Polk audio vs Sonodyne

[SIDEWINDER18X]

Would have been a perfect replica of my thoughts except the word "BOSE"

I have used Sonodyne for more than 12-13 years. Used many of their "hit" models. I used to swear by their quality until I came across different hi-fi brands. And I realized that they are really BAD. Then I came across many more "History" of their product and all that ...

Don't hate Bose for there acoutimass subs. See what had they contributed in their earlier 201,301,501,601 & 901.

 

[elangoas]

Sonodyne and Philips India have fooled us from decades before the invasion of foreign brands into India officially. American & European speakers are much much ahead in terms of overall technology, r&d & innovations. Taking consideration on tonal quality and uncolored sonic purity, ambiance, realistic lifelike reproduction ....... Each and ever aspect, is a result of dedication and effortless commitment to produce these astonishing and outstanding marvels that speak for themselves. Starting from early seventies till today they have left a mark, an identity that is acclaimed world wide.
As for eg. AR, BOSE, JBL, EV, TANNOY, KEF, POLK, JAMO, WARFEDALE, CELESTION, LEAK, BOSTON....... and many more .....
Leaving apart the hi-end brands like... Martin Logan , B&W, JM LABS, GENESIS ........
Where does Sonodyne stands here. Uses crap Peerless India drivers and earlier Bolton.
Do they have any such model of speakers that had set an imprint into the hi-fi world of excellence and compete with these legendary brands.
Do not hesitate in choosing POLK.

Hmmmmm.....

The brands that you mentioned above are all BIG brands which export their Home Audio products to other countries as well....I don't think that Sonodyne exported their Home Audio products to any other country...

As mentioned by dr kaushik, Sonodyne Professional Audio products is doing good... They are gaining the market & you will hear there name soon.....

Regarding what materials are being used in speakers.... Please make apple to Apple comparison.....

When you are comparing, compare Sonodyne Sonus series with Polk TSi,RTi, Wharfedlae Diamond 9.x/10.x series (or) more precisely dome tweeters + kevlar woofers with polypropelene etc... & not with Ribbon & metal tweeters....

I would never say "CRAP"... Because everything is built to a cost....

Sonodyne Avant series is made of Die cast aluminium which i have never come across in any other international brand hyeah: When you talk about speaker cabinet material, Aluminium are the BEST.... Which brand of the above speakers have Aluminium speakers ? are they affordable like Sonodyne Avant ?

 

[vnmathur57]

Spewing venom for Desi products is part of our national character. But as already said here, one should always compare an apple ith an apple only.

 

[SIDEWINDER18X]

Hmmmmm.....
As mentioned by dr kaushik, Sonodyne Professional Audio products is doing good... They are gaining the market & you will hear there name soon.....

Sonodyne is a master of all jack. As I quoted earlier "after the official invasion of foreign brand into India". Their regular home hi-fi stuff got the most of the beating. Resulted in real trouble for survival and bad periods for them in those days. Took a u-turn, striking for reforms in their business. Which led them for no option to move towards pro-sound. Initially they cloned most of the JBL designs and gave demo all around the rental co. in Calcutta.
Were totally unsuccessful in that . Then they went into installed sound. By hook or crook nabbing all the big elite places thu their influence and lucrative sources.
By Under cutting quotations and some times at cost price just to get an input. Once in, then they knew how to play the game.
But this move didn't worked with the rental companies.
They didn't realized that pro-audio mills out money and the end users are pro rental companies. They cannot be bluffed or fooled in anyways. Most of them has access to all the hardware parts as drivers, compressions, flairs, x-overs and built boxes which is similar to what Sonodyne uses. Like P-AUDIO stuff easily available all around . Again here choosing Sonodyne as replacement option instead of existing big brands like JBL, EV, PEAVEY, EAW, MACKIE, TURBO-SOUND, MAYERS, RCF ,DAS and others is out of the question. The brand value and overall impact of these branded sound guarantees them with the revenue they earn. A Sonodyne set up will not help them get anywhere, neither mill out the bucks out of the business.

 

[SIDEWINDER18X]

Spewing venom for Desi products is part of our national character. But as already said here, one should always compare an apple ith an apple only.

I am not criticizing desi stuff. But this is an eye opener for everyone. We just cannot gulp all the crap around us and be proud to be desi or swadeshi. When there is a option of open window for comparison. Unfortunately in earlier days this choice were limited. It was times when Philips India was proudly setting breaking record in selling "POWER HOUSE" music system nationwide.

