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Yahama or Pioneer Reciever - Which one to choose

post #1 of 18
8/18/09 at 8:23am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys

I am about to get a new A/V reciever for my laptop and tv...

I have two in mind, but which one is better for music playing and quality of sound for this (without distortion and singnal to noise ratio) I cant find this info on the yahama website

The yahama RX-V465 (just found out this has a catatrophic total hormanic distortion of .9%, thats right .9%)
Pioneer VSX-819H-K (just found out this has a very good total harmonic distortion of .05%, thats right .05%)
So should I just go with the pioneer... Not sure how much longer yaham gonna last

I am connecting this with a laptop with a toslink cable... My laptop doesnt have a opticlal ouput option so I have to use a usb external sound card (creative x-fi surround 5.1) This sound card will be connected to laptop via USB, and the sound card to the reciever, and then the reciever to my logitech Z-5500

thanks guys

EDIT: sorry I cant post links, I dont have 3 posts as of yet
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post #2 of 18
8/18/09 at 8:46am
Forget printed specs. The newer Pioneer and Yamaha receivers have weaker amp sections than last year's models and those tested poorly on the bench. Grab a Denon 590/1610 and call it a day.
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post #3 of 18
8/18/09 at 8:55am
I own a set of Logitech Z-5500 Digitals. While your setup is commendable, I do hope you are not trying to further amplify the speakers. Technically they have a built in receiver (the thing that has all the audio connections and allows you to switch between the inputs) and amp (on the back of the sub where all the speakers connect to). Seems like all you are doing is adding unnecessary links in the chain. Your laptop should be able to connect to the speakers using a standard 3.5mm stereo cable. You can get a 3-6 footer from a nearby Radio Shack for $5. Connect one end to the headphone jack on your laptop, the other to the green connector on the back of the receiver part of the speakers or the line in on the side, and set the input to direct, with the effect to Stereo X2. That should solve all your stereo audio needs. Unless you want to use optical input...
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post #4 of 18
8/18/09 at 9:15am
The THD on the Yamaha is better than that. They advertise their power numbers and going with the .9 numbers just before clipping gives the power numbers a boost. It would be similar to the Pioneer in THD at lower power numbers.

Good info from SeeHfour5. Are you planning on buying new speakers? I wouldn't bother unless your were going to buy new speakers.
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post #5 of 18
8/18/09 at 9:42am
Since niether of those AVR's have full pre amp outputs, there would be no way to connect your powered spekers to them.
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post #6 of 18
8/18/09 at 9:45am
Thread Starter 
I thought id get better sound this way... turning the logtiech's hub volume down, then for adjusting the volume (instead of using the logitechs) using the recievers instead

Cause I want less distortion from the music I play...Plus i want a treble knob (which I dont have).... maybe the distortions from my usb creative x-fi surround 5.1 sound card???

Also, for a quick note...would I get better audio using a toslink or HDMI... (with toslink, its gotto go through my external sound card 1st, then to the reciever...Or with HDMI of which the laptop is directly connected to the reciever?)

thanks

SEEHFOUR5-----I would use 3.5mm cables for music, however, the sound isnt that good with 6 channel direct or stereo...much better sound from a toslink
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post #7 of 18
8/18/09 at 9:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by monstosity12 View Post

I thought id get better sound this way... turning the logtiech's hub volume down, then for adjusting the volume (instead of using the logitechs) using the recievers instead

Cause I want less distortion from the music I play...Plus i want a treble knob (which I dont have).... maybe the distortions from my usb creative x-fi surround 5.1 sound card???

Also, for a quick note...would I get better audio using a toslink or HDMI... (with toslink, its gotto go through my external sound card 1st, then to the reciever...Or with HDMI of which the laptop is directly connected to the reciever?)

thanks

SEEHFOUR5-----I would use 3.5mm cables for music, however, the sound isnt that good with 6 channel direct or stereo...much better sound from a toslink

You seem to have missed the point, there is no way to connect those speakers to these recievers.

The distortion is most likely from the speakers, and the built in amps.
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post #8 of 18
8/18/09 at 10:11am
Thread Starter 
My speakers have a hub to where there is a optical output, so I can connect these speakers to the reciever, then the reciever would connect to my laptop via hdmi or toslink... Or maybe im mistaken, but im sure they connect

Just out of curiosity, what speakers are really good at playing music (without distortion) and movies in 5.1 compared to these Z-5500...
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post #9 of 18
8/18/09 at 10:22am
I give up.
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post #10 of 18
8/18/09 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
EDIT: this pioneer reciever has Preamp Output Sub/Surround Back L/R (if I needed them, since im hooking this up digitally though) but maybe im talking out of something??? but im using this reciever to "actually amp my speakers"... I dont need a Jack that provide unamplified, low-voltage, line-level signals for connecting components such as external amplifiers or powered speakers...I want amplication...Am I making sense?Now you got me all confused.

