Audio HTiB or Separates ?

Vagabond

Vagabond

Adept
Hello Folks,

Need your suggestions to decide and purchase home theatre.

Available setup that I intend to use -
~Samsung 32" LCD (has optical out + Plays HD movies with DTS/DD out)
~Asus HDP R1 media Player (HDMI Out + optical out)
~Ps3 (to play games + Blu Ray)
~Netgear Router + WD 4TB NAS
~Portable HDDs (1,2,2 TBs Portable+Powered)
~Google Cromecast
~Laptop (HDMI out)

Music and movies use 50%-50%

Music - FLAC+MP3
Movies - HD .mkv files (DTS / DD /HD MA)

Budget in hand as of now 40K (strictly)
Willing to upgrade next year (if required)

Considerations as of now -
HTiB - Onkyo 3700 (or later if budget permits), Yamaha yht299, Denon X500

Don`t know feasibility of separates for my likes and budget. Here I need suggestions from all around forum members.

My location - PUNE[DOUBLEPOST=1443583336][/DOUBLEPOST]Tagging @Black_Hawk @Chaos @ssslayer and requesting all audiophiles peoples...
 
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ssslayer said:
Oh my, I am not an audiophool!

By the way how do you plan to "upgrade" the HTIB?
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Well, I might be wrong here - I take here Onkyo 3700 as example, it have 100 W RMS out so that`s sufficient for room of 10x12. So I was thinking of adding / replacing the fronts with something like / similar to Warfadale pair etc. My thoughts !

If not, I am ok to have Receiver + 2.1 as of now and add sub and surrounds next year. But as of now budget is max 40K.
 
Two Options in 40k (with negotiation):
Denon X500 with JBL Cinema 510 (Saw it on ebay for 40k yesterday only)
Denon X500 with boston acoustics soundware xs 5.1

Where you are getting Onkyo 3700? I was looking for the same a few months back.
 
madhuraj said:
Two Options in 40k (with negotiation):
Denon X500 with JBL Cinema 510 (Saw it on ebay for 40k yesterday only)
Denon X500 with boston acoustics soundware xs 5.1

Where you are getting Onkyo 3700? I was looking for the same a few months back.
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For 3700 I contacted Onkyo site, they suggested to visit Avxellence in Pune (Dhole Patil road)
 
Forget separates... cheapest pre/pro and amp here costs 1L, excl speakers...
and Forget HTIB they usually have crappy speakers or less VFM...
Get a good receiver and separate speaker package..
if running short of budget, get the front, and sub.. later add center and surrounds...
but calculate what you might be running and choose a receiver based on that... if you are not going for 4k slightlyold models might work out cheaper...
 
If you want to go the separate route, at your budget you will have to go in partial upgrades. Even then im still not sure what will really fit in.

Assume a vfm avr will cost 30k. Then @ 10k you wont even get entry level fronts.

I suggest you buy a Htib with good connectivity options and a good subwoofer. Whenever budget permits, get yourself a good matching center and replace the one you get, that will sort out the movies. Center and subwoofer are the most imp components for movies.

For music nothing @ entry level will do a good job, atleast with option B you will have a good setup for movies.

I personally like the harmon kardon and Jbl combo for htib setup's. They are pretty decent for music too. I rank yahama second.
 
thirumalkumaran said:
Forget separates... cheapest pre/pro and amp here costs 1L, excl speakers...
and Forget HTIB they usually have crappy speakers or less VFM...
Get a good receiver and separate speaker package..
if running short of budget, get the front, and sub.. later add center and surrounds...
but calculate what you might be running and choose a receiver based on that... if you are not going for 4k slightlyold models might work out cheaper...
Click to expand...

edge111hussain said:
If you want to go the separate route, at your budget you will have to go in partial upgrades. Even then im still not sure what will really fit in.

Assume a vfm avr will cost 30k. Then @ 10k you wont even get entry level fronts.

I suggest you buy a Htib with good connectivity options and a good subwoofer. Whenever budget permits, get yourself a good matching center and replace the one you get, that will sort out the movies. Center and subwoofer are the most imp components for movies.

For music nothing @ entry level will do a good job, atleast with option B you will have a good setup for movies.

I personally like the harmon kardon and Jbl combo for htib setup's. They are pretty decent for music too. I rank yahama second.
Click to expand...

After going through lot of reviews and hifivision threads I am almost coming to settle for a good HTiB... Might upgrade the speakers later.

Under consideration are Yamaha 299 (for active subwoofer) and Onkyo 3700 (have used 3400 in past).

Btw Yahama speakers are 75w and Onkyo 120W, and priced opposite, don1t get why ? I am of thoughts that getting a higher speaker out will help me later with speaker change?, correct me if I am wrong !

