B&W 683 5.1 theatre vs CM9 theatre for 221 sq.ft. bedroom?

[prosenjit]

thanks eddie..for sharing avenue sound conversatio details...
got a nice idea of emotiva inr prices...thanks again
my target is upa-5...80w*5..399 usd..
by rough estimate it becomes 40k here...still double than in usa....
actually i dont have anyopne to carry.
lets see..

thanks again

 

[Eddierockks]

Thanks for sharing your unbiased experience. Can you please tell me the difference between class A/B vs D amp? And which one is better?

Yes I have read a lot of great reviews on arcam avr600 with cm9's. any idea about the current pricing of it? I checked out the specs and feature wise, the only problem I could find out was lesser hdmi inputs. How would I attach all my gear to it (10 devices approximately)?

Regards.

Since I owned in the past B&W CM9, I will share my thoughts here.

Rotel is suggested with CM9s and Classe with 8xx series as all these companies are held by same parent company.

Rotel Power amps comes in two flavours. Class AB as well as Class D. I find the difference in them. I had Rotel RB 1562 driving CM9s. Unless & until some one loves the bright sound, it is almost impossible for me to recommend the combination. I also had Rotel RMB 1075 the older Class AB version which also made not such a great combo.

The only time where I liked the sound of CM9 (it was during the audition) is with Arcam AVR600. Based on that audition I purchased CM9 and I was driving them with various combinations for few months including Denon AVR 3310 + Rotel RB1562. I had B&W CMC and CM1 at the same time along with PV1 sub woofer. Then moved to Rotel RSP 1069 (bit of downgrade but wanted a pre pro) along with Rotel RMB 1075. The sound was very energetic but fatiguing to me.
I had sold off the entire set up as I could not figure out which one was out of sync. A friend who bought my Rotel Gear (he had CM7) felt shrillness and he changed the speakers to the Dynaudio Excite X36. Rotel work pretty good with Dynaudio and I enjoy his SQ at his home.

As mentioned in my previous post, I am not trying to undermine the quality of the CM9 speakers but there is so much more available at the price range especially given the compromise one has to make with the metal tweeter.

If you want to consider CM9s ONLY, then I would suggest the Arcam AVR600. It has the kind of nice warmth which goes pretty well with CM9s, IMO.
I have the Marantz SR6006 which is a great AVR at the price and yes it is a good idea, if budget permits, to add a power amp.

I have not heard Emotiva but from what I read, you will hear the CM9s in treble more which is not my cup of tea but it might work for you.

Please hear CM9 with just Marantz SR6006 (DO NOT BUY) just get an audition and post your views.

I am only providing my individual experience here but as you know everybody listens differently.

 

[Eddierockks]

You're welcome prosenjit all the best for your Emotiva purchase in the future. Though I do think that Emotiva if imported in india from avenue sound or directly as well is very expensive. Cost wise if someone could bring it personally, I think that'd be great. For now, I'll just go with the flow, audition some more brands and then take a call.

thanks eddie..for sharing avenue sound conversatio details...
got a nice idea of emotiva inr prices...thanks again
my target is upa-5...80w*5..399 usd..
by rough estimate it becomes 40k here...still double than in usa....
actually i dont have anyopne to carry.
lets see..

thanks again

 

[sagarrungta]

guys really need ur help on this topic...
here is the link
http://www.hifivision.com/home-thea...estion-my-new-home-techgurus-please-help.html

 

[Eddierockks]

Hi again everyone. I just attended the 1st day of av expo delhi today and was able to audition B&W CM9's, paired with HTM61, DS3 and 600 series 10" sub. There was pre power combination used from Rotel for both pre processor and PowerAmp (1580 I guess). I am pretty happy to have finally auditioned them even thou Sight & Sound (GK M block) did not have the CMC2 as centre in demo as well as stock. I found the htm61 lacking in vocal delivery not by a long margin but yes to my inexperienced ears, I instantly knew that there will be considerable improvement as per my taste if I get a cmc2 for my setup. The same was confirmed by Tanuj from Sight & Sound. He was really helpful in the entire conversation that I had with him today. The fronts were just opened today so he told me that their sound would improve with time and more usage. So I'm convinced with buying the fronts, cmc2 & ds3. Ds3 because of the difference in price and also, I was told that CM5's would be too big for my room (look wise) and would look a little weird. I was further told that they might look out of place for my bedroom setup. The price diff of 50k was enough to convince me for Ds3's as well. Now for the sub, I don't know much but that little sub (200W) was able to fill the room with a lot of bass. I did feel a little bit of boomy bass at times. Maybe it was due to the inappropriate demo room as hotel's room was setup for audition. Although I was promised an audition of complete 683 theatre tomorrow as he only had to replace the fronts. His personal recommendation for me was 683 theatre.

