Hi all i got quite some audio equipments which my dad bought them more than 13 years ago and since he's past away, nobody ever use them and eventually all the cables got pulled out by our helper for the sake of cleanliness. Now since i am going to move to another place, where ive got a spare room which i could use it as A/V room, i have no idea if the old equipments can keep up with all the latest tech like full HD etc. Below is the list of the equipments:

1. Plinius M7 (after googling found out its a preamp)
2. Plinius P7 (turn out to be a power amp)
3. Rotel RB-956AX (multi channel amp)
4. Sherwood video surround amp ES-5030R (yet another amp )
5. JBL L3 speakers x 2 (floor standing units)
6. JBL SC05 (centre speaker i think)
7. Wharfedale Diamond 5 speakers x 2 (rear bookshelf units)
8. Tons of cables (It has written monster cable, they are the coaxial cables i presume?)

I went to the manufacturer's website and most of the documentations on the above products are not even there

The last time i check they are all still working (able to turn on power counts as working?)

So i was wondering if anyone could give me any suggestions on what to do with these machines, while i wish to achieve the following targets:

1. Hook up a HD projector
2. Play bluray on ps3

sorry for the long winded post

wow...those are all good stuff...try them on...some gems there

all you need now is a modern amplifier with pre-outs and you're all set and good to go! you can use back ur poweramps, speakers and cables..

Yeah, get a new avr and youre set to go. let me know if u wanna sell the plinius. LOL

Ok so what you are saying is to get a modern amp with pre-outs, does that means a HTiB? And i should just put my preamp, rotel, sherwood amps aside?

Can anyone recommend an avr and a projector that can play 1080p? My budget is around RM5k for these 2 items, thanks.

Bro, when you have equipments like that...the word 'HTiB' is OUT of your vocabulary oledi.

Get a AVR...I'm sure some of the members will recommend you.

get a Marantz MM8003 (processor only) or Denon 4310/4810
And hook up like this:-
BD/DVD player/CD player --> Processor --> stereo at source direct to Plinius M7 --> plinius P7 --> JBL L3
-------------------------------------> multichanel (surr L/R & surr back or wide & Center) RB956X-->JBL SC05 & Diamond 5
Get another sub woofer for the .1 LFE channel connect direct to the processor

since the new AVR/processor can process all of the video & audio processing, the Sherwood would be a surplus.

darn...how I wish I have this setup....

With equipment like this its obvious that your dad has lead a good life

Sorry.

But I think you just need to get an AV Processor, then from the processor, you can connect the output to the available power amp.

Go google AV processor instead.

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Added on March 24, 2010, 12:47 pmAdd:

Can consider this option: the NAD pre-amp:

NAD AV PreAmp

or even the Emotiva:

Emotiva Processor

This post has been edited by peter32: Mar 24 2010, 12:47 PM

thanks for the recommendation and the setup suggestions, i have no idea what to get before. But, i have googled on the models that you suggested, its gonna cost me an arm + a leg? As im on a tight budget, which is around RM5k, to get the avr + a projector maybe?

Im going to read more on av equipments, coz now i still have no idea what all the machines do, like difference of pre-amp or amp or power amp...

Kit, google Emotiva processor, its within your budget brand new but to be imported from USA. Some of them here have purchased something from Emotiva site before with no problem I think.

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Added on March 24, 2010, 4:45 pmSorry I did not see that your budget include a projector. Its going to be a bit tough I think.

This post has been edited by peter32: Mar 24 2010, 04:45 PM

most Marantz AVrs are equipped with pre-outs for all channels...search for them first...

or if you see any AVRs of your liking, see the back panel and check the pre-outs...coz some brand models don't really have these..make sure u get those with the newer processors if you can

5k for avr/processor wif hd audio capabilities is achievable but if u wan a pj to go wif it...

Stik wif a pj n upgr d odo only wif additional budget.. ur sherwood can stil do lossy .. I assume so stil got sound..

oh... just found out AVR with pre-outs already cost 5k, and decent DLP pj also 5k+ lol....

So if i opt for the option of getting pj then i can only directly feed the bluray output to the projector, and separately feed audio to my old processor with coaxial cables? Is that the correct configuration?

Btw anyone uses LCD projectors in their HT? got big diff with DLP ones?

kit,

Mind me asking where are your whereabouts?
Some AV shops in KL might be able to help you out with your needs.

I don't think you would be needing any fancy AVR, anything which can take HD will do (correct me if i'm wrong here)

but to fit them under 5K might be tight .. thought with a PJ

with 5k sure you can...but don't expect hi-end stuff...here's my take:

720p projector - rm3.5k (optoma hd65 is nice!)

marantz sr series - get one with pre-outs...and hopefully with HDMI ...should be around rm1.5k..

the remaining - get yourself a descent HD media player (HDPRO, WDTV - rm400+) or a decent blu ray player (philips bdp3008 - rm500)

so voila - u're in for 5k

with an AVR like the Marantz with pre-outs - since u already have multichannel power amps . just hook them to all the pre-outs of your AVR...and let the AVR bcome your process...

could still get an independent processor but this one normally will cost a lot more...since entry level brands don't really have cheap-ish processors

but if you wanna go 1080p and play all the latest HD audio stuff...don't think rm5k would do it...

720p is good enough actually - depending on the size of the screen u wanna have - oh btw - screen you can DIY or buy those normal matte white for rm200+ or so...can find them easily nowadays

if you have extra dough...for now just get a decent sub - no need those expensive ones...upgrade when you have more $$

just my .02 sen...

i have this setup actually...got my old Marantz sr5300 hooked up to a power amp and let the power amp drive my floorstanding Mission 733i - and let the Marantz drive my centre and rear ... happy with the sound

so yeah...good luck!

