Denon 1600H with Polk TL1600 - First Build

[RahulPuls]

I have been a silent reader on this forum.

I got inspired by many members here and rang up couple of dealer's here in Hyderabad.

I'm trying to build a 5.1 setup and need your inputs:

Denon 1600H - ₹66,000
Polk Audio TL 1600 - ₹40,000
Display - Sony X9500G for now (will move to a projector soon)
Media sources - DVD/BluRay/USB , OTT platforms

I wish to add 2 more height speakers in the future.

1. Is this a future proof setup atleast for 5 years?
2. Can I get a better price than mentioned above?
3. Any other points I should consider?

Thanks,
Rahul.

 

[argho]

Denon 1600H is fine. AVR prices are a little high right now.

I would not reccomend the Polk TL1600. You will soon grow out of it.

The other budget line from Polk (T Series) is much better.

Shop Polk t series Speaker Package in online India | Profx

Shop POLK T SERIES SPEAKER PACKAGE Home Theater are as versatile as they come, bringing incredible home theater sound and concert-quality music all in a classic look

profx.com

See if you are able to negotiate a decent deal for the T series.

Try and get a quote from ProFX in Hyderabad.

PRO FX HYDERABAD​

S 302, Third Floor,
Babukhan Mall,
Somajiguda Circle,
Hyderabad 500 016,
Tel: 04040218387 | +91 9396556197
E-mail: [email protected]
Timings: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm (Monday to Saturday)

 

[OM_2K19]

I don't see any reason why you can't run this et-up for 3/5 years. It's a great VFM set-up and works great for small/moderate rooms. That said, the Sub is a bit weak, and I'll suggest you replacing it with a more powerful unit after a while (if you feel so).

 

[musiz_craze]

I have been a silent reader on this forum.

I got inspired by many members here and rang up couple of dealer's here in Hyderabad.

I'm trying to build a 5.1 setup and need your inputs:

Denon 1600H - ₹66,000
Polk Audio TL 1600 - ₹40,000
Display - Sony X9500G for now (will move to a projector soon)
Media sources - DVD/BluRay/USB , OTT platforms

I wish to add 2 more height speakers in the future.

1. Is this a future proof setup atleast for 5 years?
2. Can I get a better price than mentioned above?
3. Any other points I should consider?

Thanks,
Rahul.

Invest more in speakers and subwoofers as they will last long for many years, I have seen many FM using it for 10+ years.

AVR will be upgraded every year with new features, you can go ahead 1600h but it become very expensive after lockdown, I have brought it last year for 48k.

 

[argho]

Invest more in speakers and subwoofers as they will last long for many years, I have seen many FM using it for 10+ years.

AVR will be upgraded every year with new features, you can go ahead 1600h but it become very expensive after lockdown, I have brought it last year for 48k.

I would agree with this.

My personal advice, for the budget you have :
- Buy the Denon 1600
- Buy a good pair of bookshelf speakers for 20-25K ( Q Acoustics 3020i / Polk RTi A1 / Dali etc ..tons of choices)

Save the rest.

Keeping saving until you have enough, to buy.

Buy the remaining speakers in this order , as and when you have money :
- Sub-woofer (becomes a 2.1 system)
- Centre (becomes 3.1 system)
- Surrounds (becomes a complete 5.1 system)

Speakers easily last 20+ years. Will easily out last the AVR.
Buy good speakers which you are happy to keep for 20 years.

 

[gourav]

I would say, if you have a budget of x, then AVR should get a max of 0.4x and speakers should get at least 0.6x. So if you're looking at a budget of 1 lakh for speakers + AVR, then get an AVR for 40k and speakers for 60k. This would include your future speaker purchases as well.

This is not a thumb rule and you should eventually get what you like, but getting a mid-range receiver and pairing them with entry level speakers is not going to give great results.

You should also look at options where you get speakers separately, you don't necessarily have to buy it as a package. I recently bought speakers. I didn't have a big budget, but I wanted something good. So I spent most of my budget on front and center (29.5k) and got cheap surround speakers (3.6k). The experience is quite awesome and I don't feel like the surrounds cost 1/5th of the front speakers. This is because majority of the focus of any movie is on the front speakers. So when on a budget, there should be bigger focus on fronts. In fact, setting up rear is a such a hassle for most people, that some just choose to skip them altogether, staying with a 3.1 setup instead.

Having a great pair of front speakers also ensures that the system will do well while playing music too (unless your usage is pretty much only movies).

I got a Taga Harmony Azure B-40 for front for 18k. Your budget obviously permits better. You can look at Dali Zensor series or Taga Platinum series. There are lot of choices for bookshelf speakers or tower speakers. In fact, there's a Dali Zensor 3 for sale in the classifieds section right now. Not suggesting you go out and buy, but they are definitely worth considering. Dali is great for music as well.

