old receiver vs new A/V receiver

Hi. I have a Onkyo receiver (TX-844) that's about 10-15 years old. I'm thinking about getting a HT set up but I mostly listen to music. Will a new A/V receiver around $1000 sound better? If not how much should I spend to get a good sound in music but with an A/V receiver?

Thanks
Osvaldo

osvi said:

Hi. I have a Onkyo receiver (TX-844) that's about 10-15 years old. I'm thinking about getting a HT set up but I mostly listen to music. Will a new A/V receiver around $1000 sound better? If not how much should I spend to get a good sound in music but with an A/V receiver?

Thanks
Osvaldo

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Sounding Better starts with your speakers. The question is what speakers are you using?

mazersteven said:

Sounding Better starts with your speakers. The question is what speakers are you using?

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I listened to BW 603 Axiom M60, also (Energy, Viennas and Paradigm but can't remember model) and I liked the Axiom. My brother in law has them paired with an old yamaha receiver. So yes, let's say I have a pair of axiom m60's.


osvaldo

Well my choice of receiver in the $1000 range would be the Denon AVR 2807

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3038.asp#




Or Seperates with Outlaw

970 PrePro/7125 Pwr Amp $1598.00

http://www.outlawaudio.com/images/970Back_Huge.jpg

http://www.outlawaudio.com/mofcart/combos.html

http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/index.html

I had a Yamaha HTR-5890 before I got the Denon 3806. I definitely like the sound of the 3806 more. A prospective customer from the Axiom forums came over for a demo, he liked it so much that he got the 3806 to go with the M60's he decided to order, to make sure it sounded just as good

Osvaldo,

Welcome to the forum.

From what I can tell, your old Onkyo was rated at 60 watts rms x 2. Any of the new AVR's should be able to reproduce as good or better quality sound. Why not consider the new Onkyo 803? It's pretty much current as far as bells and whistles, and you wouldn't have to jump brands. Online street pricing is right around $700 for that unit. The Denon 2807 runs about $50 more via internet - just make sure you are buying from authorized dealers for warranty purposes. If you need more power, both units will take an outboard amplifier to power demanding speakers. This option is usually much less then purchasing a high end AVR with similar features.

Thanks to everyone, all responses helped me out.

osvi said:

Thanks to everyone, all responses helped me out.

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So what are you going to do?

Well, to be honest I still can't make up my mind. I've read that A/V receivers don't do justice to music playback, but I don't know if is THAT bad. I don't want to wind up with a receiver that doesn't sound as good as my Onkyo. Then again, new A/V receiver may just sound even better. Nobody mention the Arcam and for what I've read is very good with music and also Rotel. I like what I've read about the Yamaha RX-V2600 and the Denon AVR-2807. I'll post what I finally decide so again, thanks a lot for the input.

osvi

osvi said:

Well, to be honest I still can't make up my mind. I've read that A/V receivers don't do justice to music playback, but I don't know if is THAT bad. I don't want to wind up with a receiver that doesn't sound as good as my Onkyo. Then again, new A/V receiver may just sound even better. Nobody mention the Arcam and for what I've read is very good with music and also Rotel. I like what I've read about the Yamaha RX-V2600 and the Denon AVR-2807. osvi

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Go back to post #2 in this thread by mazersteven. In fact I will do it for you.

"Sounding Better starts with your speakers"

My take is that receivers/amps/prepros have very little impact on sound. Any of those receivers will sound as good as the next. What you hear in your listening room is all speakers and room acoustics, not receivers. So spend your time and money on them. I have a Denon 3806, but I would be just as happy with the Yamaha RX V 2600 or Denon 2807 for that matter.

Nick

osvi said:

I've read that A/V receivers don't do justice to music playback,

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osvi said:

I have read that the universe was created in 6 days, that some can talk to the dead, etc.
Don't believe everything you read or hear for that matter. Audio has no exclusion or immunity clause anywhere.
Question everything and the folks around here on the most part give very good advice.

I like what I've read about the Yamaha RX-V2600 and the Denon AVR-2807.

There was a great review of that Yam and the Denon 3806 in Sound & Vision, super performances.

