[Jesse S]

My budget is $1000-2000. I will be doing a full 7.1 setup so it must have DPLIIx or Logic 7. Only the 2 rear amps would be used in the receivers so amp power is irrelevant.


What I'll be using:


B+W CDM 1NT mains, CNT center

SVS 20-39CSi subwoofer (probably adding a 2nd)

Paradigm ADP-150 dipoles (sides)

PSB 20mkii (rears)

Acurus A200x5 amp ([email protected])



Current candidates:


Lexicon MC-1 $1500

Denon 2805/3805 $999/1299

Yamaha 1400/2400 $799?/$999?

Rotel 1068 $1699

Marantz/Pioneer?


I'm about 98% movies / 2% music. The room is dedicated to home theater.


Logic 7 is very enticing but the Lexicon is quite dated now. No warranty. Service would be quite difficult (and expensive) to attain since I'm in Canada. From what I've read in other threads, DPLIIx is very similar to L7, although no one has really done a decent comparison of the 2 for movies. Totally locked out of DVD-A and SACD.


The Denon receivers definitely stand out for features but I get just the slightest uneasy feeling that they will make medicore pre/pro's.


Yamaha seems fairly close to Denon and most people agree they've shed that "bright" tonality.


Rotel is a tad pricey and some people have hiss issues. Most seem to place the Rotel units a tad above Denon/Yamaha for music listening.


Marantz has DPLIIx in the 7400/8400 but very few people here seem to have one.


Pioneer doesn't seem to have anything in this price range with DPLIIx.

 

[Chip E]

I have a friend who uses a 3805 for a pre/pro with an Outlaw 755 amp... Great rig.

 

[Rmassey]

So if you go with a dedicated pre, not a receiver, will you be adding a 2 ch amp for the rears?


Also add, the Rotel 1067 receiver and the Sherwood/Newcastle P965 pre to your list. Both (I believe) have PLIIx. The 1067 is over your budget ($2199) but can prob be had at $2k with a typical discount.


I'm not so sure about your mixed bag of rear speakers (Paradigm / PSB) along with the B&W fronts. Have you considered going with B&W sides and rears to get a matching set, or are you completely happy with the setup you have?


I'd say, if you are truely 98% movies, go with a Denon or Rotel receiver with the built in amps for the extra 2 ch rears. they both offer all the latest processing formats and in the case of the Denon 3805 it has the auto calibration and can be had for about $1k. Any one of the dedicated pre's (Rotel 1068, Sherwood P965) along with a nice 2 ch amp will put you beyond your $2k budget.

 

[dsmith901]

If you are 98% HT then I recommend you use a good receiver as a pre/pro. You will certainly get more bang for the buck. I use the AVR520 as a pre and it is very good, but if you want full time 7.1 you need DPLIIx. H/K refurbs with full warranty are a great bargain, and you can get them direct from H/K at harmanaudio.com or their Ebay store.

 

[radone]

I have wondered why there seems to be so many suggestions here at AVS for people to buy a receiver such as a Denon 3805 and then mate it to a multichannel amp. It seems that a significant part of your purchase is being used for amplification which you are not going to use and that better utilization of your purchase power be used for a dedicated pre/pro. I can better understand the utility of having a receiver and then adding an amp in the future as you work to getting separates with the eventual purchase of a dedicated pre/pro such as a Lex, Sherwood Newcastle or other pre/pro. Especially when the receivers that are often discussed are mid to higher end with significant built in amplification that can not be an inexpensive part of the total package.

 

[sdurani]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jesse S I will be doing a full 7.1 setup so it must have DPLIIx or Logic 7.

You might want to consider one of the new H/K receivers, which have LOGIC7 and PLIIx. I mean, why settle for either when you can have both. Good amp section too (though I know you'll only be using 2 channels).


Best,

Sanjay

 

[Jesse S]

The H/K 7200 doesn't have DPLIIx and I thought the Logic 7 on H/K was only useable on 2 channel stuff?


I think Lex needs to make an affordable MC-2 or MC-4.

 

[Jesse S]

I read through the manuals for the H/K 7200 and DPR2005. Both say that Logic 7 cannot be used when using a DD 5.1 or DTS 5.1 soundtrack. So it's limited to 2ch and matrix encoded stuff, neither of which I care about.


Back to the original choices

 

[tubeguy44]

pioneer elite vsx-55txi receiver.....


probably more features and bells and whistles than any dedicated pre/pro in this price range......


the sherwood and rotel offerings are nice but i feel that the MCACC room correction/auto eq feature on all channels makes this receiver a better choice......

 

[Rmassey]

Quote:

Originally posted by radone I have wondered why there seems to be so many suggestions here at AVS for people to buy a receiver such as a Denon 3805 and then mate it to a multichannel amp.

