In search of an avr.

[Burley]

looking for a new receiver. I have been looking at a lot of different receivers around the $700 a $1000 price range. I think I may be leaving towards the merantz 5008 with the possibility of an upgrade later on to a emotiva. Xpa-5 amp.

However. I just saw that emotiva just came out with an av receiver. I am replacing an onkyo tx-nr808. What's your thoughts and feelings? Should I be looking at something else?

Speakers are klipsch reference series. Towers are 82-ll I honestly can't remember the rest of the of the part numbers. They are all of the same reference series. I feel like they are pretty good speakers and I'm not doing them justice if I go a $400 best buy off the shelf.... Maybe not. I'm definitely not a die hard audiophile but sound quality is definitely more important than air play and that kind of stuff.

Just want to do this right. If appreciate if you guys could give me some direction.​

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I recommend the Denon X4000. It has the latest Audyssey XT32 + dual Sub EQ.

 

[ReUpRo]

Another vote for the X4000.

 

[Pyrrho]

I would go with this:

Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A1020 7.2-channel home theater receiver with Apple AirPlay® at Crutchfield.com

With your speakers, you should not need an external amplifier, unless you listen at literally deafening levels.

 

[Burley]

I would go with this:

Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A1020 7.2-channel home theater receiver with Apple AirPlay® at Crutchfield.com

With your speakers, you should not need an external amplifier, unless you listen at literally deafening levels.

I do like the option of the yamaha. The reviews all look good from what i have read. I see that it was released in 2012. Now i'm obviously not way into the audio screen as much as most people here but are some of these new receivers maybe as good? How has the technology of sounds quality changed in the last 2 years? I honestly don't care about all the wireless features. I am just looking for a great sounding receiver. I've been happy with the Onkyo nr808 that i'm replacing all except it died on me and I don't have sounds going through it anymore.

Maybe i'm a little naive but i kinda look at newer is better. Help school me on this so i can understand better.

 

[Lulimet]

For $1000 budget I will always recommend the Denon X4000. Has any feature that you could possibly want. It will easily drive your Klipsch speakers without the need of an outboard amp.

 

[Pyrrho]

I do like the option of the yamaha. The reviews all look good from what i have read. I see that it was released in 2012. Now i'm obviously not way into the audio screen as much as most people here but are some of these new receivers maybe as good? How has the technology of sounds quality changed in the last 2 years? I honestly don't care about all the wireless features. I am just looking for a great sounding receiver. I've been happy with the Onkyo nr808 that i'm replacing all except it died on me and I don't have sounds going through it anymore.

Maybe i'm a little naive but i kinda look at newer is better. Help school me on this so i can understand better.

Here you can do a comparison with it and the current model that replaced it:

Comparison Chart:RX-A1030,RX-A1020 - AVENTAGE - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha United States

You can also look at the pages for them individually:

RX-A1030 - AVENTAGE - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha United States

RX-A1020 - AVENTAGE - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha United States

There are very few differences between them. From a sound standpoint, you are unlikely to hear any difference at all. The new one adds MHL support, and a couple of other features that there is a good chance you will never need, but you should look for yourself. Keep in mind, you are not going to get the new model at the discounted price. At least, not until it is no longer a new model and something else has replaced it. So if you are looking for a $700 receiver, you would have to compare with a lower model, not the RX-A1030. And then, in my opinion, there will be no comparison. If you want to pay only $700, no other Yamaha is as good as the RX-A1020. And I personally don't think the new one is enough better to justify the difference in price, particularly when the newer features are such that many people will not use them anyway. I certainly don't need any of the new features.

To more directly answer your question, the audio quality of receivers has not changed in the last 2 years, at least not if one bypasses all special processing. The basic performance is the same.

And I also don't think that an extra $300 will get you much more. I would go with the RX-A1020 if I had your budget and would not bother with anything more expensive. Now, if you wanted to spend $1500, then it would be another matter, though most likely, it would not be worthwhile to spend any more at all.

 

[3db]

I would also go with the Yamaha RX-A1020 for $700. Solid amps and power supplies and an extensive feature set makes this a keeper.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

For $1000 budget I will always recommend the Denon X4000. Has any feature that you could possibly want. It will easily drive your Klipsch speakers without the need of an outboard amp.

I am slightly upset that my $7500 Denon AVP-A1HDCI and $5500 AVR-5308CI don't have Audyssey XT32 + dual Sub EQ like the X4000. I am too cheap to spend $1K for the update.

But for people who have tried Audyssey XT32 + Dynamic EQ and still don't like it, Yamaha is a great alternative.

 

[RichB]

I am slightly upset that my $7500 Denon AVP-A1HDCI and $5500 AVR-5308CI don't have Audyssey XT32 + dual Sub EQ like the X4000. I am too cheap to spend $1K for the update.

