Complete Home Theater Setup

[deepakgang]

Hi All,

I am planning to set up my home theatre audio setup soon..

Did lots of research in the net and is now very confused
Many of my shortlisted speakers are not available in india.

I am new to this so please help me in this. So far I have come down to this:
My budget is below 50 k (but can change )

A/V Receiver:
1) Pioneer Elite Series
or
2) Onkyo TX-SR674 (has got great reviews from cnet)

Sub woofer:

1) Any 200W+ with amplifier from Yamaha
or
2) JBL Northridge E Series E250P

Speakers:

This is where I have no idea what should I buy...after the receiver and sub woofer i wont have much money left so i need a budget speaker set up with 100W+ power ( I need a 5 speaker set)

1) Onkyo SKS-HT530
OR
2) I dont know

I also liked athena TECHNOLOGIES speakers but dont know if they are available in india..

Also any other good brands are most welcome...also if you could provide me where can I get one in bangalore it will be great

Thanks a lot
Deepak

 

[paj4x4]

You may have to relook at your budget - the Pioneer Elite and Onkyo 674 receivers will eat up your budget easily. A decent sub will set you back at least 15k. A 5 pc speaker package from Jamo (S406 package) or Wharfedale (9HCP) costs at least 30k rs.

How big is the room where you'll set up your HT? Athena speakers are distributed in India by Sound Advice located in Mumbai (tel # 23800555). They have a showroom in Inorbit Mall.

CR

 

[deepakgang]

hmm..my room is not big...the mater is that a separate room is on its way for my home theatre...(5 x 5 m.may be)

I believe my receiver will set be back by 30k
and sub woofer 15 k

then again if spend 30 k for speakers mmm .. total 75k is little over budget..

and how about the Onkyo SKS-HT530, it comes with a 230 W amplified sub woofer..will that be powerful..in that case i can save some cash for my speakers and may be ill buy a better sub woofer next year

ill also have to checkout Jamo (S406 package) or Wharfedale (9HCP)
any bangalore branches where i can go for a demo...

ill push my budget to 60 k lol

 

[deepakgang]

Also any idea about Pioneer VSX-1016TXV...seems like its good one for a lesser price than that of Elite

 

[paj4x4]

I have had no experience with Pioneer receivers.

Entry level A/V receivers of Onkyo (TX-SR 504), Denon (1507 not sure about the model #), Marantz (SR4600), and Yamaha (357 or 457) will set you back anywhere between 17-25K with bill and warranty here in India. Last time I checked the Onkyo TX-SR674 costs more than 34k.

If you?re setting up a system more for video Onkyo, Denon, and Yamaha receivers will be where I?d go. If it?s going to be more for music I?d look to Marantz for a receiver.

A 5mx5m room is quite large. You?d need decent bookshelf speakers for the front and surround channels?if you can afford it a pair of floorstanders for the front channels will be great. The front and center speakers should be from the same manufacturer to ensure proper timbre matching.

Stay away from sub-satellite speaker (especially the really small ones) combinations (HTIBs) for HT set ups if you can. In my experience Satellite speakers because of their size leave your system with a lot of frequency gaps.

I?d recommend you audition the ff. combinations:

AV Receiver ? Onkyo 504, Denon 1507, or Marantz 4600
Speakers
a. Jamo S406 package (you?d need to buy a sub separately)
b. Wharfedale 9.1?s for the front, a pair of 9.0?s for surround, 9CC for the center channel, and the SW150 sub
c. Wharfedale 9 HCP 5.1 package
d. Athena?s Point 5 system ? S.5 small bookshelfs for the front and surround channels and the C.5 for the center
e. Mordaunt-Short Avant 5.1 system

Search the web for reviews on these speaker packages. You can also check their websites for dealers in Bangalore.

At the end of the day keep in mind that you and your ears alone should decide which system to buy.

Happy hunting!

CR

 

[deepakgang]

Thanks mate...that was indeed helpful. I know for many other visitors to this thread as well.

Ill do a bit more research and will go for detailed demo for each of them...

looks like Wharfedale speakers are really good.. i never considered them..should hear them . hmm

and i love the idea of floor standing speakers..thanks for that

and my room would be 3x3...you know its under construction only..plans plans...

 

[paj4x4]

Glad to be of help. We were all newbies to this passion of ours in the past.