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I actually had settled fot the Axiom M60 although I would like to check out the Monitor Audio Silver RS6. Okay, so let's say I get the Denon or Yamaha receiver...what speaker would you recommend? I like floorstanding speakers better. Thanks a lot again!!!

osvi

osvi said:

I actually had settled fot the Axiom M60 although I would like to check out the Monitor Audio Silver RS6. Okay, so let's say I get the Denon or Yamaha receiver...what speaker would you recommend? I like floorstanding speakers better. Thanks a lot again!!!

osvi

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I think what nick was suggesting is to read that post two where he stated to get your speakers first, the ones that you really like for the duration, not one that might be replaced in 6 mo.

What's wrong with the Axiom's? If there is something as good or better in tha price range ($1700-$2000) for the 5.1 set up please let me know, I'll really app reciate it.

osvi

osvi said:

What's wrong with the Axiom's? If there is something as good or better in tha price range ($1700-$2000) for the 5.1 set up please let me know, I'll really app reciate it.

osvi

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Absolutely nothing wrong with those speakers. Now that you have settled on them, check its impedance and sensitivity. Then, a receiver that will be capable to drive it. The receivers mentioned will do well.

osvi said:

Hi. I have a Onkyo receiver (TX-844) that's about 10-15 years old. I'm thinking about getting a HT set up but I mostly listen to music. Will a new A/V receiver around $1000 sound better? If not how much should I spend to get a good sound in music but with an A/V receiver?

Thanks
Osvaldo

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Speakers aside....

If you want to spend your $1,000 wisely towards improving your sound quality, I would suggest that this may be a good time to treat your room acoustics if you have not already done so. By treating your room, the sound will dramatically & noticably improve, but only marginally so(if even noticably so) if you dump that same money into a new receiver.

Good luck....

Nick250 said:

Go back to post #2 in this thread by mazersteven. In fact I will do it for you.

"Sounding Better starts with your speakers"

My take is that receivers/amps/prepros have very little impact on sound. Any of those receivers will sound as good as the next. What you hear in your listening room is all speakers and room acoustics, not receivers. So spend your time and money on them. I have a Denon 3806, but I would be just as happy with the Yamaha RX V 2600 or Denon 2807 for that matter.

Nick

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I couldnt agree more

mtrycrafts said:

I have read that the universe was created in 6 days...

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YOU MEAN IT WASN'T!!!!!!!!!!! H-E double hockey sticks is in your future

Nick250 said:

My take is that receivers/amps/prepros have very little impact on sound. Any of those receivers will sound as good as the next. What you hear in your listening room is all speakers and room acoustics, not receivers. So spend your time and money on them. I have a Denon 3806, but I would be just as happy with the Yamaha RX V 2600 or Denon 2807 for that matter.

Nick

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.....yes, Nick, you are comparing in Receiver Land....but you name amps and pre-pro's also, as to having little impact on sound....Nick, that's the point you step into another level of presence, Sir....of course the room damping must be in order, or you won't hear much imaging, and there will be an overall raspy brilliance if your speakers "need" damping, and aren't getting it....at least that was what I noticed go away as the imaging improved greatly.....

.....edit....you may even enjoy the raspy brilliance for awhile, but it will probably eventually wear you down....the higher end stuff IS closer I'll admit, usually to the point you have to listen to something different for weeks sometimes to make a choice concerning amps....pre-amps are different....you can tell within a few minutes if you like one or not....but when you pull McIntosh vintage amps back out of storage, and all of a sudden the mains and surrounds are putting out "live presence" compared to what you've just been using, which was the Crown K2's and then the Earthquake, you only know what you know, now there it is....you can hear differences in pre's and amps most with a crappy signal like cable TV....if one pre and a certain amp produce the most pleasing results toward "live presence" using cable TV recorded on an S-VHS VCR to give constance with AB'ing, Buddy, the combo took on a challenge......

osvi said:

What's wrong with the Axiom's? If there is something as good or better in tha price range ($1700-$2000) for the 5.1 set up please let me know, I'll really app reciate it.

osvi

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Ascend Acoustics 340SEs with a Hsu or SVS sub.