[vabch22]

I'm looking at the following two receivers that are suppose to be out Sept/Oct. From the specs I have seen, they seem to offer pretty much the same features. The main thing I am looking for is HDMI conversion/switching. I want to upgrade, just not sure which route to take. I'll demo them both locally when they're out, but I wonder what's in the Denon that would justify the extra $500. Maybe better build or better sound? The Denon might have a RJ-45 jack which would allow you to play music from your PC, pretty cool.


Denon AVR-4306 - MSRP $1999

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...06receiver.php


Pioneer VSX-74TXVi - MSRP $1499

http://ultimateavmag.com/news/070405Pioneer/

 

[winowicki]

The shape of the connector does not imply any specific functionality. There are probably two RJ-45 connectors on the 4306, since DenonLink takes one I thought for its Cat-5e cable, and there is one for PC control and uploading new firmware. But no mention of streaming audio or video through the thing that I have heard.


If you do not want the extra $500, consider the Denon 3806, although it does not seem to be shippig to reviewers yet either. Or the reviewers have been sworn to silence before CEDIA! Many of us are looking forward to these, please read the plethora of other threads, e.g.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=567248

 

[vabch22]

Thanks. Yea, I've read that thread. I think the 3806 will compare with the 72TXVi, both being at $1200.

 

[Sounds Simple]

Quote:

Originally Posted by winowicki The shape of the connector does not imply any specific functionality. There are probably two RJ-45 connectors on the 4306, since DenonLink takes one I thought for its Cat-5e cable, and there is one for PC control and uploading new firmware. But no mention of streaming audio or video through the thing that I have heard.

From the Ultimate AV Mag:
Quote:

The 4806 and 4306 also provide an Ethernet port, which now allows firmware upgrades as well as access to PC-based content and Internet radio. It also lets you connect an Escient Fireball media server and control it from the receiver.

Full article at http://www.ultimateavmag.com/news/080805Denon/


Bob

 

[Livin]

If the Denon's can use the ethernet to stream media ans well as have full control over it from Home Automation software and/or something like a custom web page... that is the ticket I've been waiting for for 4 years!

 

[vabch22]

It's about time. So much easier to program macros and such from your PC with pretty GUI's. Wouldn't it have been nice to have either ethernet jacks or wireless NIC's on A/V equipment so you could update the firmware just like PC components? Much easier than special serial cables, etc. I guess they're slowly coming around.

 

[wje]

Quote:

Wouldn't it have been nice to have either ethernet jacks or wireless NIC's on A/V equipment so you could update the firmware just like PC components?

Not really. Then Internet hijackers would be loading crap on my AVR instead of my computer. Then, we'd need to purchase anti-hijack software for our receivers, too.

 

[Sounds Simple]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livin If the Denon's can use the ethernet to stream media ans well as have full control over it from Home Automation software and/or something like a custom web page... that is the ticket I've been waiting for for 4 years!

This sounds like it could be a nice setup but I will reserve judgement since, as they say, "the devil is in the details."


Bob

 

[vabch22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wje Not really. Then Internet hijackers would be loading crap on my AVR instead of my computer. Then, we'd need to purchase anti-hijack software for our receivers, too.

I doubt anyone is out to hijack your receiver, if they are, you must be important. Most people will only connect the A/V component to update the firmware (ie. myself) then disconnect it. And even if you were to use a bridge or wireless, I don't think anyone has hacked WPA. WEP yes, but I doubt anyone has enough taffic on their home routers going to the receiver for a hacker to sit outside for days on end, capture packets, figure out the WEP key, and delete your presets. Now anyone with an open network, that's their own fault. But that is just my opinion. I like the network jack option, good idea.

 

[Sounds Simple]

One of the reasons that the 4306 appeals to me is that it has ethernet (compared to the new Pioneer 74TXvi). When we wired this house, we ran 3 Cat-5s into all the rooms anticipating that we would ultimately have mutilple music servers and who knows what else. (We also put a firewall between demarc and the router so people are even less likely to hijack our audio equipment. ) I just hope that Denon does a better job with ethernet tnan Onkyo/Integra has done with Net-Tunes.


Bob

 

[vabch22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sounds Simple One of the reasons that the 4306 appeals to me is that it has ethernet (compared to the new Pioneer 74TXvi). When we wired this house, we ran 3 Cat-5s into all the rooms anticipating that we would ultimately have mutilple music servers and who knows what else. (We also put a firewall between demarc and the router so people are even less likely to hijack our audio equipment. ) I just hope that Denon does a better job with ethernet tnan Onkyo/Integra has done with Net-Tunes. Bob

Never tried the Onkyo, but I hope Denon's coders/engineers did the interface justice. Time will tell. I hope to wire my house (one day) with cat5 and do automation. This is off subject, but do you currently have any music servers? I've been looking for a good one for looks/features/price.

