Hi guys,
I'd like some help choosing the right receiver for my current setup.
First, the room is 10-12 ft wide by 20-22 ft long.
The fronts i'm using at the moment are Tannoy Mx4 and some tannoy mxr-m for the 2 other speaker at the back. The sub is a tannoy ps-110.
I know the current speakers/subs aren't the best, but i'm starting with these and might upgrade them as i go. However, the receiver needs to be changed as my Harman kardon AVR 120 died.
I'll be using this setup for 50% music / 50% movies
Budget : I'd like to pay arround 400-500$ for the receiver, i might spend a bit more if it really helps finding the right receiver.
I have done researches and i have come with some ideas, but i'm really open to any new/better propositions.
Here are the receivers i'm considering for the moment, as i said feel free to give your own suggestion
- Sony STR-DN1030
- Yamaha RX-V673
- Denon AVR-1913
-
Thank you for the help,
Merry Christmas
I'm constantly amazed at how many times this question is asked here. Most ask with their list of things like devices, room size, speakers, etc., as if the size and shape of a room drives an AVR decision. Speakers, yes, AVRs, not so much. Then everyone already has speakers, or has chosen speakers too. And, surprise, the ratio of movies to music doesn't change anything!
Really, none of that matters anyway. But then they all throw in the only real spec that makes any difference: budget. And, forgive me being a little salty here, $400 - $500 is a really popular price range, very average and all, and there's some good stuff there, but the really good stuff is several hundred above that. Fortunately for this post, you're not in the $200 - $300 range!
Here's the skinny. For any given price point, there are usually five or six AVRs of different brands. If you widen the scope to include older models on close-out, make that a dozen. They're all of similar power and channel count, so everyone can stop worrying about their speakers and room size. They all have, or should have some sort of room calibration system. All now deal with all flavors of audio via HDMI. So, it gets down to just a tiny handful of items that you can use for your decision matrix. Your specific favorite features will, and should vary, but here's a few:
Network capability - most have an RJ-45 on the back, but what do they do with it? Steaming media, firmware updates, control, all are possible. Take a look at the specifics and see if any of that matters. Are you into iTunes or DLNA or both? Netfix? Or does all of that happen on some other device?
Number and type of inputs. If you have a lot of gadgets you need more inputs. If you have an old VCR you have to connect, can it do that?
Number and type of outputs: Got a second room? Do you want audio only, or audio and video? There are some real limitations here, study carefully.
Specific type of room calibration: Some of us like one over the other. Audyssey is one of the best, IMHO, but the others work too. Audyssey bundles their expert Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume, both of which make late night movies much better. They aren't the only ones, but they do it really well.
Then there's a lot of little things that are different. But in the end, anything in the same price range does about the same job, it's just a question of what features or functions you think you need.
Lastly, look at the warranty. Some are shorter than others, it's not a deal-breaker but good to know.
You'll get people that have something they like telling you to buy that, and some who have bad experiences that try to steer you away from something. Every brand has defects, but brands all try to minimize them, so the chances are in your favor for a good experience.
I sell five different brands of AVR, there's something in your price bracket in every brand. I'm afraid I still can't make a recommendation, unless I were designing and installing your entire room. I've installed all of them, they all work, and make people happy. Stay with the biggies, you won't go far wrong:
Denon/Marantz
Onkyo
Yamaha
Pioneer
Sony
Trust your own judgement, study the features, you might list your favorite ones, then pick your deal. It's almost impossible to hand-hold from here, but you really don't need it any.
Use the force, Luke.
