JBL cinesystem 140BK

[Wolfheart]

hi there

A friend has just purchsed the JBL 140 which consists of :

1. A Harmon Kardon AVR 134 amp
2. JBL SCS 140 BK (5 satellites and a subwoofer)

Though I haven't had a chance to check it out, it seems like a very good system which will suit my requirements. The price he paid for it in Mumbai is about 25k. Does anyone have any reviews to share about this set up?

My requirements

I have a LG 55" plasma which is full HD with HDMI ports
A Sony Playstation 3 which plays Blu Ray
A LG Dvd player

I need a good home theater system for movies (HD and SD). Room size is about 175 Sq Ft. Budget is about 20-25k. Suggestions appreciated.

 

[baijuxavior]

I think the avr 134 does not support hd audio, 3d and audio through hdmi (correct me if I am wrong). Within 25K you should consider Onkyo 3400 also. It supports 3D, HD audio etc.

 

[mpw]

for a basic system.. the JBL is goood enough. People may prefer watching majority of the movies in a theater. Fopr occasional watching.. on a limited budget its quite ok..

Sometimes there are many features that one just does not use..

hear the Onkyos out as well and go with what you like personally..

regards,
mpw

 

[Wolfheart]

Hey guys,

Thank you for your reply. Just got off the phone with JBL and they confirmed that the receiver doesn't pass HD sound and plays video only at 720 p. He said that if you want HD then the next system starts at 60 something.

How does the Onkyo 3400 sound? I understand that it plays HD but does it play music well?

 

[alto]

To me Onkyo simply sucks....Tons of features but low on quality....

 

[samy]

To me Onkyo simply sucks....Tons of features but low on quality....

Can you please explain which way the Onkyo quality sucks?

 

[alto]

Can you please explain which way the Onkyo quality sucks?

I should say in every aspect.... compare this to other AVRs. I have auditioned them, this is my opinion. Some may differ.... But in case of other AVRs quality wise all are +/-1.

 

[samy]

I should say in every aspect.... compare this to other AVRs. I have auditioned them, this is my opinion. Some may differ.... But in case of other AVRs quality wise all are +/-1.

But I have auditioned it and have found the audio quality excellent..Anyways different people different taste..Cheers...

 

[Wolfheart]

Ok I'm finally ready to make the purchase. I auditioned the Denon 1312 HTIB today as well and it sounds decent. It also plays HD. However since my reqirement is music and movies, I was suggested to go for the following set up:

1. Denon 1312 amp
2. JBL Cinestyle 140 5.1 speakers only

Is it a good idea? Would it give a good output for music and movies both? Sugestions and reviews appreciated.

 

[kohinoorb]

A very good idea .. cant beat jbls when it comes to movies.. and the denon is a very capable reciever

 

[haisaikat]

How much are you getting each of the Denon 1312 and the JBL speakers for?

 

[Wolfheart]

How much are you getting each of the Denon 1312 and the JBL speakers for?

12.6k for the JBL speakers and 20k for the Denon receiver. Rs.750 for installation.

 

[mav]

12.6k for the JBL speakers and 20k for the Denon receiver. Rs.750 for installation.

I wdnt advice you to go in for the JBL speakers. Do take a look around and if possible then wait for some time so that you can hear better options. We dont change our HT setup everyday and this is one purchase that would remain with you for long so no point being hasty. If you could push your budget upto 50k then you can get a much much better setup.

However if you have decided that there is no way you are going to push your budget beyond 35k then I would advise you to take a look at Yamaha YHT-595BL or even Yamaha YHT-395BL. This HTiB is a better bet than the combination you have mentioned above. The 395 is for around 25k and the 595 for 33k.

Wish you the best !

 

[kohinoorb]

In most professional environments they use jbls.. they are the best value proposition for movies..
But ultimately your ears must judge

 

[saj2001ind]

I had auditioned some of JBLs 5.1 cinesystems, somehow their sound quality specially the center channel is not impressive, I find it dull...well I compared it with paradigm , deftech so may be going to higher end

 

[Casablanca]

Instead of 140BK , you try SCS 200.5 . The sound is full and that suits for Movies Very well. The Active Sub does a decent job.

 

[goyal.sanchit]

Scs 200.5 are good speakers. I have Denon 1311 avr and jbl cinema 300 speakers. The speakers costed 20,000 rs then but I guess now they cost about 25k.

 

[Casablanca]

140 BK costs INR 9999 & Cinema 300 Costs INR 19000 @ Reliance Digital -( Mogappair) Chennai.