What should I buy?

Sephiroth

New Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2009
Messages
4
Points
0
Location
London
Hi Folks,

Firstly, This is a great forum, I have been reading through the last couple of months and learnt a fair bit!

This is my first post here, so by way of introduction, my real name is Raj. I am a business consultant and I travel a fair but around the world. At the moment I am working out of London. I am planning to return back to India on a more permanent basis. One of the first things I have in mind once I am back is to setup a HT! So planning is on.

I am not back in India. Why am I raising this here already?? Couple of reasons.

1. I have no idea what brands are available and serviceable in India as I have been away for quite sometime.
2. Strict budget contraints
3. Figure out the possibility of being able to carry components when I travel
4. I am at the most a jack and by no means anywhere close to a master of this trade. So try and get to learn more.

Comming to what I should be buying!
Requirements-
1. 80% Movies, 20% Music
2. Music Genres - Pretty much anything goes depending on my mood
- I have a huge collection of Rock from the sixties to the present
- Jazz especially, fast sax jazz
- a bit of classical, not much some very specific ones
- bollywood, tamil, etc etc
3. Tastes is Movies are also very varied, but 50% of the viewing is taken up by action and thriller flicks!
4. Looking for a 5.1 system
5. At the moment I will be watching original DVDs only ( dont like pirated stuff)
6. Futureproof to include BD (if it fits into the budget otherwise it can be an addition for later)
7. I dont like to get into a continuous improvement loop (though I sell a lot of CMMI crap to clients), so I am looking at keeping this kit for atleast 2 yrs before I upgrade anything
8. TV, preferably something 40" or more. LCD/Plasma?
9. Gaming with XBOX 360 Elite!

Finally the budgets
for the TV: Rs 80,000/-
for the AVR, Speakers and DVD Player: Rs 1,00,000/-

I would like to know what HT including the TV would best suit my needs. Also if possible some good dealers in Bangalore who can help me out. I should be coming back to India by end of this month, looking to see if I can pick up a AVR from London? What do you guys think about that?

Thanks in Advance!
S.
 
Hi,

The prices in India are usually more than London for HT & accessories.

I suggest to pick up the following for your tastes (+ you can get to audition way more in UK than in India).

AVR: Yamaha HTR 6150 and above, Denon 2309 and above, Pioneer VSX-1018AH and above or Onkyo 700 series and above in no particular order.

YOu can pick one up in a retail outlet if its on sale as some one of these will be on sale most of the time.

TV:
Not sure how you can transport a TV all the way? Do you have a guaranteed method? Otherwise warranty is not applicable if something happens enroute. I suggest picking this in India.

Cables (this is one item you get ripped the most in India)

Buy the cheapest available! No Monster or any super priced brands.

If you can get speaker cable, try getting about 50 mts worth of 14 AWG cable.

Get atleast 5x HDMI cables(3 or 6 ft length) , 1/2 (3 or 6 ft length) component video cables

Get 7x pairs of analog cables (3 or 6 ft length) in case you get an amplifer later on.

2 long cable of 75 ohm rating for your sub woofer connection


2 toslink or a shorter 75 ohms cable (to be used for coax connections).

Extra:

Get a Harmony remote (any model from 550 and above as they all work the same only the UI and chargers are different). Will save you tons of heartache and frustration with all the remotes.


I will add if I think of something else.
 
Hi Raj,

For your Budget & liking I will suggest following opt-

1.AVR - Onkyo 606 (35k)upscales to 1080i
Spk. - Wharfedale 9 Diamond HCP + 9.1 for 7.1 (48k max)
Tannoy F1 (78k),mordaunt short9.2 (48k?)
DVDp - Pioneer 610 (7k)
or Oppo980 (15k not available in India)
LCD - Pan32in LX800 (42k)
37 (62k?)

Plasma - Pan 42in (65K?)
Cables -5k

2 AVR Denon1909 (38k) + wharfedale pack(48k)
other spk also Ok.

3.AVR Yamaha663 or above

I recommend Onkyo for movies 1st,then others.

Check yourself too.....
 
