more of 2ch than ht

hey nindo......

first of all invest for the front and the center spekers of the same series and make....then u can go in for the surrounds which can be sats as these are used only in HT mode unless n until u listen to music in 5.1 surround ........

i have polks for sale that is the monitor 50,center CS1 and sub PSW12 for sale.....u cud go in for the FS and center as u already have a sub......let me know

edges

Edges is right, Go for a good pair of fornt speakers, rest of the things can be adjusted here and there as you are not particularly a movie buff.
The space satellites are quite good for the money btw...

hi guys ...thanx a lot for the replies...
thanx edges for the offer...but i suppose the monitor 50s are towers and i m short on space in my room cos i have huge vintage style showcase takin up most of the space...

thats the reason i have been lookin for bookshelves...

i was wonderin abt the monitor 40s...they have two midrange drivers..much like the centres speakers...they are the same as monitor 50s but only with a smaller cabinet...i suppose their sound will the closest to towers that a bookshelf can give out...what do you guys think...??? has anyone auditioned them...also they dont cost a bomb....

monitor 40 or rti4..?? what do ya say...???

thanx, nindo

i donot know about the RTi but even i was planning the same thing as urs intially to go for the BS that is the monitor 40.....but after listening to them we(abhi and benk) found was a huge difference between the two though they have the same number of drivers.......listen to the 50 first with the ur reference CD and then play the same with 40....i am sure u will find a huge difference.......

edges

try listening to wharfedale diamonds or the 8.4 i donot know which one are BS but listen to the one which is black in color and have yellow color kevlar cone(think so).....they too are priced similar to the polk BS.......me and benk found them VFM in the BS range with a quite good quality....

edges

yup edges u r rite abt the wharfadales...the black ones with kevlar cones are the diamond 8 series...i checked them out at wharf dealer in mumbai...i compared the same track with the same setup with polk monitor 30...the wharfs sounded a bit flat compared to polks...polk are brighter on the high freq...wharfs i suppose will serve good as center ch....but again i wonder whether there will be a timber mismatch...

the guy at the store was suggestin to go in for a set up from the same series like polk monitor or wharfedale diamond 8/9..or else there will be a timber mismatch...

but this is true to what extent..???.cos we know people doin mix-n-match stuff with diff spkrs...that is where i m stuck up...otherwise i m pretty sure on polk rti4 or rti6 (with a bigger mid driver)...

what do you guys say abt the timber-match thing...???

thanx/ nindo

hey nindo.....

yes u r right the polks are bright on the higher frequencies and the diamonds are flat......yes its very true that its better to go fot the same make/series center speaker for timber matching......if u wanna go in for the different center and fronts then u will have to do a lot of trials and errors to get the right match and moreover the same makes always looks better aesthetically.....the rears can be different makes with the same color as the fronts and center as they are very far away form the fronts and centre and used only during the surround effect in HT mode.....

edges

thanx edges for your rep...

i suppose then the best option would be to go in for a set of polk rti4s or rti6s, as i liked their sound, with a polk cs1 centre for the time being...later on i can add up two more for the rears when i ve got enuf moolah...

ever heard of space audio or sanen audio...???...if yes whats your take on them...???...cos i was plannin to buy two sats from one of these for my rears for the time being...they sounded good when i heard them (as a whole package) and are dirt cheap...!!!

say what...???

thanx/ nindo

if local sats are what you want to go for, I would suggest you consider the lithos sats.....they are very clean sounding and not too expensive. Rajiv D'souza, the designer for lithos is at bandra, linking road. Compared to space audio...lithos is miles ahead IMVHO.

manek.

hey manek..

thanx for the info dude...but its not that i m keen on goin for local sats...just the price is my concern...i dont wanna have a incomplete HT system till i store up enuf money to buy a good pair of surr...so thot may be i cud get some lower priced spkrs for surr for the time being..
by da way do ya have the contact number for the person you mentioned for lithos or may be their showroom so that i cud go n check em out...

if you know some other brands that would come in a similar price range pls lemme know...

thnx again / nindo

Hi Nindo,
If you are a music lover (2-channel) your Yamaha receiver is not going to give you much pleasure. I would suggest a marantz or denon receiver. Best is to hunt in the second hand market for some killer denon receiver. You get a lot of them in immaculate condition because HT-Nuts (mostly rich kids) with lots of money keep changing their receivers for the latest. HT is a continuously evolving thing so spending a fortune on a new receiver is not worth it. You will get the same at half the price a year later as somebody in my office recently discovered to his dismay. Secondly as somebody else suggested, make sure your front speakers are the best you can afford. My suggestion would be to go for a denon/marantz receiver and a pair of good quality front speakers and enjoy your movies in 2-channel for the time being. When you have saved enough, go for the rest of the setup. The route you are planning to take will land you in a half baked setup which won’t satisfy you in HT or 2-channel stereo. From my experience, a good 2-channel setup is better than a mediocre 5.1 setup even for HT.

