careful of your ears. Even consistent "moderate" exposure like 95db over 45 mins can lead to eventual hearing loss.

2. Without all the wardrobes you will have more space. My bedroom is about 300 sq. ft. and despite wardrobes, dresser, and a computer desk we managed to fit in a pair for floor standers for the front (along with a 12" sub and 5" 2 ways for the rear). I believe on another thread (on this forum) I had posted a link with details on our bedroom system.

3. Listening to music while on your bed means that most likely you listening position will be at a node (one end of the room). That will mean the bass is more pronounced and overall frequency response at this position will have a few large peaks and valleys. I would consider auditioning speakers that will work best in this position (maybe something that is naturally a bit bass shy).

4. Your existing HTS system might be distorting. The ear-brain often perceives distortion as loudness. A good HT system like the one you are planning will go loud enough to make you deaf over prolonged exposure.

5. A good integrated amp with power amp inputs can also be used instead of a power amp. Even a good 100w integrated or power amp will help. The power supply of most modern (sub 1 lac) AVRs is severely limited and these AVR can't really drive all 5-7 channels to their rated output simultaneously. An external amp for the front channels will reduce the burden on the AVR. Typical AVRs might be rated 100W x 7 channels but the power supply might only be 300-500W and that to current limited. This can starve speakers.

6. B&W makes speakers for different audiences. The CM series will be a bit more refined especially in the mid-hf and will have better components but the most obvious difference will be the build quality. There are many brands (of amplifier and speaker) that work well together. A laid back speaker might been a more forward amplifier (forward typcially signifies brightness) and vice versa. Then we have to also account for personal preferences, room dynamics and listening position aberations. Listening is your best defense agaisnt having a system that you will eventually like.

Listen with your own CDs/DVDs using passages that are familar to you and in an envrionment that is similar to your room (a bedroom is a little more diffcult).

7. For humid areas like your bathroom, look for outdoor speakers. Typically car speaker manufacturers will already have a template to make a durable ceiling speaker. see link below (crutchfield).
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-w0xqod5gOph/m_323350/In-wall-In-ceiling-Outdoor-Speakers.html

8. Lastly I think you have 2-3 threads on this topic. This leads me to believe that you are confused.

You have short listed Dali Ikon, Focal 7xx, B&W 68x/CM, KEF Qxx, PSB Image, Paradigm Studio, Tannoy Revolution, Monitor Audio Silver and a few others I cant seem to remember. This is a huge and varied list. There is no place I know of (in India) which will carry more than 3 of these brands. Dont worry if the speakers have 2 woofers or ribbon tweeters or whatever. What matters is the sound.

I know many good 6-7" woofers that will outperform good 8" woofers. There are tweeters and there are tweeters: the RAAL 140 and the HiVi RTA1C are both ribbons and there is a world of difference in their performance. Scanspeak's 7" 18WU Illuminator performs at a different level than their own 8" Discovery 22W woofer (and here I am comparing two good woofers).

My adivce would be to spend the next few months listening to 6-7 systems spending at least 45 mins with each and that will give you a good indication as to what to expect.

Oh and BTW one brand that might now be offering good VFM products is Sonus Faber. Sonus used to be family owned and made speakers for a rather small market. They were bought over by a PE firm (about 2 years ago) and recently shifted manufacturing to China (from Italy) and introduced the Venere line. This has bought prices down to where many more can have Sonus in thier living rooms (and bedrooms). While their immaculate build quality is not the same (as the original) it is still better than many of their counterparts (in the same price range). Market sources tell me that the new products are pretty good. I was a huge fan of the orignal Sonus Faber but I have not heard their, post PE ownership, Made in China, products (besides my taste might be different from yours).
http://www.sonusfaber.com/venere/en/

 

[Eddierockks]

Thanks again Navin. You are really a saviour for a noob like me.hyeah:

1. I'll try to be very careful about it. Normally, I plan to listen/use my setup whenever I come back home from work. Once, I get it, I will be spending atleast 2-3 hours almost daily on it. So, will take care of the listening level aptly.

2. I did check out your setup and man, I am blown away. You have a lot of skill that goes pretty well with your patience. I'm kinda inspired to make a setup on my own someday. I say someday because in all honesty, I don't know anything about tools or using them. But, I'm a quick learner at things that I want to learn myself.

Great setup once again!

3. Bass shy, hmmm. I've read that 683 theatre does produce more bass but CM9 offers great sonics and balanced bass. I am hoping that at this AV Max Expo, I might get a chance to listen to both systems back to back and take the final call. Even for my liking, I like bass but to a certain extent. I don't want my bedroom's doors and window panes etc vibrating too much. Only the righteous effects of a movie should be delivered properly.

