Beginner stereo setup(for Movies) under 30k

[Marakk]

@Marakk @Passive_audio_enthusiast I find your discussions fascinating and helpful. I hope there are just intellectual differences.
For now, my plans are to visit Yamaha dealer on Tuesday(hectic schedule till Monday). Will check Rs202 + BS/FS combo, Yas 109, and YAS 209. I will also audition few soundbars in Reliance Digital. LgSl6Y(3.1 channel, not very good reviews but what’s wrong in auditioning if available), LgSL8Y(3.1.2, somewhat good review), JBl, Samsung, and Sony soundbars. I think it’s better to eliminate all possible options I have that can be auditioned. Iff I don’t find myself satisfied with any of these, then will move on to IAs and speakers that I cannot audition and then decide accordingly.

Sounds like a plan. I skipped on LG SL6Y bar because of bad reviews when I bought my C9, and later, when Rtings tested it, it was confirmed that its response is terrible. Do listen to it though. Make up your own mind.

Take some songs that you know well. If you have some good headphones, listen to the selected songs on them a lot so you know what to hear.

JBL has a bar, 5.1 Multibeam, which uses side firing tweeters and room correction for that too to create a wide soundfield. It needs walls within 4.5m of each side to bounce sound though. So I'm not sure how it will sound in an open showroom floor. Still, check it out. It'll fetch you a 10" subwoofer too. Doesn't have a lot of settings though. Getting good reviews on Bestbuy currently. No option to add rear speakers, which you can though with LG and Samsung options. Don't think Sony has any bar in your budget that you should consider. They tend to lack treble anyway and sound dark and muffled.

 

[NadirT]

@Marakk Luckily I do have Audio Technica studio monitor headphones. Will use them as reference point.

 

[ssf]

I am not a big fan of 5.1 setup

During the lockdown, my Marantz 7010 went into protection mode. It is now at the repair shop. Currently I am using my Topping TP60, Quad S2 and my Velodyne EQ Max 15.

The impact of the 2.1 system is nowhere close to what my Marantz used to bring out (5.1.2). It is definitely better than listening to TV speakers though. So, since your 75% usage is movies, please keep an open mind about 5.1 and try it out sometime in future.

 

[baker]

I am also in search for a good sound bar for my c9.
@Marakk any idea about Polk mini sound bar , this and samsung q60 both are in same price

 

[Marakk]

I am also in search for a good sound bar for my c9.
@Marakk any idea about Polk mini sound bar , this and samsung q60 both are in same price

Polk MagniFI mini you mean? That's for people with less space or small TVs. A wider bar will give you a wider soundstage. Q60R is 110cm long. That's decently wide, and in surround mode, it seems even wider without hurting the vocals, which is a vital difference. In its price range, Q60R is the top choice for me. Every other company is offering 2.1 or 2.0 in this price, but Samsung is giving you 5.1 configuration, even if they are all in front.

Competition for it for me is Philips TAPB603 or JBL 5.1 Multibeam.

 

[baker]

Polk MagniFI mini you mean? That's for people with less space or small TVs. A wider bar will give you a wider soundstage. Q60R is 110cm long. That's decently wide, and in surround mode, it seems even wider without hurting the vocals, which is a vital difference. In its price range, Q60R is the top choice for me. Every other company is offering 2.1 or 2.0 in this price, but Samsung is giving you 5.1 configuration, even if they are all in front.

Competition for it for me is Philips TAPB603 or JBL 5.1 Multibeam.

My budget was around 2Ok, if i want to choose from 2.1 , what can be the good option or 2.1 won't justify the performance of c9

 

[Marakk]

My budget was around 2Ok, if i want to choose from 2.1 , what can be the good option or 2.1 won't justify the performance of c9

Well, push the budget to 23k and get Samsung R650. 3.1 will give you clearer dialogues and you can add rear speakers later to get true surround too. Option remains open.

If you really want to stay under 20k, then R550 is good. You can also wait for T550/T650 as that'll give you DTS: Virtual X. With Q60T, DTS: VX is kind of a waste as in that mode, the acoustic beam speakers aren't used, so it'll perform just like T650.

 

[OM_2K19]

Hello everyone.