So my almost final list includes Cm9's, cmc2 & ds3.

For the sub, the above mentioned model is priced at 61,750Rs. I might need some suggestions here from you guys. Rel? Velodyne? Or stick to b&w only as I felt a little too much bass from that little one today. Please suggest.

For the prepower, rotels setup is priced at staggering 4.15 lacs which is insane budget for my pocket. They did recommend me to use a Denon 4311 and without biwiring as I was told that its not practical for my use. When I insisted on using a PowerAmp, like Rotel 1580 with 4311, I was told that denon doesn't match well with rotel. Is that true?

I also happened to meet another dealer Mr. Bharat Gupta from Gemini technologies. He has been helping me out with 3d drawings of my room setup for past 2 weeks. Very nice guy and very helpful as well. His AVR pick for me was Onkyo 818 and Yamaha 3020. I'm not sure on Yamaha post sales service even though I was assured that they have excellent service. I read on this forum about a guy who was denied service in chennai as he purchased (or was going to purchase) yamaha AVR from other city (Bangalore maybe). Please share your experiences here. For the sub, he recommends a Velodyne DD12 which is around 1.75 lacs!! Im not too sure it I need it or it would be an overkill for my bedroom setup.

Now the problem is that both dealers have quoted me the same price after best possible discount of 15% on B&W. This now leads to further confusion on whom to purchase the setup from. Both are authorised dealers, S&Sound being the old B&W dealers whereas Mr Gupta has been doing it for not too long. Does that give S&SOUND an edge over mr Gupta? Only difference in their proposals was S&Sound recommends 1300-1500/m Kimber cable whereas Mr Gupta recommends Audioquest's 300/m speaker cable which according to him will be more than enough for this setup. Is there any fun in investing 5 times the money here? Kindly advise. Also if anyone in the forum would like to give their personal recommendation regarding the dealers and their service post sales.

I would highly appreciate your quick comments as I'm looking forward to finalising my purchase tomorrow (9th march). Do keep in mind that I'm based in ludhiana and as of now, both dealers are promising full service if anything goes wrong. Please do come up with your suggestions and advice for me. I shall be more than thankful to all of you in helping me out right from the scratch.

 

[navin advani]

Hi again everyone. I just attended the 1st day of av expo delhi today and was able to audition B&W CM9's, ...So I'm convinced with buying the fronts, cmc2 & ds3. ... I don't know much but that little sub (200W) was able to fill the room with a lot of bass.

For the sub, the above mentioned model is priced at 61,750Rs. I might need some suggestions here from you guys. Rel? Velodyne? Or stick to b&w only as I felt a little too much bass from that little one today.

They did recommend me to use a Denon 4311 and without biwiring as I was told that its not practical for my use.

His AVR pick for me was Onkyo 818 and Yamaha 3020.

For the sub, he recommends a Velodyne DD12 which is around 1.75 lacs!!

Only difference in their proposals was S&Sound recommends 1300-1500/m Kimber cable whereas Mr Gupta recommends Audioquest's 300/m speaker cable which according to him will be more than enough for this setup.

You seem to have settled on the speakers.

a. For the sub while the B&W is not a bad sub per se the REL and Velodynes are far better. Dont look at extention, look for definition. Extention can be managed a bit using careful placement.

b. The 4311 is a great AVR but is a bit dated. If you do not need the latest and greatest in video technology (HDMI 1.4a for instance) then the 4311 is a great buy. Neither the Onkyo 818, 1010, nor 3010 nor Yamaha's 2020 or 3020 can compete with the 4311's power amplifier section. The Yamha 3020 competes more directly with Onkyo's 5010. Yammies 2020 competes somewhat with Onkyo's 3010 (prices are a little different) and their 1020 with Onkyo's 818 and 1010. So please compare AVRs at the same price point. You pay more you are bound to get more.

