[amperex]

I re-entered the HT world again after 20 years ago. 20 years ago I bought a Denon 1800 AV receiver and used at the time a 27 inch CRT based TV for my kids. The family liked the system. I also installed a 10 foot satellite dish. The Denon 1800 was awful for stereo music. At the time I owned a DIY tube amp with at first ProAc Response speakers. I built new speakers and the ProAc did not 'get it' for me any longer.


Jump forward to 2015. I purchased a Sony 60" 60R510A. IMO the Sony has a better picture vs Vizio products and as good as most Samsung products. So, picture is good or say good enough.


Knowing that old Denon1800 was bad news sound wise I bought a used Sony STR-DH500 that received reasonable reviews for a paltry $80 to get an idea of newer AV receivers. I also bought a Dayton SUB1000. I like the sub, sounds reasonably musical. The Sony STR-DH500 is not much better than the old Denon. Perhaps a little more clear sounding. Test speakers were Klipsch Cornwall. I connected an old Scott tube receiver on same FM station and it kills the Sony AV receiver sound wise. Same old ****. I read these new Class-T amps are good. Why did not Sony design a AV receiver around those amps?


Is a decent 5.1 decoder available as a preamp to drive a DIY five channel tube amp? If not, how about the Marantz NR1403? Or?

 

[FMW]

Try either engaging or defeating the room calibration software, whichever is different from the current state.

 

[djp2k7]

That Sony is a very low end receiver that only weighs 16 pounds. I can guarantee you that Marantz NR1403 will sound much much better. It will be a fuller, warmer sound with much more bass weight.


The cornwalls are phenomenal speakers. Even though Klipsch speakers are so efficient they still sound better with good clean power.

 

[amperex]

Thanks

Thanks all