HT in a small 10x12 room at around Rs 3.5L

[k-pad]

The 3D demonstrations are killer

Oh by the way, a particular post from my early days here should be of interest (and will have you in splits).

It's the one where I bombastically mentioned, nay demanded, that I want an AVR that will last 5-7 years
No wonder nobody bothered to reply to that. Guessing all the gentle souls decided on the "he will live and learn" path.

 

[ankitbhargava]

Oh by the way, a particular post from my early days here should be of interest (and will have you in splits).

It's the one where I bombastically mentioned, nay demanded, that I want an AVR that will last 5-7 years
No wonder nobody bothered to reply to that. Guessing all the gentle souls decided on the "he will live and learn" path.

hahaha, 7 years is very ambitious but 5 years could be achieved with utmost care and no "upgrade bug"

 

[k-pad]

hahaha, 7 years is very ambitious but 5 years could be achieved with utmost care and no "upgrade bug"

Inshallah...

 

[rshri]

Haha!
Good to know one is not alone in such madness
Will keep you posted, bro.
In current set up, moving the speakers from long wall to short wall has gone a huuuuge way in ensuring very little LF leaks out of the room. It definitely has become inaudible three walls away, which used to not be the case earlier.
Regards

@k-pad This combination is an on-wall option that I am considering for myself - Polk S15 front L&R, Polk s35 center Polk OWM3 surrounds. What do you think?

 

[k-pad]

@k-pad This combination is an on-wall option that I am considering for myself - Polk S15 front L&R, Polk s35 center Polk OWM3 surrounds. What do you think?

I haven't heard the S15s. will keep an eye out. I have heard the OWM5s though. Sounded very good for surround. On paper, the 5s have a slightly higher sensitivity and frequency response of 80-22K, which could be helpful if and when you get a sub. The 3s go down only up to 100 Hz, meaning you might have to set your sub at a higher cut of...
Why don't you check them out before locking the 3s? The price difference should not be that bad.

 

[rshri]

I haven't heard the S15s. will keep an eye out. I have heard the OWM5s though. Sounded very good for surround. On paper, the 5s have a slightly higher sensitivity and frequency response of 80-22K, which could be helpful if and when you get a sub. The 3s go down only up to 100 Hz, meaning you might have to set your sub at a higher cut of...
Why don't you check them out before locking the 3s? The price difference should not be that bad.

Picked an interesting observation about OHM5 - Apparently people have built their whole LCR using them. One of such person replaced his center OHM5 with Polk S35 (The center I have been eyeing). He reported that there was no improvement in Center audio quality at all! He returned the S35 and bought Emotiva C1+ instead.
Takeaways - Ditch plans for Polk S35. Also - Can try OWM5 as center. Its thin profile will be a good fit for my requirements. Even if center gets upgraded later, the OHM5 can be reused for atmos/surround. However OHM5 is not exactly cheap at 16K and also EOL product.

 

[k-pad]

Picked an interesting observation about OHM5 - Apparently people have built their whole LCR using them. One of such person replaced his center OHM5 with Polk S35 (The center I have been eyeing). He reported that there was no improvement in Center audio quality at all! He returned the S35 and bought Emotiva C1+ instead.

Ya, I liked what I heard from the OWM5s. May consider them for surrounds, depending on what I finalise for LCRs...
Everyone in this forum and elsewhere have only good things to say about the C1+. It's a shame their India dealer jacked up the price by almost double.

Takeaways - Ditch plans for Polk S35. Also - Can try OWM5 as center.

What is your room size? Sorry if you had mentioned it earlier. (I think we have exchanged posts in a different thread about rounded 5.0s?)

Its thin profile will be a good fit for my requirements. Even if center gets upgraded later, the OHM5 can be reused for atmos/surround.

Definitely.

However OHM5 is not exactly cheap at 16K and also EOL product.

See if you can stretch your budget a bit, Shri. I wouldn't worry about them being discontinued... Should serve you well for many years...

Also recently, heard the Q Acoustic 5.0s. They too sounded damn good for a satellite system, but slightly pricier than the Polks.

Have you picked up an AVR?

 

[k-pad]

Listened to the PSB Alpha T20s, and the Martin Logan Motion 40i.
Again, the set up may have had all to do with it, but the Rs 2 lakh retail price 40is had nothing on the Rs 3 lakh retail price 60XTis... Left me feeling pretty cold.

The PSBs, on the other hand, mother of god, blew it out of the waters.
Their Canadian cousins Paradigms are extremely well rated in forums, but these PSBs (MRP 60K INR) just destroy the Paradigm 6000SEs (MRP 90-odd K)

Anyone looking for a budget option should look at them definitely. Seriously can't understand why they don't get more love over here in India! Especially in the VFM market - What the Klipshes and the Dalis do at their price points, the PSBs do better and how! And at what a cut in the budget.

