Whats a good HT receiver?
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New member Username: NathanpAtwood, IL USA Post Number: 2 Registered: Jul-05 | Hi everyone... This is is pretty much my first time on this forum. From looking at the threads and posts it looks to me that most of you have a considerable knowledge of HT audio/video. I familiar with most terms that I have studied so the technical part of audio/video is not a problem. But I dont have any experience. I dont really know the ins and outs of different brands. And I dont really know were to find reveiws on HT products. I'm looking at some of the Yamaha receivers like the HTR-5790 or the HTR-5890. The specs of this receiver look very nice but I dont know if Yamaha receivers are worth looking into. Anyways...what is the best receiver out there for under $900? Thank-you for your help. Im sure that by reading some of your threads/posts I will learn plenty more about HT.  |
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Silver Member Username: JimvmLouisiana U.S.A. Post Number: 129 Registered: Apr-05 | Welcome to the forum. Here's a link to many receiver reviews: https://www.ecoustics.com/editorial/reviews/av-receiver There are several good receivers in your price range. Among the ones I'd look at are the Denon AVR-3805, the Harman Kardon AVR 635, the Marantz SR7500, the NAD T753 and the Yamaha RX-V2500. A couple of these have MSRP's slightly over the $900 price point but dealers will usually offer a small discount. Opinions will vary as to which is the best $900 receiver. I'd say if you're more focused on HT, lean toward the Denon, HK and Yamaha. If you're more focused on music, lean toward the Marantz and NAD. |
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New member Username: NathanpAtwood, IL USA Post Number: 4 Registered: Jul-05 | What do you mean by being focused on home theatre or being focused on music? |
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anonymousII Unregistered guest | I see you are in Atwood, Illinois. I suggest a trip to Champaign and the following stores. Champagne Audio on south Neil has Yamaha. Look at the 1500 and 2500. They carry Paradigm speakers and that's a nice combo. Good Vibes on north Prospect has Pioneer Elite and Denon. I personnally don't care for Denon but you might. They sell Klipsch and B&W speakers but beware they pair the Denon and Klipsch and that's a bad combo IMO. Look at the Denon 2805 and 3805. Glen Poors on west Kirby has Marantz. Look at the 7500. They carry several good speaker brands and are great to work with. None of these retailers will discount very much off list so if you want to buy from a retailer you should be prepared for that. If after you make this trip and want to buy from a mail order place that's dependable I will be glad to help. ie, Dynaco.com for Elite and Denon. Be sure to take your own music and movies with you and have fun. Good luck. |
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Silver Member Username: JimvmLouisiana U.S.A. Post Number: 130 Registered: Apr-05 | "What do you mean by being focused on home theatre or being focused on music?" From my limited research, it would appear to me the the Denon, HK and Yamaha have more "bells and whistles" (features) which are geared more toward home theater. The other two, particularly NAD, less. NAD for many years has been noted for its Spartan features and its emphasis on music. I recommend, however, that you do your own research. |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 1359 Registered: Mar-05 | Nathan, Home theater is not all that demanding musically---largely because you're visually distracted while listening to dialogue, FX, and score. Music, in the sense that you're going to sit there and listen to a CD with any sort of concentration, demands a lot more from your system. That's why when someone comes to this forum asking for receiver and speaker advice, one of the most common questions is what % of its use will be music vs. HT? For example a $300 Onkyo 602 or $400 Pioneer 1015 would be fine for HT, but for music you'd want something better and probably something 2-channel. Just my take. Now of course if you have a very generous budget you can pay to have the best of both worlds---for example Art's NAD multichannel receiver hooked up to 2-channel NAD separates. Most of us have to compromise somewhere though. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 1314 Registered: Feb-05 | Close, my seperates are actually an NAD C162 pre and Hafler Transnova 9505 power amp (250 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 375 watts per channel into 4 ohms). Tha NAD power amp is nice but the Hafler will eat it alive both for sound quality and power. Nathan I think you're getting great advice from everyone. I have found that if my NAD AVR is missing features I must be too ignorant to care. Jimvm is right it is considered spartan compared to some of the feature rich brands like Marantz and HK. It's about what is important to you, sound or features or perhaps some kind of compromise. Arcam, NAD, and Rotel (in that order)sound the best of the under 5k AVR's. HK and Marantz offer a good compromise between feature rich home theater and good music performance. |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 1360 Registered: Mar-05 | ah yes Art, that's what I get for never reading anybody's profile. Good Lord, that Halfer sounds like a MEGA-beast! |
