Receiver dilemma

[little wing]

Hi everyone,

I have a Yamaha Rx V2500 that has served me well for the last 6 or so years. I am looking to upgrade to something with some HDMI connections. I went to listen to some receivers, and had the RX-A2010 in mind, until I heard the Marantz SR6006/6007. It sounds so much better to me, in a side by side comparsion. Richer, fuller, etc. But I can't get past that stupid porthole design. It might be fine for a stereo amp, but not a full featured AVR. My question is, does anyone own one of these porthole AVRs from Marantz, and if so how much of a hinderence is the display, or lack of display?
Thanks

 

[Steve81]

I don't own a Marantz, but personally it wouldn't bother me that much. I prefer to look at the OSD on my TV versus try and make out a 2"x6" screen from 7+ feet away.

 

[slipperybidness]

Hi everyone,

I have a Yamaha Rx V2500 that has served me well for the last 6 or so years. I am looking to upgrade to something with some HDMI connections. I went to listen to some receivers, and had the RX-A2010 in mind, until I heard the Marantz SR6006/6007. It sounds so much better to me, in a side by side comparsion. Richer, fuller, etc. But I can't get past that stupid porthole design. It might be fine for a stereo amp, but not a full featured AVR. My question is, does anyone own one of these porthole AVRs from Marantz, and if so how much of a hinderence is the display, or lack of display?
Thanks

There is a thread on here discussing just that. It may be part of another thread, but you should be able to find it with the search function.

I don't have a Marantz, but wish I did. I like the porthole. If your receiver is in view of the TV, I don't like the extra distractions from the display. My pioneer elite I have set to dark out completely (volume remains but it is small and dims). If I hit a button, it comes right back up with all the info for maybe 5s and goes back out.

In general, I don't want to see the display. Modern AV receivers have pretty good on screen displays, making it un-needed (not sure on the Marantz?). Also, for many people, they are too far away to really read it anyway, so it is just another distracting light.

But, everyones setup and preferences are different, so ultimately only you can decide what is best for you.

BTW, I have always been impressed with the Yamaha line for SQ and don't have a lot of experience with Marantz. I don't think you can go wrong with either brand.

 

[little wing]

You both have good points. My receiver will go directly under the TV so a large display might be a distraction. I was worried about seeing enough info when I am changing sources or listening modes. For instance Stereo, pure direct, PLII music, PLII movie, etc, how many speakers are playing, etc. Sometimes you just want to verify the mode, and not go into the OSD to do it. The sales man at best buy tried to talk me into buying a mini display to place near the receiver and use the the second HDMI out, but that's not happenin'

I will look for the other thread.
Thanks

 

[slipperybidness]

You both have good points. My receiver will go directly under the TV so a large display might be a distraction. I was worried about seeing enough info when I am changing sources or listening modes. For instance Stereo, pure direct, PLII music, PLII movie, etc, how many speakers are playing, etc. Sometimes you just want to verify the mode, and not go into the OSD to do it. The sales man at best buy tried to talk me into buying a mini display to place near the receiver and use the the second HDMI out, but that's not happenin'

I will look for the other thread.
Thanks

I've seen some pics on here of 2ndry displays for HTPCs, and it looked pretty slick. Put yeah, I don't think it's for me.

 

[slipperybidness]

You both have good points. My receiver will go directly under the TV so a large display might be a distraction. I was worried about seeing enough info when I am changing sources or listening modes. For instance Stereo, pure direct, PLII music, PLII movie, etc, how many speakers are playing, etc. Sometimes you just want to verify the mode, and not go into the OSD to do it. The sales man at best buy tried to talk me into buying a mini display to place near the receiver and use the the second HDMI out, but that's not happenin'

I will look for the other thread.
Thanks

I do believe the porthole has more info behind a flip-down door, so it is there, but you have the option to leave the door open. Now, if they could just add some actuators and a button on the remoter to open and close the display door

 

[little wing]

No flip down on the SR6006 or 6007, only the 7005

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Were they both hooked up to the same speakers?

I just don't see how the Marantz sounds better than the Yamaha unless the volume on the Marantz was a little higher, the Yamaha had some kind of EQ or DSP engaged, or the Marantz was hooked up to better speakers.

I can tell you in terms of SNR, Crosstalk, and THD, the Yamaha has better measurements.

Key words: volume level match and EQ/DSP.

 

[little wing]

If I remember correctly it was the same speakers. Some book shelf B&Ws in the Magnolia room in Best Buy. I don't remember the settings of each unit. If they were both in stereo mode, or the Yahama was one of the DSP modes. But the Marantz seemed to have more of a richer fuller sound, where the RX-A2010 had a thinner sound to it. I know, after you get it in your system you can run the set-up and tweak it, but again the 6006 sounded better in the store. After the sales guy at best buy figured out how to demo the stuff That place can be maddening....

 

[slipperybidness]

If I remember correctly it was the same speakers. Some book shelf B&Ws in the Magnolia room in Best Buy. I don't remember the settings of each unit. If they were both in stereo mode, or the Yahama was one of the DSP modes. But the Marantz seemed to have more of a richer fuller sound, where the RX-A2010 had a thinner sound to it. I know, after you get it in your system you can run the set-up and tweak it, but again the 6006 sounded better in the store. After the sales guy at best buy figured out how to demo the stuff That place can be maddening....

