Suggestions -> sub $300 receiver

[pzaur]

My brother needs a new receiver. His POS Sony crapped out at the center channel. Any suggestions?

Here are the requirements:

1) HDMI upconversion (It just needs to carry the signal for all video inputs to the TV via HDMI)

2) New audio format decoding. (DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD)

3) Zone 2 capabilities (basically a 7.1 receiver)

My initial suggestion is a Denon AVR1910 found at Dakmart.

-pat

 

[Seth=L]

Pioneer is the only other make that I know of that has those features, and I'd buy the Denon way before the Pioneer.

 

[sholling]

I think a refurbished onkyo TX-SR607 will do all of that, however it will only upconvert the analog sources to 1080i HDMI.

* Six 1080p capable HDMI inputs (5 rear/1 front)
* PLIIz new surround format for higher dimension
* Analog to HDMI video upconversion by Faroujda DCDi
* WRAT technology and discrete amp construction for cleaner sound
* TrueHD/DTS-HD decoding to support the latest Blu-ray technology
* Optional iPod Dock / HDradio module via proprietary U.Port

 

[pzaur]

Anchor Bay VRS vs Faroujda DCDi

Any real, difference between the two?

What about Onkyo and heat issues? I know this has been discussed before. I'm being lazy about locating the thread.

The front HDMI input is very nice on the Onkyo.

-pat

 

[Seth=L]

Anchor Bay VRS vs Faroujda DCDi

Any real, difference between the two?

What about Onkyo and heat issues? I know this has been discussed before. I'm being lazy about locating the thread.

The front HDMI input is very nice on the Onkyo.

-pat

I don't recall the TX-SR607 being a model associated with heat problems.

 

[jostenmeat]

Anchor Bay VRS vs Faroujda DCDi

Any real, difference between the two?

What about Onkyo and heat issues? I know this has been discussed before. I'm being lazy about locating the thread.

The front HDMI input is very nice on the Onkyo.

-pat

Anchor Bay > Faroudja. The latter is not very good; I think most components that AHers own will do better, whether it's their player, display, etc.

Certain Onkyo's get hot, but I think it's more so with the higher lines. The larger power supplies of the 805/875/876/etc created a lot, but then a lot of people think the Reon processor is even hotter.

If the price is equivalent between comparable models of Denon and Onkyo, I choose Denon. That's coming from someone on their second Onkyo. (However, my last was about half the price of the comparable Denon.)

One thing that irks me with Onkyo/Integra, with bitstreamed TrueHD, is that autoflagged DRC cannot be permanently defeated. Most any other player or receiver can have it permanently defeated. What does that mean for me? It means I have to have the movie in, the codec selected, have the film running, then hit "late night" twice, with the resultant momentary silence, in order to have it defeated. I could, OTOH, just have it decoded at the player, and I've thought of doing that, but just haven't got around to it.

 

[rnatalli]

Denon has my vote. Onkyo is good too, but only the 707 and up has Audyssey MultEQ whereas Denon has it on all models. Also, as others already pointed out, Anchor Bay is the superior video chip.

 

[sholling]

I'm not sure what others use but all I want from a receiver's video section is for it to convert all sources to HDMI. I like the actual upconversion to 1080P to be handled my TVs. A good quality TV will usually do a better job than almost any receiver and I find it allows faster channel changes because the receiver isn't stopping to analyze the incoming signal.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

I would go for Denon's new AVR1911.

-Robert

 

[pzaur]

I would go for Denon's new AVR1911.

-Robert

$599 is a tad more than $300.

-pat

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Well, with a discount it's closer, but sorry I did not look up the price before I posted.

-Robert

 

[PENG]

I'm not sure what others use but all I want from a receiver's video section is for it to convert all sources to HDMI. I like the actual upconversion to 1080P to be handled my TVs. A good quality TV will usually do a better job than almost any receiver and I find it allows faster channel changes because the receiver isn't stopping to analyze the incoming signal.

I would go even further. I would not choose my AVR based on the video chip. In fact I wish manufacturers would save the cost of the ABT VRS, Reon etc., and just do a good job passing through the signals from the players.

With screen size up to 50", I find that ABT, Reon or not, makes no difference. Surely if you are determined to look for it, or using test discs, you will see the commonly claimed differences, but watching real world material you will be hard pressed to notice any difference. For screen size >50" you would likely stick with HD material anyway. Even if you do watch SD on larger screens, most TV or players such as (or let's say even) the PS3 will still do a decent job upscaling. Between my players, TV, and receiver I must have at least 6 or 7 upscaling video chips, absolutely mind boggling..........madness......