So room size is 3mx3m and not 5mx5m as you stated in an earlier post. What's the ceiling height? Assume it?s also 3m. You have to ensure that the system you'll end up buying matches the room it'll be situated in. If you overdo it (a relatively big system in a smallish room) you'll end up having a boomy sound.

The Wharfedale SW150 will be more than enough for your requirement. I have one in my main HT room (4.5mx4mx2.5m)?its partnered with a pair of Wharfedale 9.5?s up front, a 9CS in the center, and a pair of 9.1?s for surround. A sub is an essential component of any HT set up. Although some people I know first purchased a 5 speaker system and later saved for a decent sub to complete the set up. The sub need not really be from the same manufacturer. A lot of people say that Polk Audio?s PSW 10 sub (10? front firing 100W active sub) is a good VFM (11k rs) addition to a HT set up in a relatively small room. You may want to check this out.

Take your time. Don?t be in a hurry. Research, ask questions, validate recommendations, AUDITION all your options, and then make an informed decision. Believe me half the fun is in deciding which system you?ll finally get!

CR

 

[deepakgang]

I edited out my post abot the sw150.. bcos i found out that its enough for me.

 

[deepakgang]

So i plan to audition for Wharfedale 9...i think it will suffice my music needs..i am not into much rock or metal. Also Wharfedale has dealers in my hometown. So better support. Also in my list is Mordaunt-Short Avant but i think they are costly.

And I liked the reviews of Marantz 4600..but they have not much power...if i go for a higer Marantz it costs too much..whats the opinion..should i go for

onkyo TX-SR604

http://reviews.cnet.com/Onkyo_TX_SR604_black/4507-6466_7-32008415.html?tag=sub

OR denon AVR 2106

http://reviews.cnet.com/Denon_AVR_2106_AV_receiver_7_1_channel/4507-6466_7-31607589.html?tag=sub

OR Yamaha RX V659

http://reviews.cnet.com/Yamaha_RX_V659/4505-6466_7-31855319.html

specifications look cool...any thoughts...another thing that haunts me id the fact that audition will br done with different speakers so i ahve to check for user opinions as well.

 

[paj4x4]

The Marantz 4600 will drive the Wharfedale 9HCP package with ease. No need to worry about this. In fact the Wharfedale dealer here in Mumbai in fact only recommends the entry level Yamaha (357 or 457 not sure here) AV receiver to drive the 9HCP package.

Besides power output, connectivity of the AV receiver should be looked at before taking the plunge. Are you after HDMI connectivity? Do you want your receiver to have an auto set up feature? Another factor I take a look at is bass management ? capability to adjust cross-over points per speaker channel.

The Marantz 4600 is not HDMI capable, does not offer an auto set up feature, and bass management feature is quite limited ? only allows you to set one x-over point for all channels -> 80, 100, and 120hz. That said I have the 4600 driving Athena Point 5?s in my second HT set up I am very happy with the 4600 - Athena set up.

The Onkyo 604 on the other hand has HDMI connectivity, automatic set up feature (the Denon 2106 also offers this feature I think), zone 2 capability, and an independent bass management feature -> allows you to set different x-over points per channel (from 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, and 200hz). That said I have the 604 driving the Wharfedales I noted above in my main HT set up

For music I prefer the Marantz over the Onkyo and vice versa for movies. The Marantz to my ears is relatively warmer than the Onkyo. The 604?s key strength based on my experience is delivery of movie soundtracks ? timing is admirable. Processing/delivery of soundtracks to the surround channels are also very good in my book.

CR

 

[deepakgang]

I dont care about HDMI right now. Also i believe there are players who up converts dvd to hdmi so i can by pass receiver .. my knowledge

but i would like the auto set up featuer.

also the cross over adjustment sounds interesting..i believe its the level at which we tell receiver above what frequency should go to the speakers and others we can switch to sub or the larger front speaker set. i like these features in onkyo. i would be using the setup for music and movied 50 - 50
in that case i would consider onkyo

next year if i can buy a 2.1 system with Marantz 4600 as a seperate setup, it should give me the music warmth.

(but i think for sacd i shud have a 5.1 hmm)


anyways ill get a demo for both.

i would also like to know about an affordable but good sacd/dvd audio player.

i found this:

http://hometheater.about.com/cs/dvdlaserdisc/tp/aatpdvdasacda.htm

although i know cambridge audioworks might be the best buy, i need a less pricy one.
oppo player has got great reviews but i cannot find any dealer in india.

or shoul i stick to sony sacd player without much experimentation.

