Need some help choosing which receiver please

[Audiosnwb]

So I’m close to finishing off my basement and I honestly am not really quite sure what receiver to choose. I’m looking for a 9.2 receiver to support a 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 setup (haven’t decided what sounds better.). I really don’t want to spend any more than $1300-$1400 unless there’s a really good reason why I need to spend more.

The speakers I have are all definitive technology. Some older mythos towers for the front l/r, in wall rls 2 lcr for center speaker, 4 in wall di-8r ceiling speakers (2 for height & 2 for rear surround), and 2 dt-8lcr in wall for surrounds.

All my equipment will be hidden in a cubby behind the TV.
Basically what I’m looking for is these things.

• something I can easily connect my Bose wireless headphones to with good Bluetooth connectivity (my couch would probably be around 10-12’ away from receiver)
• easily controlled through either phone app, alexa, or Logitech universal remote with ir extender?
• Ability to wirelessly stream music from my iPhone

I don’t have a need for 8k anytime soon. My tv is a 75” 4k that I’m perfectly happy with.

So I think I’ve narrowed my choices to below? I know the Pioneer model doesn’t have Alexa/Siri support but as long as it’s easily controlled through an iOS app or universal remote , it’s not that big of a deal.

I’m leaning towards either the Denon or Yamaha, but if the Pioneer serves my purpose just as well, I could save some cash getting it.

Pioneer vsx-lx304
Denon AVR-X3700H
Yamaha RX-a2080

Thanks, and I appreciate any feedback.

 

[Hetfield]

My pick would be Denon just for Audyssey XT32 some. I have the X3400H and was quite surprised at the difference Audyssey made. It took me a few times running it to do it right but nl man it's fantastic. Overall a great receiver.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Any budget for subwoofers? Didn’t see any listed.

The darling of AVR’s seems to be the 3600 but iirc the 3500 is basically the same. Problem is finding them. Marantz (denons sister) offers the 6014/6013/6012 or 7014/7013/7012.
IMO xt32 is much better than ypao.
Also, imo, 5.x.4 is better than 7.x.2. It also looks like placing rear surrounds could be problematic. Surrounds look a little high as well, but it’s obviously too late to move them down.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

This question is one of the most popular questions. There are many threads on this subject.

Denon/Marantz vs Yamaha vs Anthem Thread

It seems DM, Yamaha, and Anthem are the 3 big AVR heavyweights these days. I think a lot of newbies would love to get some perspective on these three brands. What are their pros and cons? If you have owned all three brands of AVR, your opinions would be greatly appreciated. If you have at...

forums.audioholics.com

My bet is that it will come down to Denon vs Yamaha.

Whatever we own and think is best for us, we will recommend to you.

There are pros and cons to all.

It comes down to what's salient to you.

1. Auto Room Correction? Have you experimented with any type of Auto Room Correction software? Some love, some hate. Some swear by it put 100% of their buying decision into Auto Room Correction. Some couldn't care less and would put 0.0% of their decision into any auto room correction. You're not going to find one unanimous answer.

2. Manual EQ. This one is easier. But again, some want manual EQ, some don't. There are 2 types of Manual EQ - Parametric EQ and Graphic EQ. Parametric EQ is the best one. High-end pre-pros (Bryston, ATI, Classe, Anthem, etc.) will have Parametric EQ, not Graphic EQ. Yamaha uses the Parametric EQ for every speaker and subwoofer. Even the $7,500 Denon AVP-A1HD used the Graphic EQ. And even then it was only for the Main Front L/R speakers, not for every speaker and sub.

3. Reliability. Yamaha might be the most reliable. Time will tell.

4. Service. Yamaha will pay for shipping both ways for both new and refurbished warranties. Might be an issue for many people, depending on the type of repair.

5. Repair centers. I hate Panurgy, which is the authorized repairer for Denon/Marantz. I think DM should find somebody better. They were not able to repair a few of my Denon's I've owned in the past, including a $7,500 Pre-pro. One time I got back a Denon AVR from Panurgy repair and the AVR was still broken and a big smoke came out of it. I think too many bad experiences with Panurgy for me.

6. Compatibility. Some people have had issues with HDMI compatibility with some equipment. Yamaha might be better here. But everyone's experience may be different.

7. Apps and Streaming. By far, the Yamaha AV Controller WiFi Remote Control app is the best I've seen. It works extremely well and just perfect for me. The MusicCast and AirPlay streaming apps also worked perfectly for me. In contrast, the Denon Remote app worked about 50% of the time for me. Maybe less.

Everyone will have a different experience.

So I think you might want to list the most important points for you.

 

[lovinthehd]

Any budget for subwoofers? Didn’t see any listed.

The darling of AVR’s seems to be the 3600 but iirc the 3500 is basically the same. Problem is finding them. Marantz (denons sister) offers the 6014/6013/6012 or 7014/7013/7012.
IMO xt32 is much better than ypao.
Also, imo, 5.x.4 is better than 7.x.2. It also looks like placing rear surrounds could be problematic. Surrounds look a little high as well, but it’s obviously too late to move them down.

