Already chosen speakers - need help on receivers

[arnprasad]

Hi,

I am setting up a new HT set up - this will be my second one for a different room.

In my signature you will see my current set up. I already have a Pioneer 1020 which was one of the top end entry level receivers. After having used it for 2 years, this is what I do with my receiver:
(1) Plus in video sources and take a HDMI cable to my TV and 5.1 to my speakers
(2) Use the front USB to play devotional songs thru pen drive every morning
(3) Have never used Ethernet facility to play internet radio
(4) Never used second setup or whatever its called to play audio in a diff room
(5) Like the front HDMI port because its easier to plug my camcorder or laptop
(6) I dont tinker around with the auto sound settings

As you can see I have only used the very basic functions of this receiver and since I paid in the 350-400 dollar range - this time around - I want to step down to a basic receiver.

Following is what I have decided for my HT setup. Luckily few of my friends are going to US in the next 2 weeks and except for the sub woofer they should be able go get everything else for me

(1) Acer 5360 for 420 dollars from Amazon
Amazon.com: Acer H5360 3D-DLP Projector: Electronics
(2) Pioneer front speakers based on CNET reco - tigerdirect - 99 for a pair
Pioneer Andrew Jones SP-BS22-LR Bookshelf Loudspeaker - 2 Way, 55Hz-20kHz, 80 W, Gold 5-Way Binding Posts at TigerDirect.com
(3) Pioneer Center for 99 dollars
Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed SP-C22 Center Channel Speaker - 55Hz-20kHz, 6 ohm, 9 Watt, 2 Way Configuration at TigerDirect.com
(4) Pioneer sub in case someone can get it for me - not sure if airlines accept it. - tiger direct for 99 dollars
Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed SW-8MK2 Subwoofer - 38Hz-150Hz, 100 Watt-Powered Amplifier (50W FTC Power Output), 8 Driver at TigerDirect.com
(5) Either # 2 or 3 on this list for surround sound
Amazon Best Sellers: best Bookshelf Speakers.

Now that I have decided on the setup - I need a receiver to drive all these and I think any receiver less than 300 dollars should do since I may not use the premium features of the costlier ones. Please let me know your views.

(1) Yamaha 373 for 250 dollars
Amazon.com: Yamaha RX-V373 5.1-Channel AV Receiver: Electronics

(2) Sony for 240 dollars
Amazon.com: Sony STRDH720 7.1 Channel 3D AV Receiver (Black): Electronics

(3) Onkyo 414 for 270 dollars
Amazon.com: Onkyo TX-NR414 5.1-Channel Network A/V Receiver(Black): Electronics

Please let me have your views on my setup, let me know if anything comparable is available for this kind of money and please advice on the receiver - I would rather like a receiver with practical features like more warranty, worldwide warranty, 230 volts..etc rather than some features I may not understand and use.

thanks in advance for all your help!:clapping:

 

[arnprasad]

Hi need a response please. Friends will be travelling starting this weekend.

Also I plan to build a HTPC in the near future. is it possible to have enough slots into it with a high end graphics card where it can take multiple inputs and give 1-2 outputs and replace a receiver? Just wondering. Thx

Also can I make this HTPC replace/avoid buying a 3D blu ray player?

 

[arnprasad]

still no reply....really sad

 

[arnprasad]

also would you know what brand of receivers bought in US run on 220-230 volts? i am doing my research right now..but if anyone already knows..would appreciate a response. Thx

 

[prosenjit]

one thing not clear...why want to buy another avr..as having a pioneer?

 

[rajadeep]

How much weight are ur frnds ready to carry for u??? Just curious coz a rough estimate I did in my head even without the subwofer the total weight is going to be in the range of 37-40kgs(add 10-11Kgs more for the sub)... And all these are going to be big boxes with not more than 1-2 boxes fitting per suitcase... so I am making a rough estimate that u would need 2-3 frnds carrying 2 big suitcases each to be able to bring it here... Hopefully u will figure out the logistics before u order all this stuff & expect ur frnds to bring it here... My advice??? drop the speakers... U can buy the BS21 5.1 set(with subwofer) for around 37-38k here in India @avenuesound mumbai... I am guessing according to the dollar rate the 5.1 speaker set would have cost u about 23-24k in the US... Not a bad tradeoff if u ask me... & if u really want a VFM set of speakers then the monoprice 5.1 set @13k is also a good option... Another way to go is DIY speakers & sub...

