Attn audiophiles & home theatre buffs: Piyanas in PTY

[JSixpack]

Just wondering if anyone else has ventured into the new shop to check it out since this thread kicked off ? The Piyanas website has an absolutely huge range - I imagine that each branch can only stock a fraction of what's on the site - anyone ?

Each branch only stocks a fraction, true. TIT. So you'd order and pick up at the local branch I guess.

I'm keen to hear a lot of different gear, but this is probably at the top of my list right now:

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=108.587&id=3667〈=th

Not cheap, but compared to streamers from Naim and Linn, its a relative bargain. Most *sane* people on TV would look at that sticker, roll their eyes and tell me I'm insane - I feel much the same way when I see what some are willing to pay for camera gear. I rationalise it by telling myself that every hour I spend at home listening to music (or watching movies on a decent HT rig) is an hour that I'm not paying to be entertained somewhere else.

That, now, is a BEAUTY. Go for it!

Edited November 26, 2013 by JSixpack

[OMGImInPattaya]

Just wondering if anyone else has ventured into the new shop to check it out since this thread kicked off ? The Piyanas website has an absolutely huge range - I imagine that each branch can only stock a fraction of what's on the site - anyone ?

Each branch only stocks a fraction, true. TIT. So you'd order and pick up at the local branch I guess.

I'm keen to hear a lot of different gear, but this is probably at the top of my list right now:

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=108.587&id=3667〈=th

Not cheap, but compared to streamers from Naim and Linn, its a relative bargain. Most *sane* people on TV would look at that sticker, roll their eyes and tell me I'm insane - I feel much the same way when I see what some are willing to pay for camera gear. I rationalise it by telling myself that every hour I spend at home listening to music (or watching movies on a decent HT rig) is an hour that I'm not paying to be entertained somewhere else.

That, now, is a BEAUTY. Go for it!

And such a bargain reduced from 139 to 132k baht...I mean a network audio player (we used to call them receivers) for only $4000! Edited November 26, 2013 by OMGImInPattaya

[MrWorldwide]

You can get them for considerably less (under 1K USD), just as receivers were priced from 'affordable' to 'God, I wish I could afford it !' back in the day.

http://www.audiokarma.org/

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Several of the big name brands from the so-called golden era of the receiver are now priced well beyond the reach of most 'normal' folk - McIntosh, ARC - and dont even get me started on the classic Japanese audio companies. Accuphase seem to base their pricing on the spending habits of oil sheiks and Biejing millionaires.

FWIW, a network streamer is closer to a modern AV receiver than the stereo receivers of old, but even more specialised - no amplification built into the box. Given that Piyanas sells gear that retails for well over a million baht, and the Brit MSRP on the Marantz is 3250GBP, I'm not overly concerned by the sticker - what matters is whether the end result justifies that kind of cash. Smartest move is to buy secondhand, but I dont know if there is any kind of network among audiophiles in Thailand looking to trade gear.

Would I pay ~4K USD for a camera lens or antique furniture ? No way in hell, but some do, and that's their prerogative.

[PeterSmiles]

Just wondering if anyone else has ventured into the new shop to check it out since this thread kicked off ? The Piyanas website has an absolutely huge range - I imagine that each branch can only stock a fraction of what's on the site - anyone ?

Each branch only stocks a fraction, true. TIT. So you'd order and pick up at the local branch I guess.

I'm keen to hear a lot of different gear, but this is probably at the top of my list right now:

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=108.587&id=3667〈=th

Not cheap, but compared to streamers from Naim and Linn, its a relative bargain. Most *sane* people on TV would look at that sticker, roll their eyes and tell me I'm insane - I feel much the same way when I see what some are willing to pay for camera gear. I rationalise it by telling myself that every hour I spend at home listening to music (or watching movies on a decent HT rig) is an hour that I'm not paying to be entertained somewhere else.

That, now, is a BEAUTY. Go for it!

And such a bargain reduced from 139 to 132k baht...I mean a network audio player (we used to call them receivers) for only $4000!

I have one that almost looks the same and actually can do the same, cost me 1,32 K Baht.

I know people gonna call me insane for having paid that price, but I didn't bother to shop around.

[MrWorldwide]

1320 baht ? Even the Squeezebox wasn't *that* cheap ..

That, or you didnt mean to put a decimal point in there - which is it ?.

