Good receiver to go with Athena AS-F2 and AS-C1?

[Trebek]

I've decided to skip out on the HTiB setup, and now I'm looking at buying some AS-F2's along with a center channel AS-C1. I haven't decided on what sub I'm going to choose, and I plan to get surrounds later down the road. What receiver would match best with these?

I've heard that a Panasonic XR50 would do the job well, and I'm also considering the basic Onkyo SR502, what do you all think?

 

[markw]

They're pretty forgiving speakers.

Being incredibly efficient, they are able to wring the best out of whatever amp precedes them in the audio chain. Likewise, you can spend a LOT of money before they run out of the ability to stop improving.

Simply put, get the best receiver you can afford. The speakers will thank you for it.

Psssst... you can do better than Athena subs, but keep that between us, ok?

 

[Leprkon]

I just put a Yamaha HTR-5740 into my bedroom system, runs $ 200 (JR, who didn't have them) to $ 230 (Onecall, who did), and it's got some great sound. it won't bowl you over with features, or YPAO, but it kicks the snot out of the Sony STR-DE915 whose place it took.

I use it with a set of Infinities (which are pretty nuetral, like the Athenas)- Alpha 20 bookshelves in front, Alpha center, and Primus 140's in the back.

I also picked up a Velodyne VX-10 subwoofer, which doesn't have a lot of low range- 36 to 120 Hz at 100 watts (150 peak), but at 128 bucks (only in silver, also from Onecall), it will fill the need til next year's income tax return.

 

[markw]

Actually, those F2's pump out quite a bit of bass themselves.

You might want to hold off on a sub until you see what you have to start with. Some smaller, less expsnsive subs might not make too great an improvement.

 

[annunaki]

Having just listened to the F2's, I would say the bigger and better the amplifier, the better your performance. They sound great, but with a modest 65 watts (rms) on them, they definitely seem like they would be happier with more. They have great dynamic capability, and to take full advantage of it, (from a musical standpoint) 100-200 watts rms would be a good fit. I would also venture to say that there are better subwoofers out there as well. It (10") was not that impressive to me.

 

[Leprkon]

I also picked up a Velodyne VX-10 subwoofer, which doesn't have a lot of low range- 36 to 120 Hz at 100 watts (150 peak), but at 128 bucks (only in silver, also from Onecall), it will fill the need til next year's income tax return.

put the sub to the test today... added a y-splitter on the cable and tossed in Underworld... for a 17x14 room, it does a damn good job . didn't take long for the cats to go find another place to play.

 

[warpdrive]

I'd go for a Yamaha 5740, way better than any Sony that I've met.

You can't skimp *too* much on a sub, the minimum I recommend is a $400 Hsu STF-2. Cheap subs don't do that much, especially if you have F2's, so it's worth it to wait and do it right.