I see people here discussing about getting the right speakers for your AVR. I liked the Diamond 10.7, 10 CM and 10 DFS. If you wanna know why i chose the Diamonds, read the long story here.
I'm on a Home Theater tour, here in chennai. Yes its not over yet! Enjoying every visit to the demo theaters around here. I've been to The Audio People, Cinebels, Grand Cinema and the Onkyo Showroom. I've listened to various setups with different AVR's and speakers.
1) Onkyo Showroom - Onkyo AVR with Polk Audio Fronts, Center, Surround and Subs. The demo guy played Ayan tamil movie on a DVD and some music. Not very impressive with the sound dept... I didn't even care to get the model nos.
Onkyo TX-SR608 - 38K.
2) Grand Cinema - Denon AVR-1911 with Wharfedale Diamond 10.6(Front), Diamond 10.CM(Center), 10.DFS(Surround) with 3 combinations of Subs including Diamond 10 MX-SUB, Diamond 10 GX-SUB and the Paradigm DSP-3200 Sub. This time around, i had my own set of media, as i couldn't decide listening to crap. I tried THE DARK KNIGHT Blu-Ray(Dolby True HD 5.1) first chapter and Transformers Blu-Ray(Dolby True HD) second chapter. I noticed a very refined, detailed mid coming from the fronts and center. In Transformers, when the operator says "Radar is jammed. I think its coming.... ", there will be a static noise and power shuts off with a thud. I was 8 ft from the Diamond 10.6 and Diamond 10 CM speakers and it slapped me on the face. That was one hell of a speaker for the price. Subs were shaking the floors a bit, but not as i expected it to be. The Paradigm DSP-3200 is the one sub which went to the lowest frequencies and it seemed soft to me. I believe, Grand Cinema is a family owned shop and the guy who addressed me was very informative, attentive, polite and carried a always ready to help, attitude. He listened to me totally. What i'm looking for, my budget for the setup and all that... Left the shop with a smile on my face. I've decided my fronts and center.
Diamond 10.6 - Rs.42,000
Diamond 10.CS - Rs.13,000
Diamond 10.CM - Rs.18,000
Diamond 10.DFS - Rs.12,000
Diamond 10.MX - Rs.28,000
Diamond 10.GX - Rs.36,000
Paradigm DSP-3200 - Rs.49,000
3) Cinebels - Marantz AVR with Klipsch RF-52(Front), RC-52(Center), RS-52(Surround), RW-10d(Sub). I had the same set of media here, just to compare. Volume was a bit on the higher side. To me the fronts and center were detailed and sounded like it doesn't miss anything. After 2 minutes i felt sound like noise. I'm not sure why. It might be the way the speakers are setup or the way the sales rep plays the content. In transformers, the bogie 4500X transforming in to a Decepticon Robot, doesn't sound very detailed and clean like the Wharfedales, not even close. And the power shutting off with a thud, in transformers was not slapping on my face. For the fatigue it gives its not worth it. The good thing i noticed here is the thunderous, floor shaking RW-10d Sub. It actually vibrates my trousers, just above my shoes. The sales guy here was very disturbed and unattentive. He also said he would play some western music after i played my content. And when he did, i felt like in a road side tea shop, with the volume cranked up to unbearable levels and i begged him to stop it. OMG! I actually came here to listen to the Jamo S 608 HCS 3 (54K for the complete package). He said, it got sold 2 days back, so couldn't test it. Sub is the most impressive one here
Klipsch RF-52 - Rs.52,000
Klipsch RC-52 - Rs.24,000
Klipsch RS-52 - Rs.47,000
Klipsch RW-10d - Rs.41,500
4) The audio people - Pioneer VSX-1020 with Monitor Audio fronts(M-6), center(M-C1), surrounds(M-1) and MSW-10 Sub. Started with the Dark Knight, Sub was average, not soft like the Paradigm and not so thunderous like the Klipsch RW-10d. I can say its in between the Paradigm and Klipsch, i've listened before. The sales guy was not too bad here. He played my content and everything sounded too plain. Not at all impressive for Rs.77,500. We decided to go to the next level of speakers available with Monitor Audio. Just the fronts are big, no difference in sound whatsoever. Its actually very bad for the price, Rs.1,35,000. No wonder the shop is filled with Monitor Audio speakers hiding every inch of the walls.
I also saw the Definitive Technology PRO 1000 Speaker System here. Its the one with a passive radiator on top for the satellites. Even the subs are designed and engineered, with a passive radiator. They say the satellites produces sound, more than the usual satellites. Its already 9:15 pm, when I requested for a demo and the sales rep politely asked me to come again tomorrow, so that he can set the speakers in the demo theater. When i called to check if i can visit the showroom the next day, a rep from the showroom tells the speakers are not setup yet and asks me to come on monday after 11:30am. I thought, after sales support is going to be much worse. It looks like they are on a clearance sale, and trying to push every Monitor Audio speaker out there.
Monitor Audio M-6 - Rs.34,500
Monitor Audio M-C1 - Rs.9,000
Monitor Audio M-1 - Rs.10,500
Monitor Audio MSW-10 Sub - Rs.23,500
Klipsch RSW-10d(Display Piece) - Rs.90,000
Klipsch RW-10d(Display Piece) - Rs.54,000
Pioneer VSX-1020 - Rs.60,000
Denon 1911 - Rs.45,000
Denon 2311 - Rs.65,000
Denon 3311 - Rs.83,000
Sorry for the long story here. I hope its helpful.
