Yamaha YHT2910 or Onkyo S5700 (1 Viewer)

[MannyD]

I have been on the lookout for a good sounding HT system in the range of about $1K (INR 60-65K max). The room size is 10x20, but the viewing distance is about 10Ft from the TV. I am looking at a system with good clarity and bass on the system with atleast a future looking system which would be decent for the next 2-3 years min. So far I have checked Yamaha YHT2910 with the speakers. The AVR provided on this system looks decent in terms of spec, but I was pretty unimpressed with the sound of the speakers. There was absolutely no clarity on the vocals on this one which ticked it off my list. I also thought of using the Yamaha AVR 3067 with Bose Accoustimass 10, but that would shoot the budget big time. And I read the reviews for Bose and wasnt happy to spend that much money for the speakers.
I did check the forums and saw Definitive Technology 800 speaker set to be pretty good for my requirement but they are not available in my city in India at all. So all the good ones like Polk and Wharfedale and not an option for me. This brought me to Onkyo S5700. I havent really heard the system so far but on paper it looks like a good spec system. It also looks extendible in case I want to just change the speakers that come with it.
So based on the experience on the forum, what combo do you think will work best for my requirement and budget?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Manny:

My son brought the Onkyo S5400 back in 2012 and I was really impressed with the sound. Plus, he hasn't had a bit of trouble with it in all that time. The Onkyo has great AVRs in that they are reliable plus non-proprietary meaning you can upgrade any of your sources , speakers, etc.

Every time I am at his apartment I am surprised by the quality of the sound from that system.

And...WELCOME to the forum!

 

[MannyD]

Thanks for the response Mike. I did visit the local Onkyo dealership and heard the flagship HT-S9700THX and S3700 systems. They only had these two systems setup and do not have S5700 in stock for me to hear. The S9700 is a huge system with everything that you need and more than enough sound. Maybe it was an issue with the settings but I could not hear the vocals very well on it as it was overpowered by the bass. The S3700, though much smaller sounded good in a small room with very good clarity and bass. I was impressed with this. This gave me a confidence to go for Onkyo over the Yamaha system that I had seen earlier. Since S5700 is not available in ready stock, I have made an advance deposit and ordered it. The dealership apparently imports the system from Japan and provides it. So now fingers crossed till 3rd week of May when the system is expected to reach the store.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Congratulations!

What you've got in front of you--the waiting--is the hardest part of all.

Then you get the fun of hooking things up, listening and watching, tweaking, running the calibration tests and getting things set up to your liking. You can always adjust the output of the different speakers if you thought yours was bass-heavy out of the box. That's one of the fun parts of all this. Everyone's listening preferences is different...but the systems are totally customizable.

Be sure to let us know what you think when you get a chance to put your new gear through its paces!

 

[MannyD]

I made the booking for the system on 24th April and was informed by the local dealership that it would take time till 3rd week of May to get the system as it needs to be imported from Japan. I have been continuously following up with them and have been getting delayed responses. Every time I am being given a new reason. First they said that Japan had a public holiday in the first part of May so no shipping has happened, so it might go to end of may. Today I have been told that they are not sure when it will be shipped from Japan. Possible dates are 24th or 31st of May, which will move the delivery to almost mid June. Thats almost 2 months of wait. I am getting very restless with the approach of the dealers. Thinking if I should cancel and go around looking for another system in the same budget that could be readily available. The wait is a killer but the uncertainty might become a deal breaker

 

[Mike Frezon]

Are you in the US, Manny?

In another thread here, a member ordered a refurbished Onkyo 5800 system (which has Atmos capabilities) for just $422.

He took delivery pretty darn quickly, too.

Something for you to consider?

 

[Mike Frezon]

I just asked the buyer in that other thread for his opinion on the system for you.

 

[MannyD]

Thanks for the update Mike. I am in India so I don't have an option to order from US. More people's opinion on my chosen model will definitely be good to hear.

Just found another store in my city who claim to have some good systems including Definitive Technology and BA. However, I am sure buying the speaker set and AVR separately is definitely going to shoot up my budget, but my restlessness is pushing me to go have a look. Maybe, task for the weekend

 

[Mike Frezon]

Totally understanding the "itch" to want to get it NOW! I think that kind of restlessness is human nature. I know I've experienced it myself in this hobby!

You might be able to find a DefTech system that comes close to your budget. Here's an example of one on Amazon paired with an Onkyo receiver for under $1k.

Keep in mind that the cost of the receiver only needs to be based on what you need it to be able to do. Most any receiver is going to give you the good sound you want...it's all about the features which should decide which one you get. Do you need it to airstream? How many speakers, zones, etc. do you need it to drive? Is Atmos important to you down the road? And so on.

I can't wait to see what you end up with! [And neither can you!]