Speakerpack plus av amp is this good value? Could I make improvements?

Forums › Home Theatre (incl HTPC) › Speakerpack plus av amp is this good value? Could I make improvements?

bullybeef

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Topic # 112900 26-Dec-2012 19:33

Hi Folks

Long time reader, first time poster :)

Am in the market for new speakers and have also managed to wrestle some extra dollars towards a new amp does this package from JB hifi represent good value or are there better amps speaker combinations that I could buy?

So what do you folks think are the speakers up to chop? Will the amp power the speakers? Will I feel every gun shot is bouncing off the walls?

http://www.jbhifi.co.nz/jb-hi-fi-home-audio/speakers/wharfedale/5-1-home-cinema-pack-inc-tallboy-speakers-sku-24167/
$1499 price quoted

http://shop.jbhifi.co.nz/hi-fi-home-audio/amps-receivers/onkyo-tx-nr616-7-2-channel-3d-network-av-receiver/64194
$849 price quoted

total cost $2348

So don't really have the budget *cough not allowed to spend more cough* to go higher

Features/specs I need this system to have

Be more impressive than my old sony 5.1 -otherwise whats the point
Sound amazing during movies - I watch alot of action movies and like my movie sound loud - lurve bass
Have respectable music sound - this is something that the old system was hopeless at
network connection for streaming of movies to it and remote control via phones (android)

Nice to have is

second zone to go out to a deck or in the kitchen/dining room
dlna
internet radio

Cheers

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Reply # 737478 26-Dec-2012 20:39

Personally I think if you want to be blown away you want to increase your budget and get something really good.

Without knowing your room size, and environment it's not really possible to tell if the gun shots will be bouncing from the walls.

You also don't say what you currently have.

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 737490 26-Dec-2012 21:08

The amp is okay (Onkyo's reputation has taken a bit of a hammering recently) but it should sound okay. I'm not entirely sure it'll stream movies, but it will stream music at least. No Airplay... but it'll work over DLNA.
The speakers are most certainly over priced at list price, and you'd be close to being able to pick up Diamond 10.6's for high 17's. I've never seen them anywhere else, so I can only assume that they're exclusive to JB's? I'm not overly sure they know what they're selling, they've listed them as offering '500GB'.
That alone would be a strong recommendation to head to a specialist audio store for some speakers!!

bullybeef

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Reply # 737492 26-Dec-2012 21:14

Hi Networkn

Thank you for the reply

current amp
http://www.epinions.com/specs/elec-Audio-Components-Receivers-All-Sony_STR-DE345

speakers are not in the house with me so cannot look at the model numbers but amp and speakers came as a bundle about 10-13 years ago I think from bond & bond
front were 100w
rears maybe 20w
center 20w
sub -maybe 100w

The new lounge is pretty large maybe 50sqm just basing its probably close to 2 x the size of a double garage? :)

mentalinc

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Reply # 737551 27-Dec-2012 06:16

Harvey norman had the Diamond 10 at $1888 and Diamond 9 at $1544 in store yesterday.
Not sure how long they have them at that price.

CPU: Intel 3770k| RAM: F3-2400C10D-16GTX G.Skill Trident X |MB: Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H-WB | GFX: GV-N660OC-2GD gv-n660oc-2gd GeForce GTX 660 | Monitor: Qnix 27" 2560x1440

bullybeef

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Reply # 737563 27-Dec-2012 08:49

I found a wharfedale 10 speaker pack
http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/speakers-and-stands/home-theatre-sets/auction-545998778.htm

Seems pretty good?

Does any one have thoughts on the amp or an alternative?

driller2000

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Reply # 737575 27-Dec-2012 09:36

re: reciever

i have run an onkyo 606 for 4 years now and bang/features for buck - onkyo are great value

it goes plenty loud enough for my room - 4x5m - and with my speaker set up ie.

fronts - wharfedale evo 2 40
center - energy c100
rears - wharfedale diamond 8.4
sub - wharfedale sw250

for movies it cranks - nice and loud and clear
for music - musical enough for my taste / ears (there are no doubt better amps for music but they will cost more)

as noted by a previous poster onkyo av receivers have had reliability issues in recent years, incl my amp - in particular re heat cooking the caps on the the hdmi daughter boards leading to video display and handshake issues - that said i had mine fixed earlier this year by avalon audio (onkyo importer) and it has been going sweet since

i will likely be getting another onkyo at some point for the performance / bang for buck reasons noted above

the 616 you are thinking about seems to be very fully featured and comparable amps from other brands with the same features are more expensive

suggest you research the reliability of this particular model - but bear in mind people are far more likely to post bad experiences rather than good - so the forums will be skewed, as always...

re: speakers

as noted above i have mostly wharfedale speakers as i have found them to be decent value and performance wise over the last 15 years that i have been using them - having brought various sets over the years

in terms of the speakers you have linked - i don't know them and they look like a jb special and i suspect will be an entry level set

so while i like wharfies, if i were you i would be inclined to seek out a set of diamond 9's or 10's which have consistently got good reviews - there are often specials around and a guy on trademe - johnny? - who i believe clears paul money's surplus gear is often good value - i have got almost all my speakers from paul money over the last 15 years as they have given good service and offered great discounts - never ever pay sticker anywhere : )

and as always - if you could get someone to set your preferred gear up for an audition this is highly recommended...that said it can be hard, as wiring up a full set of 5xht speakers can be a bit of work....

