Replacement for Denon-788

[romantic]

Hi,

i currently use this denon to drive my XQ30, but thinking about upgrading the system a bit more.

i'm thinking about these options; getting a sub, which would be jl audio f112 , or getting a better AVR or maybe getting pre-amp/amp seperately. Now that i have the sub in mind, i would need advice on the second option.

i guess i would need your help again btw, this is for 50/50 system, which give music sq priority

feel free to advice me on these options; which you guys think would be better?

 

[PENG]

It is hard to say without knowing your room acoustic conditions such as the dimensions. If music SQ is your priority, then it is quite likely that you will make a noticeable gain by upgrading to a preamp/amp system. The Denon AVR3808 or Onkyo TX-SR876 may do it for a small room. For H.T. purposes the sub is a must though, and it will get you more bang for the bucks.

 

[romantic]

It is hard to say without knowing your room acoustic conditions such as the dimensions. If music SQ is your priority, then it is quite likely that you will make a noticeable gain by upgrading to a preamp/amp system. The Denon AVR3808 or Onkyo TX-SR876 may do it for a small room. For H.T. purposes the sub is a must though, and it will get you more bang for the bucks.

This is my layout plan. i havent done much for the room acoustic but definitely will do something about it. The total opening space would be ~2500 cu.ft.

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7792/layoutplan.th.jpg

i really wish i had enough budget for everything but i could choose one option for now.

 

[PENG]

This is my layout plan. i havent done much for the room acoustic but definitely will do something about it. The total opening space would be ~2500 cu.ft.

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7792/layoutplan.th.jpg

i really wish i had enough budget for everything but i could choose one option for now.

For some reason I can't enlarge the image but the total cu.ft does not seem too large for a powerful AVR. Are we talking about a 5.1 or 7.1 system here? You seem to be talking about powering a pair of XQ30 but the 788 is a 7.1 AVR.

 

[romantic]

For some reason I can't enlarge the image but the total cu.ft does not seem too large for a powerful AVR. Are we talking about a 5.1 or 7.1 system here? You seem to be talking about powering a pair of XQ30 but the 788 is a 7.1 AVR.

Oh sorry i will try this again



i am working toward 5.1 system but right now i have only fronts and center, which are all XQ series. I live in apartment so my space is limited me to have only one system that can do both music and movies. I listen to music in 2 channel but watch movies in 3 channel right now.

 

[Lordoftherings]

Oh sorry i will try this again



i am working toward 5.1 system but right now i have only fronts and center, which are all XQ series. I live in apartment so my space is limited me to have only one system that can do both music and movies. I listen to music in 2 channel but watch movies in 3 channel right now.

Hi romantic, fellow Canadian brother.

Just go to your London Drugs stores, near your area (or call them), and see if they have any Onkyo receivers in "Clearance" sale. Look in particular for the models TX-SR805 ot TX-SR705. If you found any one of these two models, the prices are fabulous and absolutely right. Get the 805 if you find it. If not, get the 705.

Next: Go to your Future Shop store near you, and look for last year Denon model # AVR-989, or even the two-year old AVR-988. Any of these two, would do, but the 989 being the most recent of the two.

Next: Check at "Electronics For Less", our own Canadian web site, one of the better one, when they have some "Clearance" sales.

Next: Check Best Buy in Canada, for again these two Denon models, and also check for Yamaha (also at Future Shop), model # RX-V3800BL, or RX-V1800BL, or perhaps the Yamaha HTR-6180BL.

Next: Go to "Audio*Video Unlimited" stores in Vancouver, and check their Denon receivers higher end models. You can tell them that you're a good friend of Wayne or Jeremy in Duncan, here on Vancouver island, and Bob is a good friend of them. If you need more help, just PM me, and I'll give you my phone #, and I'll put you in touch with the right people.

Great day,
Bob

 

[romantic]

Hi romantic, fellow Canadian brother.

Just go to your London Drugs stores, near your area (or call them), and see if they have any Onkyo receivers in "Clearance" sale. Look in particular for the models TX-SR805 ot TX-SR705. If you found any one of these two models, the prices are fabulous and absolutely right. Get the 805 if you find it. If not, get the 705.

Next: Go to your Future Shop store near you, and look for last year Denon model # AVR-989, or even the two-year old AVR-988. Any of these two, would do, but the 989 being the most recent of the two.

Next: Check at "Electronics For Less", our own Canadian web site, one of the better one, when they have some "Clearance" sales.

Next: Check Best Buy in Canada, for again these two Denon models, and also check for Yamaha (also at Future Shop), model # RX-V3800BL, or RX-V1800BL, or perhaps the Yamaha HTR-6180BL.

