looking for a pre-pro AV receiver under $400

[stauntmaster]

I am planning to buy a new AV receiver. I am having a 5.1 system: 2 Polk Monitor 60 in front + CS1 center and 2 monitor 30 in the back + polk PSW 505 sub. I just need to connect my blueray dvd and my laptop to the receiver. I mainly use the system as HT and am seating 10ft away from TV. Seems the best option to be:
Pioneer VSX1020 or Pioneer VSX920 ,
Onkyo SR608,
Denon 1911 or Denon 1910

any comment from experts?
is there any other acceptable option from Yamaha/Marantz/Harman Kardon or any other brand in this range?

thanks

 

[lsiberian]

You'd need pre-amp outs at least.

The Yamaha RX-v2600 is probably the best deal out there for pre-amp receivers. It's an older model, but very well done. The other would be the Onkyo 705/805 either would be a tremendous pre-amp

 

[jcl]

You don't mention a separate amp. Are you looking for a receiver to use as a preamp/processor, or just a receiver?
Either way what features are you looking for? HD decoding? Hdmi 1.4? Room correction? Video processing?

 

[stauntmaster]

thanks guys, this is my first home theater system and thus I have no separate amp. I am looking for a receiver which acts as preamp/processor.
I am assuming the one I listed earlier are from this category. isn't that the case?

I won't need HDMI 1.4 for now and thus HD decoding would be the main feature.

BTW, I just borrowed my brother's Pioneer 1020 to test the sound and although speakers sound OK, the sub doesn't sound powerful enough. Maybe this is because of the receiver setting. I'll keep playing with it to see if I can solve the problem.

 

[jcl]

Frys has brand new Onkyo ht-rc180's for $399, which is a good deal. I bought it at $499 and was happy. It does get hot, even at idle, so you'll want very good ventilation.

Refurb HK's at their ebay store offer a lot of bang for the buck as well. There had been some issues with hdmi, you may want to google for that.

Denon makes a good product, and have recently come out with a new line supporting 3d so there should be good deals to be had on the older models. The same is true for Marantz.

I wanted 4ohm stable amps when I was looking so I didn't look into Pioneer and Yamaha so I can't really comment.

As long as you pick one with the features you need I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them.

 

[sholling]

Frys has brand new Onkyo ht-rc180's for $399, which is a good deal.

I'm an Onkyo fan but I would probably avoid the rc180 and the similar 806. Too many reports of fires. The problem is probably long ago solved but I still wouldn't buy one. Unless 3D/HDMI1.4 are must-have I'd probably buy a refurbished TX-NR707 from Accessories For Less. It has Audyssey MultiEQ and preouts that are missing from the 608.

 

[GranteedEV]

THe maranrz SR5003 has pre-outs, and b-stocks are available on accessories4less.com for around $350 plus shipping.

 

[jcl]

I'm an Onkyo fan but I would probably avoid the rc180 and the similar 806. Too many reports of fires. The problem is probably long ago solved but I still wouldn't buy one. Unless 3D/HDMI1.4 are must-have I'd probably buy a refurbished TX-NR707 from Accessories For Less. It has Audyssey MultiEQ and preouts that are missing from the 608.

Yikes! I thought I had done my research. Sholling, do you have any links or recollect where you read about that? The ht-rc180 is the sibling of the later model 807. I do remember reading about some 806s going up in smoke, but I don't remember anything on the 807/180 models. Maybe it was after frys started to blow them out.

 

[rnatalli]

I think you can get a Pioneer 1120 for around $425 shipped from Amazon using various coupons. That's a pretty good deal. Search AVS for the coupons.

 

[sholling]

Yikes! I thought I had done my research. Sholling, do you have any links or recollect where you read about that? The ht-rc180 is the sibling of the later model 807. I do remember reading about some 806s going up in smoke, but I don't remember anything on the 807/180 models. Maybe it was after frys started to blow them out.

