Starter Kit for Music - Norge or Yamaha or other?

[Teja]

Hi All,

I am looking for a decent stereo system and found out about Norge products (thanks HFV). Content will be only music (bollywood, tollywood, instrumental, classical, oldies, rock, pop - all sorts). Might hook it to the HTPC occasionally for watching movies - but that is not a major consideration, just a nice to have.

My initial budget was 20K. But Norge has raised prices and the 2060 (8.7K) with Millenium BS speakers (12.5K) comes to 22.3K with shipping. Nothing left for cabling, interconnects etc.

I stalked the classifieds for a while, but things are slow - and the good ones always seem to get snatched before I even get to see them

So, I've decided to be a bit more flexible with my budget and up it to 30K. But that suddenly opened a whole new world of choices

I am now leaning towards a Yamaha stereo receiver with Mission speakers. I am surprised to find that the Yamahas are priced quite sanely compared to their international prices (as against HK which wants to charge more than double in India). But I have no store to audition them in my town. Might have to make a trip to Hyderabad for this purpose.

Anyway, Yamaha RX-397 with Mission M32i/M33i = 29K approx

Do you think they make a good combo?
Is it better than the Norge + Millenium or Wharfedale 9.2 combo?
Any other good combos that can be had for under 30K?

I tried to read up on Marantz, HK and all the other stuff - but it is just too much to absorb at one go. Would appreciate a few receiver + speaker combo suggestions that fall in my budget. I am not biased (yet) and completely open to products of all makes & brands - Indian, Japanese, European, Chinese etc.

Thanks in advance for your advice & suggestions.

Cheers
Teja

 

[avidyarthy]

Settle for Norge 2060 + Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 or 9.2

Wharfs would cost @ 15 k, so, 9 + 15 = 24 K .... you get a fab stereo system at your disposal. Don't even look at the Yamahas.

The other VFM choice would be to import a Topping TP20 amp @ US $ 80 landed from ebay and buy 8 ohm ... > 88 dB sensitivity speakers like CA S30 or JBL Control 1. This combo would set you back by 4 k (amp) + 6.5 to 9 K (speakers). This is the ABSOLUTE best VFM. Study the 'Topping' thread on the Forum to understand as to what it is.

 

[sridheeraj]

Hello Teja,
Even I have in the quest for a decent stereo system in the budget of 30K (for the Amps & Speakers).
I had auditioned Wharf 9.2 with Norge2060 and Marantz PM6003. I have posted my reviews for the audition in the forum which you can read in your leisure. I very well liked the Marantz PM6003 amps,very musical. I had an eye set for its younger sibling Marantz PM 5003 which retails around 17K. The whole combination will be slightly over the budget (32K approx) but the extra money is worth. If you want to limit yourself to 25K then Norge may do well.

Hi All,

I am looking for a decent stereo system and found out about Norge products (thanks HFV). Content will be only music (bollywood, tollywood, instrumental, classical, oldies, rock, pop - all sorts). Might hook it to the HTPC occasionally for watching movies - but that is not a major consideration, just a nice to have.

My initial budget was 20K. But Norge has raised prices and the 2060 (8.7K) with Millenium BS speakers (12.5K) comes to 22.3K with shipping. Nothing left for cabling, interconnects etc.

I stalked the classifieds for a while, but things are slow - and the good ones always seem to get snatched before I even get to see them

So, I've decided to be a bit more flexible with my budget and up it to 30K. But that suddenly opened a whole new world of choices

I am now leaning towards a Yamaha stereo receiver with Mission speakers. I am surprised to find that the Yamahas are priced quite sanely compared to their international prices (as against HK which wants to charge more than double in India). But I have no store to audition them in my town. Might have to make a trip to Hyderabad for this purpose.

Anyway, Yamaha RX-397 with Mission M32i/M33i = 29K approx

Do you think they make a good combo?
Is it better than the Norge + Millenium or Wharfedale 9.2 combo?
Any other good combos that can be had for under 30K?

I tried to read up on Marantz, HK and all the other stuff - but it is just too much to absorb at one go. Would appreciate a few receiver + speaker combo suggestions that fall in my budget. I am not biased (yet) and completely open to products of all makes & brands - Indian, Japanese, European, Chinese etc.

