Music Lover looking for setup First Audio System Setup

[pawan2012]

hello Everyone,

Advise requested from Seniors here who all i am sure started like i m doing now.

I am Pawan from Delhi, India.

I am interested in building a music system for myself.

i have a room dedicated to myself wherein i want to relax with my music for sometime everyday far away from Family and just be with my music, that's why planning to cover up the balcony area as well, (it is a top floor in a condominium in Gurgaon), to reduce the Air conditioning sound from adjoining Mall, and hopefully succeed in making a sound proof or at least a moderately quiet room to listen to music.

Room size: Approx 28 feet by 12 feet

Requirements: Listen to music from Laptop wirelessly (Macbook Pro), and play cd etc.

I am very fond of Piano instruments and like the kinds of Brian Silas, Richard Clyderman, Rahul Sharma's Santoor and occasionally Lyrics from Kailash Kher, Karunesh etc.

My choice is generally at low volume to feel the music, at very rare instances i like to keep it high, but that is also a possibility (After a few Drinks i think:yahoo.


Now my possessions:

I bought a Marantz SR 5006 from one of my International flight from Hongkong for myself around 2 years back, but since i was using my Samsung 5.1 channel speakers by buying some speakers cables using the Airplay from my MAcbbok pro wirelessly, it worked fine of course the speakers were giving out what they could(Not as great quality what i have heard at some AV Shops).

Once while using it the electricity went out, and the system didn't start after that, all i could see was a flashing red light on the power indicator, i googled and found out that the system went into a safe mode.

I went to Bass and Treble at Gurgaon and met Mr. Danny and was told it requires some repair and will have to pay Rs. 5,000/- to get it repaired in Gurgaon, i agreed as i had no option, but i felt it was a ripoff, and still have to pick it up from his shop.

Now, since then i have not been able to figure out which speakers or Amp to buy for the same.

i am told i should buy a Stereo Amp to get pure music quality, i am willing to invest time and money for the same.

Budget: Around 1,00,000/- but can be increased to 1,50,000/-, and wondering if a great quality used speaker is a good idea to begin with.

i was thinking of maybe buying a good quality speaker at the moment and play with my Marantz for sometime and then buy a Stereo Amp or a Tube Amp as advised by some Shop owners in Delhi at Lajpat Nagar.

I will appreciate responses, and if some senior members would like to share their experience i will be highly obliged, and if they agree i could send them my phone number on their Personal Message and learn from them,

Thanks for reading,

Regards,

Pawan

 

[sandeepmohan]

You have two starter options.

1. Yamaha HS8 (Studio Monitor speaklers) combined with one of their own budget sound mixers, a pair of speaker stands and cabling will set you back Rs. 65000. I've heard this setup and it is by far the best sounding starter rig I have heard at this price point.

2. KEF LS50, speaker stands paired with a Exposure 2010S2 or Cambridge Azur651A. This rig is considerable step up in sound quality.

Listen to both the rigs and take a call.

 

[sarith]

Marantz PM6005 Amplifier with Marantz CD6005 CD Player Combo
A friend of mine uses this combo with Dali Zensor 3. He lives in UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtoOzZxC0_k&list=UUDiN6ugh2PJzkhHXSvVp0_A

Wharfedale DIAMOND 10.2

 

[pawan2012]

Dear Sandeepmohan and Sarith,
Thx for the reply.
i am at Gurgaon, could u pls suggest where can i get demo for the same, i would like to carry my Marantz Sr5006 along with my CDs that i would like to listen to like Karunesh Santoor etc.
Regards
Pawan

 

[Vinay2013]

You have already met denny from bass n treble. There are two morw shops at mg road ayanagr. Fix the apointment and take demo. You already have a very musical avr. All you need is a good pair of speakers. Perhaps you can add a poewer amp with that if not satisfied.

 

[Ambio]

Though I am not a big fan of Harbeth, i think you should listen to the c7 for piano rendition . I am not sure if you could bridge the Marantz SR5006 but if you could then you are in for a treat.

 

[pawan2012]

Thx for the reply Vinay,

Do u have any idea of Denny, cos i am calling him repeatedly for the last 15 days, and his phone has been switched off ever since.
I have to collect my AVR from him.

 

[pawan2012]

Thx Mr. Ambio,
I don't know what does it mean to bridge, as i am new here.
but thx for the advise
.

 

[pawan2012]

Vinay would u know any names of the shops, cos i believe Denny has shifted his outlet from the previous premises, thx in advance

 

[corElement]

Judging by your music preferences, you will be quite well off with a Lyrita Audio 2a3 + Harmony 1. It will be around 1 Lakh.

http://www.lyrita-audio.in/manual_2A3 SET.pdf
http://www.lyrita-audio.in/manual_Harmony One.pdf

 

[pawan2012]

Thx for your time Core, looks like i have lots of speaker to listen to now,

where do i listen to them in around gurgaon thx
Pawan

 

[gobble]

The first hifi setup is rarely a very satisfactory one. Moreover you want to listen in privacy - Why not spend the 1lac on a headphone setup instead? You will save the trouble of soundproofing which will never be satisfactory at budget and divert from audio gear as well.


Actually start with 50k for a headphone setup. Upgrades can come over time.

 

[Vinay2013]

Vinay would u know any names of the shops, cos i believe Denny has shifted his outlet from the previous premises, thx in advance

Sight And Sound India Private Limited , Ghitorni , Delhi
Sound Lounge, MG Road
Onkyo Store, MGF Metropoliton Mall

Not sure about Denny as not in touch, but otherwise he is a nice guy with good advice.

