Buying a sound system on Samui

[RickG16]

Not decided if I will buy hi-fi tower speakers with an amp, or an active sound system speaker as part of a pair....

 

But where are the best places in Samui to buy from? I am thinking it will be a choice between the electronics shop @ Central, or one of the karaoke style shops for a larger sound system?

 

Alternatively, getting one delivered in an option....

[khunPer]

BigC also sell sound systems, I even think they got more systems than PowerBuy (or whatever the name is) in Central, which seem to concentrate on compact brand name speakers; and there are still some few systems in Tesco also.

 

If you are into more pro-stuff I would peek into this shop opposite BigC, they sell professionel sound equipment, and might also have speaker systems; or can direct you to a supplier...????

[RickG16]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

BigC also sell sound systems, I even think they got more systems than PowerBuy (or whatever the name is) in Central, which seem to concentrate on compact brand name speakers; and there are still some few systems in Tesco also.

 

If you are into more pro-stuff I would peek into this shop opposite BigC, they sell professionel sound equipment, and might also have speaker systems; or can direct you to a supplier...????

Great stuff...thanks for that mate. I do recall that shop opposite Big C now you mention it.

 

Unfortunately I'll have to factor in taxis to and from the pier as Im in Koh Phangan and don't have a car.

[Grusa]

Ali Express.

[RickG16]

Still weighing up the options... like so many things in Thailand, the cost for non-Thai made speakers is much much more.

 

But then there is the cloud of doubt above the Thai speaker brands, such as Sherman and NTS. Does anyone have any experience with these Thai brands of bigger speakers? I tested some NTS ones and they started cutting out a little at high volume....

 

I'm looking to play electronic music (loud bass) on these, rather than just karaoke, so looking for something decent at least. 

 

Cheers

Edited October 14, 2018 by RickG16

[Airalee]

Don’t know what your budget is, but Lazada has stereo gear.  Second hand in Bangkok is also an option (again, depending upon budget)

[RickG16]

1 minute ago, Airalee said:

Don’t know what your budget is, but Lazada has stereo gear.  Second hand in Bangkok is also an option (again, depending upon budget)

Don't really want to pay more than 10-15, including an amp if needed.....

 

I need bigger than 'bookshelf speakers', so looks like I will be restricted to the Thai brands... unless I can find something 2nd hand.

[Airalee]

8 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Don't really want to pay more than 10-15, including an amp if needed.....

 

I need bigger than 'bookshelf speakers', so looks like I will be restricted to the Thai brands... unless I can find something 2nd hand.

If you’re looking for substantial bass, you might be better off going with small speakers plus a powered subwoofer.  At your budget, I would highly recommend used gear.  

[khunPer]

23 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

I'm looking to play electronic music (loud bass) on these...

I was about to say my friend Tony's speakers – they got that funky bass, and I talk from experience – but that might be overdoing it; however something with a fairly large sub-bass, it's the low frequencies that demands the many watts, and an adjustable LF x-over, so you can adjust the right amount of thrill...????

[Airalee]

If it was my money, I would go with a pair of Audioengine A2+ paired with an Audioengine S8 subwoofer.  Next step up would be Q-Acoustics.

[ronaldo0]

Mahajak opposite big c but they are usual more than your budget. Try shop opposite Tesco chaweng and also maybe online at piyanus I think the company is called. They have ok stuff and speakers that cost up to 8 million bht !!

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

Mahajak opposite big c but they are usual more than your budget. Try shop opposite Tesco chaweng and also maybe online at piyanus I think the company is called. They have ok stuff and speakers that cost up to 8 million bht !!

Piyanas is good.  Definitely worth checking out their website but I think the OPs budget would need to be upped to a minimum of 20-25k for the least expensive integrated amp + floor standing speakers + cables.  I’m not sure how much they charge for shipping and their website is difficult to navigate.  If you become a member, they give 15% off their list prices.  The discount doesn’t apply to sale items however (I found that out when I bought a subwoofer there last week)...and yeah...they have some insanely expensive gear for sure.  They were nice enough to let me into their hidden room to listen to this system when I was there (Central Bangna store)

 

Piyanas.com

[HooHaa]

15 hours ago, RickG16 said:

Don't really want to pay more than 10-15, including an amp if needed.....

 

I need bigger than 'bookshelf speakers', so looks like I will be restricted to the Thai brands... unless I can find something 2nd hand.

Even 2nd hand it would be difficult to find something decent for that money. Esp. For a commercial application. 

[ronaldo0]

3 hours ago, Airalee said:

Piyanas is good.  Definitely worth checking out their website but I think the OPs budget would need to be upped to a minimum of 20-25k for the least expensive integrated amp + floor standing speakers + cables.  I’m not sure how much they charge for shipping and their website is difficult to navigate.  If you become a member, they give 15% off their list prices.  The discount doesn’t apply to sale items however (I found that out when I bought a subwoofer there last week)...and yeah...they have some insanely expensive gear for sure.  They were nice enough to let me into their hidden room to listen to this system when I was there (Central Bangna store)

 

Piyanas.com

Is that the if you touch it you own it model ?? ????