 

[SIDEWINDER18X]

Hmmmmm.....
I would never say "CRAP"... Because everything is built to a cost...
Sonodyne Avant series is made of Die cast aluminium which i have never come across in any other international brand hyeah: When you talk about speaker cabinet material, Aluminium are the BEST.... Which brand of the above speakers have Aluminium speakers ? are they affordable like Sonodyne Avant ?

Aluminum enclosures in loudspeakers are past history in the seventies. Remember
TECHNICS, AKAI, JVC, REALISTIC, VISONIC DAVID..........
If they were so good why no one makes them any more. It is only practiced today to cut cost & save time in mass production. Where injection molding or pressure casting of aluminum is faster, cheaper and reduces multi-stage of processing.
1. Casting.
2. De-blurred manually or automatically
3. Treated & painted for final finish.
Just 3 stage of processing.
Where as wood working is time consuming, laborious and expensive.
Under goes more stages of processing to get the final finished product.

 

[srinivasgillella43]

recently bought sonus v3.no other company offers sound to performance ratio as sonodyne even hard core audiophile givs atleast 4 stars.they cant be ruled out completely frm d competion deserves some respect

 

[elangoas]

Sonodyne is a master of all jack. As I quoted earlier "after the official invasion of foreign brand into India". Their regular home hi-fi stuff got the most of the beating. Resulted in real trouble for survival and bad periods for them in those days. Took a u-turn, striking for reforms in their business. Which led them for no option to move towards pro-sound. Initially they cloned most of the JBL designs and gave demo all around the rental co. in Calcutta.
Were totally unsuccessful in that . Then they went into installed sound. By hook or crook nabbing all the big elite places thu their influence and lucrative sources.
By Under cutting quotations and some times at cost price just to get an input. Once in, then they knew how to play the game.
But this move didn't worked with the rental companies.
They didn't realized that pro-audio mills out money and the end users are pro rental companies. They cannot be bluffed or fooled in anyways. Most of them has access to all the hardware parts as drivers, compressions, flairs, x-overs and built boxes which is similar to what Sonodyne uses. Like P-AUDIO stuff easily available all around . Again here choosing Sonodyne as replacement option instead of existing big brands like JBL, EV, PEAVEY, EAW, MACKIE, TURBO-SOUND, MAYERS, RCF ,DAS and others is out of the question. The brand value and overall impact of these branded sound guarantees them with the revenue they earn. A Sonodyne set up will not help them get anywhere, neither mill out the bucks out of the business.

I don't know much about Professional Audio.. So can't really comment....

There is a difference between established brands & a developing brand that is trying to create a mark for itself... In that process, they could have made models which looks alike the competition.. That doesn't mean they are copying & giving crap..... It is to stay with the competition

Aluminum enclosures in loudspeakers are past history in the seventies. Remember
TECHNICS, AKAI, JVC, REALISTIC, VISONIC DAVID..........
If they were so good why no one makes them any more. It is only practiced today to cut cost & save time in mass production. Where injection molding or pressure casting of aluminum is faster, cheaper and reduces multi-stage of processing.
1. Casting.
2. De-blurred manually or automatically
3. Treated & painted for final finish.
Just 3 stage of processing.
Where as wood working is time consuming, laborious and expensive.
Under goes more stages of processing to get the final finished product.

If Aluminium material is easy for production why didn't the companies use it today for speakers in Home Audio..Aluminium is also expensive compared to MDF...

 

[elangoas]

I am not criticizing desi stuff. But this is an eye opener for everyone. We just cannot gulp all the crap around us and be proud to be desi or swadeshi. When there is a option of open window for comparison. Unfortunately in earlier days this choice were limited. It was times when Philips India was proudly setting breaking record in selling "POWER HOUSE" music system nationwide.

On the Home Audio products range, they have good range but not really nothing to brag about (Except the Avant range) when compared to international brand....

When someone takes effort to stand-up to international brands and give some products, letz not call them crap...

 

[subbubusk]

I don't know much about Professional Audio.. So can't really comment....

There is a difference between established brands & a developing brand that is trying to create a mark for itself... In that process, they could have made models which looks alike the competition.. That doesn't mean they are copying & giving crap..... It is to stay with the competition



If Aluminium material is easy for production why didn't the companies use it today for speakers in Home Audio..Aluminium is also expensive compared to MDF...

Even if sonodyne comes in gold platted, it will produce only crappy sound. It gives high decibel sound ,like the loud speakers used in road side meetings and temple festivals; giving head aches to every one.If we don't have any alternatives,if govt bans all imported audio stuffs then we can look for those sonodyne speakers.Meanwhile enjoy the quality audio with quality speakers.