however all of this said - i personally have been stoked with my onk/wharfie combo i suspect you will be too :)

cheers and good luck with your decision :)

networkn

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Reply # 737636 27-Dec-2012 11:35

I've owned 2 Pioneer and 1 Yamaha amp, but at the much higher end to what you are looking at and I would buy either again, though I am a real music fan and the Yahama is better in that regard. I can recommend Paul Money HiFi, and if I were you, I would buy last seasons higher end amp basically the best you can fit in your budget unless there is a killer feature you need in the latest greatest. I can't speak personally to Onkyo but as others have said, I have read of reliability issues. The 2 Main front speakers are what I would spend the most on personally. I have 2 really good RS6 Monitor Audio speakers which again are out of your budget but the clarity and punch from these almost make a sub redundant.

bullybeef

11 posts

Geek

Reply # 737642 27-Dec-2012 11:42

Currently in store at harvey normans looking at wharfs 10.6package
Amp yamaha rxv 673

Just waiting for them to hook it up for a listen

bullybeef

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Reply # 737666 27-Dec-2012 12:22

Sounded amazing . Brought em. Great service from luke@hv lower hutt
Now can someone recommend a place for well priced speaker cable. As I guess the old grey cable that I was using would be abit silly tio reuse

driller2000

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Reply # 737728 27-Dec-2012 15:58

well done on the purchase :)

re speaker cables

wouldn't get too carried away with overpriced psuedo science bollocks like monster etc

as long as its decent gauge and well terminated / connected it will do the trick

bullybeef

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Reply # 737731 27-Dec-2012 16:09

Thank you driller, stoked with the purchase. Wow the cost of some of the cables was crazy (well I thought so) $15 a metre seems a lot. Considering the runs to the back speakers will be quite long by the time they go up into the ceiling across and down to poke out. Yes I don't believe I need monster cables nor could afford them. But what are the good places to buy mid range cables. Is jaycar or ideal electricaltue best ? Or some other place? I live in Wellington so if there some great little place that sells good value cables happy to support them.

semigeek

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Reply # 737745 27-Dec-2012 17:07

I run this speaker cable from an Onkyo TX-SR608 (never had a problem with it) and the speakers its connected to are Panasonic SB-PF800's - which have a brilliant sound, well I think so anyway, and before I bought them, I listened to them instore for a good hour before deciding between these and Wharfedale Crystals. The Panasonic's were $1200 and I got them for $400

driller2000

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Reply # 737784 27-Dec-2012 18:40

14 gauge seems like a good size for most gear / price point

suplustronics (akl) have a variety of speaker cable rolls at good prices:

http://www.surplustronics.co.nz/shop/search.php?q=speaker+cable&go=Go

also cables direct - $62 for 30m:

http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/search?quickfind_needle=speaker

likewise rapalloav has good cable - little bit pricier though - $75 for 30m:

http://www.rapalloav.co.nz/speaker-accessories/speaker-cables.html/

i have had good exps with all of these guys for various purchases

bullybeef

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Geek

Reply # 737902 27-Dec-2012 23:54

Is this something I should be looking at?

http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/search?page_number=2&needle=&product_search_filter=3&category_selector=288&brand_selector=DYNAMIX

$103.69 ex gst
Product Code: CA-SPK14-50 | Brand: Dynamix
Browse similar products
50M 14 AWG Speaker Cable 5/5mm x (7/26/0.12) x 2F Transparent PVC Jacket OFC Conductor

Also what is the difference between (bottom right on this pdf) as one refers to the cable in mm and the other in 14AWG as driller2000 mentioned.
http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/www/pdfs/npl62.pdf

*******
CA-25BF-30 30M 2.5mm
CA-25BF-50 50M 2.5mm
FEATURES
Transparent PVC Jacket OFC Conductor
Wires are stranded to cut down inductance
and capacitance. The cable has the
characteristics of extremely low distortion,
high conductivity and clear sound.
Flat cable
***********

and

*****************
CA-SPK14-30 30M 14AWG
CA-SPK14-50 50M 14AWG
Speaker Cable 5/5mm x (7/26/0.12) x 2F
FEATURES
Transparent PVC Jacket OFC Conductor
Wires are stranded to produce low inductance
and capacitance, extremely low distortion,
wide dynamic range and high sound quality.

thank you for your patience with this

driller2000

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Reply # 737939 28-Dec-2012 08:26

not sure why the different specifications are used ie. awg vs dia.

but this may help:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/awg-wire-gauge-d_731.html

this indicates 14awg = 1.6mm dia

so i am pretty sure either would do the trick

just want to be careful about going too large a dia and not being able to get the full strand into your connection posts - especially at the amp end - that said banana plugs can make these connection easier / tidier eg.

http://www.rapalloav.co.nz/speaker-accessories/banana-plugs/high-quality-copper-speaker-banana-plugs-closed-screw-type.html

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