Next: Go to "Audio*Video Unlimited" stores in Vancouver, and check their Denon receivers higher end models. You can tell them that you're a good friend of Wayne or Jeremy in Duncan, here on Vancouver island, and Bob is a good friend of them. If you need more help, just PM me, and I'll give you my phone #, and I'll put you in touch with the right people.

Great day,
Bob

Thx Bob,

i will go check a few stores today, but that means i should get a receiver instead of buying amp seperately? Which way would i get better quality?

i'm just not sure about this b'cuz i bought lots of stuff and i have to change it in just a year or so. i just want to get sth future proof and make it right this time, so i can keep on completing my system instead of upgrading it

 

[PENG]

i just want to get sth future proof and make it right this time, so i can keep on completing my system instead of upgrading it

In that case, I recommend separates such as the Onkyo prepro and the Emotiva power amp:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=onkyo+sc886

http://emotiva.com/xpa3.shtm

These gear will get you 3 channel for now. Then you can add a sub, and then more external amps to complete your 5.1 and then 7.1 system. Your not so sensitive XQ30 will appreciate the power of separate amps.

 

[Lordoftherings]

In that case, I recommend separates such as the Onkyo prepro and the Emotiva power amp:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=onkyo+sc886

http://emotiva.com/xpa3.shtm

These gear will get you 3 channel for now. Then you can add a sub, and then more external amps to complete your 5.1 and then 7.1 system. Your not so sensitive XQ30 will appreciate the power of separate amps.

Hi Peng my good Canadian friend.

Romantic is also a Canadian.

Do you know a place in Canada where he can get the Onkyo Pro PR-SC886P?
And for a good price too?

Also, same for Emotiva power amplifiers.

* By the way romantic, what's your budget for amp(s) and preamp?
Or for the most up-to-date A/V Receiver?
And in Canadian dollars? Before taxes too?

Would you consider something like a Denon AVR-4810CI? Expensive at $3,000 USA list, but you'll be good for at least 3 to 5 years.
Also, if you want to go the separates path, would you consider a Bryston mutichannel power amplifier? Comes with a 20-year warranty, but should really last a lifetime.
The best value right now for a preamp is the Onkyo PR-SC886P. But I don't know where you can get it in Canada. In the USA, it is $999.99 right now, at Accessories4Less. Don't know if they ship in Canada though. Does not seem like. Do you have any friends in the USA, or family?
Anyway, here it is:
@ http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKPRSC886/Onkyo/PR-SC886-THX-Ultra2-Plus-7.1-Channel-3-Zone-Preamplifier/Processor-/1.html

I personally own the Onkyo TX-SR876 A/V Receiver, and I think that I can keep it for a good three years or so, but I'm not so sure anymore, because of the newer Onkyo models, the TX-NR3007 and the TX-NR5007.
Also, I'm salivating the release of the newer Denon AVR-4810CI.

I know, there is no end in view, but that's just the world I decided to live in.
And I will do that till the day I die.

So, any answers to my questions, or any comments?

Regards,
Bob

 

[romantic]

In that case, I recommend separates such as the Onkyo prepro and the Emotiva power amp:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=onkyo+sc886

http://emotiva.com/xpa3.shtm

These gear will get you 3 channel for now. Then you can add a sub, and then more external amps to complete your 5.1 and then 7.1 system. Your not so sensitive XQ30 will appreciate the power of separate amps.

Both of them look good. Is there any reasons why you didn't advice me to get 5.1 or 7.1 amp now? just i checked their site and found those models as well

 

[Lordoftherings]

Both of them look good. Is there any reasons why you didn't advice me to get 5.1 or 7.1 amp now? just i checked their site and found those models as well

Yes, I think Peng forgot to mention the Emotiva XPA-2 in combination with the XPA-5,
which will make a Super combo of multichannel amplifiers x 7.
Add the Onkyo PR-SC886P Preamplifier or Surround Processor & Video Processor to that,
and you got yourself a Superb Surround System.
And all that for only $2,597.99 USA, or $2,437.99 USA, when these Emotiva amps are on sale.
If you calculate your cost in Canadian dollars, adding the shipping, duties and all that crap,
you can end up close to $3,300 cdn.
And if you have connections from the States, that will help quite a bunch.

What you think? Too much?

Bob

 

[romantic]

Hi Peng my good Canadian friend.

Romantic is also a Canadian.

Do you know a place in Canada where he can get the Onkyo Pro PR-SC886P?
And for a good price too?

Also, same for Emotiva power amplifiers.

* By the way romantic, what's your budget for amp(s) and preamp?
Or for the most up-to-date A/V Receiver?
And in Canadian dollars? Before taxes too?