c. The Velodyne DD12 is a good sub but at 1.75lacs I am not sure if it is VFM. Why not DIY? Subs are easiest to DIY. All you need is a good driver like a TC Sounds LMR 12 or Rhythmik 12" in a 3 cu. ft. 2.5 cu. ft sealed box and a good 500W plate amp lite the O Audio BASH 500 or Yung SD 500.

d. Speaker wire: I wold recommend considering Atlas's Hyper 3.0/2.0, Supra's
Ply 3.4/2.0, or Sommer's Quadra Blue 4.0. All three are available locally (in India). Supra and Sommer distributors are in Mumbai and Atlas's is in Bangalore.
Hyper 3.0 Speaker Cable | Atlas Cables
Supra Cables
sommer cable

If you can afford the difference try some screened cables like Supra's Ply 3.4/S. This is good where there is EMI from tubelights etc..esecially if the cables are running through some false ceiling for the rear speakers for example. There is also a Linc screened but I have not tried this.
Supra Cables

A cut above these is the Atlas Ascent 3.5 or Supra's Sword. These can be used for just th front speakers.
Supra Cables
Ascent 3.5 Speaker Cable | Atlas Cables

BTW if you intend to Bi-wire (or even Bi-amp) but WAF dictates only one wire snaking from amplifier to speaker both Supra and Atlas make a Biwire cable. Atlas has the Hyper Bi x 4, and Supra has the Rondo 4x4.
Hyper Bi-wire | Atlas Cables
Supra Cables

 

[serum]

I too heard this setup at AV Max Expo. It was a great sound, especially considering the room and the shape which was nearly square.The CM series is a top end choice. Remember system integration and matching, wherever possible stay with the same brand woofer, it will always integrate better than a third party unit. Dont scrimp on good cables, cheaper cables do tend to loose their quality over time as the metal oxidises, better made cables will give you better long term results. Shortcuts here negate the value of your over all investment and you loose out on maximising the best you can get out of your system.

 

[Eddierockks]

Hi again Navin, first of all, I would like to thank you as you have been phenomenal in helping me out at every step along with other FM's. I sincerely appreciate that.:clapping:

Today itself, I placed an order of
B&W CM9's - 1 pair
B&W CM Centre 2 - 1 piece
B&W DS3 - 1 pair

Now, for the sub, my dealer suggests me to go for REL T7 for my room size and if I want a bigger sub, I can consider T9 as well. Mostly, he said, T7 would be sufficient enough for my room. T7 price - 77k. I'm not sure if REL has a service centre in Punjab or Chandigarh, but do they have one in Delhi? I have recently started hearing about REL's and seems to me that they are better than Velodyne's. Still not quite sure as I heard Velo EQ MAX 15 myself thrice and was impressed. I am also currently in love with Deftech SuperCube 6000 after demoing it at AV MAX EXPO. I was so excited that I wanted to buy it there itself. Please comment.

For the AVR, I'm offered 15% discount on Denon 4520 (240k) and 10% on Yamaha 3020 (135k). For the price that I am paying, I do want the best of everything, audio, video, power, etc. I have read a lot of reviews and recommendations and found out that Pioneers & Onkyo's are bright (not warm) and CM9's require warm avr to perform aptly. Marantz has bad customer service reviews. So Pioneers, Onkyos and Marantz are out of the picture. I really like Denon 4520 & I read somewhere that this model is built in Japan, which is great quality wise. For Yamaha, Idk much but the plus point is that they do have a local service centre. I did read somewhere that yamaha's service centre people refused a FM's avr for repair as it was purchased in other city. Although my delhi dealer has assured me that it's not true and Yamaha honours nation wide warranty. So, should I get a yamaha 3020 now and add a power amp like Emotiva XPA 3 later or I should be good only with Denon 4520 itself? Like 4520 won't require any additional power amp? Please advise.

No DIY for me sir because of no time, 31st march approaching so pretty busy with work at the moment.

For the cables, none are available locally. My delhi dealer has suggested me Audioquest (will send the exact model name later tonight) 700-1000Rs cable for fronts. For the rear surrounds, he has suggested Klotz cable @ 175/m. He said this should be enough. I really want to finish this off asap now as too much of time has been invested in it. Do you have any ideas about the prices of the brands that you have just mentioned? Can't I get them in delhi itself as I would instruct my dealer to get them from the dealers that you would suggest. Point is I don't want him to pin point any problems towards the cables if I buy them from somebody else. I recently got a structured cabling task from guy A in my office but got the access points from guy B. It has been one month today and the internet keeps getting interrupted and both of them suppliers blaming each other all the time. I don't want such a thing to happen with my HT setup.:sad:

Regarding Biwiring, you mean if I get Denon 4520 and biwire my fronts, I would get double the power of single wired speaker from 2 channels of the AVR? This seems like a great idea! Does this mean that this should eliminate the need of power amp completely? If that is the case, I am going to go for 4520 rightaway!:yahoo:

Please reply back asap as today I will get the complete quote of wires and sub etc and would want to finalize the rest of the stuff quickly. Cheers!

