After a long breakdown process here are the final contestants!
In no particular order:
Marantz 7400 HK 630 NAD T762
The NAD is avialable at a highly discounted price and will likely sound a bit better than the 7400 or 7500....and the 7400 is about to be eclipsed by the 7500 but that's not gonna happen soon enough....I need it now not later. and the HK 630....which so far has sounded extremely warm....maybe almost too warm....but that could have been the speakers I was listening to at the time.
The NAD has all the sound formats I need, not to mention the power and musicality which to my listening edges out the Marantz a bit. At least with the NAD I know I am buying an old unit and getting a great price, but with the Marantz 7500 not out yet, no one is rushing to lower the pricing on current 7400's......bah.
In some ways the decision is made I guess....but I want to take these units home to listen to on the home stereo.....Only the HK avr630 and the NAD are available for home demo.
Ok guys now to toss in a monkey wrench...
My Father is selling his Marantz SR-18 for a rather attractive price. It is very musical...and built like a fricken tank. THX Ultra...blah blah blah....what do you guys think of that.
Anyhow some feed back would be welcome.
Frankly this is turning out to be a pain in the bum....it's almost as bad as buying a computer....I guess you just have to jump in sometimes.
PS the speakers are the Mordaunt-Short 500series THX system. Fantastic units.
If the SR-18 has everything you need I suggest you go that way. It's completely in a different class than the others. High quality components, great construction, it's real HT high end.
Out of the three I would say the NAD has best sound quality, but the other two are not bad either.
Not to mention that the SR-18 will come with the RC 5000 touch screen remote....which I like but has no tactile feel....still saucey looking though.
If you guys don't mind me asking....if I only have a 5.1 system....and I have no desire to get 6.1 and I will only use DVD audio from the DVD player in addition to DTS and DD will I be really missing anything by getting an sr-18 vs the NAD.
The NAD sounds like a good bargain...but in your estimation will the SR18 really improve on the sound of the NAD t762?
I appreciate your responses....any more info you can offer would be welcome
if anyone else wants to throw in their 2 cents please do.
Landroval, thanks for your reply's, I was not sure if new technology would have surpased the sound quality of this slightly older unit.... it's good to know that good is STILL GOOD years later....