From my experience, a good 2-channel setup is better than a mediocre 5.1 setup even for HT.

Second that.

As an aside ( and it probably merits a separate thread) I wonder if anybody here on the forum has auditioned the Creative 5.1 active speaker set?

I have a 2.1 set up hooked to my laptop at work and it's a li'l marvel.

I sometimes wonder why this cannot be a cheap and cheerful option to a full blown HT set up ( if budget is the consideration ofcourse ) ? And if the 5.1 sounds anything like the 2.1 , it should be a great bet, especially in smaller spaces.

Wonder what you guys think ?

K

krish....for HT in a room one needs speakers to play cleanly at pretty loud volumes and that is what lets the creaive and the altec systems down....they distort at moderately loud levels(again very relative)...this was very evident at their demo rooms at the AV shows....

Manek.

We have a full blown creative 5.1 setup for our game room setup in the office. I find it bright and screechy. The so-called bass unit produce boomy mid-bass thump with absolutely no definition. There is absolutely no body to the sound and there is a big hole in the midrange through which you can drive a truck through. One hour with that system leaves me with a buzz in the ear. For the money you pay it gives a lot of sound but it is definitely not for the audiophile. You can do much better if you assemble your own stuff with some kits.

Not to offend anyone with a creative setup- but this is what I feel whenever I hear that setup in our game room.

nindo....

why dont you get onto Lithos India website. All the details of the products and contact nos are on it.

Manek.

wouldn't do that right now cos apparently the lithos website is infected with a virus that gets downloaded onto your computer. check the off topic post by kspv.

hey guys...

that was a good response from your side...
i agree with all who said its better to go for a good 2ch recv than a mediocre 5.1...but unfortunately my yamaha rx-v457 has already been bought at dubai and will be reachin me in the first week of jan...to tell you the truth i got it for appx 14k...where-as here the prices i ve got, ranges from 16k without bill to 28k with...

so the option for me to go in for a marantz or denon is ruled out...probably i ll be postin a "yamaha HT recv for sale" topic in a yr or so...!!!

as told earlier i ve almost set my mind on the polk RTi6 for fronts...i need to now checkout the reasonably priced and decent quality spkrs for centre and surr...i ll buy matchin polk spkrs later on...

i need to checkout the lithos stuff...but i dunno how...the site aint workin...

so pls lemme know..any more options are also welcome...

thanx a lot / nindo

so cant the person who bought your recvr exchnage it for a marantz ?

NO MAN.. I DONT HAVE THAT OPTION...
I VE COUNTED OUT ANY CHANGES REGARDING THE RECV...I NEED TO THINK ABT THE SPKRS...I LL CHECK OUT THE LITHOS AND C..

NINDO

Check out Sonodyne Genie1 satts....very good for the price...and will match your Yamaha well.

hey guys...

just checked out the prices for B&W DM303 and DM600 bkshlf spkrs...both are below 20k...i never even thot that B&W will be so affordable...but what abt the sound...havent listened to dem...whats your take...are they ny better than polks or wharfes or even lithos...???..they are the best sellin spkrs in europe though...???...jow abt their prfrmnce as front stereo spkrs...has ny1 auditioned dem...???

thanx / nindo

hey nindo......

if 20k is ur budget then u cud as well buy FS speakers from polk monitor 50,wharfedale entry levels(do not know the model number),jamo 350(i guess)......check out the entry levels in jamo they are really good for their price......

edges

hey edges...

you r right...even i wanted to go for FS...but my biggest prob is the space (and budget ofcourse, )...i ve got this huge vintage showcase of mine standing like a monolith in my TV room which is takin up the space...so the book shelves....

i need to check out the B&Ws though...those are the spkrs that i had thot r da best but way outta by budget...but the audiovision guy at mumbai told me the DM303 r at 15k(+taxes) and DM600 at 18k (+taxes)...so wanted to know whats ur take on these...has ny one listened to dem...???

pls lemme know...i ll probabely go this saturday to check dam out...tell me is it worth goin..???

thanx / nindo

Hi Nindo,
If your priority is good QUALITY and good SOUNDING speakers and they have to be bookshelves, within 20k, then look at the Acoustic Portrait Speakers (their Monitor series bookshelves). Its around 17k-18k and they are much better than the B&W 600 bookshelves you are talking about. You are right about B&W's affordability and its a fact that a affording a GOOD Sounding B&W is not easy. Their better speakers start beyond a Lakh and anything less than that is just full of compromises and it all affects their musicality. Check out the Acoustics Portrait bookshelves and you will be amazed with what you hear. The Polk RTI6/8 might be good (I havent heard these particular models) but I am sure if you dont check out the AP then you would miss something. BTW its available in Bangalore....where are you from ?