You seem to have settled on the speakers.

a. For the sub while the B&W is not a bad sub per se the REL and Velodynes are far better. Dont look at extention, look for definition. Extention can be managed a bit using careful placement.

b. The 4311 is a great AVR but is a bit dated. If you do not need the latest and greatest in video technology (HDMI 1.4a for instance) then the 4311 is a great buy. Neither the Onkyo 818, 1010, nor 3010 nor Yamaha's 2020 or 3020 can compete with the 4311's power amplifier section. The Yamha 3020 competes more directly with Onkyo's 5010. Yammies 2020 competes somewhat with Onkyo's 3010 (prices are a little different) and their 1020 with Onkyo's 818 and 1010. So please compare AVRs at the same price point. You pay more you are bound to get more.

c. The Velodyne DD12 is a good sub but at 1.75lacs I am not sure if it is VFM. Why not DIY? Subs are easiest to DIY. All you need is a good driver like a TC Sounds LMR 12 or Rhythmik 12" in a 3 cu. ft. 2.5 cu. ft sealed box and a good 500W plate amp lite the O Audio BASH 500 or Yung SD 500.

d. Speaker wire: I wold recommend considering Atlas's Hyper 3.0/2.0, Supra's
Ply 3.4/2.0, or Sommer's Quadra Blue 4.0. All three are available locally (in India). Supra and Sommer distributors are in Mumbai and Atlas's is in Bangalore.
Hyper 3.0 Speaker Cable | Atlas Cables
Supra Cables
sommer cable

If you can afford the difference try some screened cables like Supra's Ply 3.4/S. This is good where there is EMI from tubelights etc..esecially if the cables are running through some false ceiling for the rear speakers for example. There is also a Linc screened but I have not tried this.
Supra Cables

A cut above these is the Atlas Ascent 3.5 or Supra's Sword. These can be used for just th front speakers.
Supra Cables
Ascent 3.5 Speaker Cable | Atlas Cables

BTW if you intend to Bi-wire (or even Bi-amp) but WAF dictates only one wire snaking from amplifier to speaker both Supra and Atlas make a Biwire cable. Atlas has the Hyper Bi x 4, and Supra has the Rondo 4x4.
Hyper Bi-wire | Atlas Cables
Supra Cables

 

[Eddierockks]

Thanks! So how much do you think I should spend on cables? Is 75k for speaker cables appropriate for CM9 theatre (477k)? If not, please do suggest brands and estimated prices. This way, it will be much easier for me to finalize everything. Sorry I am a newbie and have no experience at this.

I too heard this setup at AV Max Expo. It was a great sound, especially considering the room and the shape which was nearly square.The CM series is a top end choice. Remember system integration and matching, wherever possible stay with the same brand woofer, it will always integrate better than a third party unit. Dont scrimp on good cables, cheaper cables do tend to loose their quality over time as the metal oxidises, better made cables will give you better long term results. Shortcuts here negate the value of your over all investment and you loose out on maximising the best you can get out of your system.

 

[rishabh_wadhwa]

congrats ! finally your dream takes shape.. i can relate to the feeling u have !! good selection and matching u have done.. how does the DS3 gels with the CM9 !! i am sure u must have heard this setup so i need your opinion.. reason : i might add a pair of speakers and make my HT a 7.1 from the 5.1.. i dont wish to buy the expensive ikon wall mounted speakers that cost a bomb ! i think for such a heavy setup u shud get a power + pre amp. not sure an AVR suits these monster speakers ! also, are u wired for 7.1 / 7.2 or just 5.1 ? my 2 cents for the projector again will be the epson 8100 W .. its simply knock ur socks off good.. since thats gonna be ur next purchase i am sure
chal enjoy ur HT and when in delhi give me a PM and ill show u the dali experience also ! tc..