There's no telling at a magnolia, where anybody could have been in there hitting buttons. Also, the salesperson could have been uneducated on it himself.

At my local BB, I had pretty good experiences with the magnolia salesmen, but not so much on the floor. It's hit or miss. But yeah, be sure to give the Yammy a fair shake and I don't see any way you could be disappointed in it from SQ.

 

[Irishman]

Hi everyone,

I have a Yamaha Rx V2500 that has served me well for the last 6 or so years. I am looking to upgrade to something with some HDMI connections. I went to listen to some receivers, and had the RX-A2010 in mind, until I heard the Marantz SR6006/6007. It sounds so much better to me, in a side by side comparsion. Richer, fuller, etc. But I can't get past that stupid porthole design. It might be fine for a stereo amp, but not a full featured AVR. My question is, does anyone own one of these porthole AVRs from Marantz, and if so how much of a hinderence is the display, or lack of display?
Thanks

Nah, you don't want to try to use the porthole as your primary way to navigate options, as the GUI is your best bet.

Using that porthole would be like peeking through a keyhole to see what's going on across the street.

 

[Irishman]

If I remember correctly it was the same speakers. Some book shelf B&Ws in the Magnolia room in Best Buy. I don't remember the settings of each unit. If they were both in stereo mode, or the Yahama was one of the DSP modes. But the Marantz seemed to have more of a richer fuller sound, where the RX-A2010 had a thinner sound to it. I know, after you get it in your system you can run the set-up and tweak it, but again the 6006 sounded better in the store. After the sales guy at best buy figured out how to demo the stuff That place can be maddening....

I try to demo AVRs in Pure Direct mode. It eliminates any processing, cuts out the sub and sets the fronts to full-range. The vast majority of AVRs for sale now have it.

 

[little wing]

Nah, you don't want to try to use the porthole as your primary way to navigate options, as the GUI is your best bet.

Using that porthole would be like peeking through a keyhole to see what's going on across the street.

Yes I think your right. Seems like the GUI is the best way to go.

Thanks Irishman

 

[little wing]

I try to demo AVRs in Pure Direct mode. It eliminates any processing, cuts out the sub and sets the fronts to full-range. The vast majority of AVRs for sale now have it.

That is a good idea! I never thought of that.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If I remember correctly it was the same speakers. Some book shelf B&Ws in the Magnolia room in Best Buy. I don't remember the settings of each unit. If they were both in stereo mode, or the Yahama was one of the DSP modes. But the Marantz seemed to have more of a richer fuller sound, where the RX-A2010 had a thinner sound to it. I know, after you get it in your system you can run the set-up and tweak it, but again the 6006 sounded better in the store. After the sales guy at best buy figured out how to demo the stuff That place can be maddening....

Even some guys who work for high end dealers are suspect. Those guys at Best Buy are totally clueless most of the time.

In a fair comparison, I just don't see one AVR sounding better than the other.

I'm not saying the Yamaha sounds better. I'm saying they sound the same in a fair fight.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I try to demo AVRs in Pure Direct mode. It eliminates any processing, cuts out the sub and sets the fronts to full-range. The vast majority of AVRs for sale now have it.

Exactly. RC, EQ, and DSP will affect the sound, a lot of times adversely.

 

[little wing]

Exactly. RC, EQ, and DSP will affect the sound, a lot of times adversely.

That's one of the things on Yamaha receivers I could do without. DSP is useless to me. Some of these companies that make receivers try to cram so many features into one box, they forget about the sound. Listen to an Anthem intergrated amp, or even a NAD AVR like the T757. They blow away so many recievers in sq IMO

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That's one of the things on Yamaha receivers I could do without. DSP is useless to me. Some of these companies that make receivers try to cram so many features into one box, they forget about the sound. Listen to an Anthem intergrated amp, or even a NAD AVR like the T757. They blow away so many recievers in sq IMO

Unfortunately for guys like us, all the pre-pros and AVR from all the companies cram as many RC, EQ, and DSP into their products as possible because that is what sells.

But guys who prefer a more, shall I dare say, "pure" sound (like in the good old analog days) would hate all these RC, EQ, DSP processing.

 

[slipperybidness]

Indeed, high end sales-critters can be suspect too, good point.

Yes, DSP modes are from satan himself. Just there to have another line on the spec sheet. The ONLY one I would ever use is the 7ch stereo, just to fill the house with more quantity (not quality) of music while I am working and going from room to room.

 

[little wing]

I tried listening to a couple of DSP modes when I first got the receiver, I think it was some music hall in Germany: Frieberg or something like that, and it sounded just plain horrible.

Best buy, can be a good place to go and put your hands on the equipment, but that's about it. The sales guy, also did a demo of a yamaha receiver and a Pioneer receiver and there was a CLEAR difference in sound. Maybe it was the settings on the receiver or something, I don't know. But it was the same speakers, and the the sound was clearly different.