New receiver advice requested

[dfloth]

Hello, I’m thinking about upgrading my Yamaha RX-V2300 receiver, but I am overwhelmed by the options.

I have Paradigm speakers: fronts: Focus v.3, Center: CC-270 v.3, Surrounds: ADP-170, Sub: PDR-10. Not sure if it matters but my room size is about 20x30.

I use the system to watch movies and to listen to music. I have a 50” 1080p HDTV, a HD DVR (HDMI), DVD player (composite/coaxial), Replaytv (composite/optical). I use my iPhone to listen to music (analog) and sometimes the radio.

The lack of HDMI ports, on screen gui and the lack of a quality interface to my music on my current receiver are the main reasons I’m considering upgrading.

Additional features that sparked my interest are Airplay, Pandora, Pass-through options, and upconversion and upscaling (whatever that is).

I’m considering the following receivers -- the list grows everyday I look
Denon AVT-2112CI
Yamaha RX-V671
Marantz SR5006
Denon AVR-2312CI
Yamaha RX-A810
Yamaha RX-V773WA

Any thoughts or advice? Also any must have features I should consider?

Thanks,
David

 

[BMXTRIX]

I use the system to watch movies and to listen to music. I have a 50” 1080p HDTV, a HD DVR (HDMI), DVD player (composite/coaxial), Replaytv (composite/optical). I use my iPhone to listen to music (analog) and sometimes the radio.

First of all, it is BEYOND time to get a Blu-ray Disc player. You are missing out on the quality that even regular DVDs offer when you don't have something which upconverts, and are completely missing out on the quality of your display when you aren't renting/buying Blu-ray Discs.

The lack of HDMI ports, on screen gui and the lack of a quality interface to my music on my current receiver are the main reasons I’m considering upgrading.

The first reason is excellent, the second reason is good, the third reason is lousy. Horrendously lousy.

If you need a good interface for your music, then get a device which is designed to playback music. Your iPod is a pretty bad source, but AppleTV is a very good way to go if you want a solid GUI for accessing your music. The PS3 and XBOX are also pretty decent media servers. But, asking a receiver to do a 'good' job with handling music, is asking for it to do some multi-tasking beyond what they tend to be good at.

That said: Most CAN do it, they just typically suck at looking good, being ergonomic, and just plain making people irritated while you try to futz about with their mediocre controls.

Instead, focus on proper connectivity and overall quality.

Additional features that sparked my interest are Airplay, Pandora, Pass-through options, and upconversion and upscaling (whatever that is).

Upscaling and upconversion are pretty similar. Upconversion will take a source that is composite, and change it to HDMI. Upscaling will take a format which is 480i, and scale it to 1080p. So, when you start with 480i composite video, the receiver will spit out 1080p over HDMI. More accurately this is transcoding and scaling.

Denon AVT-2112CI
Yamaha RX-V671
Marantz SR5006
Denon AVR-2312CI
Yamaha RX-A810
Yamaha RX-V773WA

I'm not a big Marantz fan, but I like Denon and Yamaha a lot. You should go to a store which has them hooked up if you can to see what you like the best. Denon, I use regularly, and is very reliable with solid power output. Not very glitzy, but very reliable and high quality. Yamaha tends to be of very similar overall quality as Denon and is worth buying as well.

It is worth saying that for sound output you are basically making a parallel jump. None of these will add much, if anything, noticable in the way of sound improvements over your 2300. This is strictly going to add HDMI connectivity for you and transcoding/upconversion. You WILL get HD audio with Blu-ray Discs, which could improve sound some... But first you need that BD player.

Good luck!

 

[dfloth]

Is there a difference between BD player up converting vs. the upscaling/upconverting a receiver might do?

Also to clarify, my 3rd reason, what I meant by interface to my music was connectivity related. Currently I have to use the analog hookups on my receiver. It would be nice to stream, or use a USB port or even like you mention use AppleTV and connect via HDMI...