 

[rishabh_wadhwa]

on cables dont spend a bomb please !! there is research to show that there is not much difference between a 50$ HDMi and a 2$ HDMi cable (taking example).. i got a profigold hdmi and although it is expensive from normal its pretty decent. for the copper cabling, i think a 2.5 sqmm - 3 sqmm cable shud be ok from a decent mid level brand like bandridge etc

for your comfort i am pasting my cable rates

bandridge speaker cable 2.5mm gauge = 200 mtr X Rs. 125/mtr = 25000
Profigold hdmi cable 15 mtr = 2 X Rs. 12800/each = 25600
Dac coaxial reel = 50 mtr X Rs. 60/ mtr = 30

these are performing pretty well in my setup atleast ! rest , your call.

 

[navin advani]

Thanks! So how much do you think I should spend on cables? Is 75k for speaker cables appropriate for CM9 theatre (477k)?

Typically 10% of the value of the system, at best 15%.

T7 would be sufficient enough for my room. T7 price - 77k.

For the AVR, I'm offered 15% discount on Denon 4520 (240k) and 10% on Yamaha 3020 (135k).

So, should I get a yamaha 3020 now and add a power amp like Emotiva XPA 3 later or I should be good only with Denon 4520 itself? Like 4520 won't require any additional power amp? Please advise.

For the cables, none are available locally. My delhi dealer has suggested me Audioquest (will send the exact model name later tonight) 700-1000Rs cable for fronts. For the rear surrounds, he has suggested Klotz cable @ 175/m.

Regarding Biwiring, you mean if I get Denon 4520 and biwire my fronts, I would get double the power of single wired speaker from 2 channels of the AVR?

1. Get the T7. In fact I would consdier getting 2 T7 (1 later) so that the bass in your room is better distributed - 2 subs in different locations tend to cancel each others peaks and nulls.

2. I woudl take the 3020+power amp (Emotiva might be too bright but a nice neutral amp can be used) over the 4520. Remember even if you bi-amp/wire the 4520 all 4 channels driving the front speakers are sharing a power supply and that is the limitation. For 1L (difference betweeen 4520 and 3020) you can get a nice power amp.

3. Atlas is available here
Audio Dynamics | High-End Audio and Home Theater Systems
4. Supra at LaKozy
India - "Lakozy Electronic" - The New Showroom in Delhi is now operational !!
5. Sommer at S.U.N. Media Ventures
sommer cable - distributions

Audiodynamcis is a nice guy and I am sure he has dealers in Delhi, LaKozy has a Delhi showroom, and SUN Media (Umesh Bhagwat) can be contacted at 022- 28843772 or 28854117 or via email at [email protected]

BTW I have no commercial relationship with any of the above. I do know some of them on a first name basis though. Perks of my age I guess

 

[Eddierockks]

Hi Rishabh,

First off, thanks a lot!

If I can honestly tell you something, I instantly fell in love with Dali Ikon 6 MKII 5.1 system after auditioning it at AV MAX EXPO. The dealer was Top Gizmos from Noida. Very very nice guy and pretty friendly as well. I did a demo of Fazon F5's in stereo mode which really impressed me as well. I told him for a 5.1 demo of the Fazons and he assured me that his engineer would be coming to the expo with the centre in 2 hours, and then he would call me. He did not call me though which is good in a way otherwise I might have got the Dali's for my room. Nevertheless this was my first experience with Dali's and I have convinced my elder brother for a Dali system. Point to be noted here is that he doesn't need a HT because he never watches anything in his room. hyeah: But, I want this system too in my home so I would get one for him once his bedroom is ready. Proud to say that Dali range is mighty impressive. After their audition, I called my wife and told her that what if I get a 683 theatre + Ikon 6 MkII theatre both in the same budget of CM9 theatre for the same room? Her answer was negative and I lol'd :lol:

In the audition there, I found no problems with the DS3's but somehow, I myself am inclined towards Dali On Wall speakers in the Ikon range as they sounded better. Not pretty sure, still have to give the advance today for my
order. Would it be good call to cancel the DS3's and get rear surrounds from some other brand? Somehow, after listening to Dali on wall's, I was sure that DS3's are not upto the mark. The B&W guy told me it was just because of the room and assured me great sound from the DS3's itself. Any suggestions?