 

[elangoas]

Even if sonodyne comes in gold platted, it will produce only crappy sound. It gives high decibel sound ,like the loud speakers used in road side meetings and temple festivals; giving head aches to every one.

With due respect to your comments, looks like you have a problem with the brand & not with the products...hyeah:

 

[subbubusk]

With due respect to your comments, looks like you have a problem with the brand & not with the products...hyeah:

It is not about the brand whether local or imported,it should produce gud quality what it meant for,I had solidare bw and colour tv for 20 yrs,which had gr8 quality, long lasting tv.We buying products for its quality not for the local or imported tags.If sonodyne pleased my ears when auditioning ,i should have gone for it and stand with you shouting for sonodynes.It is not the case,so im opposing it.Maruti and ambassador ruled india.Now with all foreign car companies watch the car market.You want a great journey or loyal to indian make .A product is judged by its pure merit only, not by local or videsi tags.

 

[krishnakanth_590]

@ SIDEWINDER18X .... After reading your earlier posts, I came to a belief that you have extensive knowledge on audio brands and their products and I assume that you came to such a conclusion (about Sonodyne) after using Sonodyne, other foreign brands and then comparing both.

"AWARENESS IS ALIVENESS"

Most of the people in the forum and consumers around the world aren't even aware of the brands that you compared the Sonodyne and Philips with. The reasons might be 1) Ignorance of the consumers 2) They doesn't care or bother about other brands as long as the ones in their houses are working fine 3) Absence of those brands in India 4) and most importantly because of their Price.

If, in their lifetime, they get a chance to hear those elite systems, I am sure that they will love those Hi-Fi, ground braking music systems, but they won't sell off their property to buy those systems hyeah:

No one in this forum is saying that SONODYNE is the best. I don't support such argument even if someone says that. But, I don't agree with your statement referring Sonodyne as crap either.

I used to listen to the Intex 5.1 speakers (whose MRP was around 3-4k) when I was kid, 12 years ago and now I can purchase a mid range AVR and a couple of floor standers. But, that doesn't mean I disrespect the Intex speakers. Still, thousands of people buy them and enjoy their first HT system. They might not be in this forum though. But, they will eventually show up in this forum one day like me. I fully agree with elangoas. Leave Sonodyne, I will still not consider the Intex speakers as crap.

Please don't disrespect and look down on any brand (Sonodyne, BOSE, Astonia ... ). No matter how bad they are to you, there are numbers of people who use them and love them.

 

[koushik]

Sonodyne doesn't sound true for stereo at all. Lack of body in entire range of frequencies, horrible timbre and texture and harsh lackluster midrange. Even a CA S30 and PSB Alpha B1 sounded better and true than Sonodyne 1501 V3.

When I auditioned Sonodyne Roarr 210 (that time I was still a huge fan of Sonodyne), I couldn't believe that subwoofer is actually sounding that bad! I tried with lot of tracks and it sound same. No firmness, no tight bottom end ... just a blotted, loose bass. I visited the showroom to buy it and not for mere demo but returned without buying it.

Making crap only for making it cheap is not of any credit. This is world of hifi ...

 

[elangoas]

It is not about the brand whether local or imported,it should produce gud quality what it meant for,I had solidare bw and colour tv for 20 yrs,which had gr8 quality, long lasting tv.We buying products for its quality not for the local or imported tags.If sonodyne pleased my ears when auditioning ,i should have gone for it and stand with you shouting for sonodynes.It is not the case,so im opposing it.Maruti and ambassador ruled india.Now with all foreign car companies watch the car market.You want a great journey or loyal to indian make .A product is judged by its pure merit only, not by local or videsi tags.

So you had auditioned them & you didn't like it.. Perfect... Point taken....But just because a product didn't please you, doesn't mean it is CRAP....

I have auditioned quite a bunch of FS before taking Sonodyne Sonus 2605 FS... I could only afford for Sonodyne in my budget.. That doesn't mean the rest of brands sound CRAP...

If Ambassador & Maruti were revised with world class features, atlest half the crowd would have remained within themselves for the sheer reliability of the product, aval of spares

 

[subbubusk]

@ SIDEWINDER18X .... After reading your earlier posts, I came to a belief that you have extensive knowledge on audio brands and their products and I assume that you came to such a conclusion (about Sonodyne) after using Sonodyne, other foreign brands and then comparing both.

"AWARENESS IS ALIVENESS"

Most of the people in the forum and consumers around the world aren't even aware of the brands that you compared the Sonodyne and Philips with. The reasons might be 1) Ignorance of the consumers 2) They doesn't care or bother about other brands as long as the ones in their houses are working fine 3) Absence of those brands in India 4) and most importantly because of their Price.