Anyway from the list of products that u have listed only the projector will work natively with 240v rest all will need a stepdown transformer with should cost u in the range of 1.5k... Hope my post didnt offend u in anyway...

PS if u are gonna bring the BS22 from the US & not buy from here than dont go for cheap surrounds... Buy 2 pairs od BS22 & use 2 in front & 2 for surround... The other speakers u have listed are crap compared to it & u are not really saving that much on surrounds anyway...

 

[arnprasad]

one thing not clear...why want to buy another avr..as having a pioneer?

My current one is for the ground floor living room that has my TV and Polk HT. This one is for first floor where I am planning a proper HT for movie watching. Thx

 

[arnprasad]

PS if u are gonna bring the BS22 from the US & not buy from here than dont go for cheap surrounds... Buy 2 pairs od BS22 & use 2 in front & 2 for surround... The other speakers u have listed are crap compared to it & u are not really saving that much on surrounds anyway...

Thanks - For now I have 3 people who are going and am hoping all of them dont take a second suitcase to get my stuff. So One guy will get fronts, one center and one surround. I dont want anyone to open the original packaging to fit in their suitcases. The Projector may be the only thing they can fit into their first suitcase if they are not fully packed up.

Also I am expecting few other folks to travel in the next few months - so somehow by begging/pleading - I should have it done.

I am hoping that speakers unlike other electronics will not go bad - and hence would want to get it from US by saving 30-40%.

Also I was wondering if getting BS 41 for fronts may be a good idea - which would mean then I have to buy last years center and sub to match. On Amazon they are a few inches bigger than the 21 - can you look at the specs and let me know if they will allow it in place of a suitcase? See also below. Thanks again for your response.

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1278774/pioneers-speaker-genius-hits-low-price-point/2910

no one unfortunately answered my query in that forum

 

[prosenjit]

onkyo 414 seems good,pair with it wharfe 9 series is inexpensive.onkyo is good for movies.or in my opinion buy just the reciver.here sonodyne is equally good can try that.
otherwise eharfedale 9 or little higher cost 10 series.
about projector isnt there any optoma/infocus at the same price band....as acer being a led wont be much powerfull.
about voltage issue you have to use a step down transformer

 

[arnprasad]

Wouldn't wharfedale and sonodyne be at least 2-3 times the price I am paying in US for the Pioneers? Wharfedale 10.1 - each speakers seems to cost 10K - Here I am getting 4 BS22 for that price.

I am no audio or video phile - just a guy wanting a big screen - so I am not going for near reference quality.

The Acer projector was based on good reviews on Amazon and elsewhere and also advice from fellow members. Optoma 66 is around 150 dollars more I think and I was told although its better - only by a negligible margin.

Also if Acer is 220 v and Optoma is 110 - would rather buy Acer and sacrifice some video quality rather than rely on transformers. I already have one transformer for my Pioneer AVR and keep praying it wont go down and take the AVR with it

 

[manoj.p]

Get the sherwood R-972 from Accessories4less for $599. little higher in price but way better unit compared to the units you are looking at. The audio quality jump is quite high.
Oops, re-read your original post and realized your ceiling is $300.

Also, if you are thinking of speakers, then Infinity Primus P163 is a very good buy at $85 each. I have heard it and its very good for price.

 

[m.a.sara]

If you have an option to bring speakers from US, go for it. unlike avr/pj, speakers have less electronics components inside and it is less likely that it will fail. Also this specifice pioneer model is having good reviews and here in India it costs more than twice the US price.

Also if you can get a PJ mount (if you are planning to ceiling mount) get one from amazon. The quality is better for the same price you'll buy from here.