I am starting a pool:

Who thinks ADTG will upgrade the AVP dual sub equalization?

- Rich

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I am starting a pool:

Who thinks ADTG will upgrade the AVP dual sub equalization?

- Rich

I told you I am done. The sound quality of my setup is so superb that I have to desire to change. Audyssey XT32 + Dual Sub EQ + DEQ may be even better, but XT + Sub EQ + DEQ is already astonishingly superlative.

 

[ReUpRo]

I am slightly upset that my $7500 Denon AVP-A1HDCI and $5500 AVR-5308CI don't have Audyssey XT32 + dual Sub EQ like the X4000. I am too cheap to spend $1K for the update.

I'll straight trade you mine for those two .

Who thinks ADTG will upgrade the AVP dual sub equalization?

I'm in .

 

[RichB]

I told you I am done. The sound quality of my setup is so superb that I have to desire to change. Audyssey XT32 + Dual Sub EQ + DEQ may be even better, but XT + Sub EQ + DEQ is already astonishingly superlative.

I get that, I am in love with my system. I am willing to try stuff that doesn't cost much, like Audyssey, etc.

I am not willing to spend money on exotic cables and power cords.
Speaking of cables, I was having trouble consistently connecting to the BDP-105D USB DAC with 2 10 foot USB cable on hand.
So, I bought this $5.49 Mediabridge:

Amazon.com : Mediabridge USB 2.0 - A Male to B Male Cable (10 Feet) - High-Speed with Gold-Plated Connectors - Black : Computer Usb Cables : Computers & Accessories

No luck, an AH member had a link to this $9.53 Belkin Gold:

Amazon.com : Belkin Gold Series 10-Foot Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Cable : Computer Usb Cables : Electronics

That fixed, sometime you just have to spend the extra dough
Apparently, Belkin has a higher gauge but still lacks, cinnamon, chocolate, diamond, etc.

- Rich

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I get that, I am in love with my system. I am willing to try stuff that doesn't cost much, like Audyssey, etc.

I am not willing to spend money on exotic cables and power cords.
Speaking of cables, I was having trouble consistently connecting to the BDP-105D USB DAC with 2 10 foot USB cable on hand.
So, I bought this $5.49 Mediabridge:

Amazon.com : Mediabridge USB 2.0 - A Male to B Male Cable (10 Feet) - High-Speed with Gold-Plated Connectors - Black : Computer Usb Cables : Computers & Accessories

No luck, an AH member had a link to this $9.53 Belkin Gold:

Amazon.com : Belkin Gold Series 10-Foot Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Cable : Computer Usb Cables : Electronics

That fixed, sometime you just have to spend the extra dough
Apparently, Belkin has a higher gauge but still lacks, cinnamon, chocolate, diamond, etc.

- Rich

All my speaker cables in my HT are Kimber Kable.

 

[herbu]

I recommend the Denon X4000. It has the latest Audyssey XT32 + dual Sub EQ.

Another vote for this. I have one and love it. You mentioned possibly adding an amp later. I did. Added the XPA-5. Honestly, I can't say there is a difference.

 

[PENG]

Another vote for this. I have one and love it. You mentioned possibly adding an amp later. I did. Added the XPA-5. Honestly, I can't say there is a difference.

We all know some people can hear night and day difference while some don't hear any difference at all. I would say at least you are not so Placebo prone. Jokes aside, you must feel good to have the extra on hand, and when the need arises, that extra juice may just let you know there is a difference.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Another vote for this. I have one and love it. You mentioned possibly adding an amp later. I did. Added the XPA-5. Honestly, I can't say there is a difference.

You're right. The only difference is the voltage gain, but once we level match, there isn't a difference in most usual conditions. But like PENG says it is there if you should need it in a few unusual conditions.

 

[3db]

If one is after power in an AVR, you cannot beat the RX-A3000 series from Yamaha. I would pick one up in a heart beat if I could find one for around $500. Nothing can touch it.

 

[PENG]

If one is after power in an AVR, you cannot beat the RX-A3000 series from Yamaha. I would pick one up in a heart beat if I could find one for around $500. Nothing can touch it.

I would say one of those RX-A3XXX is as powerful as the XPA-5 for two channel stereo listening, and I don't think I am exaggerating.

 

[herbu]

when the need arises, that extra juice may just let you know there is a difference.

it is there if you should need it in a few unusual conditions.

Although at every day listening levels I can't tell a difference, I can say that I have NEVER reached a point that sounded like there was distortion or anything hinky in the sound. Very rarely I will crank it up for a particular song or movie scene. Never been disappointed. Don't know how much of that is the XPA-5, but just like my car will go faster than I normally drive, it is satisfying to know my HT will too.