Ah, so you have a budget of 80k for the TV. One option I would certainly suggest is that Full HD Samsung 5-series 46" LCD (LA46A550). I think that's the biggest screen real estate you can get for 80k, and it's full HD to boot. A 50" plasma would start at about a lakh I think. If you are okay with going for a smaller TV, then by all means consider a 42" plasma from Samsung or Panasonic, they are available for between 45 and 50k (I think the Samsung A410 which I own is now available for 43k).

You can also consider a projector for that budget including the Optoma HD65. You should get it for around 70k, which will leave another 10k for which you can buy a (cheapo) 29" CRT to use for watching news and other boring stuff.

1,00,000 is a good bit of cash for your HT. Buy an Oppo DVD player. Bring it along from London, read about and choose between the 980, 981 and 983. The 980 itself should be a very good option and not more than 10k INR.

For the AVR I'd recommend the Yamaha 683 or the 783 or perhaps the Onkyo 606. You can also consider the Denon 1909. All of this should be under 30k if bought from the UK, and between 30 and 40k if bought frmo India.

The rest of the money you can spend on a 5.1 speaker package. A good idea would be to buy a pair of wharfedale 9.2s for the front (14k), pair of Wharfedale 9.DFS (dipole surround speakers) for the read (9k), a 9.CS for the Centre (9k), and a wharfedale SW-150 (17k) for the sub. It should be about 50k for this package. Budget another 5-8k for good stands for the 9.2s, and about 2-3k for cables.
 
Spiro,

42K seems a tad high for a 32" LCD as well as 65K for a 42" Plasma. A PV8 42" Plasma is going at 45K I think...

LCD - Pan32in LX800 (42k)
37 (62k?)

Plasma - Pan 42in (65K?)

Raj,

Absolutely get an Oppo DVDP preferably the 983 if you can source one. Coming to the rest, my good friend marsilians has given better details than I could...

Edit - Speakers get the Wharfedale 9.x Diamond series if you can, especially 5.1 if possible. Great VFM and bang for buck in terms of the output they deliver.
 
Last edited:
try out the monitor audio bronze and the kef iq series as well for speakers. once you decide on the speakers it'll be easier to find an amp to match - onkyo, denon, hk (though i dont like hk for music), yamaha...
 
Great list of things, thanks guys!

@Marsilians: Cant get a TV back mate! I think it will be just a little bigger than my suitcase! ;)

Anyway,

I am getting a OPPO DV-981HD for abt 150GBP, given the new exchange rate thats like 10K INR. Also taking into consideration that its not available in India. I think that would be the best thing I should be bringing back.

I gather I am not going to save more than 5 - 8K on AVRs right? at the most 10K.

Cables are too trivial to get back from here, at the most I will get ripped off by 2-3K, for which the sourcing hassles here are too much.

For the AVR, I have always liked Yams, so Yams and Onkyo.

Speakers: Wharfdale and Mordaunt Short? What abt Definitive? How expensive are those in India?

B Rgds,
Raj.
 
Oppo is a good choice - I was not sure if you had the time to get this otherwise I would have suggested it.


RE: savings, I say you would save ~30-40% on cables + you do not have too many options in India.

For AVR, if you get some good deals, the savings could be close to 40-50% of the retail price. Comet or Curry's should always have some on sale.

There are a good no. of folks who have gotten their AVRs from abroad.

Great list of things, thanks guys!

@Marsilians: Cant get a TV back mate! I think it will be just a little bigger than my suitcase! ;)

Anyway,

I am getting a OPPO DV-981HD for abt 150GBP, given the new exchange rate thats like 10K INR. Also taking into consideration that its not available in India. I think that would be the best thing I should be bringing back.

I gather I am not going to save more than 5 - 8K on AVRs right? at the most 10K.

Cables are too trivial to get back from here, at the most I will get ripped off by 2-3K, for which the sourcing hassles here are too much.

For the AVR, I have always liked Yams, so Yams and Onkyo.

Speakers: Wharfdale and Mordaunt Short? What abt Definitive? How expensive are those in India?

B Rgds,
Raj.
 
Hi Guys,

Had a bit of time this morning to do some research on the local market.

Found the following.

Model-------------------Price (GBP)-----Price (INR @ Rs70/GBP)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Onkyo
TX-SR606-------------340-----------------23,800
TX-SR806-------------550-----------------38,500
TX-SR876-------------700-----------------49,000

Yamaha
DSP AX-863SE--------600-----------------42,000


Couple of questions on this.

