Which brands and how do i find them

samsailo

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Hello guys,
I am new here but find that all the forums are very informative and useful.
Well I am a general practitioner and an audiophile. I am presently constructing my house and had dedicated 18 X 12 foot for my entertainment room.I wanted a 7.1 HT to be configured with a good AV receiver. My main purpose is for movies and music. I am ready to spend 1 to 1.5 lakhs for it.

I have some considerations of my own like Denon receivers and Kef floor standers and other brands like JBL, Wharfedale and Klipsch. I prefer the Velodyne Subs but they sound very costly. Any other brand with a good and affordable Sub?

Most importantly, I live in Mizoram where we do not have any showrooms so I could never decide as I could never get to hear them. Secondly I really do not know where to find these products in our country or how to get them. So kindly guide me.
All your help will be really appreciated
 
Hello guys,

I am new here but find that all the forums are very informative and useful.
Well I am a general practitioner and an audiophile. I am presently constructing my house and had dedicated 18 X 12 foot for my entertainment room.I wanted a 7.1 HT to be configured with a good AV receiver. My main purpose is for movies and music. I am ready to spend 1 to 1.5 lakhs for it.

Sam, welcome to the forum.

Since your house in under construction, this may be the best time to see if you can prepare your dedicated room acoustically. Spend a little money from your construction budget (not out of your HT budget). There are a number of threads on room preparation. If you have any specific questions we would be glad to answer them. One of the easiest methods is to prepare acoustic panels with the help of a carpenter and line your walls with them.

For 1.5 lakhs, you can set up a decent mid range 7.1 system.

I have some considerations of my own like Denon receivers and Kef floor standers and other brands like JBL, Wharfedale and Klipsch. I prefer the Velodyne Subs but they sound very costly. Any other brand with a good and affordable Sub?

Generally it is better to buy a sub from the same company that you buy speakers from. So if you buy JBL speakers, get a JBL sub woofer.

There are number of other brands. What comes to mind immediately are Mordaunt Short, KEF, Mission, etc.

Most importantly, I live in Mizoram where we do not have any showrooms so I could never decide as I could never get to hear them. Secondly I really do not know where to find these products in our country or how to get them. So kindly guide me.
All your help will be really appreciated

See if you can get your hands on a few issues of WhatHiFi (Indian version) and AV Max. These have a number of advertisements including dealers nearest your area. I am not sure, but I think Calcutta will be closest.

But don't worry too much about that. We have all the information with us. As you start short listing your products, I am sure one of the members can give you the dealer address nearest to your place of residence.

Keep this thread alive till you walk away with a purchase list.

Cheers
 
Thanks venkat.
i never knew we had a thread on home theater construction. Would visit them right away.

recently I read that AV receiver is the core of a home theater, and having a good one makes so much difference. Presently I am looking for the Denon 2308 with a price of 50k. What do you think about this choice. Any better AVR out there at this same price range?/
 
Hello Sam .....

The receiver (Denon AVR-2308) that you are interested is a pretty decent one with almost all good features of the current technology available in it. Two things I wish to suggest you .....

1) If you really not bothered about the the warranty issues, please try to buy the receiver from grey market where you will be surprised with the price difference between the showroom and grey market.
NOTE: Ensure to take all precautions before you pay i.e., check whether the unit is a sealed (original sealing) piece and check for the proper functioning of the unit.

2) Do not miss out to check the Mission speaker packages. They are very decent sounding and completely value for money. Also you can consider the Wharfadales.

Good Luck!!!
Ramesh
 
recently I read that AV receiver is the core of a home theater, and having a good one makes so much difference. Presently I am looking for the Denon 2308 with a price of 50k. What do you think about this choice. Any better AVR out there at this same price range?/

Yes, the AVR is an important component in HT. But so are DVD Players and Speakers.

Deon is a good brand and the 2308 is a good model. See how much you can get a 2309 for. If it just 10K more you can go in for that. The advantages 2309 provides are better room correction techniques, and a more advanced DSP. But paying more that 60K for the 2309 does not make sense.

What about room acoustic and rest of the gear? What are your choices?

Cheers
 
Thanx Venkat.

I shall try and check out the Denon 2309. One more thing.. When i read about different reviews i came to learn that some AVR and speakers do not work properly esp those from a different brand, is that true? Coz im opting for a different choice for my AVR and speakers. So what do u suggest? A complete HT package or an assembled one? And in case its a HT package, which brand brings u the best HT. In case the Ht package is better then why not the assembled ones? Like... is there any brands which matches each other more. Some say Denon works best with Jamo, is that true? And remember one thing, I wanted a floor stander included in my HT if possible and I find no brand offering a decent floor stander in their HT packages.

What do u suggest? An assembled one or a complete package?
 
Hi Ramesh Thanx 4 ur advice.
Lemme ask u one thing.

Where exactly do i get these speakers from a gray market?? what i mean to say is.. where are there gray market located... like in kolkata? can u suggest some outlet pliz/\? and what can be the disadvantage of buying from a gray market?