Now, onwards I go to the KEF, QA and the last couple of towers in my budget.

Anyone who has had experience with the Definitive Technology base model towers in Mumbai, kindly lemme know where I can listen to them...

Thanks and regards

Update:
Listened to some today.
1. Dali Oberon On-Walls and the Dali Phantom M-375 in-walls with the dual tweeters:
The Oberon had the signature Dali sound and decent mid-bass too. The in-walls sounded a bit thinner, but they were installed in a large room. Even in that space, the one thing that came through clearly was the good vocals and top-end thanks to their ribbon + dome set up. Looks very elegant with the grills off too. May not be for me, but for someone looking specifically for flush in-walls, they are a must-check.

2. Revel M8 satellites:
A true-sounding bunch of satellites that were very adequate for movies. The Centre did not have much grunt like some of the other box centres I have listened to, but had decent clarity and separation, which I have found missing on other on-walls. Revel says the Centre is dedicated and different from the satellites, but haven't been able to find what really is different.*
And the Centre is exorbitantly priced than the satellites. If you break down the cost, the Centre comes to almost double the cost of a single satellite, driving the 5.0 package cost much higher.
Could have worked well in my room, but found them to be a bit pricey for my liking. Having said that, one major difference is that all the mounting paraphernalia are included in the box, unlike other similar speakers.

* For instance, in Revel's bigger M10 L-R and C10 centre package, I have read that the driver arrangement is different to have both mid-range woofers on one side, to reduce the clash of dispersion from the L-Rs.

 

[k-pad]

Update:
Listened to some today.
1. Dali Oberon On-Walls and the Dali Phantom M-375 in-walls with the dual tweeters:
The Oberon had the signature Dali sound and decent mid-bass too. The in-walls sounded a bit thinner, but they were installed in a large room. Even in that space, the one thing that came through clearly was the good vocals and top-end thanks to their ribbon + dome set up. Looks very elegant with the grills off too. May not be for me, but for someone looking specifically for flush in-walls, they are a must-check.

2. Revel M8 satellites:
A true-sounding bunch of satellites that were very adequate for movies. The Centre did not have much grunt like some of the other box centres I have listened to, but had decent clarity and separation, which I have found missing on other on-walls. Revel says the Centre is dedicated and different from the satellites, but haven't been able to find what really is different.*
And the Centre is exorbitantly priced than the satellites. If you break down the cost, the Centre comes to almost double the cost of a single satellite, driving the 5.0 package cost much higher.
Could have worked well in my room, but found them to be a bit pricey for my liking. Having said that, one major difference is that all the mounting paraphernalia are included in the box, unlike other similar speakers.

* For instance, in Revel's bigger M10 L-R and C10 centre package, I have read that the driver arrangement is different to have both mid-range woofers on one side, to reduce the clash of dispersion from the L-Rs.

Also, wanted to ask one more thing, considering my constraints:
If I have a 1-1.3L budget for LCR, what would be the very best speakers to nail on the wall in that budget?

Is this a truly a very 'hi-fi' forum, or do lifestyle speakers also get some love here?

Regards
And as always very, very grateful to all replies.

 

[k-pad]

Update:
Listened to some today.
1. Dali Oberon On-Walls and the Dali Phantom M-375 in-walls with the dual tweeters:
The Oberon had the signature Dali sound and decent mid-bass too. The in-walls sounded a bit thinner, but they were installed in a large room. Even in that space, the one thing that came through clearly was the good vocals and top-end thanks to their ribbon + dome set up. Looks very elegant with the grills off too. May not be for me, but for someone looking specifically for flush in-walls, they are a must-check.

2. Revel M8 satellites:
A true-sounding bunch of satellites that were very adequate for movies. The Centre did not have much grunt like some of the other box centres I have listened to, but had decent clarity and separation, which I have found missing on other on-walls. Revel says the Centre is dedicated and different from the satellites, but haven't been able to find what really is different.*
And the Centre is exorbitantly priced than the satellites. If you break down the cost, the Centre comes to almost double the cost of a single satellite, driving the 5.0 package cost much higher.
Could have worked well in my room, but found them to be a bit pricey for my liking. Having said that, one major difference is that all the mounting paraphernalia are included in the box, unlike other similar speakers.

* For instance, in Revel's bigger M10 L-R and C10 centre package, I have read that the driver arrangement is different to have both mid-range woofers on one side, to reduce the clash of dispersion from the L-Rs.

Spoke to the GoldenEar people about the SuperSats.
Steadfastly refused to share any measurements!
"That is just the way our Engineering Dept works. They *want* you to listen to the speakers, *not listen to a piece of paper*" it seems.
Dunno what to make of it. Of course, will try and audition them.

