[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys, THANKS A TON for the recommendation.

Glad that it all worked out. That tiny device is a genius product by Google.

No; you won't ever use the smart functions on your Sony TV ever again.

You can also flip through your photographs if you have them stored on your google account or an account that support casting photos.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

One word of caution. Apart from the obvious pressure on your monthly download cap, CC also utilizes a lot of bandwidth even when you are casting in offline mode

Interesting that you say this. The activity lights on my router flicker like crazy even when I am doing nothing with the CC or with any other device at home. Power off the CC and it settles down. I don't know if this still applies but the CC does need an active internet connection to stream even within your devices.

Originally Posted by hrman

Is it me or has anybody else faced a headache when casting content from your mobile phone?

Rarely and it is down to the quality of the internet connection. I also advice rebooting the CC, updating its firmware (Usually automatic) and do the whole resetting and pair process once again. It does help to reboot your router every once in a while too. I do not leave my router ON when I leave the house.

It is important that your phone and CC are at good range to the router. Wireless AC standard isn't the best if there are too many obstructions.

[rohan.xj]

am trying to find the right universal remote for my set up (TV, Soundbar, PS4 as blu ray player, Apple TV and DTH). Any recommendations?

[TheStranger]

Originally Posted by rohan.xj

am trying to find the right universal remote for my set up (TV, Soundbar, PS4 as blu ray player, Apple TV and DTH). Any recommendations?

You can have a look at the Harmony series from Logitech..

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/harmo...versal-remotes

[Ryuu]

Gurus,

I'm in the market for a HTIB 5.1 in the budget of 20 - 25K. I've searched a lot in this thread also on the internet, but i'm unable zero in on a product. On one side, there's a range of options from Sony, Philips, Panasonic, Logitech, but people don't recommend these for quality sound. I consider myself as half an audiophile- I like sounds the way they are meant to sound. I prefer reference headsets. But this is for my home where people would watch movies as well. So...

I have looked at receiver HTIB packages from Yamaha -YHT196 for 25K, YHT 2910 for 40K. YHT2910 got nice reviews, but little high on the budget.

I have also checked a separate speaker package from Yamaha NS-540 for 18k. But then, I won't be able to buy a receiver as well within the budget.

Are there any any other options to look for? Best bang for the buck kind.

Welp, gets too confusing for someone who's new into this arena. Help!

PS: I'm open to soundbars and standard HTIBs as well which is "bang for the buck""

Thanks in advance
Ryuu.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

PS: I'm open to soundbars and standard HTIBs as well which is "bang for the buck""

I picked up a used Samsung HT-F6551W (No longer sold). This is was once their top of the line htib with vacuum tube pre amplifier stage, 3D blu ray playback, support for all the usual HD multi channel audio standards, wireless rear speakers, HDMI IN & Out, Wi Fi and Bluetooth. Truth be told, this system has surprised me with its capability. Before this Samsung, I was using a dedicated top of the line regular line up Pioneer AV Receiver connected to a pair PSB stand mount speakers.

I feel that these mainstream manufacturers take more effort in designing their higher range of Htib's better than brands like Onkyo, Yamaha, etc that make one just for the heck being present in the segment.They put together a run off the mill AV Receiver with cheap single driver full range speakers in plastic boxes. I have heard a Onkyo HT-S3800 and it is junk.

I highly recommend listening to a Htib by Samsung, Philips or LG at the price point of 20-25K. Don't bother with the cheaper ones as they are terrible. The Philips HTB5540D has impressive specifications and Philips sure know how to do great sound.

The only thing I miss with this little Samsung is that it cannot do deep bass. The sub woofer with these htib's are a joke. As long as you don't over crank the bass, it is all good. The Samsung I have is setup in a 14/14 room and fills the room with quality sound even in stereo mode.

[Ryuu]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

I picked up a used Samsung HT-F6551W (No longer sold). This is was once their top of the line htib with vacuum tube pre amplifier stage, 3D blu ray playback, support for all the usual HD multi channel audio standards, wireless rear speakers, HDMI IN & Out, Wi Fi and Bluetooth. Truth be told, this system has surprised me with its capability. Before this Samsung, I was using a dedicated top of the line regular line up Pioneer AV Receiver connected to a pair PSB stand mount speakers.

I feel that these mainstream manufacturers take more effort in designing their higher range of Htib's better than brands like Onkyo, Yamaha, etc that make one just for the heck being present in the segment.They put together a run off the mill AV Receiver with cheap single driver full range speakers in plastic boxes. I have heard a Onkyo HT-S3800 and it is junk.

