Your help

[ktrguy]

Hello, new member and need some help. Am here in Iraq and about to leave, so decided buy myself something nice for a little gift to myself for the time over here.

I want to spend around 2k to 3k max for a new 7.1 A/V Receiver. I have a 3802, but its a refurbish and keep blowing fuses when it gets hot. So, time for a new one. Have looked at Sherwood Newcastle, Adcom GFR 700, Denon (new ), B&K AVR 507, and even Sunfire. (bit too pricey, but maybe.....) So, thought about the 4806 Denon, but almost got a steal on a Sunfire Ultimate Theater for $1500 on ebay, didnt work out, but I really like that receiver.

What would you people do? Say staying in the 2k to 3k price range. Are there other receivers I should be looking at?

Current system;
Denon 3802 A/V Receiver
Denon 1930 DVD Player
Ascend Acoustic Bookshelfs (7)
HSU VT-2 sub (.1)

 

[AVRat]

Get something cheap to tide you over until this fall when the new gear becomes available. A Pioneer 1016 comes to mind.

 

[moverton]

Current system;
Denon 3802 A/V Receiver
Denon 1930 DVD Player
Ascend Acoustic Bookshelfs (7)
HSU VT-2 sub (.1)

I would replace the speakers. To spend 2000-3000 on a receiver to run $300 speakers does not make sense. You should spend double on speakers than you do on a receiver (at least). A modern $500 receiver sounds 90% as good as a $2000 receiver (unless your driving some really high end speakers). $2000 speakers sound 5 times better than $300 speakers. Scientifically proven ratios by the way
You will get much better sound from something like a $500 receiver and $2000 speakers than the other way around. The Yamaha 696 or equivalent and Totem's or equivalent. Even better maybe is the htr-5990. I saw it today for $600 from an authorized online dealer. http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4057015&JRSource=nsa&nsa=1

If your into music more than movies I would recomend upgrading the front left/right and wait on the others. Totem Hawk or Forest are very nice. THe model 1's are also excelent if you want bookshelf size. I usually buy speakers used and get them about 30-50% retail. I'm sure you can get a lot of good advice here on other brands. If you are not familiar with speakers in this range, audition some at a good place that has them set up right. If you hear an accurate speaker that images well you will never go back.

#1 mistake in audio purchasing is overspending on electronics and underspending on speakers.

 

[InTheIndustry]

If you wait for the next great thing in the A/V industry, you'll always be waiting. New stuff comes out every year. When you find something you like, pull the trigger.

Marantz offers a really unique, fine sounding product. Check these two out:

http://us.marantz.com/Products/1875.asp

http://us.marantz.com/Products/1881.asp

Much more than $2K in a receiver is tough for me to swallow from a value stand point. While more expensive (just at $4K with a video scaler), a good set of seperates from a company like Parasound will give you a much better sound quality improvement for the $. If you aren't willing to go up into that range (which isn't a bad thing because of your speakers) I would really suggest the $1400 Marantz SR7001 over the $2000 SR8001. You won't get a big difference (if any at all) in sound quality between the two with your current gear. And I would say the same about the receivers from most any other manufacturer as well. The sound quality from Marantz is superb in my opinion and both models have all the video switching & up converting you will need.

If you're dead set on spending $2K or more on a receiver, I don't know what to tell you. I can't see how it makes sense unless there is a feature that you really need to have because soound quality is going to be similar with your speakers. Hope this helps.

 

[Nick250]

As has been said already, the ratio between receiver and speaker price is way out of wack. Look to the Ascend user forum for ideas.

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/index.php?

Nick

 

[moverton]

Hello, new member and need some help. Am here in Iraq and about to leave, so decided buy myself something nice for a little gift to myself for the time over here.

Good luck, by the way. Also, when I was in the Army they had some very nice equipment at the PX at pretty good prices. Not sure what the situation is now but I'd check it out. That's where I got my NAD stuff. Very good deal (25 years ago)

 

[AmpItUP]

You can start with the speakers, but don't go overboard as you may soon find some brand better.

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