HEY ABHI...

i m from mumbai...thanx for the info by the way...i ll check out their website, may b i ll find their dealer in mumbai...i m plannin a total feild work this week end and checkout all the stuff using the gyan obtained from you guys...Acoustic potrait...right...i ll check em out if at all they re avlbl here...will let u guys know abt my findings...

but in the mean while pls keep those suggestions coming in...they r always welcome...this stuff is like an ocean man...the deeper u go, more interesting stuff u find...

i was also wonderin abt a brand called COSMIC..i had heard some darn good spkrs from these guys long back...but havent seen these anywhere recently...has the comp closed down...???has nyone got ny idea abt dem...???

thanx / nindo

i was also wonderin abt a brand called COSMIC..i had heard some darn good spkrs from these guys long back...but havent seen these anywhere recently...has the comp closed down...???has nyone got ny idea abt dem...???

Check with Hiro Music House, either on PM road or Hill Road.

BTW I don't think that you can compare Cosmic to the brands recommended here.

However it's really about what sounds good to your ears.If you like them buy them.

krish probably u r rite abt cosmic, cos ven i had listened 2 dem i didnt know shit abt audiophile stuff...

by da way do ya have da cntct num for hiro music house cos i vent been there ever but i ll check out da place this weekend...also when i m in bandra i can checkout lithos too..

can u guys tell me how much does the sensitivity of da spkrs effect da sound...cos it varies betwn 86db to 89db for diff brands...is it the thing to look for while buying...???

thanx / nindo

by da way do ya have da cntct num for hiro music house

Don't have it.Try Ask Me 28888 888.

i didnt know shit abt audiophile stuff...

I agree mate.Finally it's about whatever sounds good to your ear.

K

Hi Nindo,
For Acoustic Portrait, visit www.corrson.com .
Do try out Jamo bookshelves also, they are quite good.
You are in Mumbai so you have many other GOOD options like Monitor Audio and PSB, all of them are very good. you have to listen to ALL of them to actually know what you like. Even if takes an extra week, it doesnt matter, you are gonna cherish it for years (atleast months if you dont plan to upgrade ver soon )

hey....

abhi is right......take ur time to decide on the speakers......it takes a lot of hearing to different brands to develop the taste and finally conclude on the kind of ur taste and the brand which satisfies ur taste.....do check out the tannoy BS too.....i heard they sound good but havnt had an experience with them......

edges

hi guys..

didi a lotta runnin arnd this week-end ...checked out B&W-DM303 & 600, PSB (dont remember the model), Bose 301, JBL E30, Jamo E825, Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 & 9.2 with thier WH2 bipolar spkrs...but all of these using different recvs...

Among them the most impressive and cost efficient stuff i found were B&W 600, Bose 301 and Wharfedale Diamond 9.2...but i m more inclined towards Wharfedale 9.2 n Bose 301...sound was very detailed and crystal clear...Jbl and Jamo stuff was also good no doubt...to be frank almost all the stuff sounded good to me with the exception of PSB and B&W303..wharfedale is avlbl for 15.5k with bill, bose for 21.5k...and B&W for 20k but will be avlbl only towards the end of feb...

now i need help from u guys regarding build qualities and what sounds good VFM wise...

pls pls suggest...

thanx / nindo

How about the Polk RTI series speaker ?? Did you try Kef, Missions. In your current list the Wharfdale would be my choice. But Kef, Missions and Polk (especially RTI series) are also very good and I suggest you listen to them as well.
Also look at Monitor Audio.
My suggestion is still there....listen to as many brands/speakers possible then decide (anyway we dont have many hifi brands around) .

nindo schrieb:

krish probably u r rite abt cosmic, cos ven i had listened 2 dem i didnt know shit abt audiophile stuff... by da way do ya have da cntct num for hiro music house cos i vent been there ever but i ll check out da place this weekend...also when i m in bandra i can checkout lithos too.. can u guys tell me how much does the sensitivity of da spkrs effect da sound...cos it varies betwn 86db to 89db for diff brands...is it the thing to look for while buying...???

nindo-jee

cud u pls fr da bnft of us ol' fogies typ in more cohrnt sntncs. ur sms typ pstngs r dfclt 2 fgre out. Tnx fr ur hlp.

nindo schrieb:

didi a lotta runnin arnd this week-end ... ...but i m more inclined towards Wharfedale 9.2 n Bose 301...