4. When you say this, I'm guessing you are talking about CM9. Or both of these systems?

5. What exactly is the difference between integrated amps vs power amps? As of now, I know that there are AVR's and if they don't have a certain output for your speakers, one should look for power amps. Please correct me here.

It'll be great if you can suggest a couple of models which are available locally in India with proper warranty. Like I said, I've checked Whatshifi and they have all the power amps above 1 lacs!! Does that mean that I have to spend 1 lac on the AVR (let's say Denon 3313 or Onkyo 818) and then 1 lac on the power amp? This way the cost would explode my budget. :indifferent14:

6. I don't know much about it but my personal preference would be GREAT Vocals with apt bass (thunders, car crashes, action sequences, etc. should engross anybody watching a movie) unlike a couple of my friends who prefer bass heavy setups. I mentioned earlier about my experience with the Deftech dedicated 7.2 setup theatre at one of the local dealers here. He played a Celine Dion concert and based on it, the vocals should have been exceptionally well as it was his best demo setup worth well over 4-5 lacs. Instead I could hear the song's vocals not exactly clearly as I intended. Rather, there was just too much bass in the system that my head started shaking and I had to tell him to stop playing that system. On the other hand, obviously, the bipolar (or dipolar maybe) surrounds did a great job whenever there was audiences' applause and cheering. So, all in all, I want good apt bass and not a truckload of bass that gets on my nerves too quickly.

7. Ceiling speakers, ah, the local sales guy tells me that "sir, whichever make you install, it'll all sound almost the same because these are just Ceiling speakers and they are not capable of doing a great job. So, put in the extra cash on the HT setup and use maybe Ahuja (local brand) speakers for the washroom" I want to get them by this year's end when my home would be in almost it's completion stage.

8. Yes, I do have 2-3 threads on the same topic and I would have no hesitation in accepting that I'm thoroughly confused. The reason is I've listened to the following brands personally:

Polk audio
Kef
Revel
Magnat
Focal Audio
Bose
Paradigm
Tannoy (only rear bs used in a setup)
Definitive Technology
Mordaunt Short
Cambridge Audio
etc.

6 years ago, if somebody would have asked me, I would have no problems in recommending Bose.

Now, my personal preference has shifted from Bose to Bowers & Wilkins. This preference has pushed me for asking FM's reviews on MT60D, then 684, then 683 and then CM9. I know there's a whole lot of difference in their price range. But, I hope you get the idea that I'm totally inclined towards B&W. I'm kinda biased with other brands even though I have not listened to them! Yes, this is true. So in my threads, one would get the impression now that if this person goes in for something else than B&W, he might be dissatisfied, not with the sonic performance but by the aesthetics and brand value. As of now, I'm prepared to take the plunge in favor of either B&W 683 or CM9 theatre. And if I don't get the required demo of them, I might settle for something like Dali Ikon MK2 theatre/Definitive Tech BP10 (Deftech being a better option because sales and service are available locally and the local dealer is supportive).

More input is always appreciated from fellow FM's.

Regards.

1. Be careful of your ears. Even consistent "moderate" exposure like 95db over 45 mins can lead to eventual hearing loss.

2. Without all the wardrobes you will have more space. My bedroom is about 300 sq. ft. and despite wardrobes, dresser, and a computer desk we managed to fit in a pair for floor standers for the front (along with a 12" sub and 5" 2 ways for the rear). I believe on another thread (on this forum) I had posted a link with details on our bedroom system.

3. Listening to music while on your bed means that most likely you listening position will be at a node (one end of the room). That will mean the bass is more pronounced and overall frequency response at this position will have a few large peaks and valleys. I would consider auditioning speakers that will work best in this position (maybe something that is naturally a bit bass shy).

4. Your existing HTS system might be distorting. The ear-brain often perceives distortion as loudness. A good HT system like the one you are planning will go loud enough to make you deaf over prolonged exposure.

5. A good integrated amp with power amp inputs can also be used instead of a power amp. Even a good 100w integrated or power amp will help. The power supply of most modern (sub 1 lac) AVRs is severely limited and these AVR can't really drive all 5-7 channels to their rated output simultaneously. An external amp for the front channels will reduce the burden on the AVR. Typical AVRs might be rated 100W x 7 channels but the power supply might only be 300-500W and that to current limited. This can starve speakers.

6. B&W makes speakers for different audiences. The CM series will be a bit more refined especially in the mid-hf and will have better components but the most obvious difference will be the build quality. There are many brands (of amplifier and speaker) that work well together. A laid back speaker might been a more forward amplifier (forward typcially signifies brightness) and vice versa. Then we have to also account for personal preferences, room dynamics and listening position aberations. Listening is your best defense agaisnt having a system that you will eventually like.

Listen with your own CDs/DVDs using passages that are familar to you and in an envrionment that is similar to your room (a bedroom is a little more diffcult).

