Budget HT Less than 25k

[vigneshiyer]

Hi Guys,

A newbie to audiophile world. Want to buy a good HT
Hall Size: 15 * 15
Music 75% Movie 25%
Music mostly from Tata sky HD and little bit of carnatic music (My parents)
Movies have a Sony Blu Ray player
Budget around 25K
location: Bangalore

Went through couple of posts on Budget HT

My confusion is should i go in for
1. Stereo setup with Active SW
Like Astonia or Sonodyne PQube with a amp (may be Astonia SC300)
which one is better? for my budget i might only be able to get hold of indian amps (correct me if i am wrong)

2. Buy a 5.1 HT system
like Onkyo 3500 or Yamaha YHT 196. Planning to have a demo of both this weekend but based on experience, which ones better. Can i get any other 5.1 HT for the same price.

Thanks in advance,
Vignesh

 

[prosenjit]

onkyo 3400 is your choice....best at this price.
but if you want to extend budget separate avr and separate speakers will be much better..

 

[vigneshiyer]

Hi Prosenjit,

Thats what I had in mind.. was going through the specs for onkyo 3400
One question: is the sub down firing active one?

Thanks,
Vignesh

 

[sunilkm]

Hi Prosenjit,

Thats what I had in mind.. was going through the specs for onkyo 3400
One question: is the sub down firing active one?

Thanks,
Vignesh

Hi,

The sub is not active. it is passive down firing.

?Passive Subwoofer (SKW-390)
Type Bass-reflex type Passive subwoofer
Impedance 6 ?
Maximum input power 130 W
Sensitivity 83 dB/W/m
Frequency response 30 Hz to 150 Hz
Cabinet capacity 25 L (0.88 cubic feet)
Dimensions (W H D) 295 mm 345 mm 368 mm
(11-5/8" 13-9/16" 14-1/2")
(incl. projection)
Weight 6.4 kg (14.1 lbs.)
Drivers unit 20 cm (8") Cone 1
Terminal Spring type color coded
Other Non-magnetic shielding

 

[spirovious]

Onkyo OR Yamaha HTiB can come in that budget.Try demo of either.

 

[vigneshiyer]

What is cost of onkyo 3400 I can expect in bangalore
Will the guys help me to set it up or I will have to figure it out on my own. How difficult will it be if I have to set it up by myself.
I have heard that the wires they give with the system is not good. Should I replace it with some other gauge wire..
Can I place the subwoofer in a semi enclosed place (only open from front) will it impact the quality?

Phewww.. being my first ht got so many questions running through my mind.

Thank you guys for your help
Vignesh

 

[AmitKumar]

modern world is the dealer for onkyo, they have 3 or 4 branches in bangalore.
I think onkyo 3400 is discontinued, however i may be wrong. If i remeber correctly price was 25 or 27k about 2 months back. You can check onkyo 3400, denon 1312 htib(30k change) in reliance digital also. They keep having some offers on these mentioned packages.

 

[spirovious]

Price can be bargained-
Onkyo HT-S3400 Online Price in India, Specifications, Reviews, Features : Home Theaters - Compare India

 

[vigneshiyer]

Hi friends,

Auditioned denon 1312 xp and onkyo 3400 in reliance digital today.. for some reason I felt onkyo 3400 packed a better punch than denon... can it be something with the settings on denon..

 

[ukjeyaraj]

For your preference (Music 75%), try to get a good stereo setup and definietly you will enjoy the movie too in stereo setup. In case 5.1 HT is preferred, along with Onkyo 3400 and Denon 1312 xp, check Pioneer HTP-071. Currently it is offered at reliance digital (atleast in Mumbai) for around Rs.20500/- This model is similar to Onkyo HTS 3400 with passive sub woofer.

 

[prosenjit]

For your preference (Music 75%), try to get a good stereo setup and definietly you will enjoy the movie too in stereo setup. In case 5.1 HT is preferred, along with Onkyo 3400 and Denon 1312 xp, check Pioneer HTP-071. Currently it is offered at reliance digital (atleast in Mumbai) for around Rs.20500/- This model is similar to Onkyo HTS 3400 with passive sub woofer.

amp speaker streo set up is best for music,but not for him as he will be playing from tatasky hd...so avr set up means onk 3400/denon 1312xp..or likes are the perfect choices...imho

 

[ukjeyaraj]

If the idea is to connect HDMI output, AVR base HTIB is preferrable in this budget. Then the options are similar to what is discussed until now.