You are right about the pre+power combo. But I have 8 devices that will use the hdmi on the avr. Except Onkyo, none offers the same. I have been advised to use a hdmi splitter from a good brand (which I don't know about). What do people with a lot of devices generally do when they don't want any of their devices to be removed from the HT cabinet and don't even want to get in the hassle of changing wires again and again?

For the projector, I will definitely audition the Epson you've suggested once the time comes. As of now, I think I have 3-4 months of plasma viewing only and after that, the final modifications to my room including the HT cabinet will take place. BTW how much did you get it for and what was the MRP of EPSON?

Whenever I am in Delhi next, I will definitely come at your place. The same goes for you as well whenever (if ever) you have plans to come to Ludhiana. I will more than glad to show you my setup. Cheers

congrats ! finally your dream takes shape.. i can relate to the feeling u have !! good selection and matching u have done.. how does the DS3 gels with the CM9 !! i am sure u must have heard this setup so i need your opinion.. reason : i might add a pair of speakers and make my HT a 7.1 from the 5.1.. i dont wish to buy the expensive ikon wall mounted speakers that cost a bomb ! i think for such a heavy setup u shud get a power + pre amp. not sure an AVR suits these monster speakers ! also, are u wired for 7.1 / 7.2 or just 5.1 ? my 2 cents for the projector again will be the epson 8100 W .. its simply knock ur socks off good.. since thats gonna be ur next purchase i am sure
chal enjoy ur HT and when in delhi give me a PM and ill show u the dali experience also ! tc..

 

[rishabh_wadhwa]

top gizmo is a good guy.. we were very close to doing business but i dealt with rhythm corner as they are known to us and they are equally good if not better. top notch service and good calibration team. bro, this debate on dali v/s b and w v/s etc is never ending. its how much u wanna spend. simple.. having said that, the ikon setup is truly mind blowing. the ribbon tweeter is actually magical.. i finally paired it with the denon 2313 and not the pioneer. also my installer told me that in a 5.1 setup u shudnt mix and match. so ideally u shud go with the CM floor / wall mounters for a more cohesive sound. i somehow still feel that u are doing overkill in such a small room. these big speakers need a big room to get proper imaging and sound stage. its criminal putting them in small rooms ! my HT room is about 34 feet x 22 feet and height of about 12 feet. thats about 8500 cubic feet of room and the ikon's rock it to the core as they get proper room and space.
The epson 8100 is going for about 1.3 - 1.4 lakhs and a pair of 3 D glasses free. dont be tempted to buy the 6100 W which is slightly cheaper but doesnt have lens shift which i think is a must have in any projector. i think u can stop researching on projectors now. take my word, the epson image is breathtaking !!

 

[rishabh_wadhwa]

Hi Rishabh,

First off, thanks a lot!

If I can honestly tell you something, I instantly fell in love with Dali Ikon 6 MKII 5.1 system after auditioning it at AV MAX EXPO. The dealer was Top Gizmos from Noida. Very very nice guy and pretty friendly as well. I did a demo of Fazon F5's in stereo mode which really impressed me as well. I told him for a 5.1 demo of the Fazons and he assured me that his engineer would be coming to the expo with the centre in 2 hours, and then he would call me. He did not call me though which is good in a way otherwise I might have got the Dali's for my room. Nevertheless this was my first experience with Dali's and I have convinced my elder brother for a Dali system. Point to be noted here is that he doesn't need a HT because he never watches anything in his room. hyeah: But, I want this system too in my home so I would get one for him once his bedroom is ready. Proud to say that Dali range is mighty impressive. After their audition, I called my wife and told her that what if I get a 683 theatre + Ikon 6 MkII theatre both in the same budget of CM9 theatre for the same room? Her answer was negative and I lol'd :lol:

In the audition there, I found no problems with the DS3's but somehow, I myself am inclined towards Dali On Wall speakers in the Ikon range as they sounded better. Not pretty sure, still have to give the advance today for my
order. Would it be good call to cancel the DS3's and get rear surrounds from some other brand? Somehow, after listening to Dali on wall's, I was sure that DS3's are not upto the mark. The B&W guy told me it was just because of the room and assured me great sound from the DS3's itself. Any suggestions?

You are right about the pre+power combo. But I have 8 devices that will use the hdmi on the avr. Except Onkyo, none offers the same. I have been advised to use a hdmi splitter from a good brand (which I don't know about). What do people with a lot of devices generally do when they don't want any of their devices to be removed from the HT cabinet and don't even want to get in the hassle of changing wires again and again?

