Recommendation for Av receiver

[Ares]

Hey Gang,it's me again this time with a new ? so I have budget of $800-$1k for a receiver. Some of you may know recently I choose and SVS package but for those who don't here is the list.
Fronts:SCS-01M
Center:SCS-01
Surrounds:SBS-01
Sub PC12-NSD.
Your advice on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

 

[fightinkraut]

First off, great choice on the speakers, I'm sure you'll love them!

My current recommendations, from lowest to highest priced:

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXNR807/Onkyo/TX-NR807-THX-Select2-Plus-Certified-7.2-Channel-Network-Receiver/1.html

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120137&cm_re=onkyo_receiver-_-82-120-137-_-Product

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/MARSR8002/Marantz/Sr8002-Receiver-Thx-125w-X-7ch-Hdmi-Home-Theater-Surround/1.html

I present those without really knowing what you're looking for...are you specifically hoping for streaming audio from your PC, x number of HDMI inputs, legacy inputs, etc.

Out of the choices above I'd suggest the Onkyo from newegg as the best value, and a powerhouse of a receiver.

Another recommendation from me would be the Pioneer Elite series, but I don't know of any great deals off the top of my head. If you need the receiver to fit inside an area with no ventilation I would highly recommend the Elite's, a friend runs one and I'm very surprised at how cool it is...especially compared to my tx-sr805!

 

[Ares]

Those could fit the bill, but for the Pioneer's I will pass. thank you for your advice.

 

[njedpx3]

+1 for Onkyo and Marantz

First off, great choice on the speakers, I'm sure you'll love them!

My current recommendations, from lowest to highest priced:

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXNR807/Onkyo/TX-NR807-THX-Select2-Plus-Certified-7.2-Channel-Network-Receiver/1.html

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120137&cm_re=onkyo_receiver-_-82-120-137-_-Product

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/MARSR8002/Marantz/Sr8002-Receiver-Thx-125w-X-7ch-Hdmi-Home-Theater-Surround/1.html

I present those without really knowing what you're looking for...are you specifically hoping for streaming audio from your PC, x number of HDMI inputs, legacy inputs, etc.

Out of the choices above I'd suggest the Onkyo from newegg as the best value, and a powerhouse of a receiver.

Another recommendation from me would be the Pioneer Elite series, but I don't know of any great deals off the top of my head. If you need the receiver to fit inside an area with no ventilation I would highly recommend the Elite's, a friend runs one and I'm very surprised at how cool it is...especially compared to my tx-sr805!

I agree with fightinkraut --very good recommendations: Onkyo or Marantz.

Stay away from the low -end ( less than $500) Yamaha and Pioneer. The low end of these two lines,recently have fallen off in quality and features. The higher end Yamaha and Pioneer, especially Elite are still very good.

Good Luck!

Forest Man

 

[Ares]

Onkyo,Marantz,Denon are the top 3 companies I'm looking at right now. Pioneer was on my list at one time I did some research and there was a few things I found out about them that I didn't like.

 

[Adam]

Pioneer was on my list at one time I did some research and there was a few things I found out about them that I didn't like.

Hi. If you don't mind sharing, what is it about the Pioneers that you didn't like?

 

[Ares]

Hi Adam,no problem I'll give you some background first I had my mind set on the Pioneer vsx-21txh I trying find reviews on it no luck so looked at the specs everything was fine until I came across something I found in another forum question is as follows how can the Pioneer vsx-21txh with a power consumption of 400 watts have an output power 110wpc and the Onkyo tx-sr 707 744watts and 100wpc and the Denon 2310 720 watts and 105wpc. Now at first I did not give it much thought but as days passed it started to bug me. by the way nobody answered the ? of the OP, so I posted this on another fourm myself to see if I could get an answer since the OP couldn't. Long story short Pioneer was legally truthful about it's numbers but not so in real world use. I hope it cleared that up without breaking any fourm rules.

 

[Knucklehead90]

Hi Adam,no problem I'll give you some background first I had my mind set on the Pioneer vsx-21txh I trying find reviews on it no luck so looked at the specs everything was fine until I came across something I found in another forum question is as follows how can the Pioneer vsx-21txh with a power consumption of 400 watts have an output power 110wpc and the Onkyo tx-sr 707 744watts and 100wpc and the Denon 2310 720 watts and 105wpc.

The total watts needed spec is something I always encourage people to look at when comparing AVRs. Good question - how can something that appears to deliver 110wpc to 5 speakers only consume 400 watts?

Hmm. Time for the FTC to step in and once again address this problem. With multichannel amps/AVRs the rules need to be updated. AFAIK the only company that lists their power specs consistently worded as 'all channels driven' is Harman Kardon. Too bad they have so many problems with their AVRs - it makes it very difficult to recommend their products of late.

 

[Ares]

Here is my thing I was all ready to pick this receiver up till I came across that ? so now I'm here asking for recommendations on other receivers to consider. as always all advice is welcomed, As far as for the FTC stepping in it has been long time coming I agree they need to do something.

 

[Knucklehead90]

Here is my thing I was all ready to pick this receiver up till I came across that ? so now I'm here asking for recommendations on other receivers to consider. as always all advice is welcomed, As far as for the FTC stepping in it has been long time coming I agree they need to do something.