Thanks in advance for your advice & suggestions.

Cheers
Teja

 

[Teja]

Thanks for the replies.

- Settle for Norge 2060 + Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 or 9.2
- Don't even look at the Yamahas.
- The other VFM choice would be to import a Topping TP20 amp

I will audition Norge (along with others) the next time I am in Hyd.

I wonder why the Yamahas are not popular despite good specs & pricing. I assume there is a good reason, so I am dropping them from consideration.

I have seen the Topping TP20 thread. But I want something with a bit more power - I like to pump up the volume sometimes.

Even I have in the quest for a decent stereo system in the budget of 30K (for the Amps & Speakers). I had auditioned Wharf 9.2 with Norge2060 and Marantz PM6003. I have posted my reviews for the audition in the forum which you can read in your leisure. I very well liked the Marantz PM6003 amps,very musical. I had an eye set for its younger sibling Marantz PM 5003 which retails around 17K. The whole combination will be slightly over the budget (32K approx) but the extra money is worth. If you want to limit yourself to 25K then Norge may do well.

Thank you. I read your post about your audition experience. I will add the Marantz to my audition list.

Wharfedale 9.2 BS seem to be the favorite speakers on HFV and Norge is a most recommended amplifier. Maybe I should just take your word for it, skip the audition and just get them.... hmm...

Cheers.

 

[madbullram]

Teja: Topping is really good. Dont let the specs fool you, I cant use it beyond its 50% volume without my neighbor breaking my doors. They are far better than Norge.

 

[aeroash]

i came across this link when i was hunting for an amp myself

you can try this link....
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR -540A ( AMPLIFER ) - Bangalore - Electronics



i've personally never tested a Norge....but the Cambridge Audio has quite a few fans in our forum....not sure of the rates though (last time i confirmed i was quoted 20k for the amp and the CA 540c cdp together)..so the amp shouldn't be more than 11k

get the amp first then audition and buy speakers that sound to you the best in your budget.... the Source is a very very important factor in the sound though.

don't forget the Tannoy F1 custom ... you can audition the mordaunt short avant 902i as well ...both within your budget...a forum member can probably help you out on the correct pricing of these speakers.

btw what are u using as a source?

 

[madbullram]

Aero: Speaker is the most imp component, not the other way around.

 

[avidyarthy]

I respect what Mr. Bajaj of Norge Audio has achieved during all these years by providing such sweet sounding equipment at VFM rates.

Something stops me from raising the flag and telling the prospective buyers that Topping is far better in music quality than Norge amps or ANY other amp within 30 k ..... but, alas, it is TRUE. One only has to 'search' and obtain the right speakers to couple it to the Topping. Believe me, it is easy too, since the Topping amp weighs less than a kg, so, very convenient to carry it to audition the speakers .....

Teja: Topping is really good. Dont let the specs fool you, I cant use it beyond its 50% volume without my neighbor breaking my doors. They are far better than Norge.

 

[Teja]

Teja: Topping is really good. Dont let the specs fool you, I cant use it beyond its 50% volume without my neighbor breaking my doors. They are far better than Norge.

OK, I was able to infect a cousin with the HiFi bug. And we have decided to get the Topping TP20 or TP30 and also keep looking for a more conventional amp (with multiple inputs). Nice to have company in this venture

btw what are u using as a source?

My main source is a rather old Norcent DVD Player with optical out. It is a re-badged LiteOn. Other sources are Sandisk Fuze & HTPC. I decided to stick with a under 10K amp for now. Want to learn a bit more about the scene before splurging on a more expensive amp.

Something stops me from raising the flag and telling the prospective buyers that Topping is far better in music quality than Norge amps or ANY other amp within 30 k ..... but, alas, it is TRUE. One only has to 'search' and obtain the right speakers to couple it to the Topping. Believe me, it is easy too, since the Topping amp weighs less than a kg, so, very convenient to carry it to audition the speakers .....

You really seem to be enjoying your Topping amp. I will be placing my order this week. I read through your posts on the Topping thread - lot of info and details. Thank you.

Cheers.