For the projector, I will definitely audition the Epson you've suggested once the time comes. As of now, I think I have 3-4 months of plasma viewing only and after that, the final modifications to my room including the HT cabinet will take place. BTW how much did you get it for and what was the MRP of EPSON?

Whenever I am in Delhi next, I will definitely come at your place. The same goes for you as well whenever (if ever) you have plans to come to Ludhiana. I will more than glad to show you my setup. Cheers

mrp for the epson 8100 TW is in the range of 1.8 lakhs. i got it for around 1.3 (tax paid). i dont know why u need 8 HDMI's !!! lol .. 1 for blu ray, 1 for projector (Actually a good idea to put 2 hdmi for the projector and 1 spare if it goes bad), 1 for the tata sky HD and u still have more inputs ? LOL.. u can always take out 1 and out another if u have som many inputs ! lemme know what all inputs u are taking ! maybe i am missing out on something haha !

 

[Eddierockks]

Dude this is the funny part:

My equipment list is as follows:

Samsung 51"550D doing the telly duties
1. Oppo BDP 93
2. Tata sky hd+
3. Ps3 80gb (jail broken for maximum games)
4. Ps3 500gb (for original discs' multiplayer gaming)
5. Xbox 360
6. Htpc
7. Apple TV
8. WD TV LIVE HUB

help me now!

PS- That is a great discount that you got! That's around 28% approximately. Thumbs up!

mrp for the epson 8100 TW is in the range of 1.8 lakhs. i got it for around 1.3 (tax paid). i dont know why u need 8 HDMI's !!! lol .. 1 for blu ray, 1 for projector (Actually a good idea to put 2 hdmi for the projector and 1 spare if it goes bad), 1 for the tata sky HD and u still have more inputs ? LOL.. u can always take out 1 and out another if u have som many inputs ! lemme know what all inputs u are taking ! maybe i am missing out on something haha !

 

[nSinghal]

Dude this is the funny part:

My equipment list is as follows:

Samsung 51"550D doing the telly duties
1. Oppo BDP 93
2. Tata sky hd+
3. Ps3 80gb (jail broken for maximum games)
4. Ps3 500gb (for original discs' multiplayer gaming)
5. Xbox 360
6. Htpc
7. Apple TV
8. WD TV LIVE HUB

help me now!

And you use them all everyday?

Lets be realistic. Other than tatasky, oppo and maybe htpc, you probably don't need the rest of the equipment every single day. Rest can easily be added to an hdmi splitter. I haven't personally looked into it (as I need 5 only and my avr has 7 already) but I'm sure finding a good quality one with a remote control won't be that difficult and with all this equipment, you'll be better off getting a universal remote anyways so another remote shouldn't be a problem either.

All I'm saying is the number of hdmi inputs shouldn't be the deciding factor for your avr/pre-pro selection. You obviously have enough budget to get either one but its the SQ which should be the first deciding factor instead of number of hdmi inputs.

Edit: And get rid of that jailbroken ps3!

 

[Eddierockks]

This means that spending 75k on wires is a wise idea? I am pretty reluctant about it just because that's a lot of money. But I don't want to compromise on my system's performance at the same time. What should I do? My delhi dealer says that for front 3 speakers, we will use the best wire. He still has to send the final quote about it which might happen today as he has been real busy.

I have not heard the REL's but they look so nice and I am sure they will look great with CM9's. What model of Velodyne would you compare T7 to? I have heard EQ MAX 15 which I liked. Another MAJOR inclination is towards Deftech SuperCube 6000. Does Deftech even compare with RELs and Velodynes? IDK.

I have been quoted 77k for T7. Does that seem like the best price? Anybody with any info to share here?? Even I thought about 2 subs to which my mind says to go in for Velodyne EQ MAX 12 subs x 2 pcs. = 93k. Would that be a great for a room situated on 1st floor? Or should I just get a powerful sub for now and see later if I need a second one? Only disadvantage with this is that I might end up spending more that I have planned on subs e.g. 77k x 2 = 144k for RELs. OR 46.5k x 2 = 93k for Velodynes'. Kindly suggest. Also, should I not consider Supercube 6000? I heard them at expo and idk if it was the music video that these guys played but whatever it was, I was stunned by them!!