 

[Santy]

My suggestion based on recent exposures.
Get a pair of Genelec M030 (95k)
Audiolab M-DAC (69k)
Balanced ICs and Coax - 5k
Total : Rs. 169k
You will not upgrade for a long time. Its a challenge.

 

[pawan2012]

Dear Gobble, Thx for your advise,
I am a Airline Pilot, so i keep headphones at least 3-4 hrs every day, so not any more, but appreciated.
Regards
Pawan

 

[Ambio]

Dear Gobble, Thx for your advise,
I am a Airline Pilot, so i keep headphones at least 3-4 hrs every day, so not any more, but appreciated.
Regards
Pawan

:lol::lol::lol:

 

[reignofchaos]

Dear Gobble, Thx for your advise,
I am a Airline Pilot, so i keep headphones at least 3-4 hrs every day, so not any more, but appreciated.
Regards
Pawan

That was a real funny retort. Made my day!

Anyways coming to the point, Pawan I'd suggest you look around in the NCR area with the better d&ds and see what you like. Actually since you are a pilot, you have the luxury of picking up something from abroad easily as well. I'd stick my neck out and say buy what sounds good to your ears. Internet opinion is good in shortlisting products but finally what satisfies you in the long run is what matters.

Please do be aware of only one thing - do not make a decision to buy something in haste. Whatever sounds great in the first few minutes may or may not be a good option when you listen at the comfort of your home. Many components that impress at first listen may end up being fatiguing long term. Please do keep that at the back of your head.

Happy hunting for your first audio setup!

 

[asliarun]

If you use your avr as a preamp, you can buy a good, powerful power amp and have a pre/power setup. Such a setup would beat most integrateds in similar price point, and the power amp will be powerful enough to drive most speakers.

Personally, I believe that if an amp is decent enough quality and has enough reserve power, it can be paired with most speakers.

This strategy allows you to stop thinking about the amp and focus on the speakers that work for you.

 

[gobble]

Dear Gobble, Thx for your advise,
I am a Airline Pilot, so i keep headphones at least 3-4 hrs every day, so not any more, but appreciated.
Regards
Pawan

Oh that's interesting to know. I hope your audio project takes-off smoothly.

So are you looking for a solid state amp or valve amp? Solid state is comparable to a modern jet engine while valve gear are like a turbo-prop. Your speaker selection will depend on which route you want to fly. So you need a flight plan before your audio journey as well.

Some other things you need in a pre-flight checklist include:

1. Do I want to spend upwards of $1000 for a good CDP/DAC or will a $200 fanless PC with a $600 DAC combined with a $200 wireless hdd give me more flexibility? The benefits of a PC based setup can be equated to mid-air refueling. You can download free stuff even as you fly and play back instantly rather than land to burn a CD before you listen.

2. What kind of cabling will do the trick? A typical aircraft has a few miles of cabling but in audio less than 3 feet is best. In fact the shorter your cabling the lesser the impact of emi/rf and the higher you can fly.

3. Do I have space for large speakers in my listening room or should I look at wall mounted? Some speakers need at least a 2 to 3 feet clearance from the rear and side walls to sound their best. Otherwise you end up spending $1000 on speakers but get the performance output equivalent of a $ 300 speaker in terms of sonics. Just like the wake of a lead aircraft can create turbulence for the following aircraft, sound waves reflecting from the rear wall too close to some speakers will create difficult flying conditions sonically. The size of the room will also determine the listening distance, accounting for the space behind the speakers. Sitting too close to the speakers will be like standing right in front of a jet engine as it powers up. You know the safety procedures...

4. Do I need a subwoofer to complement the speakers I zero in on? A good subwoofer is like sturdy dependable landing gear in audio. You know you can rely on it when the musical weather mimics a thunderstorm and you need to navigate around it for a safe touchdown. The travelling subsonic frequencies of a subwoofer across the floors, doors and walls can also act as a communication channel with the ATC (the wife). With it you can beacon your location to the ATC constantly so the ATC knows you are not outside anywhere messing around with a hostess somewhere. No more missing aircraft accompanied by domestic upheavals and personal tragedies.

5. Do I want an Integrated or can I afford separates - preamp and power amp? A preamp is like a turbo-prop or turbo-jet technology. Without it may be comparable to flying a plain propeller aircraft or early technology jet engine. It can affect your maneuverability and the distance you cover on the path to sonic nirvana.

5. Lastly a pre-flight checklist will also help you budget so you are not stranded on the runway of a remote island with no money to refuel. Imagine spending all the money on CDP amp speakers and then realizing you have no money left for speaker cables?

And not in the least, thank you for enlightening me about your preferences about headphones. A good headphone setup at half the budget can overcome the shortcomings of an expensive speaker setup if not done to perfection over time and many iterations - like trial runs before an actual landing. [emoji4] But many people feel using a headphone setup is like using a flight simulator - its not the real thing. Real men (and real pilots) prefer to fly - the real thing. You can fly a jumbo at home with with an uber expensive headphone setup, but it won't be comparable to the joy of flying a light propeller aircraft for real.

I hope my somewhat longish post was useful in some ways, and not a complete waste of your time. [emoji5]

Cheers
G0bble

 

[Santy]

If you use your avr as a preamp, you can buy a good, powerful power amp and have a pre/power setup. Such a setup would beat most integrateds in similar price point, and the power amp will be powerful enough to drive most speakers.

AVRs (entry to mid level) have very poor quality pre-outs. I would recommend an integrated any day than an AVR+ power amp in the same price point. Ofcourse, there could be exceptions.