One thing they were at least frank enough to concede was that the response is good up to 45 degrees on either side, but doesn't at all work well beyond 20 degrees up or down. They also claimed the mid-range is "flat from 150 Hz upwards to 2K Hz", which let's see how it sounds to the ear.

And see where this one goes.

 

[rshri]

Spoke to the GoldenEar people about the SuperSats.
Steadfastly refused to share any measurements!
"That is just the way our Engineering Dept works. They *want* you to listen to the speakers, *not listen to a piece of paper*" it seems.
Dunno what to make of it. Of course, will try and audition them.

One thing they were at least frank enough to concede was that the response is good up to 45 degrees on either side, but doesn't at all work well beyond 20 degrees up or down. They also claimed the mid-range is "flat from 150 Hz upwards to 2K Hz", which let's see how it sounds to the ear.

And see where this one goes.

I will be very surprised if they sound as good as regular sized speakers

 

[k-pad]

I will be very surprised if they sound as good as regular sized speakers

True. But I have come to accept that trade off. Unless I can find some space for even some slim standmounts, it looks like it's going to be one of the on-wall options.
Fingers crossed.

 

[k-pad]

So, finally, after a long search, considering the room and other factors, it looks like on-walls are the best I can do.
The final two options are the Klipsch RP640Ds and the GoldenEar Supersat50s.
From price to specs, they are fairly evenly matched. The only differences, to me, are these:
1. I have heard the Klipsch, and like how they go fairly loud.
2. The GoldenEars, unfortunately, will have to be a blind buy. I do like the sound of folded motion tweeters, and that is the plus for these as LCR.

I know it is a long shot, but would love to hear if anyone has listened to them both.
Regards

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

Seems similar, but may want to go with the safe option to avoid buyer's remorse.

If it were me, I'd go with the Klipsch.

Best of luck.

 

[insane79]

So, finally, after a long search, considering the room and other factors, it looks like on-walls are the best I can do.
The final two options are the Klipsch RP640Ds and the GoldenEar Supersat50s.
From price to specs, they are fairly evenly matched. The only differences, to me, are these:
1. I have heard the Klipsch, and like how they go fairly loud.
2. The GoldenEars, unfortunately, will have to be a blind buy. I do like the sound of folded motion tweeters, and that is the plus for these as LCR.

I know it is a long shot, but would love to hear if anyone has listened to them both.
Regards

If u heard the Klipsch & got impressed with it, go for it. They are perfect speakers for HT usage & thats what you want.
For music i would prefer their cousins which are Jamo. But strictly HT usage, you can't go wrong with Klipsch.
Avoid GoldenEar as they are so so according to me & have major Distributor issues(frequent changes) in India which might lead to bad service in the future.

Cheers.

 

[Silencer]

Klipsch are synonymous with HT. Signature HT sound. Like some of those JBLs. Check if they are too bright for you.

Have you checked The Airmotivs? That's some great sounding speakers for the price. But beware, they are bulky. ​

 

[prateekatasniya]

So, finally, after a long search, considering the room and other factors, it looks like on-walls are the best I can do.
The final two options are the Klipsch RP640Ds and the GoldenEar Supersat50s.
From price to specs, they are fairly evenly matched. The only differences, to me, are these:
1. I have heard the Klipsch, and like how they go fairly loud.
2. The GoldenEars, unfortunately, will have to be a blind buy. I do like the sound of folded motion tweeters, and that is the plus for these as LCR.

I know it is a long shot, but would love to hear if anyone has listened to them both.
Regards

Now that's why as a installer I suggest not to listen and decide ..

 

[prateekatasniya]

Klipsch are synonymous with HT. Signature HT sound. Like some of those JBLs. Check if they are too bright for you.

Have you checked The Airmotivs? That's some great sounding speakers for the price. But beware, they are bulky. ​

Klipsch synonymous with HT ?
A good installer wouldn't use Klipsch.

 

[prateekatasniya]

If u heard the Klipsch & got impressed with it, go for it. They are perfect speakers for HT usage & thats what you want.
For music i would prefer their cousins which are Jamo. But strictly HT usage, you can't go wrong with Klipsch.
Avoid GoldenEar as they are so so according to me & have major Distributor issues(frequent changes) in India which might lead to bad service in the future.

Cheers.

Yes.. even I have heard about goldenear service issue.

 

[Silencer]

Klipsch synonymous with HT ?
A good installer wouldn't use Klipsch.

Don't they? I don't know. I have many swearing by Klipsch sound and dynamics. I can't stand them though since they are too bright for my taste. They can go ear bleedingly loud for sure, which I don't prefer.

I have seen 3-4 setups with Klipsch. But none of them are installed professionally or use their top teir speakers.

May be you're right considering they are too bright for most of the folks, ymmv. ​