I highly recommend listening to a Htib by Samsung, Philips or LG at the price point of 20-25K. Don't bother with the cheaper ones as they are terrible. The Philips HTB5540D has impressive specifications and Philips sure know how to do great sound.

The only thing I miss with this little Samsung is that it cannot do deep bass. The sub woofer with these htib's are a joke. As long as you don't over crank the bass, it is all good. The Samsung I have is setup in a 14/14 room and fills the room with quality sound even in stereo mode.

Thanks, Sandeep.

I did check the standard HTIB, though not of Samsung, but others like Sony and LG. They were.. "standard". Didn't have the oomph. Then moved on to HTIBs from Yamaha and Okyo. The Yamaha (YHT 1840) with passive sub was unimpressive. It was good with DTS, DOLBY Encoded movies, but when it came to songs, they fell flat. I'd choose the standard ones instead of this. Same with Okyo S3800. Very good with the demo DVDs in a theater like room. Can't play normal MP3 with the same authority. Not sure if the crossover frequency had a play. When I asked, the guy cut a sorry figure. I did play with crossover settings on Yamaha 2910- the one with the active subwoofer. It was marginally better at playing highest bitrate MP3s straight from my phone. Although distortion crept in soon, I felt the vocals were clear and sub was performing decent at moderate volume.

After going through this entire thread and some more, I have understood the big picture of the HiFi world. I think it makes more sense if I take the staggered setup like Mod VID in order to have a true performing music system. I have already increased my budget from 30K to 45K to include Yamaha 2910. I can increase it to no more than 5K.

That brings me to the question: Which AVR+ FL FR speakers in this budget makes the best sense?

If I go for the Yamaha's basic HTR 3067, would it be able to power the speakers like Dali Zensor 3? HTR 3067 is rated at 70W @6 Ohms (2 Ch). That makes it around 50W @8 ohms which is hardly there for Zensor 3 which is rated at 25 to 125W. I know more power in the reserve the better, but does this setup work satisfactorily?

I head Zensor 3 on Youtube, and I was blown away. I didn't find Zensor 3 to audition here in Hyderabad. The PROFX guys here only deal with Polk, KEF.

However, Zensor 3 being 30K on Amazon, are there other viable options within 20- 25K from Polk, KEF? POLK no longer have the TSX series.

Would you suggest a marginally better amp like Denon X520BT?

Thanks in advance,
Ryuu.

[Holyghost]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

Thanks, Sandeep.

If I go for the Yamaha's basic HTR 3067, would it be able to power the speakers like Dali Zensor 3? HTR 3067 is rated at 70W @6 Ohms (2 Ch). That makes it around 50W @8 ohms which is hardly there for Zensor 3 which is rated at 25 to 125W. I know more power in the reserve the better, but does this setup work satisfactorily?

50W in stereo mode is more than enough to drive the speakers as long as you dont crank up the volume too high. The speakers can get damaged if you drive them too high with an under powered amplifier. (google amp clipping for more info)

I am driving a 20-200W rated speakers with a 50W Marantz AVR. I cannot go beyond volume 70 (On a scale of 0-99) because it will be too loud for my apartment complex/neighbors and not because the amp cannot drive them. I use a separate 3 channel 150W power amp when using surround channels because I am sure the Amp will not be able to power all speakers safely in surround mode.

Also do note that going from 50w to 100w amp will get you only ~3db increase in sound. So if you upgrade from 50W Yamaha amp to a 100W amp, you are not going to see much difference in sound levels; instead it will only reduce the chances of a speaker damage.

[Ryuu]

Originally Posted by Holyghost

50W in stereo mode is more than enough to drive the speakers as long as you dont crank up the volume too high. The speakers can get damaged if you drive them too high with an under powered amplifier. (google amp clipping for more info)

I use a separate 3 channel 150W power amp when using surround channels because I am sure the Amp will not be able to power all speakers safely in surround mode.
.

I suppose you could use another amp because of the preout on Marantz? Yamaha 3067 doesn't have that feature that allows to me add one (Even the Denon 520 doesn't AFAIK). So I have some thinking to do if I want to complete the 5.1 setup in the future. So in order to some future proofing, what would be the best option (Which model is your Marantz BTW).