[PeterSmiles]

1320 baht ? Even the Squeezebox wasn't *that* cheap ..

That, or you didnt mean to put a decimal point in there - which is it ?.

Probably I was exaggerating a bit to make my point, I paid 3900 Baht for it, but it was just to make clear that there is nothing that could justify the ridiculous price of 132.000 Baht for a streaming device .

[MrWorldwide]

And I respect that PS, as I indicated earlier in my discussion of camera gear. I'm prepared to fly AirAsia cattle class to get the toys I want - some here simply refuse to fly with any budget airline - we all make choices and we all have priorities. Sit down with a spreadsheet and try to estimate what you've spent travelling internationally over the years - chances are that you dont even bother counting the cost because travel is a priority for you.

Audiophiles are conditioned to the kind of prices that make most folks eyes water, and 132K is chump change in that particular universe (not chump change to me - no trust fund, sadly). How about these Wilson speakers for 6.24 million baht ?

http://www.piyanas.com/showroom/en/product.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=eny_fly_default.tpl&product_id=2486&category_id=898

or an Esoteric CD player at a mere 520K baht ?

http://www.piyanas.com/showroom/en/product.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=eny_fly_default.tpl&product_id=2043&category_id=278

End of the day, its only money

[JSixpack]

At least you'll have something to show for the money you've spent. Though high, the price is fair in the marketplace. Quality stuff.

Funny how many posters we have here in the forum trying to decide for others how they should spend their own money.

[PeterSmiles]

At least you'll have something to show for the money you've spent. Though high, the price is fair in the marketplace. Quality stuff.

Funny how many posters we have here in the forum trying to decide for others how they should spend their own money.

I don't see any posts in this thread where people are telling the " snobs " in this thread how they should spend their money, but I think VBF has made something clear in post #22 already .

Since you seem to be very knowledgeable about this stuff and ready to spend your money on it, maybe you can explain what a 132K streamer can do what my 3900 Baht Hi-Media streamer can't.

Will it show scenes in movies that are invisible with my streamer ?

[MrWorldwide]

PS, it comes down to the quality of the audio emerging from the speakers - the Marantz doesn't do video. In terms of functionality, your streamer is much closer to a WD TV Live or Boxee Box than the Marantz, but I've owned both of those little media players and the audio will never be anything special - that's OK as its not their 'main game'. If I need a runabout van to deliver parcels, I dont buy a Porsche - they'll both do 100km/h on the highway, so whats the difference ?

I dont have a Porsche, I dont live in a mansion, and as I mentioned earlier I usually fly cattle class - hardly a 'snob'. I just want to hear this box-o-wonder - simple as that - without having to justify my preferences. I could list the technical differences between your device and the Marantz, but ultimately it matters little - you got what you want within your budget, and more power to you.

[MrWorldwide]

The Patts showroom certainly looks inviting on the Piyanas site:

http://www.piyanas.com/showroom/en/showroom/pattaya-klang.html

I noticed they also have a Korat outlet:

http://www.piyanas.com/showroom/en/showroom/korat.html

Looking forward to visiting both the Patts showroom and their showroom on upper Suk in BKK. It's an ordeal to find dedicated two-channel audio brick-and-mortar stores in Oz now - even in the major cities.

[WitawatWatawit]

For the vinyl addicts, there is (I hope it still "is") an amazing shop in MBK, bottom floor that has a massive range of albums. I went there several years ago and was blown away by the diversity, especially some old jazz albums that I never knew existed. I didn't buy anything as I no longer have a turntable and couldn't afford one at that time. But now, who knows? I'm going up to Bkk in a few weeks and will check to see if the shop is still there.

[crobe]

I was in Piyanas in Fortune Town BKK yesterday as I wanted to get a turntable as a present.

Turned out to be an ordeal as the assistants did not speak much English and had even less interest in making a sale.

I was in the market for the Rega and got him down to about 17k, but the stumbling block was that I wanted to take it immediately, and the assistant said that it was only for demo, they had no others in stock, so he would not sell me the one on display.

He said there may be one in stock in Don Mueang, but travelling to there was no good to me as it was too late and the next day I have to work before going back to Pattaya in the evening.

I didn't know they had a shop in Pattaya and the assistant did not tell me.

In the end I walked out and got something cheaper, but not as stylish, from Mahujack in Siam Paragon.