Regd. avr, I am somehow inclined towards Denon. Would it be a bad idea to get the 3313 for now and add a Emotiva XPA3/5 later? Do they make a good pair? I have been warned by Sight & Sound's Tanuj that Denon and Rotel don't go well together which IDK is true or not. Otherwise I wanted to get a Rotel power amp with Denon. Now, my dealer is not suggesting me any option other than Pioneers. I had to tell him that due to their bright sounding nature, I don't want Pioneer and Onkyo. Like I said, Marantz isn't considered too. So only option is Denon 3313 / 4311 / 4520 with Emotiva XPA 3/5 or Rotel power amp. Anybody with any idea about Rotel pricing? I can't find Indian prices on the internet and when I ask my dealer to suggest good power amp from Rotel under 1 lac, he tells me that I don't need it. But I DO NEED ONE!!!! lol. Btw Navin, which power amp makes should I look at for Nice Neutral Sound?

Is Yamaha 3020 (135k - 10% = 121.5k) a good bet when compared to Denon 3313 (100k-15% = 85k) or 4311 (160k - 15% = 136k) ? Or just getting a Denon 4520 (240k - 15% = 204k) and not adding a power amp seems a better idea? Because I would not like to buy a 4520 now and add a power amp later as this would shoot up the budget too much. But, only if I get strong recommendation/s on doing this, I think I might do it. I want this setup to last with me for atleast 10 years or more.

3. For the cables, I will get in touch with the dealers that you have mentioned. How about Klotz thou? Heard of it?

Again, many thanks for your input.

Typically 10% of the value of the system, at best 15%.



1. Get the T7. In fact I would consdier getting 2 T7 (1 later) so that the bass in your room is better distributed - 2 subs in different locations tend to cancel each others peaks and nulls.

2. I woudl take the 3020+power amp (Emotiva might be too bright but a nice neutral amp can be used) over the 4520. Remember even if you bi-amp/wire the 4520 all 4 channels driving the front speakers are sharing a power supply and that is the limitation. For 1L (difference betweeen 4520 and 3020) you can get a nice power amp.

3. Atlas is available here
Audio Dynamics | High-End Audio and Home Theater Systems
4. Supra at LaKozy
India - "Lakozy Electronic" - The New Showroom in Delhi is now operational !!
5. Sommer at S.U.N. Media Ventures
sommer cable - distributions

Audiodynamcis is a nice guy and I am sure he has dealers in Delhi, LaKozy has a Delhi showroom, and SUN Media (Umesh Bhagwat) can be contacted at 022- 28843772 or 28854117 or via email at [email protected]

BTW I have no commercial relationship with any of the above. I do know some of them on a first name basis though. Perks of my age I guess

 

[Eddierockks]

Thanks nSinghal. I do have a Logitech Harmony 900 for daily use. Regarding the HDMI Splitter, is it true that using it decreases the audio and video quality considerably? I have heard it many times but not sure if it's true or not.

If not, can you suggest a model?

It's true when you say that it should not be the deciding factor for my purchase. As of now, I have thought of getting a hdmi splitter only later on when there's a need. As of now, I am looking for the best AVR or AVR+Power combo. Feel free to suggest some models

Lol @ jailbroken PS3, dude normally I try many games at dirt cheap prices and if I really like them, like I am engrossed in it and want to play more Online, then I buy the original copy. This is how it is serving me from past many years. I can later shift it to my dedicated HT room when it's complete, or my lobby or even my parent's room to be used as a bluray player. Till then, I would want to keep it.

And you use them all everyday?

Lets be realistic. Other than tatasky, oppo and maybe htpc, you probably don't need the rest of the equipment every single day. Rest can easily be added to an hdmi splitter. I haven't personally looked into it (as I need 5 only and my avr has 7 already) but I'm sure finding a good quality one with a remote control won't be that difficult and with all this equipment, you'll be better off getting a universal remote anyways so another remote shouldn't be a problem either.

All I'm saying is the number of hdmi inputs shouldn't be the deciding factor for your avr/pre-pro selection. You obviously have enough budget to get either one but its the SQ which should be the first deciding factor instead of number of hdmi inputs.

Edit: And get rid of that jailbroken ps3!

 

[Eddierockks]

Guys any help/suggestion/guidance on the

Denon 3313 + Emotiva XPA 3

VS

Denon 4311 + Emotiva XPA 3

VS

Denon 4520 + Emotiva XPA 3

VS

Yamaha 3020 + Emotiva XPA 3?

Quick replies would be more than appreciated. Thanks in advance!