If, in their lifetime, they get a chance to hear those elite systems, I am sure that they will love those Hi-Fi, ground braking music systems, but they won't sell off their property to buy those systems hyeah:

No one in this forum is saying that SONODYNE is the best. I don't support such argument even if someone says that. But, I don't agree with your statement referring Sonodyne as crap either.

I used to listen to the Intex 5.1 speakers (whose MRP was around 3-4k) when I was kid, 12 years ago and now I can purchase a mid range AVR and a couple of floor standers. But, that doesn't mean I disrespect the Intex speakers. Still, thousands of people buy them and enjoy their first HT system. They might not be in this forum though. But, they will eventually show up in this forum one day like me. I fully agree with elangoas. Leave Sonodyne, I will still not consider the Intex speakers as crap.

Please don't disrespect and look down on any brand (Sonodyne, BOSE, Astonia ... ). No matter how bad they are to you, there are numbers of people who use them and love them.

If you silently enjoy within yourself , who is bothered to disturb.The problem comes when claiming for comparison .It is not about hurting individuals sentiments who using.Everybody starts with bicycle then motorcycle and then graduated to cars,suvs,luxurious car etc. Everyone has budget limitations.This is for people who have budget should not satisfy with least quality because of desi tag.

 

[sl4y3r]

Guys, To each his/her own.

What one may consider the best sound he/she has ever heard, another may never use, even if it were given for free. What matters is that YOU like what YOU hear, that's all.

About the fact that on of our FM mentioned above that his Audiophile friend says Sonodyne was good is a pretty commendable thing. I do not know how much of an audiophile he is, but I would assume he knows what he's talking and has made his judgement comparing Sonodyne's to something much more elite.

 

[elangoas]

Sonodyne doesn't sound true for stereo at all. Lack of body in entire range of frequencies, horrible timbre and texture and harsh lackluster midrange. Even a CA S30 and PSB Alpha B1 sounded better and true than Sonodyne 1501 V3.

When I auditioned Sonodyne Roarr 210 (that time I was still a huge fan of Sonodyne), I couldn't believe that subwoofer is actually sounding that bad! I tried with lot of tracks and it sound same. No firmness, no tight bottom end ... just a blotted, loose bass. I visited the showroom to buy it and not for mere demo but returned without buying it.

Making crap only for making it cheap is not of any credit. This is world of hifi ...

Looks like you have a good ear to judge the products.....May be partnering amplifier could have been the culprit here...

I have paired the same Sonus 1501 V3 with Harmom Kardon AVR & it sounded really a good combo to my ears.... Source was just Sony DVD player...Results would have been good, it we had used a proper CD player....

Sonodyne Roarr 210 is rear ported & needs careful positioning... If it is placed very close to the wall, it might start sounding boomy....

I own the Sonodyne Studio Monitor Series SLF 200Ai series & not even felt once what you had mentioned above....

 

[krishnakanth_590]

The problem comes when claiming for comparison

I have not seen any Sonodyne user in the forum craving to compare their speakers with Hifi foreign brands. Most of them bought Sonodyne because they are on budget and they are well aware of the fact that there are numerous speakers in the world, which sound better than Sonodyne. They can live with it. Even though there are so many people bashing the brand, I can still see people going ahead and buying Sonodyne products (on HiFiMart at least). That gives me some confidence to stay on Sonodyne's side in this debate.

Everybody starts with bicycle then motorcycle and then graduated to cars,suvs,luxurious car etc

That doesn't mean the person with a luxurious car has the sole authority to call bicycle and motorcycle crap, because he had used one in past

This is for people who have budget should not satisfy with least quality because of desi tag.

Well said!
Even I am in search of speakers and AVR for my HT Room that is under construction and I am sincerely asking you to please list out some three way floor standing speakers which cost <30k and sounds better than Sonodyne Sonus2605. Please don't say that it depends on personal taste and efficiency of one's ears.


There is no harm in having an opinion. The problem comes when we consider our opinion as fact.

 

[koushik]

Elangoas,

It is ofcourse purely my opinion on the product. I wouldn't impose it on anybody. But if anyone is looking for suggestions and I am in position to suggest him/her, I will try suggest him/her a product that sounded better to me and at the same time would suggest to get an audition and decide.

It is all about HIS ear. This is his hobby and if HE likes it, well and good. Atleast, they are not over pricing insanely (indicating BOSE), so yes cost to performance is quite good if not excellent.