I am looking for a receiver (about $400) to go w/existing set of polk speakers. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Johnny
Posted on
Michael,
I would recommend the NAD T742 which can be had from Saturday Audio Exchange (www.saturdayaudio.com) for $449. It is a 5.1 receiver with 50w x 5. I know that this power rating sounds low, but do not be put off by it. NAD is known for being very conservative in their power ratings. They rate their receivers with all channels driven, when most other brands rate them with only one or two channels driven. When rated similarly, the NAD has as much or more power than any other receivers in this price range. It also has a clean and detailed sound, and I think it would match well with your Polk speakers. I think it is the best buy in your price range. Before I bought my new PSB speakers, I had an NAD T762 paired with Polk speakers, and I was pleased with the sound. It sounded much better than the older Onkyo that I had before the NAD.
I would also recommend the H/K AVR-130 (retail $369) or the AVR-230 (retail $449). The 130 is 45w x 5, and the 230 is 50w x 6. As with the NAD, do not be put off by these seemingly low power ratings. These are conservative and are rated with all channels driven. Either of these would be fine receivers. The only real difference between them is the 5.1 vs. 6.1 capability. Both of these models are relatively new, so you might be able to get the older models on closeout or refurbed for a much better price. That way you could step up in power and/or features for the same money as the newer models. I do not know of any sites that are good for closeout H/K's, but I am sure others on this forum would be able to give you some good recommendations.