The best AVR, and LCR for 2500.00

[Gregrfair]

Let’s say I have 2500.00 bucks to spend on a new AVR, mains, and center channel. How would you spend it?.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

For AVR, probably either the Yamaha RX-A4A or Denon X3800H.

Speakers are a bigger challenge because there are so many more choices.

 

[lovinthehd]

No sub?

 

[isolar8001]

Joe and the gang can set you up real nice....best company around.

https://rslspeakers.com/receivers-overview/

 

[shadyJ]

I would budget about $1k for the receiver and $500 for each speaker. For the receiver, I would stick with Yamaha, Sony, Denon, or Marantz. For the speakers, I would look at Monoprice Monolith 365-THX or Hsu Research CCB-8. This assumes you have a competent subwoofer. The speaker recommendations would change if you don't have a good sub.

 

[PENG]

Agreed with ADTG on the Denon AVR-X3800H, at this budget level, an AVR that has Audyssey XT32+editor app trumps more expensive speakers. That would leave about $900 to $1,000 for the speakers. I have been using a pair of tiny Altec Lansing desktop speakers (ancient too) and a pair of KEF LS50 side by side. Flipping between the two, the LS50 sounds better, but the Altec Lansing is very listenable too with Dirac Live. XT32, in the bass range is very comparable with Dirac Live. I know there are lots of people are against Audyssey on this forum, likely including Shady, but I think a) they don't spend time doing it right, b) biased, by hearsay originated from those who had bad experience for a variety of reasons.

In my experience, based on both subjective and objective measurements, room correction could actually help more, on low budget speakers.

 

[Gregrfair]

Have the sub covered.. am actively reviewing all suggestions and comments. I thought spending 1k on a decent receiver was the right thing to do, gotta have a good base to build off of.

 

[snakeeyes]

Think at this budget amount there are compromises. Think Denon AVR-S970H is fine for 5.1 or 7.1 It has no preouts but is 90w per channel. It has HDMI 2.1 at 40g. Since you have a sub already, I think bookshelf speakers on monoprice stands. I would think a 3 way center is where you should go. Possibly Monoprice Monolith like shady suggested. THX 365 C with THX 365T

Monoprice Monolith THX-365T Mini-Tower and THX-365C Center Speaker Review

The Monolith THX-365T and 365C are some of the most inexpensive THX-Ultra certified home audio speakers to ever have been produced. How do they perform? Read on to find out.

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Monoprice THX-365C Center Channel Speaker Review

Monoprice THX-365C Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Edit: Denon AVR-S970H

 

[Gregrfair]

Nice choice’s for sure, love the suggestions. Making a list so I can look at the detail of it all. This will insure I make the right decisions on each piece of the puzzle. I like it…

 

[everettT]

Have the sub covered.. am actively reviewing all suggestions and comments. I thought spending 1k on a decent receiver was the right thing to do, gotta have a good base to build off of.

The speakers are the base to build off of always, they are the soul of your system, and the electronics just need the adequate features and the power to drive whatever speakers you choose, unfortunately AVRs have gotten quite expensive in the last 3 years relative to the previous 10 years

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Have the sub covered.. am actively reviewing all suggestions and comments. I thought spending 1k on a decent receiver was the right thing to do, gotta have a good base to build off of.

Out of curiosity what sub/s are you using?

 

[Gregrfair]

MY sub is a Klipsch R-100SW.. and yes, everything is expensive. Sure wish I had the Pioneer Stereo I had in the 70’s, may have not had all the bells and whistles like today but it was cool as hell..

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Joe and the gang can set you up real nice....best company around.

https://rslspeakers.com/receivers-overview/

I think I like this too. Joe is great to work with, and the speakers are excellent value. They can even bundle an AVR. I would check with Joe about an LCR/AVR bundle. I would also take this time to upgrade the subwoofer. Even a single speedwoofer would be an upgrade, but I would definitely go for a pair.
Forgot I ask what OP has for speakers currently. That would make a big difference for recommendations.

 

[GIEGAR]

Let’s say I have 2500.00 bucks to spend on a new AVR, mains, and center channel. How would you spend it?.

Like this Greg:

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($1050 + Pack 'n' Send)

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($700 - $750 bid)

 

[dlaloum]

Onkyo RZ50, gives you Dirac and 120W sufficient for most speakers - leaves you circa US$1000 for speakers (depending on the price you can find it for)

 

[PENG]

Onkyo RZ50, gives you Dirac and 120W sufficient for most speakers - leaves you circa US$1000 for speakers (depending on the price you can find it for)

I would caution that Dirac without DLBC may not do as good a job as Audyssey+app in the bass range because it doesn't have bass control (Audyssey does), so one should add the DLBC license cost to the base price of the RZ50 for a fair comparison to the AVR-X3800H. Now that the Denon is on sales, it probably is a better deal between the two.

 

[dlaloum]

I would caution that Dirac without DLBC may not do as good a job as Audyssey+app in the bass range because it doesn't have bass control (Audyssey does), so one should add the DLBC license cost to the base price of the RZ50 for a fair comparison to the AVR-X3800H. Now that the Denon is on sales, it probably is a better deal between the two.