Actually some differences between 3500 and 3600....different internal layout and 3500 is a 7.2, 3600 is 9.2...

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Actually some differences between 3500 and 3600....different internal layout and 3500 is a 7.2, 3600 is 9.2...

Thanks. Couldn’t quite remember. 3600 has a better power supply iirc too.
Ok. 3600...
Still. Where’s the subs?

 

[Audiosnwb]

Any budget for subwoofers? Didn’t see any listed.

The darling of AVR’s seems to be the 3600 but iirc the 3500 is basically the same. Problem is finding them. Marantz (denons sister) offers the 6014/6013/6012 or 7014/7013/7012.
IMO xt32 is much better than ypao.
Also, imo, 5.x.4 is better than 7.x.2. It also looks like placing rear surrounds could be problematic. Surrounds look a little high as well, but it’s obviously too late to move them down.

Great catch noticing I didn’t list a sub. I don’t have one yet. My budget for a sub is probably around $1k usd. I’m seriously considering the SVS sb3000. I like how compact the sealed subs are compared to the ported versions.

Also as you mentioned, my rear surrounds would be the ceiling speakers if I set it up that way. My room layout sort of dictated speaker location to a certain degree so kinda stuck with what I have but should be ok hopefully.

And yea I was also checking out the Marantz sr6014. Seems fairly comparable to the Denon 3600. Looks like the 3600 isn’t in stock anywhere which was why I mentioned the 3700.

 

[Audiosnwb]

This question is one of the most popular questions. There are many threads on this subject.

Denon/Marantz vs Yamaha vs Anthem Thread

It seems DM, Yamaha, and Anthem are the 3 big AVR heavyweights these days. I think a lot of newbies would love to get some perspective on these three brands. What are their pros and cons? If you have owned all three brands of AVR, your opinions would be greatly appreciated. If you have at...

forums.audioholics.com

My bet is that it will come down to Denon vs Yamaha.

Whatever we own and think is best for us, we will recommend to you.

There are pros and cons to all.

It comes down to what's salient to you.

1. Auto Room Correction? Have you experimented with any type of Auto Room Correction software? Some love, some hate. Some swear by it put 100% of their buying decision into Auto Room Correction. Some couldn't care less and would put 0.0% of their decision into any auto room correction. You're not going to find one unanimous answer.
I haven’t experimented with any auto room correction software before. I will definitely take your guys opinions however and have read many people say that Audyssey xt32 is better than ypao.

2. Manual EQ. This one is easier. But again, some want manual EQ, some don't. There are 2 types of Manual EQ - Parametric EQ and Graphic EQ. Parametric EQ is the best one. High-end pre-pros (Bryston, ATI, Classe, Anthem, etc.) will have Parametric EQ, not Graphic EQ. Yamaha uses the Parametric EQ for every speaker and subwoofer. Even the $7,500 Denon AVP-A1HD used the Graphic EQ. And even then it was only for the Main Front L/R speakers, not for every speaker and sub.
No experience here either. Not sure I would be overly interested in tweaking every eq setting per speaker.

3. Reliability. Yamaha might be the most reliable. Time will tell.
definitely a consideration of mine since I don’t expect to replace it anytime soon.

4. Service. Yamaha will pay for shipping both ways for both new and refurbished warranties. Might be an issue for many people, depending on the type of repair.
that’s good to know thanks. I have an old onkyo nr807 where the hdmi board went out and I know they replaced it complexly free of charge even though it was out of warr

5. Repair centers. I hate Panurgy, which is the authorized repairer for Denon/Marantz. I think DM should find somebody better. They were not able to repair a few of my Denon's I've owned in the past, including a $7,500 Pre-pro. One time I got back a Denon AVR from Panurgy repair and the AVR was still broken and a big smoke came out of it. I think too many bad experiences with Panurgy for me.
no experience dealing with Panurgy either, but thank you for sharing your experience. Definitely more mindful of what kind of support I can expect depending on the brand of receiver.

6. Compatibility. Some people have had issues with HDMI compatibility with some equipment. Yamaha might be better here. But everyone's experience may be different.
I don’t have anything really complicated to plug in here, a ps4, fire tv,

7. Apps and Streaming. By far, the Yamaha AV Controller WiFi Remote Control app is the best I've seen. It works extremely well and just perfect for me. The MusicCast and AirPlay streaming apps also worked perfectly for me. In contrast, the Denon Remote app worked about 50% of the time for me. Maybe less.
i’ve read others say the same thing about the Yamaha app compared to other brands. Definitely a strong consideration for me.

Everyone will have a different experience.

So I think you might want to list the most important points for you.

Thanks, really appreciate all the insight. Added my comments in red in the quoted reply. I’m heavily leaning towards Yamaha given the reliability, warranty support, and iOS app. However, at this point the 2080 is almost 2 years old. Am I missing anything compared to getting one of the newer models from Denon/Marantz (3600/sr6014)?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks, really appreciate all the insight. Added my comments in red in the quoted reply. I’m heavily leaning towards Yamaha given the reliability, warranty support, and iOS app. However, at this point the 2080 is almost 2 years old. Am I missing anything compared to getting one of the newer models from Denon/Marantz (3600/sr6014)?