7. For humid areas like your bathroom, look for outdoor speakers. Typically car speaker manufacturers will already have a template to make a durable ceiling speaker. see link below (crutchfield).
In-wall, In-ceiling & Outdoor Speakers at Crutchfield.com

8. Lastly I think you have 2-3 threads on this topic. This leads me to believe that you are confused.

You have short listed Dali Ikon, Focal 7xx, B&W 68x/CM, KEF Qxx, PSB Image, Paradigm Studio, Tannoy Revolution, Monitor Audio Silver and a few others I cant seem to remember. This is a huge and varied list. There is no place I know of (in India) which will carry more than 3 of these brands. Dont worry if the speakers have 2 woofers or ribbon tweeters or whatever. What matters is the sound.

I know many good 6-7" woofers that will outperform good 8" woofers. There are tweeters and there are tweeters: the RAAL 140 and the HiVi RTA1C are both ribbons and there is a world of difference in their performance. Scanspeak's 7" 18WU Illuminator performs at a different level than their own 8" Discovery 22W woofer (and here I am comparing two good woofers).

My adivce would be to spend the next few months listening to 6-7 systems spending at least 45 mins with each and that will give you a good indication as to what to expect.

Oh and BTW one brand that might now be offering good VFM products is Sonus Faber. Sonus used to be family owned and made speakers for a rather small market. They were bought over by a PE firm (about 2 years ago) and recently shifted manufacturing to China (from Italy) and introduced the Venere line. This has bought prices down to where many more can have Sonus in thier living rooms (and bedrooms). While their immaculate build quality is not the same (as the original) it is still better than many of their counterparts (in the same price range). Market sources tell me that the new products are pretty good. I was a huge fan of the orignal Sonus Faber but I have not heard their, post PE ownership, Made in China, products (besides my taste might be different from yours).
Venere

 

[SatMumbai]

B&W has such an appeal that I had all the 6xx series and CM series. Today if I am puttting together a system, I will not touch anything less 804 from B&W. Their tweeters in the lower range is not up to the mark.

My current choice for a HT is the new KEF R series. They look a lot like CM series but perform so much better and work very well with the wide range of music. If I have the room and on the budget, R series is simply no brainer!

I believe in FS. They do such a great job that I do not think that any book shelves can compete in the similar price range. I had Proac Response D two, one of the very good book shelf speakers, but their scale is still small compared to even Kef R 500. I do not have floor standers due to space constraint but if space is no issue, then floor standers are the ONLY way to get a good rocking system.

I would team up a Marantz SR7007 with Kef R500/700/900 depending on your choice and their R600C for center and R100 for surround. Do not worry too much on surround, unless you really want to focus on THX specs. R series is easier to driver as well. Regarding the sub woofer, as you might already know, 2 good subs can give you even deeper base but I would suggest that you consider the sub a bit later. The suggested system gives a lot of bass already especially if you go for R900, so once you are settled with the system then you can go with sub.

Alternatively you can also look at Goldenear Triton range which are also a great buy here but I doubt the physical looks of these speakers are for everyone.

 

[navin advani]

My current choice for a HT is the new KEF R series. They look a lot like CM series but perform so much better and work very well with the wide range of music.

I would team up a Marantz SR7007 with Kef R500/700/900

Alternatively you can also look at Goldenear Triton range which are also a great buy here but I doubt the physical looks of these speakers are for everyone.

If I was investing in a speaker in the league of the KEF R series or B&W CM series I would consider either a bigger badder AVR or supplement the AVR with at least a 2 ch. power amp for front channels.

My wife loved the looks of the Triton 2. In fact she prefered their slender profile to our current living room speakers.

3. Bass shy, hmmm. I've read that 683 theatre does produce more bass but CM9 offers great sonics and balanced bass.

4. When you say this, I'm guessing you are talking about CM9.

5. What exactly is the difference between integrated amps vs power amps?

....

When I said bass shy what I meant was with a speaker that is producing a lot of bass your current listening position might lead to bass overload. So look at systems that are normally a tad tighter in the bass. If your speaker is close to the rear wall and your listening position is also close to a wall (like while you are sitting on your bed in your bedroom) then the bass will get accentuated. You need to realise this and compensate for it in your choice of speaker.

Yes any good AVR + B&W/KEF/Dali/Monitor Audio will de better than a HTiB style HTS system.

An integrated amp is really just a power amp and pre amp rolled into one chassis.

 

[SatMumbai]

My wife loved the looks of the Triton 2. In fact she prefered their slender profile to our current living room speakers.

Out of curiosity, What are your living room speakers?

 

[denom]

FYI, the KEF R series need good amplification for them to really shine.

 

[SatMumbai]

FYI, the KEF R series need good amplification for them to really shine.