 

[vigneshiyer]

Hi Jeyaraj,

Auditioned Onkyo 3400 and Denon 1312XP and realised that this is not what i want.... that exactly what i had in mind... a stereo setup with good speakers and a sub and avr is what i want. Will browse through the forum for the same.

Prosenda,
If i get a stereo amp, i should be able to connect my STB and BRay player... right?

Thanks,
Vignesh

 

[elangoas]

Hi Jeyaraj,

Auditioned Onkyo 3400 and Denon 1312XP and realised that this is not what i want.... that exactly what i had in mind... a stereo setup with good speakers and a sub and avr is what i want. Will browse through the forum for the same.

Prosenda,
If i get a stereo amp, i should be able to connect my STB and BRay player... right?

Thanks,
Vignesh

Don't worry Buddy...Juz because you are getting hold of an indian amplifier doesn't mean you will miss what you get from an international brand amplifier....

No Product is perfect...hyeah:

Check Pioneer entry level AVR's...They are <20K...May be you need to do some hard bargaining....

An other suggestion if you are open to used stuff (AVR/Stereo Amplifier)....

Option - 1, You can get any used receiver (non HDMI) for 10 - 15K....Connect you STB to your receiver with Digital inputs, Also your bluray player if it has Digital outputs....Later you have a choice of making it full fledged 5.1 Systems..

Option - 2, If you are not looking beyond 2.1 system, then get an used stereo amplifier for 10 - 15K....

If you plan to scout for used systems, check the For sale by owner section of the forum.... & in Olx & Quickr......

For new speakers with in 15K budget, you can look for Sonodyne Sonus 1501 BS (11K), Cambridge S30 (13K)...

Let us know what works for you...

 

[prosenjit]

yes streo amp can be connected from br player and stb..
but the story will be long why it is not preffered over hdmi....
streo amp set up is best and peferct for pure 2 ch music listing from a dedicated source like cd player/pc/TT/tape deck etc....

from tatasky use as you mentioned an avr is needed anyway..
but yes as elagoas suggested...
if you get a non hdmi(optical/coax in) avr at very less price like 10k....its perfectly fine
i think a maratnz avr was on sale.... new model and hdmi wala..and quite powerful....its hdmi board was non functioning..
i belive it will serve you perfectly at that price...
later you can repair the hdmi board
check the sale area properly...

http://www.hifivision.com/sale-owne...erline-ethernet-adapter-marantz-receiver.html

here it is

 

[just4kix]

If movies and 5.1 sound is what one has in mind, a stereo amp is definitely not the way to go. There is:

- no HDMI-in
- no HDMI-out
- no DD/DD+/DTHD/DTS/DTS-HD-MA decoding
- no 2.1 sound, forget 5.1 or 7.1

Stereo amp is best for pure music.

 

[ukjeyaraj]

Get a HTIB in your budget which suits your taste. And then add a good pair of bookshelf speakers (either replace front speakers or use with Speakers B) for better music.

 

[vigneshiyer]

Well i read somewhere in the forum.... the more you know, the more you know how little you know. I am as confused as the above line
Option 1: Go with Pioneer HTP-071 and later upgrade the system. Can i connect to active sub woofer to the avr later point in time as Pioneer HTP-071 comes with a passive sub.
Option 2: Go with Indian stereo Amp (<10k) and active sub woofer (<15K) and bookshelf(<10K)
Due to budget constraints: Either buy a Amp and Bookshelf now and Sub later or Buy Amp and Sub and use my existing satellites

Options:
For Indian Stereo Amp what are my options? I know i can get an Astonia SC300 for close to 4000. Are there any alternatives to it
For Active Sub: I am aware of Astonia DF 10, Polk PSW 110. Are there any other options in this price range

Thank you all for your help....
Vignesh

 

[ukjeyaraj]

Go for Denon/Yamaha HTiB with active sub-woofer and then add a good pair of bookshelf speakers for better music listening.

This will give the convenience of using HDMI connections from source and will also cover any HT 5.1 requirement.

In future, if the system is found to be adequate, retain the bookshelf speakers and add a nice integrated amp for a separate music setup.

 

[vigneshiyer]

Guys Yamaha YHT 196 has got a output for subwoofer. I can add an active sub at a later point in time. Will it be better than onkyo 3400/3500.

What will be the cost of the AV Reciever??