Just grab that Bose 301. They are the world’s best speakers. I read on several magazines.

YOU will be thrilled to the heavens with that Bose. At least for a while.

hey abhi...

i agree with you...there arent many hifi brands arnd...but the scene is much better now than what it was a couple o years ago...well, i forgot 2 mention i checked out polk rti4, rti6 and monitor 40, rti6 were very good...i had listened to them previously and had almost finalised on them, if you read the previous messeges in this thread, u will know....

but as of now i feel the wharfes are the best bet...i plan to go in for the diamond 9.2 fronts with the WH2 bipolar for surrounds and the diamond 9cc for centre...or shuld i go for the jamo e825 spkrs...only trouble with the jamo is that only the fronts will take up 20k and again the matching centre and surrounds will takeup abt 20k more...i wont b able to stretch my budget so much..

what do ya all say...???

nindo

Wharfs are no doubt one of the best on your list.....but still I insist look at Kef and Mission....both of them have very good speakers (bookshelves) in your budget.....hope I am not irritating you by asking you to listen more...but I dont want you to miss anything special (if it exsists)..

Forget about Mission.
they don't make them the way they used to.
At least not the budget series.

Seriously try Defnitive tech for a complete HT package.
and don't let the small size fool you.
My Def Tech sub can beat most of the so called audiophile pretenders when setup properly.

i heard that Def Tech uses Vifa drivers.

If you are looking for something better than a Def Tech sub, then you have to go into the big leagues like Velodyne, REL Martin Logan, Bag End. If you can lay ur hands on an SVS or HSU then go right ahead.


look at the Def Tech Pro cinema series. Notably the 80 and the 100 series.

hey abhi...

chill dude...i aint gettin iritated...i had checked the kef q series bookshelves some time back...no doubt they were good...but they were goin much beyond my budget for the fronts...

plus gettin matchin centre and surr would cost me a bomb...moreover the cc that comes in the q series is very big to fit above my TV....where as the diamond 9cc is pretty sleek...no idea where i ll find mission stuff...lemme know if u know a mission dealer in mumbai...

hey benkenobi...i already have a sub and m not very keen on spendin too much on the surr..so full ht packs r a nono...

i still have abt 2 weeks (rather week-ends, thats the only time i m free) to come to a final decision...i ll try to push in my budget some more...need to get in touch with ol' friends... ;)...

in the mean while pls keep those gr8 tips comin in...always welcome...

thanx / nindo

benkenobi_redux schrieb:

Forget about Mission. they don't make them the way they used to. At least not the budget series. Seriously try Defnitive tech for a complete HT package. and don't let the small size fool you. My Def Tech sub can beat most of the so called audiophile pretenders when setup properly. i heard that Def Tech uses Vifa drivers. If you are looking for something better than a Def Tech sub, then you have to go into the big leagues like Velodyne, REL Martin Logan, Bag End. If you can lay ur hands on an SVS or HSU then go right ahead. look at the Def Tech Pro cinema series. Notably the 80 and the 100 series.

agree on the def tech. if the crossover is kept low enough and the gain also kept reasonable that is a very good sub and can really plumb depths. for value for money the PSB subsonic does a good job as well.

hi guys...

i m really sorry if my lingo is not very readable..i ll try not 2 use 2much of those words...!!!(note mr. geegee)

well, comin to the topic...i read some pretty good reviews for bose 301...but personally i didnt like the sound very much...jamo 825 had a tight low range and crystal clear highs..but the midrange sounded a bit subdued...jbl e30 sounded more like car audio spkrs with boomy bass and bright highs but still had the clarity...B&W has to be counted out as there is no stck for dm303 and didnt seem like real VFM, but the DM600 are good...and wharfes ofcourse...B&W and the Wharfedales i found were the only ones using kevlar cones...how much difference does the material of the cones make...???,,,would like to know your take on that...

thanx / nindo

nindo schrieb:

hey abhi... chill dude...i aint gettin iritated...i had checked the kef q series bookshelves some time back...no doubt they were good...but they were goin much beyond my budget for the fronts...