1. Which is the best AVR, from the above list, given the constants in my 1st Post? and Why?
I might not get a chance/time to audition. When I come back to Blr, I would most probably be going in for a Wharfdale pack or a Mordaunt Short Pack. Keeping that in mind which AVR do you think would suit me best?

2. I have read some very very good reviews on the Yam. But I am not able to make up my mind as I have heard good stuff about the Onkyos as well.

3. If Onkyo, then is it really worth spending the xtra moolah for the 876? I know Venkatcr loves his 875, but is the 876 as good?

4. How much am I saving by lugging these from here? Anyone has the prices for these in India (in bangalore/chennai if possible)

Awaiting to collect your best judgement,
Raj.
 
Hi Guys,

Had a bit of time this morning to do some research on the local market.

Found the following.

Model-------------------Price (GBP)-----Price (INR @ Rs70/GBP)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Onkyo
TX-SR606-------------340-----------------23,800
TX-SR806-------------550-----------------38,500
TX-SR876-------------700-----------------49,000

Yamaha
DSP AX-863SE--------600-----------------42,000


Couple of questions on this.

1. Which is the best AVR, from the above list, given the constants in my 1st Post? and Why?
I might not get a chance/time to audition. When I come back to Blr, I would most probably be going in for a Wharfdale pack or a Mordaunt Short Pack. Keeping that in mind which AVR do you think would suit me best?

2. I have read some very very good reviews on the Yam. But I am not able to make up my mind as I have heard good stuff about the Onkyos as well.

3. If Onkyo, then is it really worth spending the xtra moolah for the 876? I know Venkatcr loves his 875, but is the 876 as good?

4. How much am I saving by lugging these from here? Anyone has the prices for these in India (in bangalore/chennai if possible)

Awaiting to collect your best judgement,
Raj.

Both Onkyo 876 & Yam 863 are worth for money.Good for mov.
Onkyo uses best technology for price you paid.Top scaler,Ciruss DAC & many others with lot power.
Yam also has Burrbrown DACs.Onkyo has won many awards & 876 is good for music too.

If your Budget permits ,stick to highend Onkyo AVR.606 has issues with upscaling.
 
Sephiroth:

The Onkyo 876 does not provide any great advantage over the 875. If you see What HiFi, the 875 continues to rule to roost for 2 years as the best AVR in it's class. If you can pick up a brand new 875, you might actually get it at a very good price. It is different breed of machine, something that a manufacturer brings to the market now and then, many times by simple fluke.

Coming to the Yamaha, I have heard the 663 many times, and I have always come back impressed with it's sound for both movies and music. Paired with a CD Player, the 663 delivers excellent music for an AVR. Yamaha has always been very good for movies, and the 663 is no exception.

I have actually ordered for a 663 along with PSB Aplha B1s and a Pioneer 610 as a HT setup for a friend of mine. I am setting this up for him by this month end. Though I do love the 875, I also have an open mind.

The 863 provides the same (or even slightly better) sound signature as the 663 and the additional capability of up-scaling to FullHD.

Since you are in London why don't you audition both units?

Cheers
 
Sephiroth:

The Onkyo 876 does not provide any great advantage over the 875. If you see What HiFi, the 875 continues to rule to roost for 2 years as the best AVR in it's class. If you can pick up a brand new 875, you might actually get it at a very good price. It is different breed of machine, something that a manufacturer brings to the market now and then, many times by simple fluke.

Coming to the Yamaha, I have heard the 663 many times, and I have always come back impressed with it's sound for both movies and music. Paired with a CD Player, the 663 delivers excellent music for an AVR. Yamaha has always been very good for movies, and the 663 is no exception.

I have actually ordered for a 663 along with PSB Aplha B1s and a Pioneer 610 as a HT setup for a friend of mine. I am setting this up for him by this month end. Though I do love the 875, I also have an open mind.

The 863 provides the same (or even slightly better) sound signature as the 663 and the additional capability of up-scaling to FullHD.

Since you are in London why don't you audition both units?

Cheers

Hi Venkat,

Can you tell me pls which chip is used by Yam for uscaling?
 
Check out our special offers on Stereo Package & Bundles for all budget types.
Back
Top