Need help selecting a AV Set up

[kevinraul]

Hi,

I am looking a purchasing a home theatre set up for my house and this will be my first one. Since i have never owned one before i do not know much about the options that are available but have been visiting dealers and trawling the net. I am getting a Yamaha HTR 6040 with JAMO S406 speaker set(minus the sub) for 26K or just the 6040 for 10K and a Denon AVR 1306 for 15K. If i take just the receiver then i am getting the following prices for speakers.

Polk TSI300, 18.5K for two towers
Polk Monitor 50, 18.5K for 2 towers
Mordaunt Short 9041, 18.5K for 2 towers
Jamo S 606, 24K for 2 towers

There is also an offer for the Yamaha RX V463 with the NSP 8390 speaker set, 5 speakers, for 36K

The maximum that i could stretch is 40K, on the higher end but would prefer to keep it within 35K. Since this is an initial set up i am looking at something that i can use to learn and enjoy for the next couple of years. Don't mind buying just the front speakers and adding on the rest later slowly.

Personally i liked the Polks the best and the Yamaha sounded a little too thumpy, is that a word???, for me.

Would appreciate any assistance that anyone could give me on this. As well as if anyone could educate me on the subject.

Thanks

 

[marsilians]

Its good you have a budget and determined the brands. I highly recommend a sub. 8 inches or larger powered.

If Yamaha sounded thumpy, you can always play around with the various DSP modes and see which ones sound better than others. Both Denon and Yamaha are good brands. If you end up liking Denon I suggest go with Polk TSi, Monitor or Jamo to balance the AVR sound characteristic.

If you are still looking for speakers, Kef is another good choice.

Hi,

I am looking a purchasing a home theatre set up for my house and this will be my first one. Since i have never owned one before i do not know much about the options that are available but have been visiting dealers and trawling the net. I am getting a Yamaha HTR 6040 with JAMO S406 speaker set(minus the sub) for 26K or just the 6040 for 10K and a Denon AVR 1306 for 15K. If i take just the receiver then i am getting the following prices for speakers.

Polk TSI300, 18.5K for two towers
Polk Monitor 50, 18.5K for 2 towers
Mordaunt Short 9041, 18.5K for 2 towers
Jamo S 606, 24K for 2 towers

There is also an offer for the Yamaha RX V463 with the NSP 8390 speaker set, 5 speakers, for 36K

The maximum that i could stretch is 40K, on the higher end but would prefer to keep it within 35K. Since this is an initial set up i am looking at something that i can use to learn and enjoy for the next couple of years. Don't mind buying just the front speakers and adding on the rest later slowly.

Personally i liked the Polks the best and the Yamaha sounded a little too thumpy, is that a word???, for me.

Would appreciate any assistance that anyone could give me on this. As well as if anyone could educate me on the subject.

Thanks

 

[kevinraul]

I was leaning towards the Yamaha receiver, price point to be honest. But that would leave me more room to play around with for the speakers. And featurewise the 6040 seemed to be better than the Denon 1306. Any suggestions on that front?

The Yamaha plus the JAMO 406 looks like a good deal since i get the entire setup minus the sub. I have another chap who says he can get me the JAMO sub for 13K. Or should i go with just the fronts, (the Polks sounded better than the JAMOs) and maybe a sub to start with?

 

[marsilians]

The issue is you are getting L/R speakers and no center and no sub. So that means that you listen to movies in stereo mode. This would mean that the fronts would have to take care of all the dialogues (main purpose of center) as well as low frequency effects. I don't believe floor standers would do a job across this whole frequency range. So I am suggesting atleast go with a sub so you can make it take care of the LFE.


Yamaha w/ Polk is a pretty good combo for movies.

I was leaning towards the Yamaha receiver, price point to be honest. But that would leave me more room to play around with for the speakers. And featurewise the 6040 seemed to be better than the Denon 1306. Any suggestions on that front?

The Yamaha plus the JAMO 406 looks like a good deal since i get the entire setup minus the sub. I have another chap who says he can get me the JAMO sub for 13K. Or should i go with just the fronts, (the Polks sounded better than the JAMOs) and maybe a sub to start with?