Hi Nindo,
Actually I was referring to the Kef Cresta Series. They would have come in your budget and are good speakers. But Benkenobi was telling that it is getting phased out. Just check it out if its still there with the Kef dealers.
Did you try Tannoy Bookshelves btw ??

hi abhi...

havent checked out the cresta series...the profx guys dont have them..probably have been discontinued...
saw the tannoy website...there are no deealers for mumbai listed..only for delhi...
i read a lotta reviews on the wharfedales (diamond 9)...everywhere they ve been rated as the best spkrs in the entry level....

hey guys...
please check out the following list (random) and list it down according to your choice...best option first (VFM wise) and so on..

1. Jamo E825
2. Jbl E30
3. Wharfedale Diamond 9.2
4. B&W DM600
5. Bose 301
6. Polk RTi6
7. Kef Q1 or iQ3

thanx a lot / nindo

nindo schrieb:

hey guys... please check out the following list (random) and list it down according to your choice...best option first (VFM wise) and so on.. 1. Jamo E825 2. Jbl E30 3. Wharfedale Diamond 9.2 4. B&W DM600 5. Bose 301 6. Polk RTi6 7. Kef Q1 or iQ3 thanx a lot / nindo

come on guys...i need to buy them by end of this week...i need your feedback..please list them out in your order of priority...

thanx a million / nindo

I would only only specify those which I have auditioned or atleast listened once....

1) Wharfdale 9.2, Polk RTI6 (its a tie for me as both are equally good but have different voicing wharfdale being mid heavy and Polk being Bass heavy)

2) Kefs are next (they can easily occupy first place going by pure musicality but since you say budget doesnt match so I cant put it there)

3) Bose 301

4) JBL (Infact I am sure it would be anyway the last option in the list)

Now it also depends on the partnering equipment....
For an Yamaha RXV-457, I would easily prefer a Polk or a Kef because the Yammys LACK bass....you cant expect that punch without a good bass heavy speaker and that doesnt mean these speakers lack in the mids/highs, just that they have better bass than others thats it.

havent recvd any replies from ya all regarding the listing, except ofcourse abhi whos been there always...

anyway...i m back with a new query...i have somehow scooped out a way to place floorstanding spkrs in my room...so i m on a hunt for those now...but my budget still stands the same...abt 20k for a pair...as i ve been just thinkin abt bkshlvs all the time i havent auditioned ny of the flrstands..but few that i have in mind are- polk monitor50, wharfedale diamond 9.4 or 9.5 and one from their diamond 8 series...

i would welcome some suggestions on the same...in case the same topic has been discussed prviously in sme other thread pls lemme know...

thanx / nindo

for 20k you're better off with bookshelves. the quality will be better. monitor audio is apparently pretty good too. the bronze b2s. round 16.5 k. one serious recommendation though. go listen to stuff and decide yourself. you're gonna live with it after all! if u go through the forum you'll find plenty of threads pertaining to speakers...

I personally feel it's better to go for bookshelves rather than floorstanders at this price point. Having said that, I think the Mission m73i is a decent floorstander for about 18k. Haven't seen it around lately though. The m33 is supposed to be its equivalent.

hi guys..

has nyone auditioned the polk monitor50 spkrs..???...i ve checked out the monitor 40 and rti4...would like to know ur opinion ant monitor50...40 & 50 use the same no. of midrange drivers-2, but 50 is a flrstanding spkr and 40 a bookshlf...how much difference does the extra space in the spkr box make...in layman terms...also need to know ur feedback on wharfedale diamond 9.4 or 9.5..

have fixed up a audition for mission m33 spkrs also this weekend with the dealer (boomrang)...

all these fit in my budget..so need to get some reviews from the real audiophile crowd ...ofcourse i will check dem out myself...but need to get da rite direction to head towards..

thanx / nindo

nindo schrieb:

hi guys.. has nyone auditioned the polk monitor50 spkrs..???...

I have. To be honest I didn't really care too much about the sound. Rather muddy IMO. It's ok for casual listening I guess. Nice petite size and decent price but a rather unengaging sound.

Hi Nindo,
Happy New Year Buddy.....
Deciding between a bookshelf and a floorstanding speaker is not just about accomodating them, it vastly depends on your total room size, listening preferences and ofcourse budget.

You have already mentioned your budget.....now whats your room size ?? Also what are your listening preferences loud/soft/bright/laid back etc...?

Mind you, if the room is small, floorstanders would be a MESS...