 

[madbullram]

If you are just going to use it as amp (no need of DAC) go for tp20, the bass is more in TP20

 

[biyer]

The other VFM choice would be to import a Topping TP20 amp @ US $ 80 landed from ebay and buy 8 ohm ... > 88 dB sensitivity speakers like CA S30 or JBL Control 1. This combo would set you back by 4 k (amp) + 6.5 to 9 K (speakers). This is the ABSOLUTE best VFM. Study the 'Topping' thread on the Forum to understand as to what it is.

Hi avidyarthy

How do the Control1 sound?? Do they have decent base?
I was considering a similar set for my PC as a secondary system.

@Teja
Why dont you audition a few setups yourself first?
That would help you make your choice.

 

[Teja]

If you are just going to use it as amp (no need of DAC) go for tp20, the bass is more in TP20

I am actually looking for a DAC also... but that can wait. I thought both TP20 & TP30 had the same chip and so was considering the TP30 for the DAC. But I have read up on the differences and am opting for the TP20 for now.

Why dont you audition a few setups yourself first?
That would help you make your choice.

I wish... In my corner of the world, choice in this area is almost nil. The only Audio store I am aware of carries mainly KH & JBL speakers for audition, that too only AVRs - no stereo amps. He has a nice collection of brochures though and was willing to order anything - but his prices are 15-20% more than what I see on HFV. For example, he quoted 17K for a pair of Wharfedale 9.2 BS.

I have work in Hyd and will be visiting the city soon. Will extend my stay by a day or two and hit all the audio stores for auditions. Also, I will be ordering the Topping TP20 this week. So I will pick up a set of matching speakers while in Hyd.

Thanks.

 

[Teja]

Bought the TP20 - but Paypal played spoilsport!

.... I will be ordering the Topping TP20 this week.

I bought theTP20 on eBay yesterday, but was unable to complete the payment as my debit card didn't work with Paypal. Apparently it is a very old format card and doesn't have the 3 CVC numbers on the back. Dang...

The bank branch manager was surprised when I showed him the card, apparently they stopped issuing those quite a while back. He was very helpful and promptly issued a new MasterCard international debit card on the spot. I am waiting for it to get activated (hopefully by today noon). Then I have to add it to paypal and verify it... wonder how long that takes.

In retrospect, I should have first created my paypal account and made sure it is working BEFORE making the purchase on eBay. I thought that Paypal would allow me to add funds through net banking (like PaisaPay on eBay.in) - but they only accept Credit or Debit cards. Bank account is only for withdrawing funds from your paypal account (if you are a seller) but not for adding funds to your paypal account. Lesson learnt.

....I will pick up a set of matching speakers while in Hyd.

A change of plans and my Dad is going to Hyd instead of me. He will get the speakers - I made a list of suitable speakers from the Topping thread. But any Hyderabad specific advice regarding speaker availability & pricing would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Teja]

Well, I just found out that Paypal doesn't accept debit cards from India

And I don't have a credit card :sad:

I guess that ends my attempt to purchase the Topping TP20. So..... back to shopping in India.

Thanks for all your advice.

Cheers
Teja

 

[Adhiraj]

I dont understand why so much negativity associated with Yamaha , you should check the reviews and ratings online in other forums before forming your opinion.I have used both NAD and Yamaha ,both amps have a different tonal character to them, Yamahas do exceedingly well with acoustic music and are beautifully revealing ,they do lack a bit in the bottom end .NADs however are bass heavy and highly musical if a little veiled in its rendering of Detail in the treble department.

You amp and speakers are equally important,it is very important to match the amp and speakers ,not only in specification but in their overall tonal character ,for example you can use a Yamaha with warm sounding speakers to give an overall neutral and revealing sound.If you use a NAD you will end up with booming bass and very little detail.NAD does very well with slightly bright speakers because of its rolled of treble reproduction.

So you see its not all black and white,don't write off products ,try them and form an opinion for yourself.

You can find a lot of info in this thread regarding amp and speaker combinations and how to arrive at the best possible compromise (oxymoron,unfortunately the audio world is full of them)

http://www.hifivision.com/speakers/13824-stereo-setup-small-room-5.html

 

[avidyarthy]

Why this frantic desperation?
Apply for a credit card .... 7 days it takes at the most! OR, use your Dad's, if he has one.