So Piyanas lost a sale - i hope the one in Pattaya has a better attitude otherwise they will not stay long.

[MrWorldwide]

I was in Piyanas in Fortune Town BKK yesterday as I wanted to get a turntable as a present. Turned out to be an ordeal as the assistants did not speak much English and had even less interest in making a sale. I was in the market for the Rega and got him down to about 17k, but the stumbling block was that I wanted to take it immediately, and the assistant said that it was only for demo, they had no others in stock, so he would not sell me the one on display. He said there may be one in stock in Don Mueang, but travelling to there was no good to me as it was too late and the next day I have to work before going back to Pattaya in the evening. I didn't know they had a shop in Pattaya and the assistant did not tell me. In the end I walked out and got something cheaper, but not as stylish, from Mahujack in Siam Paragon. So Piyanas lost a sale - i hope the one in Pattaya has a better attitude otherwise they will not stay long.

Thanks for the feedback - as with anything in Asia that has a hundred brand names splashed all over the display windows, I'm always sceptical of exactly what they do carry. The worst example I've ever encountered was in Ipoh - they had 'Yamaha', 'Marantz' and 'Onkyo' signs out front and *nothing* beyond hideous consumer brands like Sherwood inside. Apparently Sherwood made decent gear once upon a time (as did Kenwood), but those days are long gone ....

[naidraw66]

I was in Piyanas in Fortune Town BKK yesterday as I wanted to get a turntable as a present. Turned out to be an ordeal as the assistants did not speak much English and had even less interest in making a sale. I was in the market for the Rega and got him down to about 17k, but the stumbling block was that I wanted to take it immediately, and the assistant said that it was only for demo, they had no others in stock, so he would not sell me the one on display. He said there may be one in stock in Don Mueang, but travelling to there was no good to me as it was too late and the next day I have to work before going back to Pattaya in the evening. I didn't know they had a shop in Pattaya and the assistant did not tell me. In the end I walked out and got something cheaper, but not as stylish, from Mahujack in Siam Paragon. So Piyanas lost a sale - i hope the one in Pattaya has a better attitude otherwise they will not stay long.

Thanks for the feedback - as with anything in Asia that has a hundred brand names splashed all over the display windows, I'm always sceptical of exactly what they do carry. The worst example I've ever encountered was in Ipoh - they had 'Yamaha', 'Marantz' and 'Onkyo' signs out front and *nothing* beyond hideous consumer brands like Sherwood inside. Apparently Sherwood made decent gear once upon a time (as did Kenwood), but those days are long gone ....

I have been a customer of Piyanas for a long time and know the owner very well. I have always had A1 service and have no complaints except that the prices are high. However saying that it is not Piyanas that sets the prices its mostly the government taxes on imported electronic devices. Last week I bought the new OPPO BDP103D edition from Pattaya, and surprisingly the price worked out at over 150 GBP cheaper than the best price available back in the UK. Piyanas like most High End HI-FI shops everywhere in the world hold a limited stock, however if you call the shop first and enquire about what you want if they dont have it in stock they will usually get the item in a relitively short period of time. The Pattaya branch will usually get its stock from Bangkok, and your item will usually get there the next day.

Anyway thats my pennys worth. Good shop, good service and good prices for Thailand.

IW

[JSixpack]

I was in Piyanas in Fortune Town BKK yesterday as I wanted to get a turntable as a present. Turned out to be an ordeal as the assistants did not speak much English and had even less interest in making a sale. I was in the market for the Rega and got him down to about 17k, but the stumbling block was that I wanted to take it immediately, and the assistant said that it was only for demo, they had no others in stock, so he would not sell me the one on display. He said there may be one in stock in Don Mueang, but travelling to there was no good to me as it was too late and the next day I have to work before going back to Pattaya in the evening. I didn't know they had a shop in Pattaya and the assistant did not tell me. In the end I walked out and got something cheaper, but not as stylish, from Mahujack in Siam Paragon. So Piyanas lost a sale - i hope the one in Pattaya has a better attitude otherwise they will not stay long.

Thanks for the feedback - as with anything in Asia that has a hundred brand names splashed all over the display windows, I'm always sceptical of exactly what they do carry. The worst example I've ever encountered was in Ipoh - they had 'Yamaha', 'Marantz' and 'Onkyo' signs out front and *nothing* beyond hideous consumer brands like Sherwood inside. Apparently Sherwood made decent gear once upon a time (as did Kenwood), but those days are long gone ....