 

[kevinraul]

Thanks for the simplified answers

The Yammy plus the Polks (which i really liked the sound of) would work out to about 28.5K, which leaves me with some spare for a sub. Thing is he has an Onkyo Sub that he says he will give me for 11K. Do not remember the model number but it is "300W downfiring" according to him. An there is the other shop that will give me a JAMO sub, part of the 406 package, for 13K. Do i need to go for a specific sub for the speaker or will any sub do?

Everyone has been telling me that Yamaha speakers do not compare with these other brands that i have mentioned. And they did sound a bit thumpy as i said. But you said i could correct that with the settings. I ask since the Yamaha package for 36K otherwise sounded allright. If not then i can pick up the L/F speakers and the sub and wait for a bit to get the center and surrounds

 

[marsilians]

Thanks for the simplified answers

The Yammy plus the Polks (which i really liked the sound of) would work out to about 28.5K, which leaves me with some spare for a sub. Thing is he has an Onkyo Sub that he says he will give me for 11K. Do not remember the model number but it is "300W downfiring" according to him. An there is the other shop that will give me a JAMO sub, part of the 406 package, for 13K. Do i need to go for a specific sub for the speaker or will any sub do?

You can buy any brand sub. Just make sure it is is powered and atleast 8 inch driver. 10 is even better. Typically you could look at Polk subs as well as they are one of the better ones at the price point.

Everyone has been telling me that Yamaha speakers do not compare with these other brands that i have mentioned. And they did sound a bit thumpy as i said. But you said i could correct that with the settings. I ask since the Yamaha package for 36K otherwise sounded allright. If not then i can pick up the L/F speakers and the sub and wait for a bit to get the center and surrounds

Sorry maybe I was not clear. I do not suggest the Yamaha speakers though my point was that you could play around with DSP settings for the speakers to not sound so bad. Typically what I have seen in the so called 'audition' sessions are that the system is never tuned properly. Add to this the external noises and it just does not make for a good session. Many AV stores employ associates with small pay and bonus incentive that is purely based on sales. So they will try everything in the book to sell you. Just be aware of this.

What I suggested was the Yamaha AVR with Polk speakers. You could defnitely start with L/R and a sub and then add center SR/SL in that order for movies.

 

[sid_lochan]

Hi,
If i take just the receiver then i am getting the following prices for speakers.

Polk TSI300, 18.5K for two towers
Polk Monitor 50, 18.5K for 2 towers
Mordaunt Short 9041, 18.5K for 2 towers
Jamo S 606, 24K for 2 towers

Hi Kevin,

That is quite good price for TSI-300! Can you tell me where in Mumbai you are getting these prices.

Enjoy!
Sid

 

[kevinraul]

Hi Sid,

I am getting these from Viola Audio in DN Nagar Andheri. The shop is just opposite the police station there. There are two other shops in the same line where i got the other rates for the speakers from. One is called The Shop, dont remember the others name. He had a Wharfdale 9 for 28K for two towers as well, in case you are interested

Marsilians, i am hoping that the 6040 will be available when i go to get it. My usage is going to be biased towards music. Say 75 / 25 music / movies. Will the Polks be good for that? Have not really seen many users pushing those. Jamos everyone seems to be pretty positive about.

I only wish i had some more cash to splurge on the speakers

 

[afj]

kevin
why dont you look at bookshelves instead of towers. the bass is pretty decent out of some of them in that budget and esp if youre going in for a sub then you dont need the floorstanders

 

[kevinraul]

AJF,

I did look at some bookshelves, but didnt like them. To be honest i was biased towards floorstanders so that may have played a part. I am leaning towards those since i could spend a little more on towers now and add in the rest later. That way even if i have only the front speakers i wont be missing out on much. With bookshelves i will definitly need a sub, right??

My budget of 40K is stretched at that amount. So if i am spending that much in one go id rather push for a complete set. Else i would like to restrict myself to 30K. Thanks mate!!

Just checked again and i am getting the display piece yamaha HTR 6030 for 9K and the HTR 6040 for 11K. Do i need the 6040 or is the 6030 adquate? Or should i look for other options?

 

[afj]

kevin
at that price point, imo you get better quality bookshelves at the same price than floorstanders. listen to a few good bookshelves at that range - perhaps the monitor audio silver series and the likes. in the end trust your ears

 

[kevinraul]

Do you have a few suggestions that i could possibly check out? I am going to this place called The Den in Worli, maybe they have some. Also does anyone know of good shops that i could go to to listen in to these options. I have only been to the three aforementioned shops in DN Nagar and Hypercity so far.