Would you consider something like a Denon AVR-4810CI? Expensive at $3,000 USA list, but you'll be good for at least 3 to 5 years.
Also, if you want to go the separates path, would you consider a Bryston mutichannel power amplifier? Comes with a 20-year warranty, but should really last a lifetime.
The best value right now for a preamp is the Onkyo PR-SC886P. But I don't know where you can get it in Canada. In the USA, it is $999.99 right now, at Accessories4Less. Don't know if they ship in Canada though. Does not seem like. Do you have any friends in the USA, or family?
Anyway, here it is:
@ http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKPRSC886/Onkyo/PR-SC886-THX-Ultra2-Plus-7.1-Channel-3-Zone-Preamplifier/Processor-/1.html

I personally own the Onkyo TX-SR876 A/V Receiver, and I think that I can keep it for a good three years or so, but I'm not so sure anymore, because of the newer Onkyo models, the TX-NR3007 and the TX-NR5007.
Also, I'm salivating the release of the newer Denon AVR-4810CI.

I know, there is no end in view, but that's just the world I decided to live in.
And I will do that till the day I die.

So, any answers to my questions, or any comments?

Regards,
Bob

The Onkyo PR-SC886P looks really good. i will research more on it and for Bryston as well. It look nice but i guess it is expensive. Also, Denon AVR-4810CI has very interesting tantative spec. I will make sure to keep my eyes on it.

Anyway, my budget is flexible around $3000 CAD. I'm not sure if it would be enough for good pre-amp and amp or a good receiver. If not, i guess i might have to go with the sub.

 

[romantic]

Yes, I think Peng forgot to mention the Emotiva XPA-2 in combination with the XPA-5,
which will make a Super combo of multichannel amplifiers x 7.
Add the Onkyo PR-SC886P Preamplifier or Surround Processor & Video Processor to that,
and you got yourself a Superb Surround System.
And all that for only $2,597.99 USA, or $2,437.99 USA, when these Emotiva amps are on sale.
If you calculate your cost in Canadian dollars, adding the shipping, duties and all that crap,
you can end up close to $3,300 cdn.
And if you have connections from the States, that will help quite a bunch.

What you think? Too much?

Bob

You really stay up late, don't you? me too

The price is not bad at all. I'm just wondering what the different between preamp and surround pro and video pro?

 

[Lordoftherings]

The Onkyo PR-SC886P looks really good. i will research more on it and for Bryston as well. It look nice but i guess it is expensive. Also, Denon AVR-4810CI has very interesting tantative spec. I will make sure to keep my eyes on it.

Anyway, my budget is flexible around $3000 CAD. I'm not sure if it would be enough for good pre-amp and amp or a good receiver. If not, i guess i might have to go with the sub.

Hey, three Canadian grand buy you a lot of good audio stuff. Forget Bryston, cause if you add the preamp to that, you're already over your budget by a considerable margin.

If I was you, I'll go check all the high end audio stores in Vancouver, to give you an idea of what three Canadian grand can get you. You'll have to make few compromises here and there, if you're really into high end sound and longetivity, I can assure you of that. You'd be better off, to buy all your components from used equipment on the internet. But then, you'll be missing on longetivity.
The Denon AVR-4810CI, when available in Canada, would bring a cool $3,500 cdn at least to your table. But I'm sure that it will eventually get to the $3,000 cdn range, say beginning of 2010 or so.
And did you do some research about how much it would cost to buy from the States?

* If I was truly you, I'll make my life much easier, I would buy an Onkyo TX-NR906, soon that the newer Onkyo receivers hit the shelves. This would bring his price to approximatively $1,750 cdn. And you'll have a top notch receiver, that should last you 5 years and more. One of the very best receivers right now in the world for that price range. I'm talking Canadian dollars here, so that nobody is confusing the cards. And you'll have to spend a whole lot more for separates, just to equal the performance in Audio and Video, trust me on that one too sir. Here we're talking true 145 watts per channel, and 4-ohm capable too, with state-of-the-art preamp section and video processor.
No small peanuts here, no sir. THX Ultra2 Plus certification, plus THX Volume Plus. Toroidal main transformer, plus two additional secondary transformers. Audyssey MultEQ XT auto room calibration, with Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Audyssey Dynamic Volume. ISF video calibration certified. HQV Reon VX-50 video processor. Three Texas Instruments Aureus DSP chips. Texas Instruments Burr-Brown PCM-1796a Dacs for all channels. VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) for all channels also (kind of similar to Denon Alpha 24 Plus Advanced processing). And so much more state-of-ther-art parts, that it would take me just way too much place here to enumerate them all.
But just take my word for it, you don't really need to look any further than this. And this, I truly believe.

But like they say, "That's just me though". Still, "me", counts for a lot of a big deal to me.

That's my deepest and sincerest opinion, and it's your money (but could easily be my money too).