I have been a customer of Piyanas for a long time and know the owner very well. I have always had A1 service and have no complaints except that the prices are high. However saying that it is not Piyanas that sets the prices its mostly the government taxes on imported electronic devices. Last week I bought the new OPPO BDP103D edition from Pattaya, and surprisingly the price worked out at over 150 GBP cheaper than the best price available back in the UK. Piyanas like most High End HI-FI shops everywhere in the world hold a limited stock, however if you call the shop first and enquire about what you want if they dont have it in stock they will usually get the item in a relitively short period of time. The Pattaya branch will usually get its stock from Bangkok, and your item will usually get there the next day.

Anyway thats my pennys worth. Good shop, good service and good prices for Thailand.

IW

+1. There's also email: before the PTY branch opened, I sent an inquiry by email and they responded promptly. I could have ordered and had the item sent via EMS.

Mention of Sherwood and Kenwood above spot on. A century ago I had a Sherwood when Sherwood was good, so this brought back a fond memory. Lot of great music went thru that old amp . . . .

[kbelyeu]

Just wondering if anyone else has ventured into the new shop to check it out since this thread kicked off ? The Piyanas website has an absolutely huge range - I imagine that each branch can only stock a fraction of what's on the site - anyone ? I'm keen to hear a lot of different gear, but this is probably at the top of my list right now:

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=108.587&id=3667〈=th

Not cheap, but compared to streamers from Naim and Linn, its a relative bargain. Most *sane* people on TV would look at that sticker, roll their eyes and tell me I'm insane - I feel much the same way when I see what some are willing to pay for camera gear. I rationalise it by telling myself that every hour I spend at home listening to music (or watching movies on a decent HT rig) is an hour that I'm not paying to be entertained somewhere else.

MrWorldWide,

Yep.. I had been buying the odd item from their Bangkok location up until December/January when I believe they opened their doors in Pattaya.

Kurt

[MrWorldwide]

Currently about a 5-minute walk from Piyanas in Patts - less when I get a break on Central Road - and thus far its been a mixed bag for me. Very happy with the amp and speakers they've supplied me, even if the speaker cable seemed a tad OTT for my modest needs and bi-wiring the Monitor Audios seems a total wank without bi-amping, but overall a good experience for a newbie with little Thai.

Went back yesterday to enquire about a few items and, to his credit, the young guy left to mind the store tried valiantly to get stock for each of the following without success:

http://www.piyanas.com/showroom/en/product.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=eny_fly_default.tpl&product_id=1763&category_id=722

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/stream-magic-6-upsampling-network-music-player

I know Piyanas had the CA streamer on their site as recently as last month - clearly, they've run out of stock - fair enough. The M2Tech gizmo surprised me, as he initially seemed confident they could get one, but after 20-30 minutes of phone calls we were back to 'no have'. Most disappointingly, he couldnt find a digital coax cable anywhere in the store - I just dont know how you can have a 'hi-fi' store and not have stock of such cables.

I'll be back in BKK next week for another go-round with these guys:

http://www.jetliveaudio.com/

http://www.conice.co.th/

I also want to check out Fortune IT Mall - I'll let you know how it goes. Jetlive has been a goldmine for cans and I'm still confident that the owner didn't just tell me 'two weeks' when I ordered my headphone amp purely to get me out of the store, but he's at the mercy of his suppliers too. The Taurus is in very high demand atm.

FWIW, I still maintain that if you stick to the more affordable end of this crazy hobby (components costing no more than 60K and speakers no more than 80K), pricing in Thailand is competitive with sticker prices elsewhere. This is the amp I'll be picking up in BKK - 45K incl shipping and VAT:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/spectacularly-transparent-auralic-taurus-mkii

45k baht is around 1400 USD - doesnt hurt that Thailand is a lot closer to southern China than LA, but I'll take what I can get.

[craigt3365]

I got my amp from these guys at their location in Sri Racha a few years ago. It's sickening to see the prices here. But, it is what it is. As I was buying my amp, the guys were putting a big delivery together. A Thai guy spent over 1 million Baht on a system. They were heading out to deliver and setup it up for him. Must be nice....

