long time lurker, looking at receivers (help)

[s52e368]

been a member for a while trying to finally get my AV system going.
im very video centric. three hdmi sources full 1080p display, blu, hd-dvd, etc... up-conversion on a receiver isnt important to me. so i guess pass through is more important right ?


ive been looking at:

marantz
SR5002 maybe to many features for me from what ive read.
SR4002 (much cheaper and discounted from Audioholics)

yam.
RX-V663 (only 2 hdmi in but i could get a switcher.)
RX-V863 again maybe to many features ?

ive searched and read many reviews on each nothing really comparative.
any thoughts about what im looking at ?

thanks
Carl NC

 

[Adam]

Hey, Carl. I'm happy for ya - it's always exciting to get new gear!

Just to make sure that it's not semantics or my misunderstanding, I want to make a comment on your question about, "so i guess pass through is more important right?" HDMI pass through, as I've seen it, means that the receiver will pass the HDMI signal through (and can therefore be used as an HDMI switcher), but it does not process the audio. I would think with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, you may very well want the ability for the receiver to process the HDMI audio.

I don't know much about Marantz, but both of those Yamaha's have had good things said about them. The 663 seems to fit your needs the best, although the extra coin for an HDMI switcher is a downer, IMO. Are you open to any other brands, or are those two your main preference?

Adam

 

[s52e368]

Hey, Carl. I'm happy for ya - it's always exciting to get new gear!

Just to make sure that it's not semantics or my misunderstanding, I want to make a comment on your question about, "so i guess pass through is more important right?" HDMI pass through, as I've seen it, means that the receiver will pass the HDMI signal through (and can therefore be used as an HDMI switcher), but it does not process the audio. I would think with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, you may very well want the ability for the receiver to process the HDMI audio.

I don't know much about Marantz, but both of those Yamaha's have had good things said about them. The 663 seems to fit your needs the best, although the extra coin for an HDMI switcher is a downer, IMO. Are you open to any other brands, or are those two your main preference?

Adam

thanks for the response i am open to other brands but for some reason i continue to be drawn to these.. i hear the onkyo's have cooling issues, and ive read some of the pioneers perform subpar in COMPARISON. id like to spend -500$ but if i need to i will pay more.

 

[s52e368]

I want to make a comment on your question about, "so i guess pass through is more important right?" HDMI pass through, as I've seen it, means that the receiver will pass the HDMI signal through (and can therefore be used as an HDMI switcher), but it does not process the audio. I would think with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, you may very well want the ability for the receiver to process the HDMI audio.

to comment on this.
i may have misspoken i dont know but probably.

i was thinking if the source is 1080p and the tv is 1080p i would only need the receiver as a switcher and it would pick up the audio from the source. (that right?)
does a receiver need to stay on in order for it the signal to get to the tv ? ie without surround
if i were to get the 663 and the a seperate external HDMI switcher wouldnt i need to "audio" from the source to the receiver ?

 

[fredk]

Since you are at 1080p from source to destination, you don't need scaling/upconversion, but you still need to decode the data on the disc to something that the TV will understand.

If that decoding is done at the source, then you can use the receiver for passthrough only.

 

[jamie2112]

Go with the Yamaha vx-663, Yeah thats the ticket.....I used to have one with my wife, Morgan Fairchild........Whom I've slept with........

 

[s52e368]

im still on the freaking fence obout this guys ive broadened my search. to include

DENON AVR-1909
Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K
Yamaha RX-V863 maybe still the 663

i have:
hddvd
PS3 / blu
HD-STB
1080p LCD

 

[Harrison476]

Cooling issues?

thanks for the response i am open to other brands but for some reason i continue to be drawn to these.. i hear the onkyo's have cooling issues, and ive read some of the pioneers perform subpar in COMPARISON. id like to spend -500$ but if i need to i will pay more.

I think too much has been made of onko's so called cooling issues

 

[s52e368]

I think too much has been made of onko's so called cooling issues

well if space is limited in a cabinet thats very important to me.