Please do mention your expected usage pattern between music/movies. That will also help people give better suggestions. And do start looking for places where you can audition speakers.

 

[RahulPuls]

Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions. I got the below:

Denon 2700H - 71k
ELAC DEBUT 2.0 B6.2 - 31k

I negotiated till the last moment to squeeze these prices.

Now the search is on for a Sub-woofer. Centre channel & surrounds will be added slowly.

I'll post my review soon once these are delivered. Your comments are welcome.

~Rahul

 

[argho]

Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions. I got the below:

Denon 2700H - 71k
ELAC DEBUT 2.0 B6.2 - 31k

I negotiated till the last moment to squeeze these prices.

Now the search is on for a Sub-woofer. Centre channel & surrounds will be added slowly.

I'll post my review soon once these are delivered. Your comments are welcome.

~Rahul

Great start.

 

[SRI 420]

Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions. I got the below:

Denon 2700H - 71k
ELAC DEBUT 2.0 B6.2 - 31k

I negotiated till the last moment to squeeze these prices.

Now the search is on for a Sub-woofer. Centre channel & surrounds will be added slowly.

I'll post my review soon once these are delivered. Your comments are welcome.

~Rahul

Great, congratulations on your new acquisition. Enjoy your music and please share your experience.

 

[BudgetListener]

Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions. I got the below:

Denon 2700H - 71k
ELAC DEBUT 2.0 B6.2 - 31k

I negotiated till the last moment to squeeze these prices.

Now the search is on for a Sub-woofer. Centre channel & surrounds will be added slowly.

I'll post my review soon once these are delivered. Your comments are welcome.

~Rahul

Rahul, can you please message me the dealer for 2700H, looking for an AVR myself. Thanks in advance.

 

[dr.arun]

My dealer was offering 2700 at 66k , but that was 2-3 weeks back . i think the prices have changed recetly

 

[Sandy_thegamer]

Hey, Congrats on that partial setup but I think you missed something real good there my friend.
I have recently Paired Yamaha Aventage A2A with Polk 1600 and the result is exceptionally phenomenal.... (Sub woofer can go little more tigher for a medium size room) but you wont feel it after enjoying some Marvel movies.
see, in the search of Music quality ull find that money flows like a water, there is literally no cap, so you have to settle somewhere.... where u get that sweet smile on your face when you watch your favourite content.....

I have noticed this can be easily achieved if you look for pure audio science driven products rather than just numbers.... Polk and Crutchfield backs up on that... enough of this... i wud still suggest if you are into Only wall hanging speakers and dont have space for towers go for TL1600.. itll easily give you ear melting with pleasure experience for another many years till something else gets available in india of such kind.

 

[k-pad]

Hi Rahul, when I chanced upon this thread, I came in to tell you to go at least 2700.
Glad to see you went with it. Great choice. (And even a decent price considering what the industry is going through and consequently what buyers are forced to go through)

And the speakers too...
You've made a great start, as @argho said.

Now, take it slow, my friend. Keep looking till you find a good sub that satisfies you.
As for the heights and the five year question, could you share your room dimensions?
It will be easier for FMs to guide better.
In fact, sub suggestions too would be better depending on room dimensions.

I already see you have a very cool head on your shoulders, and I know you will end up with a great build.
Wishing you the best.
Regards

 

[selvaa_pr]

Everyone have their own opinions and approach towards building a home theater. But, after one year from purchased my X1600H & A pair of Elac B6.2, one thing I learnt heavily. Unless have finance to add more boxes around me in short span or I am inclined towatds playing stereo music most of the time, buying 2 Speaks and planning to add speakers is a stupid decision..instead, we can buy a small 5.1 package for the same price of that 2 LR and enjoy the surround sound at least. Personally I regret my purchase. Friends, this isn't to hurt anyone who provide guidance or suggestion..this is what I learnt after shelling out 74k + 15k in Online UPS, an year back..

 

[fLUX]

Everyone have their own opinions and approach towards building a home theater. But, after one year from purchased my X1600H & A pair of Elac B6.2, one thing I learnt heavily. Unless have finance to add more boxes around me in short span or I am inclined towatds playing stereo music most of the time, buying 2 Speaks and planning to add speakers is a stupid decision..instead, we can buy a small 5.1 package for the same price of that 2 LR and enjoy the surround sound at least. Personally I regret my purchase. Friends, this isn't to hurt anyone who provide guidance or suggestion..this is what I learnt after shelling out 74k + 15k in Online UPS, an year back..