No DLBC upgrade is available for the RZ50.... and I would be surprised to see one. (much as I would like it)...

and yes I agree, Audyssey has better sub management than Dirac in these base (rather than bass!) configurations.... at least audyssey has the SubEQ function.

On the other hand I found that Dirac provided me with better results in the midrange than Audyssey did (in my system).

Still an X3800, with Dirac DLBC and external amps is probably one of the most economical alternatives for good Multisub integration.... The Audyssey SubEQ capabilities are nowhere near what DLBC does . still at $1700 +$800 for Dirac + DLBC Multisub we are at circa $2500... that leaves no budget for additional external amps.

the $2500 budget pretty much rules out DLBC - leaving either Audyssey SubEQ, or manual (the Sub Crawl...) adjustment.

The alternative I chose for my own system, is to stick to single sub for the time being and use Dirac Live.....

an X3800 AVR, with one or more lightly used second hand power amps would be a good alternative option... and provides for later upgrades with Dirac & DLBC as budget permits.

 

[PENG]

No DLBC upgrade is available for the RZ50.... and I would be surprised to see one. (much as I would like it)...

and yes I agree, Audyssey has better sub management than Dirac in these base (rather than bass!) configurations.... at least audyssey has the SubEQ function.

Happy to know you agree on this. My objective measurements consistently show that Audyssey XT32 SubEQ HT integrate the full range towers with two subwoofers, without manual tweaking with the App, and with the App you have seen enough graphs I have posted multiple times, the range in the 15-130 Hz or even to 200 Hz are so smooth, that I just can't imagine anything can do better. Even if the addition of a suitable mindsp+MSO can do better, you would be comparing +/-1 to 1.5 dB peak to peak 1/12th smoothing variability vs what, +/- 0.5 dB? What the heck can hear the difference in the deep bass range anyway once the variability gets below even +/- 2 dB?

Dirac without bass control just couldn't do much about the dips/nulls, though there's hardly any audible difference with or without those sharp dips, Audyssey+app just make prettier graphs, that's all. Anthem's worse, way worse.

On the other hand I found that Dirac provided me with better results in the midrange than Audyssey did (in my system).

That is my experience too with Dirac Live and that's why most of the time I listen to the filter that does full range, whereas with Audyssey I often limit correction to 300 Hz or up to 6,000 Hz sometimes.

Still an X3800, with Dirac DLBC and external amps is probably one of the most economical alternatives for good Multisub integration.... The Audyssey SubEQ capabilities are nowhere near what DLBC does . still at $1700 +$800 for Dirac + DLBC Multisub we are at circa $2500... that leaves no budget for additional external amps.

the $2500 budget pretty much rules out DLBC - leaving either Audyssey SubEQ, or manual (the Sub Crawl...) adjustment.

To me, it is not the money, but I see no need to spend $800 for the little gain. It would be great if Denon offers the option use DL with Audyssey simultaneously such that Audyssey will take care of the integrating the FL/FR and subs up to 200 Hz and DL will take care of the >200 Hz range. In the digital world, that can be done without much difficulty, but it will never happen, obviously.

The alternative I chose for my own system, is to stick to single sub for the time being and use Dirac Live.....

an X3800 AVR, with one or more lightly used second hand power amps would be a good alternative option... and provides for later upgrades with Dirac & DLBC as budget permits.

Agreed. By the way, I have never tried DL on an AVR, so my question is, with the bass control version, when you use DL on the Onkyo/Pioneer, can you set crossovers manually? I suspect the answer should obviously be yes, but one never knows.

 

[dlaloum]

Agreed. By the way, I have never tried DL on an AVR, so my question is, with the bass control version, when you use DL on the Onkyo/Pioneer, can you set crossovers manually? I suspect the answer should obviously be yes, but one never knows.

I would ask Flak on the Dirac threads...

I look forward to an AVR upgrade that will give me DLBC and/or DLART sometime over the next 2 years... but for now, I have never tried it.

 

[PENG]

I would ask Flak on the Dirac threads...

I look forward to an AVR upgrade that will give me DLBC and/or DLART sometime over the next 2 years... but for now, I have never tried it.

I have been trying it and I can tell you it works, but amazingly, Audyssey's time aligning without phase alignment works really just as good on paper. Now I know why previously my REW plots consistently show Audyssey integrated the speakers and two subs with less dips, didn't realize Dirac without DLBC won't even time aligned two subs. Neither did Anthem's before last year. I think this phase alignment thing is a tough one because so far as far I can see, the theory sounds great if you read their website/marketing information but the results are not that great.

In my experience, Anthem's "autophase" doesn't really work, Dirac's work quite well but for my two subs, I can't say they do better than Audyssey, though overall I prefer Dirac beause the user interface is easier to use and more flexible. I hope they will improve it with future upgrade but I am not hopeful because it seems that Anthem users are very defensive, so if only a few people complained, Anthem has no urgency to do it as they have better things to do.

With Audyssey, you really have to use 3rd party UI such as Ratbuddyssey and others. That's just for pretty graphs, if going by ears is good enough, I would bet most users only need to use the fingers with the $20 app and get results as good as Dirac's. For the mids and highs, I agree with you 100%, can't beat Dirac.