Help please : ) Picking between these two home theatre receiver options...

[Confusilated]

Newbie here, so please bear with me...A friend of mine recently gave me two home theatre receivers. He told me to pick one and give the other back so he can give it to someone else who needs one, but I can't decide which is the better one to keep. They both have the original remotes with them and are in mint condition. One is the Yamaha RX-V465, and the other is the Denon AVR 3805. I understand that the Denon is much older and lacks HDMI, but the receiver I HAD been using was an older Yamaha 5.1 lacking HDMI, and I just used the optical inputs for audio instead of HDMI anyway, and run HDMI from cable and blue ray to the TV directly for video. It's difficult for me to A/B these, so I thought maybe someone reading this could let me know your take. The main speakers I have are Polk powered tower RT1000i's. My surrounds are the crappy little Yamaha's that came with the old Yamaha that I originally had (which was the HTR 5730). I listen more to music and watch TV more than watch movies. Any advice?

 

[XEagleDriver]

Confusilated,

Here are two reviews by the AH and links to the user manuals on the the two receivers in question.
RX-V465 (specs here, user manual here) and AVR 3805 (specs and user manual here)

Things I noted:
- The Denon is getting old (circa 2004) but was a $1200 piece of kit back in the day. It has the much stronger amp section (120W/ch, unit weighs 37lbs). It lacks much of the technology/software modern AVRs support. It will be more difficult to set-up, because Denon manuals are terrible and the interface is on the primitive side.
- The Yamaha is newer (circa 2010), but was a much less expensive, entry level/budget unit at $300.
It has less power (claimed 105W/ch, but I sincerely doubt this is accurate, unit only weighs 18lbs). It does have HDMI and bluray audio codec support. It will be easeir to set-up and Yamaha manuals are an easier read, IMHO.

Given your stated comfort with using optical for audio and preference towards music over movies, I would probably go with the Denon. If simplicity of connections and ease of setup is more important to you, then opt for the Yamaha.

However, if you are truly interested in a "modern" AVR with most of the tech bells and whistles (HDMI, sophisticated EQ, bluray audio codecs, BT, Wifi . . .), I would find one at A4L for not too much coin and get the whole enchilada vice the entry/level RX-465.

Good Luck,
XEagleDriver

 

[Confusilated]

Confusilated,

Here are two reviews by the AH and links to the user manuals on the the two receivers in question.
RX-V465 (specs here, user manual here) and AVR 3805 (specs and user manual here)

Things I noted:
- The Denon is getting old (circa 2004) but was a $1200 piece of kit back in the day. It has the much stronger amp section (120W/ch, unit weighs 37lbs). It lacks much of the technology/software modern AVRs support. It will be more difficult to set-up, because Denon manuals are terrible and the interface is on the primitive side.
- The Yamaha is newer (circa 2010), but was a much less expensive, entry level/budget unit at $300.
It has less power (claimed 105W/ch, but I sincerely doubt this is accurate, unit only weighs 18lbs). It does have HDMI and bluray audio codec support. It will be easeir to set-up and Yamaha manuals are an easier read, IMHO.

Given your stated comfort with using optical for audio and preference towards music over movies, I would probably go with the Denon. If simplicity of connections and ease of setup is more important to you, then opt for the Yamaha.

However, if you are truly interested in a "modern" AVR with most of the tech bells and whistles (HDMI, sophisticated EQ, bluray audio codecs, BT, Wifi . . .), I would find one at A4L for not too much coin and get the whole enchilada vice the entry/level RX-465.

Good Luck,
XEagleDriver

Thank you for taking the time to reply, and for the links...I really appreciate it! I was leaning toward the Denon for the same reasons you stated, but wasn't sure if I was just getting hooked in by that cool looking, but mind boggling remote

 

[multimediatech]

Denon, hands down.

 

[PENG]

I would take the Denon. I am still using my 3805 but for my second two channel stereo system. It sounds just about as good as my class A (when power amp is used at low volume) separate system sitting right next to it. If you don't need the power and only listen to rocks and pops, MP3 etc., then take the Yamaha.

 

[3db]

Out of those two, the Denon because it has a more robust power supply/amplifier section then the Yamaha which BTW is considered an entry level AVR.

 

[Confusilated]

Thanks for the responses...I have the Denon hooked up now and it does sound good. Picked up some B&W's at a ridiculous low price and was able to replace the crappy Yamaha satellites...Thanks again for taking the time...

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

This site should help you setting up your denon:
http://batpigworld.com/wp/