 

[jheoaustin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vabch22 Thanks. Yea, I've read that thread. I think the 3806 will compare with the 72TXVi, both being at $1200.

BTW, was it 52TXVi? I thought it was 52TXV and wouldn't have i.link. Coudl you clarify?

 

[winowicki]

Well I would certainly be pleasantly surprised if Denon could really receive audio over the Ethernet link. My bias: I have done computer networking for about 30 years, and in fact just ran into the Ethernet inventors a couple weeks ago. Dave Boggs Ron Crane and Bob Metcalfe were at the Stanford event in July. But I digress....


The Audioholics article says Ethernet for config and download, while the Ultimate mag says streaming, so it seems just rumors either way. Of course many of us would be curious as to the details. Maybe more will leak out before CEDIA, or if the Audioholics people (who seem involved in these fora) could clarify?


How about any owners of the 5805 or 4806 on what their Ethernet connection can do? From the Denon web site it sounds like they both use Ethernet only for config, not streaming, right?

 

[vabch22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jheoaustin BTW, was it 52TXVi? I thought it was 52TXV and wouldn't have i.link. Coudl you clarify?

I don't quite understand your question, but the 72/74 are the new models of the Pioneer, the 72TX being the lower end costing about $1200. That is why I was comparing it to the Denon 3806. Then you step up a notch to the 4306 vs 74TXVi. The 50 series of Pioneer are the older models, and iLINK didn't come into play until the 56TXi.

 

[vabch22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by winowicki Well I would certainly be pleasantly surprised if Denon could really receive audio over the Ethernet link. My bias: I have done computer networking for about 30 years, and in fact just ran into the Ethernet inventors a couple weeks ago. Dave Boggs Ron Crane and Bob Metcalfe were at the Stanford event in July. But I digress.... The Audioholics article says Ethernet for config and download, while the Ultimate mag says streaming, so it seems just rumors either way. Of course many of us would be curious as to the details. Maybe more will leak out before CEDIA, or if the Audioholics people (who seem involved in these fora) could clarify? How about any owners of the 5805 or 4806 on what their Ethernet connection can do? From the Denon web site it sounds like they both use Ethernet only for config, not streaming, right?

CEDIA needs to hurry up and get here! Perhaps if anything, Denon will use the ethernet jack for firmware updates/config and possibly release a later firmware version allowing streaming. Who knows, maybe MS will get their greedy hands in on it too and make more money labeling Denon's new line part of MS's 'windows connect now' products.

 

[jheoaustin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vabch22 I don't quite understand your question, but the 72/74 are the new models of the Pioneer, the 72TXi being the lower end costing about $1200. That is why I was comparing it to the Denon 3806. Then you step up a notch to the 4306 vs 74TXVi. The 50 series of Pioneer are the older models, and iLINK didn't come into play until the 56TXi.

I am sorry for confusing questions. I meant 72TXVi or 72TXV and 74TXVi. So, it is 72TXVi with i.link, not 72TXV without i.link?

 

[kevinp8192]

Doesn't the Pioneer have a USB port for streaming audio in addition to the ipod jack? The 56txi already has one that is able to stream 2 channel music, and the USB port on the 59txi can handle multi-channel. I thought the 74txi would also. It acts as a giant sound card that plays any sound the computer makes (in fact, no sound card is required).

 

[Sounds Simple]

Quote:

This is off subject, but do you currently have any music servers? I've been looking for a good one for looks/features/price.

No music servers yet. Features are way ahead of looks and price. The nice stuff is still really expensive. I suspect this might change after CEDIA since I think we may see a few more entrants into the market.


Bob

 

[Sounds Simple]

Quote:

Originally Posted by winowicki Well I would certainly be pleasantly surprised if Denon could really receive audio over the Ethernet link. My bias: I have done computer networking for about 30 years, and in fact just ran into the Ethernet inventors a couple weeks ago. Dave Boggs Ron Crane and Bob Metcalfe were at the Stanford event in July. But I digress.... The Audioholics article says Ethernet for config and download, while the Ultimate mag says streaming, so it seems just rumors either way. Of course many of us would be curious as to the details. Maybe more will leak out before CEDIA, or if the Audioholics people (who seem involved in these fora) could clarify? How about any owners of the 5805 or 4806 on what their Ethernet connection can do? From the Denon web site it sounds like they both use Ethernet only for config, not streaming, right?

I think Denon is going to push hard with the ethernet connectivity to promote the music and media servers from Escient, another D&M Holding company. After Denon's fiasco with Denonlink, I am surprised they want to live so close to the edge but they probably have a lot of knowledge coming from the Escient engineers.


Bob

 

[Sounds Simple]

After re-reading the Escient literature, it appears that the Fireball units pass audio via standard A/V interconnects or optical. I guess this leaves only Onkyo currently using ethernet to stream music. I guess this is why I wish the manufacturers would all buy into i.Link which reliably passes multi-channel music. Maybe we will see HDMI starting to sprout up on newer servers.


Bob