 

[paj4x4]

Having a clear set of purchase parameters greatly reduces the chances of making a costly mistake in purchasing system components. I?ve taken the liberty to list down your purchase parameters for an AVR. Go look at the websites of the major AVR manufacturers (Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Harman Kardon, Marantz, Sony, etc) and note down model numbers which meets your purchase parameters.

1. Zone 2 capability ? to allow you to set up another pair of speakers (driven be a separate source) in another room for 2 channel music listening
2. Independent bass management feature
3. Auto set up feature
4. HDMI not important

If you plan to set up a separate listening room (say the masters bedroom) for 2 channel music in the near future you can do this via the powered Zone 2 feature of a number of AVR?s. This feature will save you some dough in the short term (no need to buy a separate stereo amplifier?unless the Hi-Fi itch gets to you quickly ) since you can have a separate source in the 2nd room and still the speakers can be driven by the AVR in the main room.

I don?t have a view on mid to hi end SACD/DVD players. I?m pretty satisfied with commercially available DVD players ? Samsung HD860 comes to mind. It meets my requirements at this point in time.

CR

 

[hifipal4all]

hi

if you are still on the hunt for your HT setup and if you are located in bangalore please get in touch with me ... i would be able to help you to complete your setup within your budget ... have a good day!!!

regards,
ramesh ... bangalore ... +919844404269
mail id: [email protected]

 

[subro99]

Project : To acquire a complete value for money system
in 45-50K. Time frame to deceision making process -
2 months.



Dear Folks,

I am a complete novice and am really looking forward to
all of you for help and advice.

I am from kolkata and am afraid will not get all the
brands that are available in mumbai - bangalore circuit.

For the last 2 days am exploring the net for expanding
my awareness on the subject. First time realised that
there exists these forums and there happens so much
exchange of information. Was only wishing how nice it
would have been if there existed an indian counterpart
and then accidentally bumped into this site....!!

Thank god i got this site. At least i can verify with all
you expert audiophiles what i learned is right or wrong.

It all started with one day me visiting a local
electronics show room and asking for a home theatre.
And like most of us, idiotic morons, was getting excited
to whatever was being served on a platter...the lg,
samsung, philips, sony, akai, sansui....

The first time the eye brows shrinked when realised only
25% of catalogue is actually on display. Noted the http
and came back home. some sites i wrongly rememberd
so naturally hit google. And lo! there you are.....!!
So much to learn so much to cover. I instantly fell
in love with the subject.

So, here are my learnings, and guys please validate or
object. Pls just dont sit back and scroll down and log
out. say something, at least.


1. All the so called big brands are also passionate like
the smaller prestigious but lesser known brands..but
their passion is not placed on the product. Its rather
on the market share, profitability and wooing
the customer. Customers would do well to drink a bottle
of flavoured milk (nutritious-but not advertised) than
a pepsi or coke ( which has manufacturing expense of
90 paise per bottle and we buy at 10-12 Rs)..rest is
hype....


2. Its good not to jump into conclusions. Patience is
the key. In the process of gathering info, what today
looks like a wise deceision, tomorrow becomes obsolete.
So hold on...after all its a pleasue to suffer in pain
of not being able to get what u want even if its there.

3. While the av receiver is science, speakers are all
about craftsmanship.

4. The best parameter to watch out for a receiver is
THD over complete frequency range rather than say at 1khz.
And in all respect it has to be below 1%.

5. Not all wattage talk is bullshit. More wattage
more money. Plus bigger the wattage, clearer is the
sound. There is a layman's indicator attached here:
the heavier the receiver, the better. Why? Simple,
Amplis, actually convert power to sound. How will
they handle big load more easily if they themselves
are not muscular?

6. Another laymann's logical thinking. Unless i eat
more how will i produce big bang. So it is not possible
for a 150W power consuming ampli to give u 1000W music.
So look for higher power consumption figure.

4. Time changes, world changes, and so does technology.
So it would be wise to be future ready. For example
HDMI...world is awaiting desperately to upgrade.

5. But what to do, neither the tv nor the dvd has
such options. Hence, when we upgrade to HDMI dvd
we need to be assured that we need not again upgrade the av.
Relax, the key is to look for input output ports. The audio
signals have to only go thru receiver, and if it has
separate 7.1 inputs u r thru...
Even if u bring home a new hdmi compatible dvd, and
a blue ray movie, they can be joined together themselves
(i assume you have hdtv with hdmi port)

6. Speakers: This is the toughest part. again thumbrule-
the more the rms value, the clearer will be the sound. The
idea is no component shd be over loaded...or there is
distortion.

