AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Receivers, Amps, and Processors › Which receiver do you think I should buy?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Which receiver do you think I should buy?

post #1 of 17
4/6/12 at 10:04pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your help with this, despite this question coming up 51 times per day.

My Denon AVR-1909 went completely dead after less than 3 years (actually started to go dead after just a year and a half). Was very disappointed by Denon's customer service when I brought it up, so I don't want another Denon.

What I'm looking for:
  • Number one priority: Top sound quality (yeah, I know speakers are much more important for top sound quality than the receiver - but still want to have the receiver help as much as possible)
  • Secondary priority: Great industrial design (prefer a minimalist aesthetic - don't need a hundred buttons visible)
  • At least 5 HDMI inputs
  • Pretty standard living room size / speaker setup (5 speaker surround setup, not especially power-hungry speakers)
  • Budget of roughly $600, give or take a few hundred
  • No Denons
  • That's about it - stuff like AirPlay support, Audyssey, microphone setup, etc are all cool features, and I'd probably use some of them, but none are nearly as important as the factors above.

Also willing to wait up to 2 months if something much better and newer will be out by then. (Seems like most new models come out in the summer?)

So far, the model I've been looking at the closest is the Yamaha V671, though I feel like the industrial design of the front is a little uninspiring.

Thank you very much for any help!

-Brian
Reply
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #2 of 17
4/6/12 at 10:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

Thanks for your help with this, despite this question coming up 51 times per day.

My Denon AVR-1909 went completely dead after less than 3 years (actually started to go dead after just a year and a half). Was very disappointed by Denon's customer service when I brought it up, so I don't want another Denon.

What I'm looking for:
  • Number one priority: Top sound quality (yeah, I know speakers are much more important for top sound quality than the receiver - but still want to have the receiver help as much as possible)
  • Secondary priority: Great industrial design (prefer a minimalist aesthetic - don't need a hundred buttons visible)
  • At least 5 HDMI inputs
  • Pretty standard living room size / speaker setup (5 speaker surround setup, not especially power-hungry speakers)
  • Budget of roughly $600, give or take a few hundred
  • No Denons
  • That's about it - stuff like AirPlay support, Audyssey, microphone setup, etc are all cool features, and I'd probably use some of them, but none are nearly as important as the factors above.

Also willing to wait up to 2 months if something much better and newer will be out by then. (Seems like most new models come out in the summer?)

So far, the model I've been looking at the closest is the Yamaha V671, though I feel like the industrial design of the front is a little uninspiring.

Thank you very much for any help!

-Brian

The new Yamaha rx series will bring all of that for the price. The Aventage line wont be updated until around October, but the 7xx and 8xx line will have AirPlay most likely when they do come out in the fall.

Onkyos will get you what you want right now but they don't have the best build quality.mdenon and Yamaha are tanks.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 17
4/7/12 at 12:13am
Thread Starter 
So you're recommending to wait for the RX-V673? (Seems like the RX-V473 and RX-V573 just came out - but they each only have 4 HDMI inputs.)
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 17
4/7/12 at 9:07am
The build quality of Yamaha better than Onkyo? Hmmm, that's a first! You can get a great deal on the 9 series of Onkyo, and the 709 and up ARE tanks! The new Onkyo receivers should be coming out in the next couple of months.

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 17
4/7/12 at 10:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pronghorn/az View Post

The build quality of Yamaha better than Onkyo? Hmmm, that's a first! You can get a great deal on the 9 series of Onkyo, and the 709 and up ARE tanks! The new Onkyo receivers should be coming out in the next couple of months.

Jeff

Are you joking? Yamaha is known for their legendary build quality and reliability. Onkyo, in recent years, has been known for the exact opposite.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 17
4/7/12 at 1:10pm
I have had good luck with Yamaha.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 17
4/7/12 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pronghorn/az View Post

The build quality of Yamaha better than Onkyo? Hmmm, that's a first! You can get a great deal on the 9 series of Onkyo, and the 709 and up ARE tanks! The new Onkyo receivers should be coming out in the next couple of months.

Jeff

Shows how much experience you have with audio gear. Onkyos are the pintos of avr's.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 17
4/7/12 at 3:39pm
You might consider the Pioneer VSX-1121K. I bought one last fall (due to my Onkyo's HDMI subsystem being a pile of crap), and have been quite satisfied with it. I have it connected to (now) a TiVo Series3, a Panasonic DMP-BD35K, a PlayStation 3 and an Xbox 360 (not the new slim 360, the white Pro unit), and of course my Sony KDL-46XBR8.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

What I'm looking for:
  • Number one priority: Top sound quality (yeah, I know speakers are much more important for top sound quality than the receiver - but still want to have the receiver help as much as possible)

I've been happy with my Pioneer on this front - in fact, its auto-calibration system actually picked up on one of my surround channels being phase flipped (the Onkyo's never did catch that). It's rated for 110 watts per channel, so should give you good punch for a "normal" room size.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

  • Secondary priority: Great industrial design (prefer a minimalist aesthetic - don't need a hundred buttons visible)