 

[rajadeep]

onkyo 414 seems good,pair with it wharfe 9 series is inexpensive.onkyo is good for movies.or in my opinion buy just the reciver.here sonodyne is equally good can try that.
otherwise eharfedale 9 or little higher cost 10 series.
about projector isnt there any optoma/infocus at the same price band....as acer being a led wont be much powerfull.
about voltage issue you have to use a step down transformer

Err the projector I have suggested to him is Acer H5360 which is a DLP 720p projector & is among the brightest 720p DLP projectors available... According to some reviews it is as much as 40% brighter than the Optoma HD66... I am not sure which projector u are talking about...


@OP
If u want to get pioneer speakers, buying last year's models(BS21,BS41) wont be such a bad thing... U will be able to find then at a discounted price... Of course it is preferable to buy the BS41 instead of the BS21 or BS22 as it is immensely more powerful than them... For AVR under $300 the yamaha v667 is ur best bet... I have heard it with poineer speaker set(FS not BS) & it sounds wonderful... Spiro, who is one of the more audiofile members I have had the pleasure of meeting owns the v667 & can vouch for them being wonderful... It is available for $290 here Yamaha Rx-V667 7.2 Channel Home 3D Receiver Rxv667 0027108936109 | eBay ...

 

[arnprasad]

Thanks. I am still figuring out if BS41 will fit one suitcase specifications - its around 5 inches bigger than BS 21 as per Amazon.

Also I believe it makes sense to buy everything from the same range so that they work together well - so if I buy BS41 then I will have to buy the rest from last year's range as well. Lets see.. this is all hoping my friends get it for me.

Also it says its B Stock for the ebay Yamaha deal and may be a factory second and all that - although buying in US means returning it in case of defect is almost impossible - I would rather buy a new from Amazon just to be sure.

So you think the Yamama 373 is missing anything serious that I might regret later? because as I mentioned in my post - my only use is plug in and plug out - I hardly use it for anything else

Also there is a comparison of various Yamaha models in this link - can you have a look and tell me if the higher models have anything that practically could be of any use to me?

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V373-5-1-Channel-AV-Receiver/dp/B007JF8FD8/ref=zg_bs_14269301_6

I dont care about IPOD compatability or control via smart phone. Only thing I notice is that it lacks networking features and DLNA. Eventually I plan to have a NAS server and also HTPC and may think of streaming - will it make a difference then?

 

[Kittu]

arnprasad, this may be off topic advice but if your friends are willing to carry so many speakers for you , I would suggest you to look at these speakers.

HB-1 MK2 Horn Bookshelf Speaker

HC-1 MK2 Horn Bookshelf Speaker

STF-2 Subwoofer

You wont have to change or think of upgrading the setup for long long years.

 

[arnprasad]

arnprasad, this may be off topic advice but if your friends are willing to carry so many speakers for you , I would suggest you to look at these speakers.

HB-1 MK2 Horn Bookshelf Speaker

HC-1 MK2 Horn Bookshelf Speaker

STF-2 Subwoofer

You wont have to change or think of upgrading the setup for long long years.

Thanks Kittu - I will definitely consider it. Also needs to see who is selling them and whether they will accept Indian cards.

Regarding my friends getting it for me - well I have asked three folks not to take their second suitcase - will only come to know next week if they have listed to me!!!

 

[Kittu]

Sounds like they report to you at work.

 

[arnprasad]

Sounds like they report to you at work.

Funnily enough no - We all work in IBM BPO - so we keep travelling on fairly regular basis - I quit couple of weeks back or else I would also be travelling

Again this whole HT thing I guess is more of a time pass thing since I am in between jobs - if they wont get me anything - I dont care either since my primary setup is up and running:clapping:

 

[prosenjit]

duplicate post sorry

 

[prosenjit]

Err the projector I have suggested to him is Acer H5360 which is a DLP 720p projector & is among the brightest 720p DLP projectors available... According to some reviews it is as much as 40% brighter than the Optoma HD66... I am not sure which projector u are talking about...


QUOTE]

sorry sorry..hehe.sorry brother for mis information.I did not checked the model number....:lol:
thanks rajadeep for rectifying.