Found a way to do this with a pioneer...

Heres the link...If all else fails, ill just return it and get a different reciever???

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1017630
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post #11 of 18
8/18/09 at 11:31am
Quote:


but im using this reciever to "actually amp my speakers"... I dont need a Jack that provide unamplified, low-voltage, line-level signals for connecting components such as external amplifiers or powered speakers...I want amplication...Am I making sense?

But your speakers are powered. The amp is built into the sub.

The only way to use the amplification in the Pioneer, is to connect to the speaker terminals on the Pioneer.
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post #12 of 18
8/18/09 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
William

that is what im talking about...Your confusing me man...Sorry william, we just had a miscommunication, more than likely my end...

Update: I got this poineer amp and installed speaker wires "directly" the to terminals, however, I noticed "no" imrovements in the sound quality...Actually degraded...

1st off, this reciever is really tech savy... I couldnt understand the settings... but like I said, I got less quality out of using this reciever...

However, can you recommend a good reciever (great sound clarity) and home theater speakers (thx certified for music) or loudspeakers (thx certified) that I could essentially hook up to my computer directly, that "would" actually" make a difference in sound quality...preferbably a reciever that can play SACD as well, however not neccessary...

Im looking for something music worthy (thx) not some ganster wannabe bass thumping stuff. hehehe... but something that would have very good clarity, quality, sound, ect...(THX certified)something that is 10x better than the lagitechs z5500...I guess this is what I get for getting "computer speakers" meant for 5.1 gaming, right?

thanks william...I understand that you thought i was hooking the hub directly to the reciever...sorry for miscommunication
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post #13 of 18
8/18/09 at 5:29pm
how much money can we spend?

how big is your room?

nearfield listening (i.e. sitting at your computer)?
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post #14 of 18
8/18/09 at 6:44pm
Quote:


Update: I got this poineer amp and installed speaker wires "directly" the to terminals, however, I noticed "no" imrovements in the sound quality...Actually degraded...

That's because they are specifically designed to work with the crossover and equalization in the subs built in amp. If they are like my old Logitechs, they cross over well above 200hz.

Need a budget for anyone to reccommend speakers, the reciever you bought today should work. Don't worry about THX certification, it doesn't mean much, especially for music. The Logitechs have that, right? You see what I mean.
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post #15 of 18
8/18/09 at 9:03pm
Thread Starter 
well, I have around $2000-$3000... $2000 being right now, $3000 for next coming month in September...

I should hopefully do some justice

Thanks guys i really aprreciate it...I mean, im no audiofile that knows about frequencys and stuff, but I want to listen to music... These logitechs are ok for gaming, but turning up distorts madly and rattling around and stuff...Voices of singers are very clear and good though, at least I think...

OH i forgot to mention... I will be listening to music at my laptop and around (so to answer the question, I could be really near the speakers, and other days far away - 15 ft)

I was looking at monster speakers 200 series, but not sure...Any recommendations of great "audiofile" approved (you guys) speakers and stuff would be great!!!
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post #16 of 18
8/18/09 at 10:14pm
Speakers, IMO, are complex tradeoff of power handling, frequency response, cost, aesthetics, efficiency and bass extension to name a few factors.

Cheap usually means small size, which means compromised bass response. My theory, which means little, is that you want bookshelf speakers that are inexpensive yet offer good frequency response and enough bass to match up with your subwoofer.

I would check the speaker forum for speaker advice - you would hopefully find more speaker junkies there than in the AVR forum.
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post #17 of 18
8/19/09 at 5:41am
well... there's going to be a few issues... one big one being "where do you put the center speaker?"... there's a reason that computer speakers are small in form... there are ways of working around that, but they involve some compromises... another is that you have conflicting "wants"...

if you post a drawing of your room, maybe we can come up with some suggestions for you... you have a very nice budget to work with...

something to consider... leave what you have in place for your laptop use, and have a separate 2.1 system for music... for a tad more than 2k, you could grab a pair of sierra-1's, a rythmic sub, either of the avr's and a denon 1940ci universal player... that setup would be in a completely different universe than what you have now for music... just something to think about...
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post #18 of 18
8/19/09 at 6:15am
Thread Starter 
thanks CC

The sieria 1s look promising
I built my own computer room... built room and in the corner of this room this is where my laptop is... So speaking of center speakers, I have a huge sapce to place this center speaker

So, the sierra's are better sounding than any home theater 5.1 system for music??? Cause these logitechs I have envelope me in the music and I like that... Are the sierra's going to do this...

thanks for the info guys
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