nightowl
Novice Member
If I could buy an Onkyo TX-NR7100, I wouldn't be asking this. [EDIT: I can now finally get this, but still need speaker advice, please see this post later in the thread.] I think I need room correction and I'd like multi-room music, so I like that it's got DIRAC and Chromecast built in, at a good price point.
But Onkyo receivers don't seem available at all in my country these days, and I don't know if that will change. Could you please help me assess the other ways I can upgrade? We've been using 2 Creative Gigaworks T40 speakers with our TV for years!
Here's a summary of the situation in my new apartment:
I don't mind spending on decent equipment if its quality will still show in a sub-optimal room. But if I'll be wasting good equipment on a bad room, maybe I should aim lower. We actually have no problems with our 2 Creative speakers so our standards are obviously low to begin with!
Constraints:
All these options are in my budget but which is the best use of the money for my room and use case? (Prices are for new equipment in Singapore dollars.)
1. Setup which might be wasted on my room: let's estimate $3700 total
Denon X3700H ($1800) (I guess Audyssey XT32 is probably the next best room correction I can get)
Chromecast
L and R: Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 ($900) / Polk R100 ($800) or R200 ($900)
Speaker stands
C: Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UC52 ($520) / Polk R300 ($740)
2. Middle ground setup if my room's not worth the better receiver and speakers of setup 1: let's estimate $2200 total
Denon X1700H ($1100)
Chromecast
L and R: JBL Stage 130 ($480)
Speaker stands
C: JBL A125c ($480)
3. If 3.1 isn't really worth the effort for this room, maybe I should just get a soundbar? It'll be easier to sell off if the Onkyo receiver becomes available in my country and I want to upgrade. The Bose one sounds better than others I listened to, has room correction, Chromecast built in, and is rated better for music by Rtings than other soundbars: $1780 total
Bose 700 soundbar ($1150)
Bass Module 500 ($630)
(I can add a subwoofer to options 1 and 2 but prefer to start off without it and see if it's really needed.)
Any advice would be really appreciated - I've been thinking about this a lot but feel I can't see clearly any more, particularly since I'm a noob.
But Onkyo receivers don't seem available at all in my country these days, and I don't know if that will change. Could you please help me assess the other ways I can upgrade? We've been using 2 Creative Gigaworks T40 speakers with our TV for years!
Here's a summary of the situation in my new apartment:
- TV: 65 inch Sony X80J
- 50% streamed music on Spotify Premium / 50% Netflix (dialogue-heavy stuff more than action/adventure)
- We use low/mid volumes much more than anything loud
- Room treatment is non-existent and unlikely to improve (tiled floors, leather sofa, don't want rugs due to allergies) therefore good room correction probably needed. Warm/neutral speakers probably better for this room than bright.
I don't mind spending on decent equipment if its quality will still show in a sub-optimal room. But if I'll be wasting good equipment on a bad room, maybe I should aim lower. We actually have no problems with our 2 Creative speakers so our standards are obviously low to begin with!
Constraints:
- I'm in Singapore; the direct-to-consumer brands considered as great value in audio/HT forums aren't available to me. Same with Accessories 4 Less, Amazon Warehouse, etc.
- We can't buy and return this equipment the way people can in the US or Europe. No retailer will accept "I just didn't like it", it would have to actually be faulty and even then maybe only an exchange would be possible.
- I don't feel I know enough about this to navigate the used market.
All these options are in my budget but which is the best use of the money for my room and use case? (Prices are for new equipment in Singapore dollars.)
1. Setup which might be wasted on my room: let's estimate $3700 total
Denon X3700H ($1800) (I guess Audyssey XT32 is probably the next best room correction I can get)
Chromecast
L and R: Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 ($900) / Polk R100 ($800) or R200 ($900)
Speaker stands
C: Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UC52 ($520) / Polk R300 ($740)
2. Middle ground setup if my room's not worth the better receiver and speakers of setup 1: let's estimate $2200 total
Denon X1700H ($1100)
Chromecast
L and R: JBL Stage 130 ($480)
Speaker stands
C: JBL A125c ($480)
3. If 3.1 isn't really worth the effort for this room, maybe I should just get a soundbar? It'll be easier to sell off if the Onkyo receiver becomes available in my country and I want to upgrade. The Bose one sounds better than others I listened to, has room correction, Chromecast built in, and is rated better for music by Rtings than other soundbars: $1780 total
Bose 700 soundbar ($1150)
Bass Module 500 ($630)
(I can add a subwoofer to options 1 and 2 but prefer to start off without it and see if it's really needed.)
Any advice would be really appreciated - I've been thinking about this a lot but feel I can't see clearly any more, particularly since I'm a noob.
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