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Bronze Member Username: Thunder18Post Number: 18 Registered: Jul-05 | Don't forget to check out the Pioneer VSX-9300TX. It goes for $800 and Vanns.com and $900 at BestBuy.com(I list both because Best Buy has correct descriptions and an accurate picture. Vanns has a picture of some other receiver in it's place and the specs aren't quite right, but as long as it's the same receiver then they have the better price). |
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New member Username: NathanpAtwood, IL USA Post Number: 5 Registered: Jul-05 | Well I understand now what you all are talking about now. Its just that when I see all this stuff thats available (pre-amps, amps, high priced speakers, subs,etc.)I get a little confused. For example...I recently bought a basic HT system for my room at Wal-Mart for only $40. And this thing sounds damn good for the price that it was. It is a 100 watt with the receiver built right in the subwoofer. Now dont get me wrong, I want to build a real kick butt system. (A nice receiver, JBL E- series all the way around, nice Sony 60" rear projection LCD,etc) I just have a hard thinking about spending $5000-$10000 on just a audio system when my little $40 dollar system will do a darn good job in its self. Please tell me if Im just crazy. lol |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 1319 Registered: Feb-05 | Eddie the Hafler is one of the most under rated amps of all time. It was a Stereophile class B product and retailed for $2200 bucks. You can find them used for about $550-$800 and they are as robust as a tank. It has incredible bass control and delicate highs with detailed and somewhat sweet mids. A real gem for what I paid. It is often compared head to head with Bryston amps. Oh and best of all it mates very well with the NAD pre. |
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Bronze Member Username: Devils_advocatePost Number: 56 Registered: Jul-05 | Nathan, I used to be the same way. I thought my Logitech computer speakers were killer. Compared to my HT system now, they are complete and total garbage. Of course, there is something to be said for ignorance (being bliss and all). It is a very expensive hobby. |
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New member Username: NathanpAtwood, IL USA Post Number: 6 Registered: Jul-05 | So overall what is the best buy for under $1000 that has best sound and ease of use? |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 1481 Registered: Mar-05 | The Panasonic sa-xr55, at least according to all these folks: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=bf7e877e475e97409fe9a22e8a5bad72 &t=530504&page=1&p p=30 PS. For some stupid reason, eCoustics won't allow me to have a double "p" in the text so I had to put a space between the two p's at the end of that link. You need to copy and paste the link into your browser window and take out the space in order to make it work. |
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Silver Member Username: JimvmLouisiana U.S.A. Post Number: 164 Registered: Apr-05 | "So overall what is the best buy for under $1000 that has best sound and ease of use?" You're asking people to choose a receiver for you using three criteria, all of which are debatable. 1) Best buy under $1,000 - Opinions will vary, so you're basically taking an opinion poll. Is that how you want to choose your receiver? 2) Best sound - Here again, you're going to get people touting their own brand. Personally, I really don't think any one sounds better than the other. As I've said before, today's receivers are so flat in their response that you are extremely unlikely to be able to hear audible differences between them. Speakers and your room acoustics will have an impact on what you hear; not the receiver. 3) Ease of use - Again, opinions will vary. My advice is to spend some time with each of the receivers on your short list and decide for yourself. Select your receiver based on: aesthetics (color, style, etc.), features, connectivity, and ease of use (receiver and remote). |
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