7. There are 4ohms, 6 ohms and 8 ohms. Impedence matching
is now a thing of the past. Only point worth keeping in mind
lower speaker impedence will draw more and overheat the set. And
vise versa, but for a 6ohm out put speakers og 8 ohm will
not have difference in sound quality. Yes of course, the wattage
will be low. Almost all receivers are now with overload protection.

8. Lower the sensitivity of a speaker, u will have to turn the
volume knob more. anything less than 88db is not quality speaker.

9. U only live once, so u only buy once. Very few indians go
for upgrade, as we dont have a vibrant e-bay community
or availability of refurbished shops like west. And beleive me
everybody, overstreches the pocket. So buy a good receiver
and connect anything that "speaks" to it. Later on, as u r able
to pump in more moolah, change one by one. u will become a famous
"donor" of speakers. neighbourhood will also find amazing each time
they hear ur music it is better than previous time.

10. I seriously beleive its possible to build something which would
be true value for money combination within 45-50k.

Guys..........now the floor is yours.

One last thing- is there antbody who wd be willing to upgrade and sell
me his velodyne cht front row.....?? I guess they are the maximum
applauded speakers in their category. The company seems not producing
them anymore............thanks all of u.

 

[deepakgang]

Do you want a full home theater setup in 50k? I also had started similarly months back but now I know that a good Recevier would cost around 30-35k to start with.

So I have my CD/DVD player Cambridge Audio DVD89 with me now which came around 18K.

Again I am looking into CA receiver which has got rave reviews. The features are less compared to the counterparts but the sound overcomes everything in CA. So CA 540R V2 costs about 35K. Now they are releasing 540 R v3 with some improved features like OSD, HDMI etc. So ill wait till its released. byw the new one has a price tag of 350 pound in thr UK. Hopefully it will be released by Sep - mid Oct.

Coming to speakers, i am planning to start with two front speakers which will be floorstanders. They are available in all prices you can afford from Wharfedale, QUAD, Monitor Audio etc. Plus a subwoofer.

Now connections, stands etc will cost 10% of the total budget as a thumbrule.

Again some people will divide the totak budget like 25% for CD Player, 40% for receiver/amplifier, 35% for Speakers and connections. And then look for the best you can have in the range...happy hunting. I have been enjoying mine for the last almost 6 months.

Well my room is just getting ready so im in no hurry. keep the ideas pouring.

 

[subro99]

Thanks deepak,

Would be really nice if you keep telling me more about Cambridge.

Keep me posted on your adventures. BTW, were my observations correct.??

 

[deepakgang]

^^ OMG - Spam in our Forum! Is this the first one?

 

[baijuxavior]

^^ OMG - Spam in our Forum! Is this the first one?

Definitely not the first one. You could report about such posts to the moderator using the red triangle with exclamation mark.

 

[sachinanand]

Hi i am new to this . I am planning a home theatre system myself . Was thinking of a ht system have in mind denon x2000 avr need suggestion of speakes was thinking polk . Besife what about tv . Or display has to be seen . Can u please advise . And putting 5.1 speakers where thete is 7.1 capiability has to be seen. Beside what about the flooring and the walls . One side will have glass facarde . Will it make a difference. Thanks

Hi All,

I am planning to set up my home theatre audio setup soon..

Did lots of research in the net and is now very confused
Many of my shortlisted speakers are not available in india.

I am new to this so please help me in this. So far I have come down to this:
My budget is below 50 k (but can change )

A/V Receiver:
1) Pioneer Elite Series
or
2) Onkyo TX-SR674 (has got great reviews from cnet)

Sub woofer:

1) Any 200W+ with amplifier from Yamaha
or
2) JBL Northridge E Series E250P

Speakers:

This is where I have no idea what should I buy...after the receiver and sub woofer i wont have much money left so i need a budget speaker set up with 100W+ power ( I need a 5 speaker set)

1) Onkyo SKS-HT530
OR
2) I dont know

I also liked athena TECHNOLOGIES speakers but dont know if they are available in india..

Also any other good brands are most welcome...also if you could provide me where can I get one in bangalore it will be great

Thanks a lot
Deepak