Help picking Integrated Receiver for 2.1/2.2

[Zefinator]

Hello,

I'm currently running the following system for both music (music is my focal point) and theater:
AVR --Denon x1000
L/R --Focal Chorus 717v
Subs--2x Reaction Audio 212 Turbos
Sources: TV, PS4, Turntable

What I am looking for is a few different setup options that will allow me to continue using this setup. Please note that I am not the biggest fan of AVRs because I haven't had the best luck with them (too many features that end up breaking). My price point is somewhere between $500 and $1000 but my optimal price is $600.

I really enjoy Peachtree and have been in love with their integrateds for a while now and have been close to pulling the trigger on a Nova65 on multiple occasions. Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

[oqpi]

Hello,

I'm currently running the following system for both music (music is my focal point) and theater:
AVR --Denon x1000
L/R --Focal Chorus 717v
Subs--2x Reaction Audio 212 Turbos
Sources: TV, PS4, Turntable

What I am looking for is a few different setup options that will allow me to continue using this setup. Please note that I am not the biggest fan of AVRs because I haven't had the best luck with them (too many features that end up breaking). My price point is somewhere between $500 and $1000 but my optimal price is $600.

I really enjoy Peachtree and have been in love with their integrateds for a while now and have been close to pulling the trigger on a Nova65 on multiple occasions. Any input is greatly appreciated!

I truly recommend the Outlaw RR2150 stereo receiver. It has a very transparent, superb sound, plenty of power to drive most demanding speakers; it also has a USB port, for digital in and a special subwoofer output with an excellent crossover (60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz). Got mine together with the Ultra X12 powered sub and, together with the Monitor Audio RX6 floorstands, gives us a lot of joy.
For the USB input I recommend the Schiit audio WYRD decrapifier, which allows audio from the PC USB to sound similar to a good CD player.
This system, which I built from scratch around the Outlaw receiver, cost me under $2500 (cables and all included) and it goes with great dynamics and soundstage for a true 16 Hz - 35,000 Hz range (with the sub crossed at 100 Hz - my preference).
What does this setup do? It basically pulls the hardest to drive signal (low frequency) from the receiver amplifier and sends it to the 350 W power amp of the subwoofer.
This way the receiver has such an ease to run the 100 Hz and up wavelengths into the speakers, which in turn are also free from dealing with the low signal as well; that goes all to the subwoofer.
And that's why I challenge anyone with any 2 speaker, highly priced, system, to A/B compare it to this one.

 

[PENG]

The recommended Outlaw is a good choice. You can also do well with a Denon X4000 for $769 new. Yes you will not be using 95% of its features and only 2 of its 7 amp channels but that means it will have ample power for the two channels. The significant advantage of using such a full blow AVR is that you will have the option to use Audyssey Room EQ XT32 and SubEQ HT that allow you to set up two subwoofers. It sounds crazy but for the deep discount you can get now why not?

 

[Zefinator]

The recommended Outlaw is a good choice. You can also do well with a Denon X4000 for $769 new. Yes you will not be using 95% of its features and only 2 of its 7 amp channels but that means it will have ample power for the two channels. The significant advantage of using such a full blown AVR is that you will have the option to use Audyssey Room EQ XT32 and SubEQ HT that allow you to set up two subwoofers. It sounds crazy but for the deep discount you can get now why not?

My Denon x1000 has Audyssey. I used it to set up my room and found that it did, what I thought to be, a terrible job of assigning distances, levels, and crossovers. It all but shut off my subwoofers and assigned distances that differed by over 10ft to my L/R. But that could be my space, I don't really know.

My big thing is finding a nice integrated that will last as long as my speakers. From my experiences and research that means finding the most featureless integrated...the fewer features and need for firmware updates the better.

 

[Zefinator]

I truly recommend the Outlaw RR2150 stereo receiver. It has a very transparent, superb sound, plenty of power to drive most demanding speakers; it also has a USB port, for digital in and a special subwoofer output with an excellent crossover (60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz). Got mine together with the Ultra X12 powered sub and, together with the Monitor Audio RX6 floorstands, gives us a lot of joy.
For the USB input I recommend the Schiit audio WYRD decrapifier, which allows audio from the PC USB to sound similar to a good CD player.
This system, which I built from scratch around the Outlaw receiver, cost me under $2500 (cables and all included) and it goes with great dynamics and soundstage for a true 16 Hz - 35,000 Hz range (with the sub crossed at 100 Hz - my preference).
What does this setup do? It basically pulls the hardest to drive signal (low frequency) from the receiver amplifier and sends it to the 350 W power amp of the subwoofer.
This way the receiver has such an ease to run the 100 Hz and up wavelengths into the speakers, which in turn are also free from dealing with the low signal as well; that goes all to the subwoofer.
And that's why I challenge anyone with any 2 speaker, highly priced, system, to A/B compare it to this one.