Yamaha will also be releasing new models probably toward end of year which will have HDMI 2.1 for 8K.

But other than that, I don’t see any new real features. Of course, every company will be talking about new features.

Again, it comes down to what’s salient to you.

There is a thread about the new Denon models. And some people may find those features as deal breakers; those features might be important factors to them.

The newer models, whether it’s Denon, Yamaha, or any brand, won’t sound any better - unless you are one of those people who feel that Audyssey XT32 is the salient factor.

 

[Audiosnwb]

Yamaha will also be releasing new models probably toward end of year which will have HDMI 2.1 for 8K.

But other than that, I don’t see any new real features. Of course, every company will be talking about new features.

Again, it comes down to what’s salient to you.

There is a thread about the new Denon models. And some people may find those features as deal breakers; those features might be important factors to them.

The newer models, whether it’s Denon, Yamaha, or any brand, won’t sound any better - unless you are one of those people who feel that Audyssey XT32 is the salient factor.

Thanks, makes sense. i guess I value reliability, support, iOS remote app more so than having the best eq software. I’m sure I can’t go wrong with any of those receivers listed, but like you said it’s sort of what I prefer. I don’t think I can wait for the newer Yamaha receivers and since I don’t really need 8k, I don’t think there’s a big reason to wait for it. I don’t particularly care for the new design either. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Great catch noticing I didn’t list a sub. I don’t have one yet. My budget for a sub is probably around $1k usd. I’m seriously considering the SVS sb3000. I like how compact the sealed subs are compared to the ported versions.

Also as you mentioned, my rear surrounds would be the ceiling speakers if I set it up that way. My room layout sort of dictated speaker location to a certain degree so kinda stuck with what I have but should be ok hopefully.

And yea I was also checking out the Marantz sr6014. Seems fairly comparable to the Denon 3600. Looks like the 3600 isn’t in stock anywhere which was why I mentioned the 3700.

We definitely have our comprises! The reason I mentioned the side(surrounds)is for Atmos the differential between the bed layer and height layer is what makes Atmos effective. Being too close to the ceiling takes some of that away. BUT!!! They’re installed so...
Also, for that reason I wouldn’t personally bother with rear surround in the ceiling, as they’ll be on the same plane. I would use them as rear tops. And move the seats forward as the surrounds shouldn’t be in front of you. 90°-120° is what you’d look for. Also, I’d recommend moving the mains out from those cubbies. I think there would be a lot of diffraction and possibly some wonky bass effects.
For subs, as good as the sb3k is, I personally would go after the PB, but if the SB wins for you, just know your giving up considerable LF prowess. Maybe consider a pair of PC models? Performance without the footprint.
Yamaha? More reliable? Conjecture, same as app control. I use a 6012 with the audyssey app, and the Marantz app. Both work fine for me so... And Yamahas menus suck, and their proprietary language and settings/modes only serve to muddy the waters when comparing notes with other users and brands.
They can, and do make for the hubs of very fine sounding systems. I just hate using em...
Ymmv!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks, makes sense. i guess I value reliability, support, iOS remote app more so than having the best eq software. I’m sure I can’t go wrong with any of those receivers listed, but like you said it’s sort of what I prefer. I don’t think I can wait for the newer Yamaha receivers and since I don’t really need 8k, I don’t think there’s a big reason to wait for it. I don’t particularly care for the new design either. Thanks again for the advice.

Definitely do more searching on these topics.

All of us can only give you our personal experiences.

I’ve always used Denon in the past. @M Code has said many times that Yamaha is more reliable and compatible. But I have always used Denon in the past. However, based on my experiences, I have decided to give Yamaha a chance.

I will say this. If I ever have any issues with Yamaha - reliability, compatibility, service, repairs - in the next 10 years, I will voice my opinions loud and clear.

 

[Audiosnwb]

Just wanted to give an update. After much thought, decided to order the Denon x3700h. I should be getting it on Thursday. I know the 3600 was well reviewed and Amir’s post on the 4700 wasn’t exactly positive, but I have 30 days to return it if anything’s wrong. I almost ordered the 3600 since the 3700 lost the front hdmi port, but it was only $100 cheaper for the 3600.

As for the sub, I decided to go for the SVS sb3000. I have 45 days to try it out, so in case I don’t like it and it doesn’t put out enough bass for me, I can always return and get a ported sub. Dual would be nice but I don’t have the budget at the moment for that.

And thanks for the recommendations on placement, etc. Yea looking back, I probably should have moved the surrounds down some, but...a little late for that. I did move the couch forward some to be more in line with the surrounds. And I’ll also pull the front left/right towers out of the cubbies a little.

I appreciate all the feedback, thank you so much. I definitely can’t wait to get this all set up and try everything out. I’ll update once I do.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Nice! Looking forward to thoughts!