So . . . what's the deal with Boston Acoustics

[drnomad]

I have seen little (very, very little) info online about the pre-pro Boston AVP7. From reading the specs, it seems impressive, and the deals on it are pretty good, as well. However, with not much info, including owner feedback, I don't want to sink money into it. I am in the market now for a new pre-pro, so any info about this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[drnomad]

One more thing

In shopping for a pre/pro, I am debating a couple of issues. I had an Outlaw 950, and now I am using a Yamaha RX-V1000. The new receivers have some great features, but I am not too excited about wasting money on HDMI features that will likely be outdated pretty soon. So, I am considering either: 1) getting an older model reciver (Denon 3805 or Yamaha 2500) to use as a pre/pro, or getting a dedicated pre/pro such as the Outlaw 990.
What are your thoughts on this? Any other models I should consider?
By the way, I am running Bohlender Graebner (planar hybrid) speakers which are 4 Ohm. I have an Outlaw 7100 amp (100x7 8Ohm, 165x& 4Ohm).
Thanks for the help!

 

[Thunder18]

You may do well to consider this one

http://www.ubid.com/Pioneer_VSX-9300TX_100-Watt_7.1_Channel_Audio_Video_Receiver/a800729084-rsearchall.html

Ignore the picture up there on the right, because it's a fake picture. They are selling the Pioneer VSX-9300TX for $500(buy it now price). I had this receiver until it was struck by lightning. It is the Pioneer Elite 56TXi without i.link(firewire). The only other differences are that the display is fluorescent blue instead of Pioneer Elite orange and that it doesn't say Elite on the front. It weighs the same 44.8 lbs that the 56TXi does and comes with the same cool 2 line display learning remote. It even has usb input so you can play music from a computer directly through the receiver. If you ever visit avsforum.com(sp?) you'd know that several people already use the 56TXi as a pre/pro.
When I purchased one of these, it was on sale exclusively at Bestbuy.com for about $900(down form about $1300 before they started putting Magnolia's in Best Buy. Of course as soon as they opened, they had to stop selling it because it would cannibalize sales of the Pioneer Elite's.

It's a great deal for a THX certified 45lb monster of a receiver. Oh, it's also new in box...this is not a refurbished unit. Free shipping also. I don't think you can get either the Denon or the Yamaha for less than $700 and I'm not even sure you can get them that low new. Maybe refurbished or b-stock.

 

[Afro_GT]

The Boston pre-pro is a rebadged Sherwood Newcastle P-965. Search avsforum.com and there's a huge thread about it.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=667133

 

[simpleHT]

I have seen little (very, very little) info online about the pre-pro Boston AVP7. From reading the specs, it seems impressive, and the deals on it are pretty good, as well. However, with not much info, including owner feedback, I don't want to sink money into it. I am in the market now for a new pre-pro, so any info about this would be greatly appreciated.

I own the Boston AVR7120 receiver (AVP7+amp). Sound quality is very superb, but there are some problems here and there and no FW upgrades, and setting up is a challenge to many people. You can check out threads in avsforum.

 

[ForMiseri]

Have had the AVP-7 Pre Pro for about 5-6 weeks. It sounds terrific now but it took me about that long to get music out of it. I still have not figured out how to get the OSD to come up on the TV. I love the sound quality but I wish I could fine tune the set-up using the OSD. The unit is a monster and very well put together. The remote takes some getting used to as well. Overall, at the current prices this thing is a steal! John

 

[treetownal]

I can vouch for the Outlaw 990. Its an excellent unit. DVI switching works fine for me, I just run hdmi/DVI cables. Very good sound, the DACs are excellent. Worth the money.

I believe the Boston Accoustics is the same in many respects, building on the same rebadged base unit.

 

[mnnc]

I own the Boston AVR7120 receiver (AVP7+amp). Sound quality is very superb, but there are some problems here and there and no FW upgrades, and setting up is a challenge to many people. You can check out threads in avsforum.

Hey simple...go to Sherwood site and enter Sherwood Newcastle brand site. There you will find our recvr's equivalent and firmware update/download. I saved it to my computer but have not uploaded it to my 7120 as of yet. I am surely not going to drag that heavy recv'r to my computer and I don't have a 100ft. rs232 cable or laptop. Download is complete with walkthrough instructions as to how to install, etc. Let me know what you think.

 

[mnnc]

Have had the AVP-7 Pre Pro for about 5-6 weeks. It sounds terrific now but it took me about that long to get music out of it. I still have not figured out how to get the OSD to come up on the TV. I love the sound quality but I wish I could fine tune the set-up using the OSD. The unit is a monster and very well put together. The remote takes some getting used to as well. Overall, at the current prices this thing is a steal! John

If it is like the recvr you have choice of osd on/off. Just check your settings. When you press osd button on remote you should be seeing it. You have video cable coming from pre/pro monitor out going to tv/display? right?...don't know what else it could be. Make sure tv is to channel 0 or as some displays read "video." Typically you are set to ch 3 or 4 for cable, sat, etc...tune down the tv a couple channels to what is basically ch 0.

 

[ForMiseri]

If it is like the recvr you have choice of osd on/off. Just check your settings. When you press osd button on remote you should be seeing it. You have video cable coming from pre/pro monitor out going to tv/display? right?...don't know what else it could be. Make sure tv is to channel 0 or as some displays read "video." Typically you are set to ch 3 or 4 for cable, sat, etc...tune down the tv a couple channels to what is basically ch 0.

Thank you for the suggestion. I will be getting home sometime later tonight and will give it a try. I'll get back to you and let you know what happens. I was also thinking of simply connecting my computer monitor up to the unit. I don't know if the problem I'm having is due to the age of the old Sanyo not having digital ins/outs or what!

 

[Nick250]

On my Denon, unless you are using HDMI the OSD needs its own dedicated video input on the display. Don't know if Yamaha is the same.

Nick

 

[mnnc]

Thank you for the suggestion. I will be getting home sometime later tonight and will give it a try. I'll get back to you and let you know what happens. I was also thinking of simply connecting my computer monitor up to the unit. I don't know if the problem I'm having is due to the age of the old Sanyo not having digital ins/outs or what!

Any monitor out cable will work whether it be standard single composite vid, s-vid, or component. My old sanyo has only a yellow composite and s-vid input. I use the s-vid because it is better. I also run a component cable from monitor out(of recv'r/avp7 in your case...we have the same thing mine just adds an amp and tuner) to my projector. Depending on which source I use(tv or projector) the recv'r knows which way to send the signal. Try the channel on your tv...my sanyo operates on ch 3 for the sat'lt and I go down 2, I think, channels to channel 'video'.

 

[sp44]

I'm selling my AVR7120 if anybody is interested. Used 2 weeks. Bought from OneCall.

 

[tomd51]

How much? -TD

 

[sp44]

$875 shipped

 

[ForMiseri]

Thank you to everyone for the help with getting the OSD up and running. With this set up the TV must be set to video and on channel 3 with the VCR off. What a difference once I was able to get in there and fine tune everything! Even managed to program the trigger out 2 to fire another amp as well as reconfiguring digital cable to optical. I can now use the optical for my CD! Now, to get a new set of floorstanders for the surround L&R! It never ends, does it?