I'm fixing a target of 70K for the whole staggered setup otherwise I have seen how uncontrollable it gets

[Holyghost]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

I suppose you could use another amp because of the preout on Marantz? Yamaha 3067 doesn't have that feature that allows to me add one (Even the Denon 520 doesn't AFAIK). So I have some thinking to do if I want to complete the 5.1 setup in the future. So in order to some future proofing, what would be the best option (Which model is your Marantz BTW).

I'm fixing a target of 70K for the whole staggered setup otherwise I have seen how uncontrollable it gets

This is the same issue even I faced when I was on the lookout for an AVR upgrade. For me pre-outs was mandatory since I already had an amplifier and did not want to give it away. Unfortunately, the cheapest AVR with Pre-outs was the Marantz NR 1506 which now retails below 40K. NR1506 has Front and Sub pre-outs. I went with NR1606 which has Front, Sub and Zone2 preouts. Zone2 can be reconf'd as Center or surround pre-outs.

I always recommend Marantz NR series instead of the budget Yamaha/Denon receivers. You can start with this AVR and a good set of Bookshelf speakers or even a Floor Stander. Later on you can add center, surrounds and a Sub-Woofer. In between, if you ever feel the Amp is not putting out enough power, You can always add another amp to upgrade your setup (This will turn out to be very costly but the difference in sound staging is huge).

If I have a budget of 70K, I would definitely stay away from Budget amps. You should audition budget amps like Denon 520 with Denon 2200 side by side. The difference in sound quality is huge. The minimum I would look at is Denon 2200 or a Yamaha 479. These are previous year models and should get good discounts if you can find them. These do not have pre-outs, but has reasonable power to drive most Floor Standers. Denon has pre-outs only on 4200/4300 series and above. Yamaha has it on Avetage 8xx and RX-V 7xx series.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

However, Zensor 3 being 30K on Amazon, are there other viable options within 20- 25K from Polk, KEF?

As the budget has doubled, there is little need to look for a htib anymore. In general, I would stay away from htib. The aim is cost for the manufacturer more than sound quality. Sony has lost the plot when it comes to sound quality. Only their higher end ES stuff is very good and that is not sold in India. I still stand by my comment on select htib's made by the mainstream brands. Some of them are really good.

The Dali you have in mind has a sensitivity rating of 88db. Not an easy drive knowing that AV receivers don't really belt the wattage they claim. It'll play alright. I just don't think it will sing.

Ask Pro Fx if they have a Polk Audio Rti A3. It is a very good stand mount speaker.

As FM holyghost has mentioned, you can approach this step by step. For all you know, you may end up being happy with a AV Receiver and two speakers. I started with a Pioneer VSX-1121 and PSB Image B15 and did not bother purchasing more speakers. Those tiny stand mounts had enough bottom end even for a room as big as 14/12. Between the two components, I will direct more money towards the speakers. I want to recommend a Kef Q300 but this alone will take up the entire fund you have allocated for HT.

I would put my money on a stand mount than a floor stander of a similar price. I feel there is less to go wrong with the design of a stand mount as the cabinet volume is smaller. Please factor no less than 7k for a pair of speaker stands if you do end up with stand mounts. The decent floor standers start well beyond 60k. You get cheap Yamaha, Onkyo and Jamo packaged 5 speaker systems that cost less than 40k but I won't take this route. I am trying to avoid a scenario where you will be bitten by the upgrade bug in a short span of time. As you know, with electronics, you are not going to recover money so it is best to buy something you will be happy with long term and hopefully never have to sell.

The Denon X520BT is best avoided. Aim for a receiver at a price point of no less than 40k. The good stuff starts only from here.

[shamanth]

Finally decided to buy Sound Bar from Yamaha. Ordered from Amazon for 29k.
YAMAHA YAS-207 Sound Bar & Wireless Subwoofer with DTS Virtual:X®

Its new technology with Virtual DTS - "World's first use of DTS Virtual:X*. 3D surround as you’ve never heard before. Just this one device gives you sound coming down from the ceiling — such as the sound of rainfall from the sky or a spaceship flying overhead. Soak in the immersive, stunning presence of your favorite movies, concert videos and games — as if you’re really there!"

Bluetooth Sub-woofer
HDMI(ARC/CEC), Optical.
Play songs from Bluetooth(From mobile and Laptop)
Control from Mobile App

Waiting for delivery of the same to feel the sound

[Ryuu]

Originally Posted by Holyghost

I always recommend Marantz NR series instead of the budget Yamaha/Denon receivers. If I have a budget of 70K, I would definitely stay away from Budget amps. You should audition budget amps like Denon 520 with Denon 2200 side by side. The difference in sound quality is huge. The minimum I would look at is Denon 2200 or a Yamaha 479. T

The 70K I quotes is for the entire setup. D2200 eats up all of that

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

.