[noodle]

 

I bit the bullet long ago and went completely digital, first with CDs, later with CD rips, and now streaming and downloading. You can't beat the convenience and with a decent pair of head/earphones, 320 bitrate mp3 or flac lossless rips/downloads/streams, and if you want, a headphone amp, and you're at 95% of the sound quality of any "audiophile" systems.

With a decent pair of headphones you are going to have a more accurate sound delivery to your ears than any speaker system.

[JSixpack]

I'll be back in BKK next week for another go-round with these guys:

http://www.jetliveaudio.com/

http://www.conice.co.th/

I also want to check out Fortune IT Mall - I'll let you know how it goes. Jetlive has been a goldmine for cans and I'm still confident that the owner didn't just tell me 'two weeks' when I ordered my headphone amp purely to get me out of the store, but he's at the mercy of his suppliers too. The Taurus is in very high demand atm.

Great stuff! I'm gonna stop Jetliveaudio next time I'm in BKK, whenever that is.

[noodle]

 

Just bought a new cartridge and preamp for my Rega Planer 3 turntable into a newish Marantz amp and Mordant Short speakers. Vinyl will never die. Go to any good music shop in the west now and you will find a great collection of new and old vinyl. Even the quality music shop in Central Pattaya Beach has a selection.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I have a Rega 3 which could use a new cartridge, it currently has the Empire that I bought for it when it was new.

Which cartridge did you get?

[MrWorldwide]

 

I bit the bullet long ago and went completely digital, first with CDs, later with CD rips, and now streaming and downloading. You can't beat the convenience and with a decent pair of head/earphones, 320 bitrate mp3 or flac lossless rips/downloads/streams, and if you want, a headphone amp, and you're at 95% of the sound quality of any "audiophile" systems.

With a decent pair of headphones you are going to have a more accurate sound delivery to your ears than any speaker system.

Noodle, lets not go there - it's like trying to compare Pattaya with Chiang Mai and you'll never convert anyone on that score. The 'headphones vs speakers' debate has been played out on Head-Fi and other forums over many years, and it comes down to this : there are folk who simply cant stand headphones and will never be lured away from a good fullrange speaker system. Where headphones shine is in the bang-for-your-buck stakes, but I love being able to just have music in the background without the weight of my LCD2-R2 or the 'in your head' sensation of my Shure SE425s, not to mention cables dangling from my head.

I've been active on Head-Fi for over 5 years - well before the 2k+ cans and 10K headamps hit the scene - and I've never seen anything erupt the way headphones have over the last 3-4 of those years. Every kid with a pair of Beats and an iDevice suddenly had the crusty old high-end establishment asking themselves how they could get in on the action, and we now have budget-themed gear from the likes of Meridian : unthinkable even 3 years ago. The USB DAC was widely panned when they started to appear - 'you'll never sort the clock timing issues and that bus is way too noisy' - but here we are : literally hundreds of them from peanuts to the kind of money that would buy you a nice car, even in Thailand. Throw in headphones like NAD's HP50 and good sound from a laptop or other transportable device is now far more accessible than it was back then.

The big problem with speakers will always be the room, and headphones represent an excellent alternative to spending serious dollars on room treatment and equalisation software. Perfect world, I'd have it all - custom IEMs, Stax SR009, BHSE, MF M6i and the KEF LS50 mounted on a good set of stands - but for now I'll have to live in the real world and that will mean Chord Hugo into Taurus MKII : if the hype around the amp is accurate,my Senn HD800s will finally be able to show me everything they've got. If not, I'll just have to accept that my time and money may actually be better spent in the bars

It's interesting that TV threads often focus on dangerous addictions - alcohol, women etc - but this is one addiction I'm happy to maintain. As they say in the classics, you're a long time dead.

[MrWorldwide]

Had more luck this afternoon:

http://www.piyanas.com/showroom/en/product.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=eny_fly_default.tpl&product_id=3098&category_id=522

Going to take my time setting this up over the next couple of days - video isnt really my thing but I like a nice picture as much as the next man. Not sure what Amazon would charge to ship the little brute (I think mine has the optional lead weights ...) to Thailand, but I certainly wasn't insulted by the price differential between what I paid and their US price.

http://www.amazon.com/OPPO-BDP-105D-Universal-Audiophile-Blu-ray/dp/B00HUGNN06

Back to Amazon for the Blu-Rays and SACDs - first-world problems, right ?