Well, I just found out that Paypal doesn't accept debit cards from India

And I don't have a credit card :sad:

I guess that ends my attempt to purchase the Topping TP20. So..... back to shopping in India.

Thanks for all your advice.

Cheers
Teja

 

[Teja]

Why this frantic desperation? Apply for a credit card .... 7 days it takes at the most! OR, use your Dad's, if he has one.

Not desperation, but it seems like jumping through too many hoops to complete one simple transaction.

Anyway, here is an update - my Dad visted Vectors in Hyd. They didn't have Norge in stock. The guy quoted 9.5K for the 2060 and 15.5K for a pair of Wharf 9.2s. Said that the Norge will be procured only against confirmed order. So no progress on that front either. Everything he had in the store was way too expensive for what I am prepared to spend on this.

The following has nothing to do with the amp, but an interesting experience none-the-less.

No one in the family has credit cards (I know.. in this day & age.... ). So I finally decided to apply for one, not just for the TP20, but to finally get a credit card for those rare instance where I might need one.

The SBI Rail Card fellows have been after been for a while now (my parents travel a lot = many transactions on the IRCTC site). The marketing guy said that I was "pre-approved" as I spend more than Rs 10,000 on train tickets every year and that I would get it within 3-4 days. It is free for life, offers 10% cash back on 2-Tier AC fares and also has some rewards scheme. So I gave them the green signal and the guy was in my office within 3 hours. Nice response time. Filled in the application with two free add-ons, one for my dad and one for my wife.

After two days the so called "verification" process started. It is no less than harassment. People started calling me on my mobile and land-line every few hours and ask me to give my complete bio-data. The first two times it happened, I was ok. But by the 4th call I was loosing my cool - what the heck? Why do they need to check same thing again and again. One person said that the previous call was local verification, and that he is calling from HO. Another person said that they call at different hours to verify that I am indeed available at that number at all hours etc etc.

Then one day some goonish looking fellow dropped by my office for "personal verification". He was rude and ill-mannered. Barged into my cabin and plonked into a seat without me offering him one. His whole demeanor was as if he was doing me a great favor by processing my credit card app. After putting up with him for a few minutes, I decided it was not worth the trouble and asked him to leave. He warned me that he will have to give a negative report if I didn't cooperate and my app would be rejected. I told him he can shove it anywhere he wants and I am least interested in it anymore, and warned him not to come to my home for verification. He left.

A few hours after that I got another call with the same song & dance about verification. I told her that I had answered all those questions four times now, I do not want to talk with them anymore. She said that she won't be able to proceed on my application without the verification. I said fine and hung-up. That evening I got an SMS saying that my application has been rejected for failing verification. Nice. So much for being "pre-approved".

My firm banks with SBI and all my staff (about 25) have salary accounts with SBI. I called the branch mgr and told about my experience in credit card. She apologized and said that the entire cards division is out-sourced and that they are getting a lot of complaints on it. She offered to get me a card quickly and without trouble if I were still interested. Thanks, but no thanks.

Well, that was that. I now realize that SBI was a poor choice - I simply went with it because they have been calling me for the past two months.

Meanwhile the seller has raised an "unpaid item" dispute against me on eBay.

I am now planning to open an account with HDFC - have been feeling the need to have an account with a private sector bank for a while now. SBI is good for regular work, but they have all the speed of molasses on a cold winter morning when you want something out of the normal routine.

And HDFC has this cool netSafe card feature that generates a one-time use credit card for online purchases. Best part is you do not need a credit card for that, you can generate a netSafe card using just your internet banking account. I hope I have a better experience with HDFC.

Cheers
Teja

 

[hemantwaghe]

Try private banks cards ,I have very good expereince with Stan C ..Esp Manhattan .

 

[metalmickey]

@ teja-norge 2060 for 9.5k is insane!!.it sells for 8.5 to 8.7 in chennai and norge 1000 is 11k!......yeah had the same trouble with trying to buy the topping as even i dont own an credit card(man!,got no respect for hot cash anymore?)ended up buying an norge 1000 @ 11k ten days back and paired it with my wharf 9.5's!.

 

[keith_correa]

Try private banks cards ,I have very good expereince with Stan C ..Esp Manhattan .

OMG, don't even get me started on StanChart's Manhattan.