I have seen B&W CM series are quite demanding on power especially both the CM7 and CM9 (which I owned for quite some time) and KEF R300 (which also owned by me) seems to be quite easy going with Power. Marantz SR6006 drove them quite easily. I have seen KEF R700 with Denon 331X AVR and they were already singing.

This is purely my observation.

I am not too sure which amplifier struggled to drive which R series but if such was the case the same amplifier will have more trouble driving the CM series, IMO.

 

[navin advani]

Out of curiosity, What are your living room speakers?

The front 3 use SEAS Excel woofers and Fountek's new NeoX tweeter. The left and right are related to Selah's RC4 and Peridot and the centre is similar. The rear 4 are a 5" 2way based on the SEAS L15 and T27. There are pics elsewhere on this forum.

 

[prosenjit]

one suggestion as many menbvers have done already.
get an avr of 70k with pre outs and get an power amp of emotiva 80w*5 lits maybe 40k here....
this 1.1 lakh set up will rock the speakers..as 80*5 is all ch driven unlike avrs fishy rating...2 or 1 ch driven....

 

[navin advani]

one suggestion as many menbvers have done already.
get an avr of 70k with pre outs and get an power amp of emotiva 80w*5 lits maybe 40k here....
this 1.1 lakh set up will rock the speakers..as 80*5 is all ch driven unlike avrs fishy rating...2 or 1 ch driven....

I agree this setup will defnitely provide better power to all 5-7 speakers than a 1L AVR would.

a. Is the Emotiva only 40K here? Where?

b. The other option is to get a stereo power amp for the front 2 speakers. We need to understand that in typical HT systems 70% of the energy is delivered by the front 3 speakers. That means left and right are handling about 50% of the sound. By using a good stereo power amp one can relieve the AVR of 50% of it's power requirements. The AVR can then pretty easily manage the balance 50%.

c. By using an integrated amp (like the NAD 326) the advantage you get is that for 2 ch. sound your CD player does not need to go via the AVR. Hence your system can double as 2 ch. or 5.1.

 

[SatMumbai]

one suggestion as many menbvers have done already.
get an avr of 70k with pre outs and get an power amp of emotiva 80w*5 lits maybe 40k here....
this 1.1 lakh set up will rock the speakers..as 80*5 is all ch driven unlike avrs fishy rating...2 or 1 ch driven....

+1
Though how much ever the rated amplification is in an AVR, we get better performance from a dedication multi channel or atleast stereo amp.

 

[SatMumbai]

My wife loved the looks of the Triton 2. In fact she prefered their slender profile to our current living room speakers.

I just saw your system pics and now I know why What a system you have put together!!

 

[denom]

I have seen B&W CM series are quite demanding on power especially both the CM7 and CM9 (which I owned for quite some time) and KEF R300 (which also owned by me) seems to be quite easy going with Power. Marantz SR6006 drove them quite easily. I have seen KEF R700 with Denon 331X AVR and they were already singing.

This is purely my observation.

I am not too sure which amplifier struggled to drive which R series but if such was the case the same amplifier will have more trouble driving the CM series, IMO.

Speakers will play with even less than stellar amplification, its when they get what they want(read as high quality power) that they sound really like they were designed to. Had you connected the whole 5.0 package to the 6006 or just the 2 fronts???

I heard the R300 & 700's with a Denon PM1510AE (Rated 70W @ 8 ohms) & also with a NAD356BEE (Rated 80W @ 8 ohms)
Can you guess with which amp the speakers sounded better ???

No matter how many people say that 'do not only go by wattage of amp & sensitivity of a speaker', its when you practically find out by pairing them that you realise whether it works or not & no not only synergy wise but power wise as well!

Obviously here its also that our opinions will differ w r t the combo you may find as running well(singing), may not be the case as far as I am concerned.

Heck, your choice in music may be poles apart to mine as well

So, yea its all subjective & the person making the decision to buy the relevant AVR/Amp/Speaker will have to trust his & only his ears ALONE!

My 100 Rupees (no more paise as inflation has hit the roof!)

 

[denom]

one suggestion as many menbvers have done already.
get an avr of 70k with pre outs and get an power amp of emotiva 80w*5 lits maybe 40k here....
this 1.1 lakh set up will rock the speakers..as 80*5 is all ch driven unlike avrs fishy rating...2 or 1 ch driven....

Prosenjit,
Kindly advice where you found this price??? Which model of Emotiva??? Is it ex India delivered to your doorstep or in the US???

 

[SatMumbai]

My 100 Rupees (no more paise as inflation has hit the roof!)

LOL! Inflation changes the way we talk as well!

I never had the entire 5.1 R series. I only had the R 300 for fronts but heard full fledged system with the dealer on an AV amp.

I agree with you that your choice of music listening might be totally different from mine!

BTW, I like Denon PMA-1510AE. It is one solid amp, IMO. Not much experience with NAD gear.