I learned about the rc180 reading user reviews on Newegg. Whether or not those reviews are still up is anybody's guess. The 806 issue I first read on here. A member claims her's caught fire. That was a transition year where the 800 series was downgraded from a huge robust amp in the 805 to something a bit less expensive to produce in the 806 and I suspect it was limited to teething problems in very early production because I've never heard of a formal recall that would have no doubt happened if it was a common problem. None the less those are two models that I wouldn't put in my home. Refurbished 707 and 807s are priced cheap enough to let you avoid the rc180.

 

[jcl]

Sholling thanks for the info. I found a NewEgg review about a pop and smoke shortly after turning it on. I think it was just a defective unit, not a common problem. The rc180 is very close to the 807 so that might be avoided too. I'll stop promoting the rc180 though. Although I see NewEgg has the ht-RC270 for $479 and free shipping with a techbargains coupon. That seems to be a pretty good price point for preouts and hdmi1.4.

 

[stauntmaster]

thanks a lot guys for all the info. I am a newbie and thus, am kind of confused now. I am trying to figure out what exact specification should I check when checking a receiver. It seems that I need a receiver which supports pre-amp output for all channels. what else should I check when looking for a receiver besides features(upscaling, multizone,...)? Should I also worry about the power-output watts per channel?
1) I checked Pioneer 1020 (pre-amp output 0.1) and Pioneer 1120 (pre-amp output 9.1). Does this mean that Pioneer 1020 is no use for me and I should go for 1120?
I think, maybe this is why I am not happy with the sound currently coming out from my Pioneer 2010?
2) I also checked Onkyo SR608 and it says (Analog PRe-outs: Sub). does this mean that this receiver only provides pre-amp on sub channel and thus no use for me?

 

[stauntmaster]

Hy guys, I a, just back from BestBuy and am much more confued.
They guy in BB told me that pre-amp output for channels is only used if the speakers are self powered (directly plugged into power) and all I need for my system to work is an AV receiver with pre-amp out only for the sub. I tried to google this and solve it by myself but no success. Can someone explain this pre-amp this thing to me or send me a link I can study?
Also, do I really need pre-amp output on all my channels?

thanks a lot for the help

 

[sholling]

The 700 series and above have preouts. Preouts give you three options.

1. Use the receiver as a standalone receiver using the built in amps. In that case the preouts (other than the subwoofer out) aren't used. This is the most common way of using a receiver. The most cost effective if the receiver has all of the power that you need.
2. Mix and match by running some of your speakers off an external amp (usually the two mains or the front three) and the surrounds off of the receiver's internal amp. You do this if you can't afford or don't need enough external amp channels to power all of your speakers. This is pretty common because by taking the heavy load of the mains off of the receiver it's left with plenty of power available for the surrounds. A good bang for the buck upgrade if down the road you find that you need a bit more power for the front three.
3. Run cables from of all of the preouts for all of the channels that you plan to use to an external amp(s) with enough channels (or to powered speakers). In this mode your using the receiver strictly as a preamp and processor. This is rarely necessary unless you have lots of money and/or hard to drive surrounds.

 

[lsiberian]

I'd point out that in my research I've found the fire issue to be greatly exaggerated. With any receiver ventilation is important and should not be neglected with adequate ventilation you'd be alright. I'd recommend shopping for a 705 you get the best version of Auddysey, pre-amp outs and thx select certification. It's the best receiver I've owned.

 

[stauntmaster]

thanks guys. I got it now. I correct myself. I am not planning to get an external amp now or any time in near future. Thus, I won't need a receiver with preamp out. I will primarily use the system as HT and sometime for music. based on this, what do you recommend?

here's my list of receivers under $400:
1) Onkyo SR 608 for $370
2) Denon AVR 1910 or Denon AVR 1911 each for $390
3) Pioneer VSX 920k for $277 or maybe VSX 1120 for $420 (if coupon's can be found)
4) Harman KArdon AVR 1600 for $380
5) Yamaha RX V667 for $420

thanks

 

[stauntmaster]

Marantz NR 1501 is also now available for $400.

Need to buy the receiver soon. thanks in advance for any comment