My pick would be the Onkyo 807 which someone posted a suggestion for. They seem to work great and the heat issues are easily mitigated by using a small slow speed ventilation fan. I did this for years with an HK AVR 520 that must have thought it was supposed to be a space heater. It is still going - my sister has it. That cheap fan may well have extended its life by quite a bit.

For a bit more the Onkyo 876 is an even better choice. Refurbished - of course. It has a better version of Audyssey - Dynamic EQ vs the 807 with Multi EQ.

 

[Adam]

I just read the specs in the VSX-21 manual (which is the same manual for my VSX-23), and it doesn't say that the maximum power consumption is 400W, just the "power consumption." The vast majority of the time that most people use these, the amount of power being sent to the speakers to generate sound is incredibly small. Perhaps on the order of 1W total. As you turn up the volume, the power demands increase a lot - for an increase of 10dB in sound (considered by a lot of people to be twice as loud), it requires 10 times as much power. So, you do want a good reserve of power to handle dynamics and when you want to have it louder, but that's not so much my point. I think that Pioneer wasn't being untruthful in their power consumption report.

To give some perspective, here are some numbers for my system. With my VSX-23 on and several other components in standby mode, my system is drawing a little under 100W. Watching a blu-ray on a 50" plasma with an SVS Ultra, a VSX-23, and two external power amps, my systems looks to be drawing about 500W max (and that's with bright scenes on the plasma).

Just some thoughts.

 

[Ares]

Now that looks good,now my question is will there be a lot those because I'll be buying a receiver in February with my tax refund due to the fact I spent the first installment of my budget on the SVS's and the wife took the rest, something about shoes?

 

[Adam]

I'm not sure if I understand - a lot of what?

 

[Ares]

I just read the specs in the VSX-21 manual (which is the same manual for my VSX-23), and it doesn't say that the maximum power consumption is 400W, just the "power consumption." The vast majority of the time that most people use these, the amount of power being sent to the speakers to generate sound is incredibly small. Perhaps on the order of 1W total. As you turn up the volume, the power demands increase a lot - for an increase of 10dB in sound (considered by a lot of people to be twice as loud), it requires 10 times as much power. So, you do want a good reserve of power to handle dynamics and when you want to have it louder, but that's not so much my point. I think that Pioneer wasn't being untruthful in their power consumption report.

To give some perspective, here are some numbers for my system. With my VSX-23 on and several other components in standby mode, my system is drawing a little under 100W. Watching a blu-ray on a 50" plasma with an SVS Ultra, a VSX-23, and two external power amps, my systems looks to be drawing about 500W max (and that's with bright scenes on the plasma).

Just some thoughts.

Thank you Adam for the response, I am not trying to say that Pioneer is not telling the truth just not the whole truth, to me if you make a claim such as 110wpcx7 which is a total of 770watts output lets not forget they said continuous and yet their receiver and manual states power consumption is 400watts the math does not seem right. Let say the 400w is not the max then what is it? is it 800? if they gave the max number then I would say hey then it's possible to achieve the 110wpcx7,but with a number of 400w it raises doubt in which they are doing a disservice to themselves,now to anyone who thinks I'm doing this be because I dislike Pioneer this not the case I am heartbroken this was the receiver I had my heart set on. but when a question like this gets asked there are 2 things you can do 1-ignore it or 2- research it,I choose the latter and got disappointed. Better now than after I buy it.

 

[Ares]

I meant to say a lot of those left in stock sorry about that guys guess my accent got in the way of my typing.

 

[Adam]

Thank you Adam for the response, I am not trying to say that Pioneer is not telling the truth just not the whole truth...

No problem, and I understand your thinking. However, I was trying to give my perspective that Pioneer was likely providing a more appropriate value for common usage. That's what I was trying to illustrate (probably poorly). I personally don't think that you should decide against a Pioneer based upon that spec. Now, if Pioneer had claimed that was the maximum power consumption, then I'd agree that there would be a clear discrepancy amongst their power numbers.

 

[fightinkraut]

One quick question...since the Pioneer is THX certified doesn't that mean the power ratings should be accurate? Not familiar with what testing exactly is undergone in the THX cert. process, but I've always thought it was somewhat rigorous...

 

[Adam]

One quick question...since the Pioneer is THX certified doesn't that mean the power ratings should be accurate? Not familiar with what testing exactly is undergone in the THX cert. process, but I've always thought it was somewhat rigorous...

Good point. I can't defend their power specifications because I don't know how accurate they are, but they have a statement in the manual that the 110W/channel measurements are:

Measured pursuant to the Federal Trade Commission’s Trade Regulation rule on Power Output Claims for Amplifiers

 

[Ares]

Adam your point was well made and I understood it,Now if Pioneer had used a max power consumption this wouldn't be an issue with me,however they did not that is where doubt comes in. If I was to tell people I make 10 million dollars most people would be like wow really, I just didn't tell them it would take 30yrs for me to do it, is it the truth yes but not the whole truth. If you leave out key parts of info that would help someone in deciding to buy your product especially in this case when a higher power wattage rating make them look better not a lower one unless they are going after the energy star rating.

 

[Ares]

Okay went a little off topic but thats ok still in need of recommendations for a receiver thanks guys.