I have a lg C9. The satisfaction of Oled is nullified by the audio system of the tv. I have been lurking with in different threads to find the right audio solution. From soundbars to active BS. Entry level HTiB to decent AVR+BS combo. This definitely didn’t help me in choosing the right product, but it did actually made me realise what I absolutely don’t want right now and possibly in near future, a 5.1 system. I will try my best to relay my thoughts through following pointers to minimise as much confusion as possible.

1. My 75% usage is movies and Tv-series(netflix, amazon, disney). 20% youtube, podcasts, and gaming. 5% music.
2. 12x18 ft hall(220sqft). Tv is on 18ft wall in the centre with viewing distance of 10 ft. I will attach a pic for better understanding of furniture and windows/doors placement.
3. I wish to limit my budget to 30-35k.
4. I am inclining towards IAs. Narrowed down to FX AudioD502(₹9000, bcoz of price to performance ratio and Sub out), Norge 2030(no idea about price), Pioneer A10ae(₹16000, saw good reviews online). Also Marantz 5005 (₹21000) seemed a good choice but it doesn’t have digital ports to connect to tv(i hope i am not missing anything) and it stretches my budget a lot.
5. Speakers- Polk Audio T50 FS(₹22000), Taga Platinum S40 V2(₹16000), Wharfedale D320(₹19000). Checked speakers below 30k.

There are also few points that i wish you all to keep in consideration.

1. I have zero HiFi experience. Haven’t heard any dedicated HT system so don’t have any references point. Anything remotely good will be make a huge difference to me.
2. I live in Patna. The only HT dealer in my city is Sight and Sound that deals exclusively in Yamaha and Bose. But they can also arrange Polk, Jamo, JBL, not for audition though. This also zeroes my chance of auditioning speakers, as i doubt i will travel to any other city for audition during corona.
3. Not a fan of glass shattering bass and high volumes.
4. Can definitely add a Sub later, if required.
5. I am more inclined towards cleaner dialogues and high treble causes me ear fatique.

I hope i have provided required information. My apologies if i skip something.

Thank you all in advance for your patience and time.

Well, looking at your room diagram, speaker placement (for 5.1 system) will be quite tricky. And you need a good AVR with auto room correction probably Denon 2600H. Audyssey room correction is best in the business. But you can think of this later. At this point, I would either buy a good soundbar probably from JBL/Yamaha or get an entry-level 5.1 HTiB like YHT 1840.

With YHT 1840, you can have a feel of 5.1 sound and can use it to understand the speaker positioning and other nitty-gritty of a Home Theatre before investigating a huge amount on good AVR, speakers.

 

[NadirT]

@OM_2K19 @ssf
I have been researching extensively. Talking to few FMs about their experience and how they would have started with their current knowledge. Got very nice suggestions. The only choice I have to make is whether I am ok with spending 20-30k extra over a period of few years before my desired setup is completed or not.
My final objective is to setup a 5.1.2. I already am enjoying Dolby Vision, then why not go for Dolby Atmos setup when my tv supports it. Over the period of few years, more and more atmos content will be streamed over digital platforms. So now I am thinking backwards. Disintegrating my atmos setup into basic building blocks. AVR+BS/FS is the first foundation around which everything will be build. And this is where the problem starts. A good atmos AVR will cost around 50-60k(which will be hopefully future proof with 2 sub out and Front out), and good BS around 20k. So my budget from 30k rises to 70-80k, which is a lot.
This is my dilemma now. And once I have visited my Yamaha dealer, I hope my choices will get streamlined a little.

 

[Pons]

@OM_2K19 @ssf
I have been researching extensively. Talking to few FMs about their experience and how they would have started with their current knowledge. Got very nice suggestions. The only choice I have to make is whether I am ok with spending 20-30k extra over a period of few years before my desired setup is completed or not.
My final objective is to setup a 5.1.2. I already am enjoying Dolby Vision, then why not go for Dolby Atmos setup when my tv supports it. Over the period of few years, more and more atmos content will be streamed over digital platforms. So now I am thinking backwards. Disintegrating my atmos setup into basic building blocks. AVR+BS/FS is the first foundation around which everything will be build. And this is where the problem starts. A good atmos AVR will cost around 50-60k(which will be hopefully future proof with 2 sub out and Front out), and good BS around 20k. So my budget from 30k rises to 70-80k, which is a lot.
This is my dilemma now. And once I have visited my Yamaha dealer, I hope my choices will get streamlined a little.