The Dali you have in mind has a sensitivity rating of 88db. Not an easy drive knowing that AV receivers don't really belt the wattage they claim. It'll play alright. I just don't think it will sing.

The Denon X520BT is best avoided. Aim for a receiver at a price point of no less than 40k. The good stuff starts only from here.

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't greater the sensitivity the better? I always thought speakers rated low in sensitivity require more power. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

"The Denon X520BT is best avoided"

The Denon 520 retails at 39K. Can't spend more than this on a receiver. I started from 30K and now it is at 55K

The max I can look at is the Yamaha RX-V481 @44K. If I can get it down to 40K, otherwise I can only see Denon X520 in the 35 to 40K bracket.

The zensors would be too costly for me. I'm looking at Polk Signature S20 or the Wharfedale 225 or the Q Acoustics 3020. Polks and Wharfs are 20k a pair.

Wharfedale is not available with ProFx. So I have to look at HifiMart. I think it's not a good idea to buy from them because wharfedale doesn't have a service center or dealer in Hyderabad. Only in Mumbai AFAIK. PROFX deals and services Polks so they are a safe bet. How does one go about the warranty aspect for speaker like Q acoustics and wharfedales? Please advise.

Thanks for inputs so far,
Ryuu

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

The 70K I quotes is for the entire setup.

The zensors would be too costly for me. I'm looking at Polk Signature S20 or the Wharfedale 225 or the Q Acoustics 3020. Polks and Wharfs are 20k a pair.

Wharfedale is not available with ProFx. So I have to look at HifiMart.
Ryuu

Between January and February, I was purely interested in 5.1 channel output for my home. I auditioned systems between 50K and 100K.
I realized that the surround experience is not really worth the extra money (both me and my wife agreed unless you are watching BluRays, which we are not.)

Then I turned my attention to stereo amplifiers and the sound quality and clarity was to our taste.
In a budget of 50K, I got a Marantz PM5005 and Dali Zensor 3 with necessary wiring.
I use a BOSS DAC+ RPI for music and FiiO DAC and Amazon FIRE stick (with KODI) for movies.

Never felt the other sound channels are missing.

You may spend a ton, but if your room is not acoustically sound (nice pun?), you are not going to gain much.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't greater the sensitivity the better?

Yes and 88db is not bad. I am not sure if an AV receiver will do a good enough job. Like I said, claimed watts on an AV receiver is highly suspect. This is where it may go wrong.

I won't touch the Denon 520, the Wharfedale or even Q Acoustics. You are better off with the Dali's and S20.

What fm SUN has recommended will sound much better than any AV receiver. If you can't get the dac right away, get a Chromecast Audio to start with or you'll have to use your laptop as a source.

[Ryuu]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

You may spend a ton, but if your room is not acoustically sound (nice pun?), you are not going to gain much.

Very valid point. I don't think my room is acoustically sound. And yes on the surrounds, I observed that as well during the auditions. They were playing stuff encoded in those formats. In a enclosed theatre like box, they did sound good. Not sure in the airy environment such as my home.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Yes and 88db is not bad. I am not sure if an AV receiver will do a good enough job. Like I said, claimed watts on an AV receiver is highly suspect. This is where it may go wrong.

I won't touch the Denon 520, the Wharfedale or even Q Acoustics. You are better off with the Dali's and S20.

What fm SUN has recommended will sound much better than any AV receiver. If you can't get the dac right away, get a Chromecast Audio to start with or you'll have to use your laptop as a source.

Okay. I'm tilting more towards the sterio amplifiers now. Even the ProFx guy suggested the same to fire the Polk S20s. I may not want to complete the whole 5.1 setup after listening to a dedicated sterio setup, but I would definitely like to add a sub in the future. I like thub thub and clean sound

At the very least, I should buy an AMP with sub pre out. With that in mind, any particular model you would like to suggest within 35k? ProFx suggested yamaha - S200 or S500BL. Not sure.

I didn't get the BOSS DAC + RasPI part. Which model of FIIO? I suppose the amp with a sub preout will also have a digital input. I won't need a DAC then, yes?

For the speakers- The Polk T50 floorstanders have got nice reviews. At 25k (I hope it's a pair), I think they are reasonable. Any thoughts on the speaker part- Bookshelves (Polk S50, Dali...) vs FloorstandersT50.

Thanks for all the help,
Ryuu