Thanx
 
One more thing

I have heard many good things bout the velodyne subs? are they really that good? Any idea about its price and dealers? Im a bass freak amnd wanted a very good sub. What other options do i have other than the velodynes.
I have shortlisted wharfedale, jamo and jbl.
 
Hey Sam, actually I would say the opposite....it rarely makes sense to buy the AVR and speakers from the same manufacturer, as each manufacturer has its strengths in different areas....and electronics and speakers are vastly different areas. A company like Denon makes great electronics, but they're not really known for speakers. Whereas a company like KEF, Wharfedale or Mordaunt Short would be damn good at making speakers but not so good (or mostly not involved) with electronics. So it's best to buy your electronics from an electronics specialist, and your speakers from a speaker specialist.

By the way Sam, I knew a Michael Sailo from Aizawl (we went to law school together)....any relation?

Thanx Venkat.

I shall try and check out the Denon 2309. One more thing.. When i read about different reviews i came to learn that some AVR and speakers do not work properly esp those from a different brand, is that true? Coz im opting for a different choice for my AVR and speakers. So what do u suggest? A complete HT package or an assembled one? And in case its a HT package, which brand brings u the best HT. In case the Ht package is better then why not the assembled ones? Like... is there any brands which matches each other more. Some say Denon works best with Jamo, is that true? And remember one thing, I wanted a floor stander included in my HT if possible and I find no brand offering a decent floor stander in their HT packages.

What do u suggest? An assembled one or a complete package?
 
Sam:

Psychotropic has answered your question well.

An HTIB (Home Theater In Box) as it is called, will never come close to buying separates and assembling it together. Yes there are companies like Denon and Onkyo who make HTIBs. What they do is buy the speakers from some other company and stick their names on top. They package the whole thing for price more than anything else. The receiver in HTIBs will also have very minimal specs mostly just DTS and Dolby Digital.

Ultimately everything depends on what you want and your budget. If you are serious about movies and music, you need to take some effort in understanding the technologies involved, and choosing your units properly.

The point about an AVR working well some speaker brands is incorrect. This is again done by the dealer to sell a particular brand. A good AVR will work very well with any good speakers. Some of these speakers are so good that they are used as benchmarks to test amplifiers and players. Similarly some of the amplifiers are good enough to be used for testing speakers and players.

Cheers
 
One more thing

I have heard many good things bout the velodyne subs? are they really that good? Any idea about its price and dealers? Im a bass freak amnd wanted a very good sub. What other options do i have other than the velodynes.
I have shortlisted wharfedale, jamo and jbl.

Hey! Sam welcome to the forum. You??ll have to make your mind on the budget otherwise you might end up getting confused with all the suggestions.
Velodyne is a dedicated sub manufacture of repute & IMO velodyne is one of the best subs officially available in the country with good dealer support. But I??m not sure if they have a dealer in kolkota. Will try & find the nearest dealer if interested.

I agree with physcotropic??s advice to stick with specialist, also it makes sense to get the acoustics right since your house is under construction.
 
hey thanx psychotropic.

So u r suggesting me a HTiB? well then... what are the brands offering good HT packages apart from Onkyo? Coz I have heard them and not so satisfied woth their performances.

Michael Sailo? well there are many sailos out here like Kumar or singh out there. Sorry boss.

cheers
 
hello venkat

Thanx 4 the enlightenment.

So what do i go about now? Some said its better buying an AVR from grey market? Is that true? And if so can u suggest me where i could get these AVRs in Kolkata? Or anuwhere else in the country? I am opting for a Denon AVR so what do u think would be the best speakers to rhyme with this AVR? What about the speaker package from Wharfadales? And the Velodyne Subs?
 
hello venkat. Thanx 4 the enlightenment.
So what do i go about now? Some said its better buying an AVR from grey market? Is that true? And if so can u suggest me where i could get these AVRs in Kolkata? Or anuwhere else in the country? I am opting for a Denon AVR so what do u think would be the best speakers to rhyme with this AVR? What about the speaker package from Wharfadales? And the Velodyne Subs?

I will not recommend buying from the Grey Market. Since you are living some distance away from a service center, I would suggest you look at a authorised dealer. At least you can courier the equipment to them for repair.

Regarding Denon, it is sold in Indian by ProFx (Profx - Advanced Audio Solutions) please contact the following people

Profx
6/2 Hindustan Road,
Kolkata 700 029

Tel: + 91 33 2466 9301/05
E-mail: [email protected]
(Monday Holiday)

Regarding speakers, you can audition the Wharfedales at

S.K.S. TRADERS
31/N/1, Siddhinath Chatterjee Road, Kolkata - 700034.
Tel: (033) 24680789, 9831163529

They also deal with Dynaudio, Quad, EPOS, Dali, Mordaunt Short; so you will have variety to audition.

You should take a couple of days off, and audition the AVR and the speakers. Give both these people a call, and fix up everything before your travel.

Do NOT buy anything without a personal audition. I would also suggest that your carry your own CDs, and DVDs.

To answer your question, the Denon and Wharfedales are both good and should work well with each other.

Cheers
 
Hey Sam, actually i am suggesting the opposite....to go with electronics specialists for your electroncis and speakers specialists for your speakers.....so go with a Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha or whatever for your AVR....and go with a KEF, Wharfedale, Polk, Mordaunt Short or whoever for your speakers...HTIBs are not a great idea...

hey thanx psychotropic.

