New AVR for upgraded system

[cadfael_tex]

Hi all, first post here.

For our anniversary, my wife and I decided to upgrade our living room home theater.

Here's what we just bought:
Sony Bravia KDL 40v4100 LCD TV
Apple TV
Sony S350 Blue Ray player

What we had that we'd like to keep:
Klipsch Reference RSX 4 RCX4 5.1 speakers with RW 10 sub
WII game system with the component out cables
Samsung HD Cable box with HDMI out

What probably needs to be upgraded
Denon AVR-2802 AV receiver (still works fine but would like to have HDMI switching for the Apple TV, Blue Ray, and Cable)

I like the look of the Marantz SR5003. Will it fit in with what I have already well? Also, does it convert component video in (WII) to the HDMI out going to the TV so I'd only have to run one cable?

I'd also look at other options if they suit my needs better. Budget would be up to about $1,000 but less would be better if it fit my needs as listed above.

TIA,
Tony

 

[Adam]

Hi, Tony, and welcome to the forum!

The Marantz 5003 will upconvert component video to HDMI, so you could do what you want to do with the Wii.

Just a thought - your TV has enough inputs to handle the video connections directly. If you wanted to keep the Denon 2802 for a while, you could just route the video straight to the TV and route the audio to the receiver. One downside is that you'd need to switch inputs on both the receiver and the TV when you wanted to watch/listen to a different source, but if you have a learning remote that runs macros (or are willing to get one), you could switch both the receiver and TV with the push of one button. Another downside to the 2802 is that it can't handle the latest lossless codecs unless you use the 5.1 analog inputs, but your blu-ray player doesn't have those outputs. From what I've read, the improvement over Dolby Digital or DTS is arguable at this point, though.

 

[Davemcc]

I don't see any glaring red flags with the SR5003.

From the Marantz website:
"For older but still valued analog video sources, the SR5003 includes extensive video format conversion and scaling capabilities thanks to the new i-Chips Technology video signal converter. This remarkable VSC inputs any video signal from 480i to 1080i and upscales it to the resolution of your choice. It even provides HDMI output for lower-resolution signals. You’ll even be able to convert 480i images to full 1080p format and view your videotapes through the HDMI link to your high definition TV."

There are models from Yamaha, Onkyo and Denon that you might like to consider or at least use as a comparison. Specific models may depend on current deals that could be found to help the budget, but Onkyo 806, Yamaha 765 or Denon 2309 might be a good place to start a comparison and consider shopping for price.

 

[cadfael_tex]

The switching is probably the biggest drawback to the whole set-up. Right now we have the WII and Cable box going into the Component video switches (just two of them). The blue ray is running hdmi to the TV and toslink to the stereo. Juggling remotes is really tiresome at this point. Throw in the apple tv that is running HDMI to the tv (and having to listen to it just through the tv speakers) and it isn't the best situation.

The solution you recommend Adam sounds very feasible but I know very little about universal remotes. Did a little bit of poking around and it seems that many of them are as much as the receiver I'm looking at. Is there one you had in mind that would do the trick?

Also, I have an HK AVR146 that has 2 in one out hdmi (video only) in the bedroom but I don't think switching the Denon and it out would solve anything for me - am I right on that account?

 

[cadfael_tex]

I don't see any glaring red flags with the SR5003.

There are models from Yamaha, Onkyo and Denon that you might like to consider or at least use as a comparison. Specific models may depend on current deals that could be found to help the budget, but Onkyo 806, Yamaha 765 or Denon 2309 might be a good place to start a comparison and consider shopping for price.

Davemcc, I'll have to look into the Yamaha and Denon. We like the Denon we have now and it's been good. Not sure about Onkyo (seen mixed things on their products) and wasn't impressed a while back at their offerings when I was shopping around - probably unfair but have to begin sifting through somewhere. I was drawn to the marantz because of what I've read about it's music quality. That and the fact my step-dad had one when I was a kid

 

[Adam]

I don't have any remotes in mind, but other people here know quite a bit about them. I just use my receiver's remote, but I don't get that fancy. Heck, I still have a 27" CRT TV.

As for the HK being a solution, it might be. I don't think that it would really be any better, though. As with the Denon, it won't be able to do the new lossless codecs that blu-rays have, but I don't think that's a big deal. The HDMI switching would allow you to switch between HDMI sources just by selecting them on the receiver - you just need to connect the audio separately. The HK will not upconvert component video to HDMI, though, so you'd need to make two different connections to the TV - and you'd need to select inputs on the TV if you were switching between an HDMI source and a component video source.

I was just poking at another option if you wanted to try it out and save some money. However, if you have the money to spend, that Marantz (or others, some of which Dave mentioned) is a nice piece of electronics and would make your life a bit easier.

 

[cadfael_tex]

Thanks Adam. Your suggestion was appreciated. And having the money and wanting to spend it are two very different things. If I could get a remote for say $300 or less it would probably make that solution worth my while but I don't know enough about the options to know if that's reasonable. I know I've seen them for up to a grand.

 

[Adam]

If you do a little looking around here, you'll find some discussions about remotes. Some people like Harmony remotes, others like different ones (that aren't coming to mind). There will be more people on the forum tomorrow during the day than are on right now (but it might be light because of the holiday), so it might help to come back and ask about remotes earlier in the day.

I seem to recall that ones in the $100 to $150 range are pretty popular.

 

[Alex2507]

I don't have any remotes in mind, but other people here know quite a bit about them.

I have one and know that if it's good enough for MDS, it's good enough for me.
Here's a thread:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45462

I also know that jostenmeat has a well formed opinion on the matter and I would PM him if I was looking to buy another remote. I think his option was even cheaper than the $100 I paid.

 

[Davemcc]

The Marantz, and probably many of the others, comes with a learning remote that you can use to control your other components. Maybe not all of them, but enough to cut down the remote clutter in your daily life. My Integra came with that type of learning remote and I use it almost exclusively to control the daily activities of my system.

If you want to expand that control, a Harmony remote for about $80 on sale could probably run most of the equipment but I don't know how Harmony works with the Wii or Apple TV.

 

[cadfael_tex]

Still liking the look of the marantz with the denon coming in second. The only thing that really commends the denon is the loud commercial balancing function but then how would I know how great the slap chopper is