A question regarding receivers

[dcc]

Hi all, I have a friend that is in the market for a receiver for a 5.1 system, at this point he isn't sure what is a realistic budget, so the place to start for me is going to be to get suggestions from you people who are aware of what is current on the market now. I guessing that I'm looking for some thing between 60 and 100 Watts RMS times 5, and an output for a powered subwoofer.

All suggestions and or questions will be appreciated.

 

[sokrman14]

That could seriously cost him anywhere from 300 to about a thousand for basic specs like that. Can you be more specific about his needs. Example what kind of speakers he might be using, such as floorstanding, in wall, bookshelf, and brands he is looking at.

 

[dcc]

It really should not matter as I have specified the power level that I am interested in. 60 to 100 Watts RMS will be adiquate to drive most 6 to 8 Ohm dynamic speakers in the the size room he will be using.

What I'm looking for are recomendations on manufacturers and model. I see the same old names on ebay, Sony, Panisonic, Pioneer, Harmon/Kardon, Yamaha, Denon, Samsung, and others that are new to me.

 

[mike c]

Yamaha Rx-v models (I would recommend the 659)

 

[dcc]

Thanks Mike c, I will check it out.

 

[Nick250]

IMO any of the $300 to $400 receivers from Denon and Yamaha will do the job, no problem. I have a Denon 1705 (new model is 1706 I believe) which worked just fine in the system below for a while before I got the 3806. Two thumps up on the Denon 1706. That's my personal experience, I am sure there are others that will work as well.

Nick

 

[tomd51]

Hi dcc;
Another person on a related forum asked a very similar question, which I'll repeat here. For your budget, you or your friend could get a great deal on a refurbished Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo, HK or Pioneer receiver that will perform very similar to each other and should provide you/your friend with great performance for the money. While refurbs aren't for everyone as some folks have reservations for anything that's not new, they can prove a great option when trying to maximize the value of your dollar.

If you/your friend would consider a refurbished model, let me know and I can point you to a few possible options. If not, I can make some other suggestions for your budget as well. It may help to know what kind of budget you have to work with, the size of the room it will be used in and the majority of listening material (e.g. movies Vs. music).

There are solid entry level receivers that can be found between $200-$400 as well as solid mid-level receivers that can be found between $400-$900. All of the receivers in both groups will offer at a minimum 5.1 and the ability to accommodate a powered sub, but depending upon the features, the questions I noted above and whether or not you/your friend will need to buy new or consider refurb, the pricing will vary... -TD

 

[dcc]

Hi dcc;

If you/your friend would consider a refurbished model, let me know and I can point you to a few possible options. -TD

Hi tomd51,

I have no problems with refurbished electronics from a major manufacturere, as long as the is a reasonable warranty. I have a back ground in electronics and production, an infant mortality is to be expected occasionally, and that is where these refurbished units come from...no problem!

I would be very interested in what you can suggest.

-dcc

 

[tomd51]

Okay, here we go...

Good to hear, dcc. All the units below are from uBid and I believe they are all factory refurbs (except the 9100 & 9300 Pioneers are new). My experience as well as several others w/uBid is very positive, all refurbs I've personally purchased through them have been immaculate and have performed flawlessley.

Here's a few entry-level receivers from $150-350, listed low to high in price:

Denon AVR-1705 for $169 (black)

Denon AVR-686S for $199 (silver)

Denon AVR-786S for $259 (silver)

Pioneer VSX-1015 for $319 (black)

Pioneer VSX-9100TX for $349 w/free shipping (black)

Denon AVR-886S for $319 (silver)

Next, we have a few mid-level receivers from $350-$700, listed low to high in price:

Pioneer VSX-9300TX for $500 w/free shipping (black) (black)

Onkyo TX-SR703 for $449 (black)

Onkyo TX-SR803 for $549 (black)

Denon AVR-3805 for $600 (black, though another auction is active for same receiver and same price in silver)

Yamaha RX-V2600 for $729 (black)


These will likely all have fairly limited warranties (60-90 days, couple are longer), but I'm my experience, you're more likely to have a problem w/any electronics such as this in the first week or two of use. Don't judge the specs by the main listings, look at the details as these all should be 7.1 receivers with a fairly current feature set.

Except for the first two entry level Denons, these all have pre-outs for all channels, so they can be used w/external amplification, if desired, which is a nice future-proof feature.

Have a look at these and see what you think, enjoy your browsing... -TD