Hi,

Yup a mid range decent hd avr is in tat range so squeezin a pj into ur budget is next to impossible..

Optical or coax connexion - Yes tats wat u do exactly .. u stil get dts/dd but core lossy odo - its not too bad, not de latest but still livable..

I run an epson tw700 - a 720p lcd pj and I like it.. dont really know how it compares to de dlp ones .. I like mine so much I wouldnt mind gettin another lcd 1080p pj frm epson again[tw3k/4k] or even de pannys..

Cheers
D

My location in KL, any nice AV shops to reckon?

And i thought independent processor is cheaper since it has no amp functions? guess im wrong lol... I will check out the Marantz AVR since a lot forumers recommended it. Anyways, if im looking at the spec sheet of an avr, how do i know if it has pre-outs?

As for the sub, yea i might add in another 1k to get it, actually i do have an old sub but its more than 20years old now and doesnt work properly.


Sorry if this is a noob Q, for non-enthusiast like me, will i be able to hear big diff about lossy/lossless?

Haha..

Processors .. are marketed as premium gear hence its premium pricing.. its piece by piece stuff so u nid to upgrd wat u nid only.. unfortunately de new hd odo processors are exp.. at least for me n I veri much doubt u can hear de diff unless u hv especially gud ears plus a really inert room and super exp hard to drive spkrs..
Marantz make musical gear even in their HT components.. outrite HT performance is not its forte but if u half n half then its a decent compromise..

Diff in lossy/lossless odo.. ya there is sum diff.. justified to add de xtra moolah in upgrdd gear.. I guess u hv to answer tat ur self..

D

Hey guys, came back after a busy week and after a bit of research, i found some AVRs that has full pre-outs:

1.Yamaha RX-V665
2. Marantz SR5003 / 5004
3. Sony STR-DA2400ES

Can anyone recommend which model is better in term of performance? and how much does each of them cost?

Unfortunately all cheaper denon / pioneer does not have full pre-outs, only sub-woofer pre-out.

Why dont u try it out urself.. Yammys n Marantzs are avlbl here in My.. ES sonys wil not be cheap here thou'
Off hand Id tink de cheapest of de 3 would be de Yammy..

Marantz user
D

Just went to an AV shop to try out the yamaha rx-v665, with 5.1 speakers and output video to optoma hd65, the video seems ok and the audio are great.

Got a quote of RM2300 for Yamaha RX-V665 and RM2900 for Optoma HD65, what you guys think of the offer?

Anyways i asked for the price of HDMI cable, Audioquest HDMI cable 8m gonna cost RM600+ ... Should i use that cable? or get cheaper alternatives?

Hi..

Hearin in de av shop wil not neccesarily mean u can replicate it at home..
even thou u use back de same spkrs..

I tink u can get de yammy cheaper in Klang valley.. Optomas - why dont u ask Bro HTkaki?

Uhm cbls - dont u wan a brand name to go along wif ur 'branded' gear?

D

HDMI cables transport digital signals. won't affect the quality much if those digital signals are travelling on unbranded wires.
IMO save the RM600+ and dump that into the AVR budget.

RM2300 + RM600 saved from the HDMI and wallah.. you got RM2900 budget. enough for a marantz SR6003

Haha..

I wanted TS to answer for himself whether uhm he nids de 'branded' hdmi as opposed to no name brand - sum say got diff .. woh..

On de Marantzs.. U might wanna knw abt handshake prblms wif hdmi n/or odo prblms wif bitstreamin ..

Cheers
D

But you won't get cheap 8m HDMI cable. So far I found 10m HDMI RM126, can get local. So, can save RM474

Haha i dont mind using non-branded hdmi cables as long as they work, but i wont add the RM600 savings into my AVR budget lol... sry im cheapskates

Bro how is the performance of the 10m hdmi cable? and mind telling me where to get it if they are good?

I read sumwhere sum hypermart stocks hdmi cbls now..

I don't know the performance, but I think it should be ok. HDMI cable is either work or not work. If not work, you'll not get picture at all or sparkle picture (like scratched vcd), that's the beauty of HDMI. You can get it from here. If you want 3m only, just get it at Tesco, RM10 only.

Yup..

Agreed.. n since I read tat de 10m which cost less than a RM100, its stil not so prohibitive to get de cheap hypermart one to try out n if it really dont work, get a branded one which presumably shld be all-compliant [it shld be, for its askin price]
Compared to when I was looking for a cheap one which happened to be from Monoprice - plus shippin n everytin stil came to ard RM300 - ended up wif an opend box Better Cables for nearly RM700[equivalent]..

D

guys whats the advantage of having pre-outs?

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Added on April 10, 2010, 10:25 pmI'm in a similar situation with kit615 but my stuff are way........cheaper. 2 century(designed by phillips sound labs) standing speakers,1 audio phonar centre speaker,2 audio phonar surround speakers and a harmon/kardon amp which only has prologic 1....sigh.. I guess they are like 16 yrs old. What i'm thinking of is getting a new amp/receiver and a subwoofer.I'm looking at a budget of rm2-3k (is is possible?) Yesterday i went to A&L in amcorp mall and the sales guy recommended me a yamaha rx-v465 receiver for RM1600 and a subwoofer (forgot the name) for RM1200. What do all u sifu's here think...?

This post has been edited by ediaikau: Apr 10 2010, 10:25 PM