@edge111hussain any specific model you can refer for harman and jbl combo that too in 40k ?
 
you might not use more than 25w per channel in most cases... (If efficient)
Marantz has max 50w/Ch..

bigger is not always better...quality matters..(I was discussing about wattage out in speakers)
 
Vagabond said:
After going through lot of reviews and hifivision threads I am almost coming to settle for a good HTiB... Might upgrade the speakers later.

Under consideration are Yamaha 299 (for active subwoofer) and Onkyo 3700 (have used 3400 in past).

Btw Yahama speakers are 75w and Onkyo 120W, and priced opposite, don1t get why ? I am of thoughts that getting a higher speaker out will help me later with speaker change?, correct me if I am wrong !

@edge111hussain any specific model you can refer for harman and jbl combo that too in 40k ?
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No specific model but i will throw a curve ball here. Look for a wharfedale 5.1. They will do just fine for music too. Try to get hold of a used avr. That shouldnt be too difficult and easily available at hifivision.
Wharfedale to my ears r very neatral towards movies and music and they make good quality stuff. Even a used will do here if it's ok with you.
wharfs selling these days are the moviestar series but not the moviestar 70+ system. See if you can get your hands on one of them.

Also there is a shop @ mumbai who import systems. I got a amp from them for 35k with 1 yr seller warranty (which they seriously abide to) against a market rate of 47k at that time. PROaudiohome. Contact them.[DOUBLEPOST=1443634869][/DOUBLEPOST]Also mate, you first need to choose your amp. Audition stuff. Not all amps r good allrounders. i personally dont think the lower end onkyo are worth buying and hence the harmonkardon recommendation. I personally like the marantz and yamaha's but to each their own.

Check sonodyne too for gr8 value for money stuff (speakers )

Finalize on an amp first
 
The power rating on the amp of yamaha 299 is lower that the 4** amps.
This would seriously handicap you from making any serious upgrade or the upgrade wont perform at optimal.

For the htib route the max i would recommend is to change the center speaker. Any other upgrade would be quiet irrelevant.[DOUBLEPOST=1444126616][/DOUBLEPOST]And seriously you might end up being quiet satisfied with an htib itself and might not see the need for a future upgrade. I honestly feel HK receiver and jbl speakers will leave you quiet satisfied with the overall performance.
HK receivers might have a very low power rating but they perform like a beast. They might lack features in comparison to a yamaha receiver though
 
Lot of good suggestions already made so I won't repeat. I was in the same boat last year (or may be two years ago). I settled for Yamaha 475 receiver and Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1
 
Vasishta.Sushant said:
Lot of good suggestions already made so I won't repeat. I was in the same boat last year (or may be two years ago). I settled for Yamaha 475 receiver and Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1
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I think I have read your thread/comment on hifivision with same handle name I guess. Can you tell the damages for your setup ?

@edge111hussain @thirumalkumaran

I am open to consider all options and got a month to purchase.

Apart from item quality I am also considering extended warranty and service center in zone. Reason to consider Yahama yht 299 is it has service center in Pune and Reliance digital is giving +2 years extended warranty at just 2k additional. I am getting this at 35k. They also offering Blu ray player for additional 2k. Out of my strict budget of 40k, rest I am considering for wiring 16 gauge ones.

Next year I could replace at least front speakers at 20k.
 
just bought yht299 from reliance digital 2 months back. I too opted for the philips blu ray player and additional 2 year warranty for 36K all inclusive. Its a quiet competent player. Plays all files on my NAS via SMB. Very satisfied with the purchase. I think you will be satisfied too. I havent gone upwards of -12db thats how loud the HTIB is. So do not worry about the power.
 
vaibhavyagnik said:
just bought yht299 from reliance digital 2 months back. I too opted for the philips blu ray player and additional 2 year warranty for 36K all inclusive. Its a quiet competent player. Plays all files on my NAS via SMB. Very satisfied with the purchase. I think you will be satisfied too. I havent gone upwards of -12db thats how loud the HTIB is. So do not worry about the power.
Click to expand...

Can you share this Relience digital location / phone number ?
 
The power specs are mostly overrated...as I already said, nobody uses more than 25w per channel at normal usage levels. You might need more power if you need to drive multi-driver (4 above) floorstanders.

Reason: More power is needed to move the air, which happens only at the low/low-mid frequencies. fortunately, these are handled by the powered sub.
Thats why smaller satellites are set at high crossover to minimise the power requirement to drive them.

so, be cool and get the HTIB, later that power is more than enough to drive even floorstander for music perspective. remember, on movies center would require more power and music only 2 channels are used.

things get complicated when you try to bridge theory vs practice....
 
I won`t be considering floor standers for sure, my room don`t have space for them. Good fronts, center is what my next upgrade would be.

Not sure about replacing the existing sub though its active one and the rears !
 
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