Thank you for the input. To be honest that receiver has always been in 2nd place for me (right behind the Peachtree) but I have trouble getting past the looks of it. I don't base a crazy amount on the looks of my equipment but I would like everything to look cohesive as it is displayed in my apartment. Though I'm sure if it ever went on sale I would feel perfectly justified in buying it. I have a lot of respect for Outlaw as a company and I know that if I listened to my system with the Outlaw receiver I would buy it on the spot.

I didn't notice in reading on Outlaw's page that it didn't have a built-in DAC. That's an extra expense to consider...

Does anybody else have input about the Outlaw?

 

[PENG]

Thank you for the input. To be honest that receiver has always been in 2nd place for me (right behind the Peachtree) but I have trouble getting past the looks of it. I don't base a crazy amount on the looks of my equipment but I would like everything to look cohesive as it is displayed in my apartment. Though I'm sure if it ever went on sale I would feel perfectly justified in buying it. I have a lot of respect for Outlaw as a company and I know that if I listened to my system with the Outlaw receiver I would buy it on the spot.

Does anybody else have input about the Outlaw?

That's weird, you may want to read up on the Audyssey FAQ section and re-run it. I have been using Audyssey for many years now and never experience that kind of discrepancies from measurements. For L,R,C, and the surround channels they typically agree with physical measurements to +/1 a couple of inches at the most. Subwoofer distance is a different story because that depends a lot on your room and it could be different by a lot, but for the sub you should go with Audyssey rather than physical measurement regardless.

Obviously you are right in theory that more things can go wrong with a feature rich AVR so yes if that's your priority go with 2 channel.

One more point, there is a huge difference between the entry level Audyssey and the XT32+SubEQ HT.

 

[KEW]

Also play with turning on/off the Audyssey Dynamic EQ on your x1000 receiver.
I find that it is such a good feature that I would not be willing to go with the outlaw or any other receiver that does not have it. If you always play your system loud, then Dynamic EQ is not such a big deal, but for listening in an apartment, I would consider it indispensable!

 

[KEW]

Also, I agree with Peng. Spend a little more time trying to tune your current receiver. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of a reason that the X1000 should fall short driving two speakers.

 

[oqpi]

Thank you for the input. To be honest that receiver has always been in 2nd place for me (right behind the Peachtree) but I have trouble getting past the looks of it. I don't base a crazy amount on the looks of my equipment but I would like everything to look cohesive as it is displayed in my apartment. Though I'm sure if it ever went on sale I would feel perfectly justified in buying it. I have a lot of respect for Outlaw as a company and I know that if I listened to my system with the Outlaw receiver I would buy it on the spot.

I didn't notice in reading on Outlaw's page that it didn't have a built-in DAC. That's an extra expense to consider...

Does anybody else have input about the Outlaw?

The looks are really nice, my opinion, the sound is amazing and it has a very good DAC inside:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109243130858369011279/BestAudioSystemThatHonestMoneyCanBuy?noredirect=1

 

[oqpi]

Thank you for the input. To be honest that receiver has always been in 2nd place for me (right behind the Peachtree) but I have trouble getting past the looks of it. I don't base a crazy amount on the looks of my equipment but I would like everything to look cohesive as it is displayed in my apartment. Though I'm sure if it ever went on sale I would feel perfectly justified in buying it. I have a lot of respect for Outlaw as a company and I know that if I listened to my system with the Outlaw receiver I would buy it on the spot.

I didn't notice in reading on Outlaw's page that it didn't have a built-in DAC. That's an extra expense to consider...

Does anybody else have input about the Outlaw?

Outlaw RR2150 stereo receiver has a very good DAC inside.
For the USB input, though, you need a USB decrapifier (I recommend WYRD from Schiit Audio $99) to clean up the PC USB line, not receiver's fault.
Try that and enjoy the music (considering you have a decent pair of speaker - with a powered sub recommended as well)
https://picasaweb.google.com/109243130858369011279/BestAudioSystemThatHonestMoneyCanBuy?noredirect=1