Look out for the eARC support in avr as ur major source for atmos is tv.
ARC max out in DD+ (netflix passes atmos in DD+ - have not yet tested/confirmed).
So u need min 7.2 to support proper atmos dts x/eARC/zone 2 or better pre-outs/ hdcp 2.3 to future proof/ network play like dts play-fi or Heos/ room correction audessey or mcacc
Denon 2600H like most of this boxes- seeing pricing around 55k in many threads.
Check yamaha v685 also.
Been researching to replace my faulty onkyo 5.1 htib setup. Options are aplenty and only ur budget and willingness to buy fullset/ build components is the deciding factor

 

[NadirT]

Look out for the eARC support in avr as ur major source for atmos is tv.
ARC max out in DD+ (netflix passes atmos in DD+ - have not yet tested/confirmed).
So u need min 7.2 to support proper atmos dts x/eARC/zone 2 or better pre-outs/ hdcp 2.3 to future proof/ network play like dts play-fi or Heos/ room correction audessey or mcacc
Denon 2600H like most of this boxes- seeing pricing around 55k in many threads.
Check yamaha v685 also.
Been researching to replace my faulty onkyo 5.1 htib setup. Options are aplenty and only ur budget and willingness to buy fullset/ build components is the deciding factor

I am more inclined towards yamaha 685 as it’s locally available. In case of some problems, it can be resolved easily, otherwise shipping a 10kg avr is a problem in itself.

 

[baker]

Polk MagniFI mini you mean? That's for people with less space or small TVs. A wider bar will give you a wider soundstage. Q60R is 110cm long. That's decently wide, and in surround mode, it seems even wider without hurting the vocals, which is a vital difference. In its price range, Q60R is the top choice for me. Every other company is offering 2.1 or 2.0 in this price, but Samsung is giving you 5.1 configuration, even if they are all in front.

Competition for it for me is Philips TAPB603 or JBL 5.1 Multibeam.

Any idea about lgsl8y , getting for same price as q60.

 

[Marakk]

Any idea about lgsl8y , getting for same price as q60.

Uneven, excited frequency response. Q60R is better balanced.

Here's the review for SL10YG: https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/lg/sl10yg

It's horrible tbh. I wouldn't get it, but if you're tempted by Atmos, maybe you can take a chance. Listen in person if possible before buying.

 

[baker]

Uneven, excited frequency response. Q60R is better balanced.

Here's the review for SL10YG: https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/lg/sl10yg

It's horrible tbh. I wouldn't get it, but if you're tempted by Atmos, maybe you can take a chance. Listen in person if possible before buying.

Thanks , as you mentioned in previous post.
Philips tapb603 also coming in same price as q60. Which can be better..?

And even with 5.1 support, with out rear speakers will it be same for q60

 

[Marakk]

Thanks , as you mentioned in previous post.
Philips tapb603 also coming in same price as q60. Which can be better..?

And even with 5.1 support, with out rear speakers will it be same for q60

I can't be sure how the Philips one sounds, as it hasn't been tested by Rtings, and probably it never will. You just gotta take a chance with it. That said, Philips headsets that have been measured do measure well, so maybe it won't be bad? Can't be sure. It does have a bug, that the display light can only be dimmed, but not turned off. You can put a tape over it though.

I went with Samsung to be sure that the sound I'll get is decent and rear speakers can be added for true surround. Philips adds Atmos though.

Which one is better? Beats me. Lol

 

[Michelangalo]

Hello everyone.

I have a lg C9. The satisfaction of Oled is nullified by the audio system of the tv. I have been lurking with in different threads to find the right audio solution. From soundbars to active BS. Entry level HTiB to decent AVR+BS combo. This definitely didn’t help me in choosing the right product, but it did actually made me realise what I absolutely don’t want right now and possibly in near future, a 5.1 system. I will try my best to relay my thoughts through following pointers to minimise as much confusion as possible.

1. My 75% usage is movies and Tv-series(netflix, amazon, disney). 20% youtube, podcasts, and gaming. 5% music.
2. 12x18 ft hall(220sqft). Tv is on 18ft wall in the centre with viewing distance of 10 ft. I will attach a pic for better understanding of furniture and windows/doors placement.
3. I wish to limit my budget to 30-35k.
4. I am inclining towards IAs. Narrowed down to FX AudioD502(₹9000, bcoz of price to performance ratio and Sub out), Norge 2030(no idea about price), Pioneer A10ae(₹16000, saw good reviews online). Also Marantz 5005 (₹21000) seemed a good choice but it doesn’t have digital ports to connect to tv(i hope i am not missing anything) and it stretches my budget a lot.
5. Speakers- Polk Audio T50 FS(₹22000), Taga Platinum S40 V2(₹16000), Wharfedale D320(₹19000). Checked speakers below 30k.