Just out of interest what was the cd choice they had laying there ?

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

Is that the if you touch it you own it model ?? ????

Just out of interest what was the cd choice they had laying there ?

Haha...I certainly wouldn’t want to get within stumbling distance from it.  The CDs were an eclectic selection of random Thai music that I’m completely unfamiliar with and a Metallica CD.  He brought a jazz CD in when I asked if he had any western music.  I think I might have to bring them a goodwill gift of a ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ SACD and hope they let me listen to it.

[khunPer]

On 10/14/2018 at 4:13 PM, RickG16 said:

Don't really want to pay more than 10-15, including an amp if needed.....

I need bigger than 'bookshelf speakers', so looks like I will be restricted to the Thai brands...

 

On 10/14/2018 at 3:56 PM, RickG16 said:

I'm looking to play electronic music (loud bass) on these...

With a past in pro-audio I often laugh a little for myself when I see the fantastic offers in BigC – sometimes I even snap a photo to share with my younger and still active concert-mixer friends – but in real life I heard a pair these kind of speakers in our local walking street, used by one of the 80-baht cocktail vendors, and I was quite impressed over the good sound of well known contemporary tech-dance music, he played...???? I noticed he used the little build-in graphic equalizer to the extreme, but he managed to get a funky bass and clear top. By the way, I'm not easy to impress with sound; occupational disadvantage...????

 

Having speakers on the floor – or concrete ground, as the cocktail vendor – increase the bass, as floor placement on an acoustically reflective surface increase the bass output; that's why you always see the bass cabinets, and/or sub-bass, are placed on the ground, whilst mid-range and HF boxes are "flying" (the trick is to get them incorrect phase).

 

I had a 30kW demo-rig, OMG, I could have saved damaging my bag from heavy speakers by buying a 4,590 baht compact Thai 26kW self-powered box-set instead...????

 

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

 

With a past in pro-audio I often laugh a little for myself when I see the fantastic offers in BigC – sometimes I even snap a photo to share with my younger and still active concert-mixer friends – but in real life I heard a pair these kind of speakers in our local walking street, used by one of the 80-baht cocktail vendors, and I was quite impressed over the good sound of well known contemporary tech-dance music, he played...???? I noticed he used the little build-in graphic equalizer to the extreme, but he managed to get a funky bass and clear top. By the way, I'm not easy to impress with sound; occupational disadvantage...????

 

Having speakers on the floor – or concrete ground, as the cocktail vendor – increase the bass, as floor placement on an acoustically reflective surface increase the bass output; that's why you always see the bass cabinets, and/or sub-bass, are placed on the ground, whilst mid-range and HF boxes are "flying" (the trick is to get them incorrect phase).

 

I had a 30kW demo-rig, OMG, I could have saved damaging my bag from heavy speakers by buying a 4,590 baht compact Thai 26kW self-powered box-set instead...????

 

The Grateful Dead should have bought a pair of those “professional active speakers” instead of relying on 48 of those wimpy McIntosh amplifiers in order to obtain a measly 28,800 watts for their “Wall of Sound”. ????

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_Sound_(Grateful_Dead)

[PoorSucker]

Hope you all understand that in Thai language there is no difference between sound and noice. ????

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, Airalee said:

The Grateful Dead should have bought a pair of those “professional active speakers” instead of relying on 48 of those wimpy McIntosh amplifiers in order to obtain a measly 28,800 watts for their “Wall of Sound”. ????

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_Sound_(Grateful_Dead)

Indeed, and we were so impressed about their system at that time...

 

[khunPer]

23 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Hope you all understand that in Thai language there is no difference between sound and noice. ????

Thanks, I realized that at my first visit to Green Mango Club in 2001 – awful experience, from a pro-audio point of view...????

[RickG16]

On 10/14/2018 at 9:40 PM, Airalee said:

If it was my money, I would go with a pair of Audioengine A2+ paired with an Audioengine S8 subwoofer.  Next step up would be Q-Acoustics.

Great suggestion mate.. these look good. But the fact they are classed as desktop speakers are making me wary... will be using them for a home DJ set up.

 

(probably should have said that).

 

Saw a nice pair of JBLs on Facebook 2nd hand for 10k... the seller hasn't replied though ????

[Airalee]

42 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Great suggestion mate.. these look good. But the fact they are classed as desktop speakers are making me wary... will be using them for a home DJ set up.

 

(probably should have said that).

 

Saw a nice pair of JBLs on Facebook 2nd hand for 10k... the seller hasn't replied though ????

