Looking to purchase new receiver

Generally one should spend about 1/3 or less of the budget on electronics, with 2/3 or so spent on speakers since their quality makes the most difference in what you hear.

The room equalization software available in most modern receivers can make a noticeable improvement in acoustics, though. In your price range, Audyssey is the most popular and is provided by many receiver manufacturers (e.g. Denon, Marantz, NAD, Onkyo, Integra). Anthem's ARC is comparable, but I think their equipment might be more expensive than your budget. The proprietary equalization packages provided by Pioneer (MCACC) and Yamaha (YACC) don't equalize the subwoofer. (Audyssey MultEQ does. Audyssey 2Eq doesn't.) As best I can tell, Harman-Kardon's EzSet/EQ does not do the full-bandwidth equalization done by the other EQ software packages.

I suggest you make a checklist of the other features that you need, like a phono preamp, and use that list to help choose among the options available on the various products. In some cases, an external phono preamp might be preferable to the more limited phono preamps provided in some of the receivers currently on the market.

Music only set-up?
If so I would try something like this http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/C-326BEE-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier
or try and find an older used nad

The nice thing about going with an AVR is that you get room correction. However, most receivers in that range aren't going to have a phono input. Outlaw Audio sells the RR2150 2 channel receiver ($699). It features an MM/MC phono input as well as bass management and a USB DAC in case you're interested in digital audio as well. An alternative would be to purchase an AVR and a separate phono preamp from TCC ($49).

Phono preamps that are "built-in" to receivers or amplifiers are invariably cheap afterthoughts that cost $20 to make and add. They don't sound all that good.

IMO it is well worth it to spend $150 or so to get a good dedicated phono preamp. The phono sound will be much better.

The Musical Fidelity V-LPS is an excellent one, and the Cambridge 551P is good.

The Denon 1612 is a top-rated receiver at a very good price. Check out the review on it from Home Theater magazine on their website.


Edited by commsysman - 6/30/12 at 7:41am

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/ele/3109223388.html check and see if this is still available.