Best bang for buck reciever?

You might want to look at the new Onkyo 607. Review on it here.


http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/recei...-tx-sr607.html

For $600 you can go with the 806 and have a better reciever more inputs and better audessy and thx.

+1 The 806 has Audyssey MultiEQ instead of 2EQ. Another option is the Denon 2310 from 6th Avenue if they still have their name-your-own-price thing going.

Agreed the 806 is a better receiver. Its also at the top of his price range or over in some cases.The 607 can be had for under $450. Open box $405 with free delivery.

The RC160 (SR607 sans front-HDMI) can be had for under $400 from several sources, but I do loath the fact that is only has Audyssey 2EQ. The 2310ci would be my personal choice for best under $600, especially if you have any need for great video processing (my only use would be for Wii). Even the Denon 1910 is very solid and available closer to the OP's comfort budget.

I would skip the SR806 if only because of its poor video processing implementation... it wouldn't bother me so much if it at least passed the HDMI signal unmolested when video processing is disabled, but for some reason it clips BTB and WTW regardless of whether you're using the video processing or not. I used to really ride the SR806 because of the downgrades they made from the SR805, but it would still be a great value if it weren't for the video processing issue.

Knowing some more about the OP's intended use, especially things source devices, would help greatly as well.

+1 on the RC160. As Stephen mentioned - no front HDMI (big deal) - also 10wpc less - on paper anyway. I don't think Onkyo would build another amp just for the RC160 - but you never know.

I don't think one is necessarily better than the other in general. My main complaint with Onkyo's current midrange offering is the downgrade made last year from MultiEQ to 2EQ. Denon currently maintains MultiEQ at a lower price-point. Conversely, Onkyo offers MultiEQ XT at a lower price-point than Denon as you step up the line.

What's the difference between MultiEQ and 2EQ? Thanks.

Audyssey Comparison

The most important difference between 2EQ and MultiEQ is that the latter EQs the subwoofer, where room correction actually makes the most difference.

This is a good point. The Denon 1910 and 2310 both use Anchor Bay chips which do a really good job with video.

That does seem to be a concern with Onkyo. Remember the 705? It had MultiEQ XT, just like it's Integra twin, the DTR 6.8. Then the 706 comes out with "just" MultiEQ.

Maybe they did that for a little more distinction between Onkyo and Integra? IIRC the DTR 6.9 still had MultiEQ XT.

I have a 706. The change from MultEQ XT (no "i") to MultEQ was most likely due to the addition of lossless audio decoding in the 706. That takes up some of the DSP processing that was required for XT. The real "downgrade" would be if they used an inferior DSP which I don't think they did because the Onkyo AVRs will process much higher rate audio (up to 192 Khz sample rate) before shutting down Audyssey whereas almost all the Marantz AVRs top out at 96 Khz sample rate before shutting down Audyssey.

In Onkyo's case, it is more of a trade off to keep similar price points than a downgrade, IMHO.

The 705 decoded lossless. http://onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-S...s=Receiver&p=i

Don't know how it shouldn't be seen as a downgrade?

They did it to save money. You're right though, the Marantz AVRs aren't processing powerhouses.

It did? I did not know that. I apologize.

Like everything else today, manufacturers reduce the size of something to keep the price the same. 30 pounds of dog food costs the same today as 40 pounds did just a few years ago. People think "Oh, it's the same stuff and still costs the same."

Thats one thing about Onkyo that pisses me off, the downgrades.......depending on how you look at it.

They downgraded the amp section in the 800 series when they came out with the 806. The 805 weighed more and was by many accounts a better AVR, power wise.

I still love my Integra DTR 7.8. It is basically an 805.

The Pioneer vsx-1018 is 10lbs heavier than than the vsx-1019 that replaced it. It went from 29lbs to 19lbs. It have read the 1018 used the same power supply and amps as the lower end Elite receivers but the 1019 uses the same power supply as the 819 and 919. I read a professional review the other day that the 1019 drops down to something like 28 watts with 5 channels driven.
http://www.hometheatermag.com/receiv...er/index4.html

I know the loss of 7.1 preouts doesn't weigh 10 lbs from the 1018 to 1019.

I noticed many manufacturers have dropped 7.1 pre outs as well as 7.1 analog inputs instead adding more HDMI inputs. Other mfrs have reverted to spring clip speaker terminals in their entry level receivers.