There are also few points that i wish you all to keep in consideration.

1. I have zero HiFi experience. Haven’t heard any dedicated HT system so don’t have any references point. Anything remotely good will be make a huge difference to me.
2. I live in Patna. The only HT dealer in my city is Sight and Sound that deals exclusively in Yamaha and Bose. But they can also arrange Polk, Jamo, JBL, not for audition though. This also zeroes my chance of auditioning speakers, as i doubt i will travel to any other city for audition during corona.
3. Not a fan of glass shattering bass and high volumes.
4. Can definitely add a Sub later, if required.
5. I am more inclined towards cleaner dialogues and high treble causes me ear fatique.

I hope i have provided required information. My apologies if i skip something.

Thank you all in advance for your patience and time.

I have polk magnifi mini that I want to sell. It sounds great and in pristine condition. You can check the online reviews and let me know if you are interested.

 

[NadirT]

I have polk magnifi mini that I want to sell. It sounds great and in pristine condition. You can check the online reviews and let me know if you are interested.

I will let you know Michealangalo, thank you for the offer.

 

[swagat_rath]

Hello everyone.

I have a lg C9. The satisfaction of Oled is nullified by the audio system of the tv. I have been lurking with in different threads to find the right audio solution. From soundbars to active BS. Entry level HTiB to decent AVR+BS combo. This definitely didn’t help me in choosing the right product, but it did actually made me realise what I absolutely don’t want right now and possibly in near future, a 5.1 system. I will try my best to relay my thoughts through following pointers to minimise as much confusion as possible.

1. My 75% usage is movies and Tv-series(netflix, amazon, disney). 20% youtube, podcasts, and gaming. 5% music.
2. 12x18 ft hall(220sqft). Tv is on 18ft wall in the centre with viewing distance of 10 ft. I will attach a pic for better understanding of furniture and windows/doors placement.
3. I wish to limit my budget to 30-35k.
4. I am inclining towards IAs. Narrowed down to FX AudioD502(₹9000, bcoz of price to performance ratio and Sub out), Norge 2030(no idea about price), Pioneer A10ae(₹16000, saw good reviews online). Also Marantz 5005 (₹21000) seemed a good choice but it doesn’t have digital ports to connect to tv(i hope i am not missing anything) and it stretches my budget a lot.
5. Speakers- Polk Audio T50 FS(₹22000), Taga Platinum S40 V2(₹16000), Wharfedale D320(₹19000). Checked speakers below 30k.

There are also few points that i wish you all to keep in consideration.

1. I have zero HiFi experience. Haven’t heard any dedicated HT system so don’t have any references point. Anything remotely good will be make a huge difference to me.
2. I live in Patna. The only HT dealer in my city is Sight and Sound that deals exclusively in Yamaha and Bose. But they can also arrange Polk, Jamo, JBL, not for audition though. This also zeroes my chance of auditioning speakers, as i doubt i will travel to any other city for audition during corona.
3. Not a fan of glass shattering bass and high volumes.
4. Can definitely add a Sub later, if required.
5. I am more inclined towards cleaner dialogues and high treble causes me ear fatique.

I hope i have provided required information. My apologies if i skip something.

Thank you all in advance for your patience and time.

Hi Nadir

I am having the exact same requirement and the dilemma which you are going through on the 5.1.2 plan for the future

I am just waiting to audition HTs before I make the decision and arrive at some reference point

 

[NadirT]

Hi Nadir

I am having the exact same requirement and the dilemma which you are going through on the 5.1.2 plan for the future

I am just waiting to audition HTs before I make the decision and arrive at some reference point

Things would have a lot easier if I would have been in a metro city. Lot more options to explore and audition. Let’s see where I end up. Best of luck to you too.

 

[swagat_rath]

Things would have a lot easier if I would have been in a metro city. Lot more options to explore and audition. Let’s see where I end up. Best of luck to you too.

Btw , i was wondering how about the Pioneer HTP-076 and the Onkyo HTS3910 setup, can't those be converted to a 5.1.2 setup? Or am i missing something