If you are strictly speaking in terms of value I would put an used bookshelf based 5.0 set with a good subwoofer as the right spot for getting a HT system , speaking strictly from personal experience I paid about 54k for an used QAcoustics setup initially (Concept 20 fronts, 3020i surrounds and a 3090i Center) and a X2600H, this in terms of movie experience trumped Polk TL1600/Phasetech Cinemicro HTIB systems which cost about 38/50k individually (the subs are very weak in Polk TL1600). If I had gone for brand new units would have costed me about 75-80k for the same combination.

Now despite moving to a setup almost 4/5x the cost , the difference is not as much as one would expect from a HT perspective and does not trump the QAcoustics system like how they trumped the TL1600(theory of diminishing returns applies rather quickly in audio and then is upto the individual to go further).

I personally would use makeshift surrounds using satellites to fill in the void (can be had for cheap via OLX and other sources), it does feel incomplete without surrounds as they add a good deal to the experience and ambience created for certain scenes. I tried using just fronts for HT and did not enjoy as much, so your feedback is very valid. However recommendation of going slowly is purely if and when one cannot get all 5 units at same time, not because surround doesn't matter but because it matters less than fronts and center, also one is likely to feel his system lacking when he hears a well integrated HT setup with a nice subwoofer.

 

[gourav]

Everyone have their own opinions and approach towards building a home theater. But, after one year from purchased my X1600H & A pair of Elac B6.2, one thing I learnt heavily. Unless have finance to add more boxes around me in short span or I am inclined towatds playing stereo music most of the time, buying 2 Speaks and planning to add speakers is a stupid decision..instead, we can buy a small 5.1 package for the same price of that 2 LR and enjoy the surround sound at least. Personally I regret my purchase. Friends, this isn't to hurt anyone who provide guidance or suggestion..this is what I learnt after shelling out 74k + 15k in Online UPS, an year back..

Agree with this to some extent. The difference between speakers costing 5000 and speakers costing 50000 is huge. But the difference between those costing 50k and those costing 1 lakh is not as much. So if people have a budget of 1 lakh, it would be better to get something within that budget rather than settling for a 2.0 system and leaving the rest for later. For me it seems like spending a lot of money and not getting anything at present.

That's why, when I went out to buy an HT, despite the budget constraints, I decided to get cheap satellite speakers to complete my surround system. Otherwise I would have kept thinking about completing the system and would have ended up spending a lot more a few months down the line. I know it's not the best approach. My surrounds don't really match the fronts, many times they are overpowered by the fronts. But having them gives me a sense of what surround is like and I know where the system can improve. If I didn't have them, I'd just be day dreaming about full surround sound.

The only place split purchase makes a lot of sense is in case of subwoofers. Good subwoofers are expensive. Having a good pair of bookshelfs alleviates some of the need for having a subwoofer. I presently have a 5.0 setup, but I don't really miss a subwoofer all that much. The 6.5" driver in my Azure B-40 provides enough bass to keep me satisfied. So I'm better off with a good bookshelf and no sub than I would have been with just satellites all around and mediocre sub (which was also an option I had considered, with the Mission M-Cube + SE set).

At the end of the day, I believe people should make a decision which makes sense to them personally. Some people are patient and can wait a couple of years between purchases. Some, like me, are impatient and want everything in one go. As forum members, we should definitely present both the options to the askers, at least where their budget permits.

 

[nagbbv]

try Taga Harmony TAV-607 5.0 package instead of Polk TL1600, if your room size is medium or above.

 

[dilliaudiophile]

try Taga Harmony TAV-607 5.0 package instead of Polk TL1600, if your room size is medium or above.

Whats the cheapest AVR you'd recommend with this? Really don't need explosive sound for my 10x15 room, just enough to be better than soundbars.

 

[dilliaudiophile]

Everyone have their own opinions and approach towards building a home theater. But, after one year from purchased my X1600H & A pair of Elac B6.2, one thing I learnt heavily. Unless have finance to add more boxes around me in short span or I am inclined towatds playing stereo music most of the time, buying 2 Speaks and planning to add speakers is a stupid decision..instead, we can buy a small 5.1 package for the same price of that 2 LR and enjoy the surround sound at least. Personally I regret my purchase. Friends, this isn't to hurt anyone who provide guidance or suggestion..this is what I learnt after shelling out 74k + 15k in Online UPS, an year back..

Such a brave post honestly. People are too inclined to recommend expensive 2.0 systems here rather than just recommend a half decent 5.0 system below a certain budget even though there seems to be options out there. I'm 100% sure most of these HTIB systems would be plenty for anyone wanting a great system to watch movies on.

 

[fLUX]

Whats the cheapest AVR you'd recommend with this? Really don't need explosive sound for my 10x15 room, just enough to be better than soundbars.

Soundbar can be bettered even by a TL1600 IMO but moving to a bookshelf is where the real performance enhancement begins where you don't feel.the need to go to a theater any longer. For me that point was with a Qacoustic concept 20 ,3020i and 3090i center