Bobby

 

[Lordoftherings]

You really stay up late, don't you? me too

The price is not bad at all. I'm just wondering what the different between preamp and surround pro and video pro?

I'm open 24 hours a day my friend. I'm the real deal here. I read and I reply.
When everyone is gone to bed, I read more, so I know what people are looking for and what they are about. It's called Optimal Dedication.
Give the Best there is, anything less just won't do. Comprende?

Tell me honestly romantic, how many people from the Internet you know that have that type of true dedication about their love of their audio hobby?
And that like to share with not only you, but everyone else?
Without any exception or boundary?
And from a Frenchman too? A Quebecquois? A true Canadian, just like you.
And Islander. I'm from Victoria. A mountainer. A true summet climber.
I'm going soon in the Himalayas, do do some very serious climbing.
So, I'll be absent for a while. That should make some people very happy here.

About you romantic? Still up at 3:00 o'clock in the morning?
Should I wish you Good Night, or Good Day, or Good Luck?

Bobby

 

[Lordoftherings]

The price is not bad at all. I'm just wondering what the different between preamp and surround pro and video pro?

See my above post for my true answer.

At this point in time, and almost at the beginning of a new ball game, the Onkyo TX-NR906 still remain a true champ in the category of Audio/Video Receivers, and can compete with separates that cost much more.

The 906 is selling right now for $1,299.99 USA. It just went up by $50.
@ http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXNR906BLK/Onkyo/TX-NR906-THX-Ultra2-145w-x-7ch-HDMI-Receiver-BLACK/1.html

* But the Onkyo TX-SR876 for ony $879.99 USA is right there riding along with him.

Try to build a combo of separates that can even try to approach that.

 

[romantic]

See my above post for my true answer.

At this point in time, and almost at the beginning of a new ball game, the Onkyo TX-NR906 still remain a true champ in the category of Audio/Video Receivers, and can compete with separates that cost much more.

The 906 is selling right now for $1,299.99 USA. It just went up by $50.
@ http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXNR906BLK/Onkyo/TX-NR906-THX-Ultra2-145w-x-7ch-HDMI-Receiver-BLACK/1.html

* But the Onkyo TX-SR876 for ony $879.99 USA is right there riding along with him.

Try to build a combo of separates that can even try to approach that.

i do stay up late quite often but i'm trying to change that habit now

i will look into these onkyo models for sure. it sounds great from all the specs you told me.

 

[Lordoftherings]

i do stay up late quite often but i'm trying to change that habit now

i will look into these onkyo models for sure. it sounds great from all the specs you told me.

My own habits are just about to change dramatically, cause like I said, I'm gone in about not very long at all now for the Himalayas. So I won't be here, unless I found electricity and a computer up there.

* Do look at the 876 in particular, it is the better deal out of these two true champs. It is $420 less than the 906. And these two are very very similar.

~ By the way, I won't be up too late tonight. I'll watch 'Coraline' on Blu, and go read my article on Audyssey MultEQ XT measurements and proper setup, then hit the sack. Lots of good info here also at Audioholics on Audyssey.
But my article (about 20 pages long) is on paper, not on the computer; so I'll be able to read it in bed, then probably falling asleep while reading, like I always do usually.

Cheers,
Bob

 

[romantic]

My own habits are just about to change dramatically, cause like I said, I'm gone in about not very long at all now for the Himalayas. So I won't be here, unless I found electricity and a computer up there.

* Do look at the 876 in particular, it is the better deal out of these two true champs. It is $420 less than the 906. And these two are very very similar.

~ By the way, I won't be up too late tonight. I'll watch 'Coraline' on Blu, and go read my article on Audyssey MultEQ XT measurements and proper setup, then hit the sack. Lots of good info here also at Audioholics on Audyssey.
But my article (about 20 pages long) is on paper, not on the computer; so I'll be able to read it in bed, then probably falling asleep while reading, like I always do usually.

Cheers,
Bob

i will find reviews on 876 before i move onto 906.

Hope you have a great trip at Himalayas.

i stay up late to read all these kind of reviews and articles. i just started this hobby a few months ago so i still have a lot more to learn. i wont be able to read it on the bed tho cuz once my head touches the pillow, i usually fall asleep right away

 

[Lordoftherings]

i will find reviews on 876 before i move onto 906.

Hope you have a great trip at Himalayas.

i stay up late to read all these kind of reviews and articles. i just started this hobby a few months ago so i still have a lot more to learn. i wont be able to read it on the bed tho cuz once my head touches the pillow, i usually fall asleep right away

Onkyo TX-SR876 review:
@ http://www.avguide.com/review/tested-onkyo-tx-sr876-thx-ultra2-plus-certified-71-channel-av-receiver

Bob Ninja

P.S. Should be nice with me, I'm on depressive medication...