The Q-Acoustics BT3 might be a good choice then.  They play sufficiently loud, have Bluetooth and rca out for a sub.  I just retired a pair of them as I upgraded my whole system.

 

https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/bt3-active-bookshelf-speakers-with-bluetooth.html

[khunPer]

Was in Tesco (Bo Phut) today and just peek into the electronic corner to check the Thai audio system. There might be a few of interest to check out, also for...

2 hours ago, RickG16 said:

...will be using them for a home DJ set up.

(probably should have said that).

 

Amazing (Thailand) 15,000 W Power Out (probably 100 W when reading the fine print), but with graphic eq. and 15" woofers (actually quite a classic small disco design)...

 

 

A stereo set-up with sub (not so much disco, but might sound Okay, I didn't listen – bring a USB or card, as almost all equipment can play that today) – unfortunately didn't get the price on the image, but affordable...

 

 

An impressive home-entertainment system with a big stereo front, for music only...

 

 

BigC had something similar...????

[RickG16]

3 hours ago, Airalee said:

The Q-Acoustics BT3 might be a good choice then.  They play sufficiently loud, have Bluetooth and rca out for a sub.  I just retired a pair of them as I upgraded my whole system.

 

https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/bt3-active-bookshelf-speakers-with-bluetooth.html

What did you upgrade to?... and retired meaning you sold them....

Edited October 16, 2018 by RickG16

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Was in Tesco (Bo Phut) today and just peek into the electronic corner to check the Thai audio system. There might be a few of interest to check out, also for...

 

Amazing (Thailand) 15,000 W Power Out (probably 100 W when reading the fine print), but with graphic eq. and 15" woofers (actually quite a classic small disco design)...

 

 

A stereo set-up with sub (not so much disco, but might sound Okay, I didn't listen – bring a USB or card, as almost all equipment can play that today) – unfortunately didn't get the price on the image, but affordable...

 

 

An impressive home-entertainment system with a big stereo front, for music only...

 

 

BigC had something similar...????

Not sure how happy Rick would be with that in the long run.  The one photo that included the “specs” shows high levels of distortion at only 1w output and only at 1khz.  Manufacturers tend to cherrypick the best “spot” with regards to distortion levels.  Something like this (WRT solid state equipment as tubes are a different beast) is what you would want to shoot for...

 

[Airalee]

37 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

What did you upgrade to?... and retired meaning you sold them....

Nah...didn’t sell them...just boxed them back up and shelved them in the closet.  I upgraded to something similar to what I had back in LA, and would have imported had shipping and customs fees not been more than what it’s worth. So...my upgrade path (exclusive of source components) over many years looked like this...

 

US system:

 

Bryston B60 integrated amp alternated with an Electrocompaniet ECI3 integrated. B&W CDM1nt monitors + various subs (Velodyne, B&W, Martin Logan Grotto)

 

Thailand:

 

Bose Companion 20...

 

Q BT3...

 

Hegel H80 integrated amp, PMC DB1 Gold monitors + REL T-zero Sub

 

Even though my rig is out of your price range, I still enjoy the hunt for good values in audio gear regardless of price.  Your price range is gonna prove to be difficult so you may need to be patient and look for second hand, but higher quality gear.  I just don’t know how much choice you’re gonna have on an island.

 

[khunPer]

9 minutes ago, Airalee said:

Not sure how happy Rick would be with that in the long run.  The one photo that included the “specs” shows high levels of distortion at only 1w output and only at 1khz.  Manufacturers tend to cherrypick the best “spot” with regards to distortion levels.  Something like this (WRT solid state equipment as tubes are a different beast) is what you would want to shoot for...

<Image deleted>

It's not for comparing with hi-end quality equipment, it's about what's available of affordable 10-15k baht Thai gear for a home-disco, which was was the question...???? 

[RickG16]

3 minutes ago, Airalee said:

Nah...didn’t sell them...just boxed them back up and shelved them in the closet.  

 

Do you live on Samui mate? I might be interested in those Q Acoustics....

[Medicine Man]

4 hours ago, Airalee said:

The Q-Acoustics BT3 might be a good choice then.  They play sufficiently loud, have Bluetooth and rca out for a sub.  I just retired a pair of them as I upgraded my whole system.

 

https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/bt3-active-bookshelf-speakers-with-bluetooth.html

Does this mean you can buy Q-Acoustics over here in Thailand or did you bring them in from the UK? There seems to be serious lack of audiophile quality hardware in my part of Thailand...

[Airalee]

12 minutes ago, khunPer said:

It's not for comparing with hi-end quality equipment, it's about what's available of affordable 10-15k baht Thai gear for a home-disco, which was was the question...???? 

Understood...and of course, I don’t expect to see specs like a Bryston B60.  I just think that he’d still be better off buying higher quality used gear regardless of the application. ????