So u r suggesting me a HTiB? well then... what are the brands offering good HT packages apart from Onkyo? Coz I have heard them and not so satisfied woth their performances.

Michael Sailo? well there are many sailos out here like Kumar or singh out there. Sorry boss.

cheers
 
thanx venkat,

I have heard good comments on the wharfedales diamond series, would u recommend them? What about their sub? Is it that low down good? ever heard them? If so... what are ur comments?
 
thanx venkat,

I have heard good comments on the wharfedales diamond series, would u recommend them? What about their sub? Is it that low down good? ever heard them? If so... what are ur comments?

The Wharfedale Diamonds are good (IMO !!). I have heard both the 9.5 and the 9.6 with 9DFS surrounds, and the 9CS and 9CM centers. Personally I like their sound very much.

If you are using either the 9.5 or the 9.6 you may not need a sub at all. Both these go down to 30Hz and 28Hz respectively. That should be enough bass for most purposes. You might be able to save some money. If after some time, you need more whooomp, then you cal look at a sub.

Please take an audition. Do not buy without an audition.

Cheers.
 
Hi venkat,

I have been thinking on the same line. i wliked KED alot frankly at profx but the guy said the receiver was a 1.5Lakhs one and a Denon, ofcourse.

I listend a Wharfdale but he connected to some Denon and sounded good too. But the sound from KEF IQ9 is so clear and expansive and good bass too, costing more than twice of 9.6.

I could not and did not went near or lok at receiver at how th tracks of effects were input but I kno the Wharfedale guy was zero in sound and eqipment handling, atleast I knew more than him after joining this forum.


Moot point - I will be getting a whole Wharfe package for the price of a Dali IKON6 FS + sub or a KEF IQ9 + sub ( sub combo).

Trust me I trust your opinions very much, so i am asking you this again and again. My receiver is Yamaha v663.

How if I go with this package...?

Wharfedale 9.6 FS
Wharfedale 9.5 surround(IF 9.1 then stands are another 12k atleast,so this is better I thought)
Wharfedale centre CS or CC

SUB: I read about th tonal and timbre matching and I donno, you guys know right but still would like to ask

For sub if I take Wharfedale SW250 0r 300 or PC12+

OR

Dali SUb - 50K(since I felt it a better than wharfe I heard but aginthe guy and me both were novices)

The first combination should be less than a lakh and the secound a 20K more I guess.


OR

Shall I go with Dali 2.1 - IKON 6 FS + sub or KEF iq9 + sub(55K) . I have removed JBL fom my list and have not heard other brands. Will do this Saturday. even dali i did not like much(again the lame guy)

Why I am asking this is Sound is 1st but yes if money permitting.

This saturday I will listen to POLK and hopefully whatever I can in sound & Vision which has most brands.

at then end of all this I feel Wharfedales balances all aspects very well - money, sound, versatality and stereo+ 5.1 requirements in one go seeing how much i can shel out.

EDIT:Venkatji, another point is since 663 is 5.1(don't need 7.1) wharfedale package helps me us eit well within my 1 yera warranty period.
 
Last edited:
...Shall I go with Dali 2.1 - IKON 6 FS + sub.... at then end of all this I feel Wharfedales balances all aspects very well - money, sound, versatality and stereo+ 5.1 requirements in one go seeing how much i can shel out.

If I were you, I would take the Dali route. Later when my funds permit, I would add the rest of the components from the same range.

In the mean time, and having had the Diamonds at some point of time, I totally agree with your assumptions about the Wharfedale.

Currently I'm using the Ikons and I can certainly say that they are much better than the Diamonds. I'm not doing an apple to orange comparison - just an observation. So if your funds permit, go with the Dalis'

Best Regards.
 
Hi Unleash_me,

Let me say I do not want to disturb the clean flow of comments for the thread samsailo started but hope this benefits him in some way too.

Thanks for the comments bro!, some minor queries related to Dali..

  • Is Dali 2.1 - IKON 6 FS + IKON SUB good for movies(I can add later other components). I want comparison only with KEF iq9 + sub(55K) which would be paired with yamaha v663.
  • Will v663 power well this Dali speakers - since these are 6 ohms but yes very sensitive. Read itworks well when paired with a amplifier that can handle 4 ohms because these go that down. Yamaha manual states dynamic power only to 4 ohms. Also, there is only two options to set speaker impedance - either 8 or 6.
  • On the other hand KEF IQ9 is 8 ohms(so amp should be able to drive it well?) and av max rating is excellent while Dali review is like it is missing something. As it is said now and then tastes differ but still I canot really distinguish much for judging better at this point to sometime, need to train. Only opinions in these forum matter. And since first buy want to buy a good product - cheap or mid priced.
  • Dali was quoted 73,200 mrp and could come down to --------? Some one said 64K in another thread. Does this include 12.5% tax?Also, istheir IKON SUB 48k mrp worth the price?


Like I said before I will listen to these again this Saturday and put more comments.

Thanks unleash.
 
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