I need Help to buy one AV Receiver

[Nando]

Like i said i need help choosing one Av receiver.

I will uze it on a large room with a 7.1 speakers, gonna uze it to listen music but my priority is to watch movies on a LCD 1080p / 120hz.

i will connect on it: PS3 with a HDMI, Nintendo wii with a component 480p and a cable tv with s-video.

Im new to Sound configuration so corect me on anything. I was thinking since my room is large to buy one receiver with more than 100w per channel like 140w. and no more than 2k dollars.

So the Models ive found are : Denon AVR 4308CI, Yamaha RX-V3900, Onkyo TX-SR876. and i have no idea on wich one is better for my room. If you have any other receiver sugestion will be apreciated.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

What speakers are you driving?

 

[Nando]

Front - Polk RTI-12, Center Polk CSI-5, Surround - Polk FXI-5, Sub - Polk PSW 505.

 

[Midcow2]

My ideas

Like i said i need help choosing one Av receiver.

I will uze it on a large room with a 7.1 speakers, gonna uze it to listen music but my priority is to watch movies on a LCD 1080p / 120hz.

i will connect on it: PS3 with a HDMI, Nintendo wii with a component 480p and a cable tv with s-video.

Im new to Sound configuration so corect me on anything. I was thinking since my room is large to buy one receiver with more than 100w per channel like 140w. and no more than 2k dollars.

So the Models ive found are : Denon AVR 4308CI, Yamaha RX-V3900, Onkyo TX-SR876. and i have no idea on wich one is better for my room. If you have any other receiver sugestion will be apreciated.

Don't leave out Marantz SR7002 or SR8002. But of the ones you mentioned I like Onkyo best. Make sure that you can take component or optical in an upconvert to HMDI out. PS3 connected via HDMI is awesome.

Also, is it possible for you to get satellite or fiber optics for TV? If so, the picture will be much clearer and crisper than cable.


When you look for speakers look at their efficiency or sensitivity measurement, 80dB is low effecincy requires a lot of power, 90dB is average pretty good on power and 100dB is high effcincy will use very little power.

Also look at speaker ohms , 4 ohms will require twice as much power as 8 ohms.

Also remember power is logrithmic. going from 100 watts to 200 watts only increases the sound about 15%.



Are there any other speakers you can obtain besides Polk ?

Polk speakers , The RT i series has good reviews but i on't have any direct experience. Take for example the RTi8: 8 ohms, 90 db sensitvity. A 100-140 watt would drive them very well. Since your priority is to watch movies I would get the Csi A6 center ( most movie dialog and vocals comes through center channel).

The next priority would be a subwoofer. I like SVS brand best, but if you can only get Polk there you might want to look at the PSW303 or PSW404.

The surrounds only add presence and are not that important. Going along with the same series. The Fxi3 would be good.

I don't know how much you want to spend on speakers but this total speakers is about $2,200 retail USA.

The key thing is for you to deteremine how much you want to spend and then go audition the speakers and pick ones that sound good too you and are within your budget.

Good Luck,


MidCow2

 

[Seth=L]

That's a lot of receiver (surplus features, processing, and power) that you won't be using. Those Polks are very efficient at 90db/1w/1m. I would shoot for something like the Yamaha RX-V663/863, Denon AVR-1909, or Onkyo TX-SR606/706. All of which would have sufficient power to drive those speakers and handle any audio processing you could need them too do. All of those receivers are 7.1 and also feature Multiroom functions.

No reason at all why your receiver budget should rival the cost of your speakers.

 

[mazersteven]

My vote for the RTi12's

Yamaha RX-V663 and Emotiva XPA-3

http://www.emotiva.com/xpa3.html

 

[Midcow2]

That's a lot of receiver (surplus features, processing, and power) that you won't be using. Those Polks are very efficient at 90db/1w/1m. I would shoot for something like the Yamaha RX-V663/863, Denon AVR-1909, or Onkyo TX-SR606/706. All of which would have sufficient power to drive those speakers and handle any audio processing you could need them too do. All of those receivers are 7.1 and also feature Multiroom functions.

No reason at all why your receiver budget should rival the cost of your speakers.

Seth makes good points and I agree that with 90dB speaker efficiency you don't need as powerful of AVR as you were originally looking for. Just make sure you get video upconversion. The lowest model of Onkyo that offers upconversion is the TX-SR606

You will still need to make seaprate audio conenctions if not HDMI input.

 

[mazersteven]

The RTi12's are efficient yes. But they like power. Lots of power. Clean, Undistorted power.

 

[gus6464]

I don't think I would try to power a pair of RTi12 with a receiver like the 606 or 663. Those big beasts suck up power like it's nothing when they get loud.

 

[Seth=L]

I don't think I would try to power a pair of RTi12 with a receiver like the 606 or 663. Those big beasts suck up power like it's nothing when they get loud.

The TX-SR606's test results...

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/avreceivers/608onk606/index6.html

The tests speak volumes about what these mid-range units are capable of producing in terms of power. The RX-V663, unfortunately, doesn't live up to it's older rendetion (the RX-V659) in terms of power. So maybe the RX-V663 should sit this one out. I do think the Onkyo TX-SR606 is certainly up to the task, and the TX-SR706 definitely is.

 

[Seth=L]

The RTi12's are efficient yes. But they like power. Lots of power. Clean, Undistorted power.

I hear they like to dwell in 4 ohm land a lot, good thing the Onkyo TX-SR606 is ready for battle.

 

[mazersteven]

the Onkyo TX-SR606 is ready for battle.

You Lose.

You've got a receiver powering your home theater, and it works well enough, but the front channels aren't being given the sheer muscle they need to really make the sound soar. Add an XPA-3. Problem solved

 

[Haoleb]

Are you from Hawaii? There is a bit of pidgin english in your post

 

[Nando]

Are you from Hawaii? There is a bit of pidgin english in your post

No, im from Brazil ! and my english is not that good..

i have another question, is there any problem if i uze 2 small speakers that do only 4 ohms, at the back of my room? since all of the others 4 do 8ohms. thaks for your help

 

[jcPanny]

Surround speakers

Two 4-ohm speakers should not be a problem for a mid-fi receiver, especially if they are used for the surround channels.

 

[Seth=L]

You Lose.

You've got a receiver powering your home theater, and it works well enough, but the front channels aren't being given the sheer muscle they need to really make the sound soar. Add an XPA-3. Problem solved

The TX-SR606 doesn't have preouts for the fronts, only zone 2.

YOU FAIL!

On a side not, read the published measurements for the TX-SR606. They don't lie, it's got more than enough power. You are just a power fiend, and you should seek attention for your illness.