2013 Midpriced AV Receiver Comparison: The Best AVR for $1,000?

[admin]

In the market for a midpriced A/V receiver this holiday season? Curious what $1,000 can get you these days? As luck would have it, Audioholics has done some of the legwork for you, comparing and contrasting the feature sets of seven $1,000 receivers (+/- $100) to help guide you to the best solution. Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, Sony, Onkyo, Harman/Kardon, Pioneer, we've got them all here compared side by side. Happy hunting!

Discuss "2013 Midpriced AV Receiver Comparison: The Best AVR for $1,000?" here and tell us which your favorite AV Receiver is.

 

[ReUpRo]

Nice comparo. I fully agree with the winning picks.

 

[Pyrrho]

Even though it lists the Yamaha at the top, the article is being unfair to it. The Yamaha HAS front height channels. It is their own, proprietary version (which they call "Presence"), which they have been doing longer than Dolby and Audyssey. Basically, the chart has been done in a manner to exclude their front height, but includes everyone else's.

You can look on the back of the unit and see this when looking at the labeling for the speaker terminals.

It is also worth remembering that in ALL cases, these channels are artificially generated; there is no current format with discrete (or even encoded) front height channels. So there is NO reason to exclude Yamaha's version of this.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I would get the $1300 Denon X4000 regardless.

Actually for a lot less than that.

Actually, I would see if I could get the older Denon 4311 for cheap.

 

[ReUpRo]

X4000 for SubEq and NR818 (last gen) for those with no plans to get a second sub.

 

[panteragstk]

X4000 for SubEq and NR818 (last gen) for those with no plans to get a second sub.

SubEQ wasn't included in the 818 IIRC

 

[ReUpRo]

SubEQ wasn't included in the 818 IIRC

Right! That's why I said, 818 for those with no plans to get a second sub.

 

[Ito]

What ever happened to switched power outlets on the back of receivers? I love having them on the back of my Marantz SR6001 as when I turn it on it switches on the ambient lights I have on the back of my TV.

 

[D Bone]

So the Harman was dinged only for its power supply...........again? No description of how it sounded, just immediate downgrading because of the power supply and it not being "at least thin". I own a Denon myself, but there seems to be some bias against HK.

 

[mike c]

i have that yammy!

it's a very good receiver, my only complaints are that it doesn't show the HD flags and manual level matching isn't as fast as the denon's i'm used to.

 

[rnatalli]

What, no EMO or Outlaw combos? I know, they aren't receivers.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What, no EMO or Outlaw combos? I know, they aren't receivers.

Unless they take a Denon, Yamaha, or Pioneer and rebadge it (like Simaudio did with Denon), I wouldn't trust them.

Otherwise, I think EMO, Sherbourn, and Outlaw should just stick to amps.

 

[panteragstk]

Right! That's why I said, 818 for those with no plans to get a second sub.

Ah. Didn't read it that way. Oops.

 

[smurphy522]

I would say that HK have biased themselves (if that is possible) in the last 3 series of AVRs. They are certainly knowledgeable about what makes a great sounding amp section but have not delivered it in quite a few years nor does their feature set or EZset EQ stand up to the competition. As the owner of an AVR47 and AVR25mkII I can attest that in a home demo of the newer 3700 it was abysmal compared to my AVR247. That is driving a pair of Infinity Kappa 7_II mains. I level matched both and A/B them running 2 ch only. The 3700 sounded thin and strained it broke up before I could get to 95dB in my 2400 ft² enclosed media room. The 247 remains in my media room for now. I am going to demo a Denon (X4000) and an Onkyo to decide between the two over the holiday. I am pretty sure that either of them will outplay my 247. The newer HKs are not even worth 1/2 of the asking price IMHO and have no place in this line-up. I am a HK fan too, I am just at a loss these last few years with them though

 

[ReUpRo]

Ah. Didn't read it that way. Oops.

It could have been worded better too.

 

[Steve81]

What, no EMO or Outlaw combos? I know, they aren't receivers.

Beyond the fact that they aren't receivers, they'd get hit hard in terms of feature set. I'm also not entirely sure that the entry level amplification from Emo/Outlaw would be a meaningful improvement compared with the featured receivers either.

 

[rnatalli]

I would say that HK have biased themselves (if that is possible) in the last 3 series of AVRs. They are certainly knowledgeable about what makes a great sounding amp section but have not delivered it in quite a few years nor does their feature set or EZset EQ stand up to the competition. As the owner of an AVR47 and AVR25mkII I can attest that in a home demo of the newer 3700 it was abysmal compared to my AVR247. That is driving a pair of Infinity Kappa 7_II mains. I level matched both and A/B them running 2 ch only. The 3700 sounded thin and strained it broke up before I could get to 95dB in my 2400 ft² enclosed media room. The 247 remains in my media room for now. I am going to demo a Denon (X4000) and an Onkyo to decide between the two over the holiday. I am pretty sure that either of them will outplay my 247. The newer HKs are not even worth 1/2 of the asking price IMHO and have no place in this line-up. I am a HK fan too, I am just at a loss these last few years with them though

I have to agree with regards to HK. A real shame as they have the potential to put out some great units.

 

[RichB]

What ever happened to switched power outlets on the back of receivers? I love having them on the back of my Marantz SR6001 as when I turn it on it switches on the ambient lights I have on the back of my TV.

They always had sever current restrictions that I am sure many customers paid no attention to.
The cost and support issues likely did them in.


- Rich

 

[M Code]

I would say that HK have biased themselves (if that is possible) in the last 3 series of AVRs. They are certainly knowledgeable about what makes a great sounding amp section but have not delivered it in quite a few years nor does their feature set or EZset EQ stand up to the competition. As the owner of an AVR47 and AVR25mkII I can attest that in a home demo of the newer 3700 it was abysmal compared to my AVR247. That is driving a pair of Infinity Kappa 7_II mains. I level matched both and A/B them running 2 ch only. The 3700 sounded thin and strained it broke up before I could get to 95dB in my 2400 ft² enclosed media room. The 247 remains in my media room for now. I am going to demo a Denon (X4000) and an Onkyo to decide between the two over the holiday. I am pretty sure that either of them will outplay my 247. The newer HKs are not even worth 1/2 of the asking price IMHO and have no place in this line-up. I am a HK fan too, I am just at a loss these last few years with them though

In 2009, HK transferred their AVR product development/marketing function from California to China...
The original AVR design team had many, many years of experience including the Logic 7, iPod audio/video interface, dual Subwoofer EQ, quad X-over bass manager, HD OSD..
Besides designing/building one of the best sonic, sounding amplifiers..
The market will decide how well their AVRs going forward..

Just my $0.05...

 

[herbu]

In 2009, HK transferred their AVR product development/marketing function from California to China...
The original AVR design team had many, many years of experience...

M Code, you hit the nail on the head! The impact/result/problem is not due to moving to China. The Chinese are highly educated, skilled and motivated. The only thing they lack is experience. That will come.. but there is no substitute for experience. Ask any old guy.