Probably because they offer more processing features for considerable less money, they just happen to also have 7 channels of amplification included. Think about it, the lowest priced pre-amps are in the $1500-$1700 range ( Sherwood, Rotel) the next bump up the price curve goes from $2k to $3500 (B&K, Anthem) neither of which have DPLIIx, auto room correction, or iLink. So for a user that mostly want a HT setup and not so much critical music listening, it only makes sense that a $1200 receiver with all the current processing features, paired up with a good quality power amp is worth consideration. IMO the current crop of pre-amps worth consideration are a bit overpriced. I do realize there is a definite difference in sound quality, but I wonder how many people can appreciate this. Now if Denon, Pioneer, Yamaha and others would just make a pre version of their receivers (like Sherwood and Rotel) and sell it for LESS than the receiver, it would all make more sense.

 

[sdurani]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jesse S The H/K 7200 doesn't have DPLIIx

Which is why I suggested one of their newer receivers: AVR-430, 630, 7300, etc.
Quote:

So it's limited to 2ch and matrix encoded stuff, neither of which I care about.

You're not planning on watching any matrix encoded 2-channel movies in your home theatre?


Best,

Sanjay

 

[Jesse S]

Quote:

Which is why I suggested one of their newer receivers: AVR-430, 630, 7300, etc

Most of those are too low end for my taste The 7300 isn't even on H/K's site yet. If they did Logic 7 on everything (2ch and 5.1) I'd seriously consider H/K. But as is, they don't particularly stand out except in their amp section, which is not relevant for my plans.

Quote:

You're not planning on watching any matrix encoded 2-channel movies in your home theatre?

If I'm watching an older movie that hasn't been remixed to 5.1 I just don't expect it to have great surround.



Another strong candidate for my list:


Arcam AVR300 $1999 - has DPLIIx, rated 7x100 all channels driven. I have no doubt that this unit has great sound quality. It's up in Anthem 20 territory though. I'd have to open up my search if I considered spending this much.

 

[F355]

one more vote for the 55 Txi .

i have a feeling that future PIONEER universal players with ilink COULD be cheaper than the cheapest DENON player with denonlink. thats one reason for going pioneer over the 3805.

plus there's MCACC, thx processing [better to have it , try it, and not use it if it aint good, than not have it in the first place ]

potent amps.

and finally, its looks. i just love its looks.

all the best.

 

[dsmith901]

You don't even have to spend $1,200 to get a receiver that will be a good pre/pro. H/K is already selling refurbished 430 units for under $500, and the 630 will surely be avaible shortly for not much more. You still get the full 2 year warranty.

 

[mattburk]

Get the rotel 1068, there is a review in this months sterophile you should check out

 

[wdrazek]

Quote:

Originally posted by radone I have wondered why there seems to be so many suggestions here at AVS for people to buy a receiver and then mate it to a multichannel amp. Especially when the receivers that are often discussed are mid to higher end with significant built in amplification that can not be an inexpensive part of the total package.

Here are five reasons:


1) Some people just love the big heavy boxes and the more, the better.

2) Cable lust: the drive for more and more wires and the complexity that goes with it.

3) The delusion that by matching an AVR and amp you can get 'separates' for $1500.

4) Being able to swap out the receiver as often as possible and taking a smaller hit on resale.

5) Ain't nothin got mojo like a big beefy amp.


Best,

Wayne


(former separates owner, now AVR owner)

 

[cschang]

I recently changed from an HK 525 as a pre/pro to the new Sherwood/Newcastle P-965. The amp is an ATI AT1505.


Unless it is psychoacoustics...anybody is welcome to claim that is the case and I won't argue since I have no way to prove otherwise, the differences I hear are more depth to my music, lower noise floor, and a bit more detail (not brightness).


I am very happy with my purchase. For a street price of $1200-$1300....tough to beat IMO.

 

[dsmith901]

Quote:

Originally posted by wdrazek Here are five reasons: 1) Some people just love the big heavy boxes and the more, the better. 2) Cable lust: the drive for more and more wires and the complexity that goes with it. 3) The delusion that by matching an AVR and amp you can get 'separates' for $1500. 4) Being able to swap out the receiver as often as possible and taking a smaller hit on resale. 5) Ain't nothin got mojo like a big beefy amp. Best, Wayne (former separates owner, now AVR owner)

But mostly they just wake up and realize that while many receivers have good digital pre/pro sections, they have pretty crappy amps.

 

[daflea]

I'm going from one video room to two, with the second being a dedicated theater. In preparation, I bought (on sale for about $600) an Onkyo 801, primarily for the ethernet link to stream music from my server. Works pretty well, btw.


Anyway, I replaced the MC-1 in the family room to use eventually in the theater, but kept the Outlaw amp in the chain to test the receiver vs. pre-pro theory. As much as I love logic7 and the processing capabilities of the MC-1, I have to give the nod to the Onkyo in processing and sound quality. Freaked me out, but have to admit it sounded better. So if you want to mate an amp, I'd say a relatively inexpensive receiver does a nicer job than the older MC-1. I'll probably still use it for the theater for a while, cause it is nice. But if I were buying today, I'd either step up to a v. nice pre or just get a receiver in your price range.

 

[wdrazek]

Quote:

Originally posted by dsmith901 But mostly they just wake up and realize that while many receivers have good digital pre/pro sections, they have pretty crappy amps.

Granted I am getting older but the THX Ultra amp in my AVR sounds OK to me.


Wayne