This Pioneer model has a flip-down front panel for access to USB and composite for iPod/iPhone/iPad connectivity and HDMI front-panel input, but I keep it up most of the time, so the only things you can see are the input select knob, the volume knob and the power button. I think it looks nice.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

  • At least 5 HDMI inputs

Has 6 HDMI inputs on the back, and 1 on the front.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

  • Pretty standard living room size / speaker setup (5 speaker surround setup, not especially power-hungry speakers)

It's a 7.1 receiver (I have a 6.1 setup), but obviously 5.1 will work just fine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

  • Budget of roughly $600, give or take a few hundred

I bought mine when it was about $600, but you can get the same unit now on Amazon for $499.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

  • No Denons

Done!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

  • That's about it - stuff like AirPlay support, Audyssey, microphone setup, etc are all cool features, and I'd probably use some of them, but none are nearly as important as the factors above.

It has DLNA sink functionality, AirPlay support, Pioneer MCACC (their equivalent of Audyssey autocalibration, complete with setup mic).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian G View Post

Also willing to wait up to 2 months if something much better and newer will be out by then. (Seems like most new models come out in the summer?)

It looks like the VSX-1122K (the new upcoming model) is going to cut down on analog inputs and such. I don't think you'd gain anything by holding off, plus you get the cost savings.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 17
4/8/12 at 9:31am
Thread Starter 
Thanks, demonfoo - hadn't looked at the Pioneer VSX-1121K before. Will take a look.

If my Denon was a tank, it must have been from WWI.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 17
4/9/12 at 7:19am
Quote:
What I'm looking for:
...Top sound quality
...Great industrial design
...At least 5 HDMI inputs
...Budget of roughly $600, give or take a few hundred
...AirPlay support, Audyssey, microphone setup, etc are all cool features

Consider the Harman Kardon AVR 3600 [only 4 HDMI ports] or the AVR 3650 [6 HDMI ports]. The 3600 is under your budget and hits everything except 5 ports, includes an ipod/iphone cradle.

The 3650 is at the top of your budget, hits everything, and has DLNA network connectivity.

Both have Dolby Volume, a feature I really like.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 17
4/9/12 at 8:34am
Thread Starter 
Thanks, oldmp3! Will take a look at those HKs.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 17
4/9/12 at 8:43am
Since your original choice was the yamaha 671 check out electronics expo. They have a great deal on those right now, I'm thinking about grabbing one myself, even though I already have a 71 series.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 17
4/11/12 at 11:08pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, awesome deal - $200 off. Hard to turn that down. Thanks for sharing.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 17
4/12/12 at 1:05am
^^If you want clean 'industrial design', then harman/kardons are the way to go. I've had two in the past, and one boxed up in the closet and they lasts forever. The only thing I dislike about them was the heat, especially during the summer days, not sure how they are now. When I bought my new receiver last year (needed HDMI) I went with the Denon AVR-2310ci because it was the ONLY one I can find with a Phono Input and an array of analog audio Inputs, otherwise I'd buy another h/k if it wasn't for their lack of inputs.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ima...&s=electronics
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 17
4/12/12 at 4:53am
I have a 671 and can recommend it based on your specifications. It has much better sound quality than my previous Onkyo and Marantz (the Marantz had DLNA problems so I only had it for a month). For what it's worth, I also think the Yamaha has better build quility than the Onkyo, and I'm including internals in my definition on build quality.

All that said, given your specs I would look hard at the H/Ks. From the reviews I've seen and their general rep they have the best sound and amplifier section and strong build quality. They are lacking on the extras side of things, network support and so on.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 17
1/2/13 at 8:41am
http://www.futureshop.ca/fr-CA/product/pioneer-recepteur-reseau-multizone-7-2-canaux-de-pioneer-sc-1227-k-sc-1227-k/10207057.aspx?path=d87992a26a7235e7d559918b727c2d8bfr02



http://www.bestbuy.ca/fr-CA/product/harman-kardon-recepteur-de-cinema-maison-3d-de-7-1-canaux-770-watts-de-harman-kardon-avr3650-avr-3650/10170868.aspx?path=8f3c6d9a5c826887058160f46eb772c2fr02&ci_src=11138&AID=10474050&PID=4173068&SID=1unadtooxyjpd&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.ca%2Ffr-CA%2Fproduct%2Fharman-kardon-recepteur-de-cinema-maison-3d-de-7-1-canaux-770-watts-de-harman-kardon-avr3650-avr-3650%2F10170868.aspx%3Fpath%3D8f3c6d9a5c826887058160f46eb772c2fr02%26ci_src%3D11138&ref=39&CJPID=4173068&loc=01
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 17
1/2/13 at 8:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by raver4444 View Post

http://www.futureshop.ca/fr-CA/product/pioneer-recepteur-reseau-multizone-7-2-canaux-de-pioneer-sc-1227-k-sc-1227-k/10207057.aspx?path=d87992a26a7235e7d559918b727c2d8bfr02

I just bought that one, great deal
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Receivers, Amps, and Processors

Gear mentioned in this thread:

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Receivers, Amps, and Processors › Which receiver do you think I should buy?