 

[fuzz092888]

BMX and I are going to have to part ways here , I really like Marantz receivers. I don't know why BMX doesn't like them, it could have to do with the fact that Marantz doesn't always have all the fancy stamps of all the stuff they've slapped inside (IE onkyo), but they do everything well, and if sound quality is what you're after (without taking into account the source file) Marantz receivers tend to sound pretty darn good. Even without all the bells and whistles they have just about everything you need, plus it supports airplay and is DLNA certified so you can stream from Macs or PCs. The on screen GUI on the 5006 isn't as good as the 6006, but as long as you hook up to your tv via HDMI it looks just fine. It is a bit slow, but not terrible. You can also control your iPod using the Marantz remote and on screen GUI. Marantz also has one of the better web GUIs that allows you to do almost everything from your internet connected computer (so long as the Marantz is connected to your router). I think all the receivers you mentioned have a USB port to plug your iPod into.

Don't get me wrong yamaha and denon both make great receivers, denons will be somewhat similar due to be owned by D&M (denon and marantz). I had a 5006, really liked it great receiver wasn't thrilled to get rid of it. Now I have an onkyo 3009, and the only reason I got that instead of the 6006 was because, I've never had an onk, was curious about what you really get for all those badges, and the people who get an onkyo that doesn't explode on them (exaggeration) love them, so I thought what the heck.

Anyways pardon the digression, other than my disagreement about marantz, BMX makes great points.

Someone else can comment on the upscaling, All I know is that I can see a difference between when I used to have my BD player connected direct, compared to when it's running through a receiver that also up converts. Not sure how to describe the difference, a little sharper maybe? I can definitely tell the receiver is doing some stuff though, better worse, tough to say. Video games I think I prefer direct, movies I like going through the receiver.

 

[jcl]

Plenty of good advice already but I'll add a few comments.

The Denons and Marantz will have Audyssey room correction, while the Yamaha's will have their proprietary YPAO. I have the Yamaha RX-A800 which replaced an Onkyo ht-rc360 with Audyssey. In my setup, to my ears, Audyssey did a better job.

The Denon, Marantz, and Yamaha Aventage warranty is 3 years, the other Yamaha avrs have a 2 year.

I agree on the blu-ray, it's time.

 

[fuzz092888]

Excellent point, I've read more than a few threads that have said YPAO is inferior to auydessey and ARC used by anthem.

 

[jonnythan]

I don't know the details on what YPAO and the other non-Audyssey calibration methods do, because the manufacturers don't tell you.

I will say, however, that going from a receiver that does Audyssey 2EQ, which doesn't EQ the sub, to one that does Audyssey MultEQ XT, which does EQ the sub, smoothed out a big ~45 Hz room mode I had like I can't believe. I strongly suggest you get a receiver with MultEQ XT (both Denons you listed have it) or at least make sure the receiver you do get applies EQ to the sub.

 

[fuzz092888]

So does the Marantz ..............have multEQ XT that is

 

[avnetguy]

Also to clarify, my 3rd reason, what I meant by interface to my music was connectivity related. Currently I have to use the analog hookups on my receiver. It would be nice to stream, or use a USB port or even like you mention use AppleTV and connect via HDMI...

The Yamaha RXA1000 and up line do have a USB or DLNA server playback, I use my USB port (with a card reader and SDHC card) for music all the time, works great. If you have wifi at home you can also use the remote web/app interface to control the audio playback.

Steve

 

[Grador]

As for scaling with the receiver vs. the Bluray player: Due to the way DVDs are encoded if they are scaled during playback you can have better results than scaling the output video. If you take the best case scenario for both situations, the player's upscaling will be better. Not all players upscale properly though, reading reviews will be key.

 

[jcl]

Wanted to correct my earlier post. I had an Onkyo HT-RC180, which has multi eq vs. the 360's 2eq. So I thought the multieq was better than the YPAO in the ax800. I do like the Yamaha all the same.