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sr7001 vs hk 745 vsRXV 2700 vs denon 3806? Help

1233 Views 14 Replies 7 Participants Last post by laychooba, May 26, 2007

laz_x

Discussion Starter · May 23, 2007

I am trying to make a decision here... I have heard 3 brands and like the sound of HK (currently own one) I also have heard a denon set up with the same speakers I have and it sounded great to my ears as well( Maybe a little more detail then the HK) I have been told that if I like HK sound I will like the Marantz sound as well.

Here is what I need/want.

Good sound - I am pretty sure all 4 will fit here.. about 75% HT use 25% music.

HDMI switching with upconversion to HDMI. Basically I need it to be simple so my wife can select dvd, dvr, PC or satelite and the video will pass to my pj.

Scaling /upconversion - Would be cool but not extremely necessary. If I had it I would only need everything output to 720P which is what my PJ is native.

Easy to use remote. (again for the wife) not absolutely neccessary as I can always purchase a harmony.

Min 2 HDMI and 3 Component in. (the marantz has 2 comp out which is cool and could be useful.)

Available in Canada for around 1500 CAD. (1400USD)

I have been researching for a year and really cant find anything to make me pull the trigger on one of these over any other. Can I get some opinions/thoughts?

Thanks

Laz

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1 - 15 of 15 Posts

deneb

· #2 · May 23, 2007

I have a Marantz SR8500 and wish I had bought the Denon. It sounds great (pretty much identical to the Denon 3806), but I've had reliability issues with it - video switching went out, had to be resoldered under warranty, now the main amp channels are out (luckily I have only a 5.1 setup and can use the surround back channels as mains), so back to the shop it goes. Anyways, I guess I have reliablitly concerns with Marantz, maybe I just got a lemon, I dunno. My last receiver was a Denon and it performed well for several years until the upgrade bug bit.

psujohny

· #3 · May 23, 2007

If you want a flawless receiver thats works as advertized, is compatible with just about everything including the new formats, has an easy interface and is reliable, then Denon's your ticket.

If you want a receiver that has Logic 7, an excellant eq that eq's two subs and weighs close to 50 lbs and has excellant sonics...BUT, has some flaws such as wont pass 1080p, wont do 5.1 uncompressed audio with hd-dvd ( its fine with blu-ray ) ..cant do true 7.1 uncompressed audio ( but can overlay logic 7 on 5.1 uncompressed audio ), can be quirky at times, not as reliable as Denon, has an excellant harmony remote and has a more complicated interface then the H/K would fit the bill.

JOHNnDENVER

· #4 · May 23, 2007

For music, I'd venture a guess that the sr7001 would prove best. I am biased, I have had one in my system for the past 7 months.

On HT, they will all prove pretty much equal sound quality wise.

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laz_x

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 23, 2007

Thanks for your opinions guys..

Does anyone have first hand experience with the 3806? Does it handle audio over HDMI?

JohnnDenver, how do you find the video upconversion to HDMI in the 7001? I auditioned it today and it sounded really good for 5.1 HT uncompressed over HDMI.

Laz

JOHNnDENVER

· #6 · May 23, 2007

In testing I found it to be real good for transcoding and acceptable as a de-interlacer. I already had all the cables run to my projector, so I am not using it. Just still seemed best all around keeping svideo on svideo, component on component, and HDMI on HDMI. But then again I already had all the those cables run, I also use VGA for my HD STB, it was run as well, if I maintained that connection I would of lost the one cable connection advantage anyways.

I still tell people to at least try it the way I do it. So far 100% of those that have tried it, go ahead and get the separate cables needed. I still say there is a good reason the quality dedicated video scaler / processors cost $2K and up and your not going to get it in an under $2K AVR anytime soon.

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psujohny

· #7 · May 23, 2007

Quote:
Does anyone have first hand experience with the 3806? Does it handle audio over HDMI?

I didnt have the 3806, but I did have the 2807. The 2807 is flawless and handles all the hdmi lossless audio perfectly, 5.1,7.1 and overlaying PLIIx over 5.1 lossless sources. The 3806 had a recent firmware upgrade that corrected a problem it had doing true 7.1 lossless hdmi audio. From what Ive read, it now performs flawlessly as well.

laz_x

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 24, 2007

Well I am narrowed down to the SR7001 or the AVR745... I auditioned the 7001 today and was impressed. I can not find anywhere to audition an AVR745 but am very familiar with HK. The Denon sounded too Generic for my liking.. I am used to the HK warmth and the marantz sounded on par.

PSUJohnny, will the 745 pass 1080p via component? I have a 360 which will output 1080p via component and have component cables run to my PJ anyway. Other then that I guess I am trying to decide if I need 1080p. my PJ is currently 720p, I will probably buy a 1080p PJ in 3-5 years. Is the 745 completely incapable of passing 1080p? I really dont want to have to go through this again in 3 years... Do you currently play any BD through your hk? So do you have to set your Bluray player to 1080i? doesnt this give you a noticible loss in PQ?

JohnnDenver, I agree the less its messed with the better..(thats the way my current setup is) but my PJ doesnt do any scaling now so 480i over component or HDMI looks kinda crappy anyway.. I also am thinking of Lossless audio via HDMI so you would at least need to pass this through HDMI on the AVR. Also I want to make it simple for my wife.. turn the PJ on.. it will always be set to HDMI and just set the receiver to what you want to watch..

Also how do you find the room EQ in the 7001. This is a strong point for the HK.

Thanks

Laz

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bommai

· #9 · May 24, 2007

laz_x. I bought a 645 from amazon and loved the sound. So, I returned it and bought a refurbished 745 from ebay from Harman Audio direct with full 2 year warranty and 30 day money back guarantee. Monitor ebay for 745 sold by "Harman Audio". I got it at a very good price. At that price, you won't feel bad if you need to update it in the next 3 years. psujohny actually convinced me to get the 745 since he had good luck with it.

Neither 645 nor 745 can pass 1080p through HDMI. I don't think they do it through component either - I don't know.

645 and 745 will do 5.1 PCM through HDMI (from Bluray, SACD, etc). Most HD-DVD players have trouble but furiousmen (I think) said that the Toshiba HD-A20 works with 745 for 5.1 PCM. The 645 and 745 cannot do 7.1 PCM only 5.1 but they can apply Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Logic7 to 5.1 PCM to make it a 7.1 sound. The 745 can EQ 2 sub woofers. I should be getting my unit next week. I am already excited.

laz_x

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 24, 2007

If Harman audio shipped to Canada I would already have the 745

Unfortunately i have to pay 1600 Cad (~1500 US) so it makes the decision tougher.. I can find the SR7001 for about 1500 CAD.

I guess I want the 745 for its power and the 7001 for its features(4/1 HDMI 1080p capable and 4/2 Component).. I think the 745 will blow me away.. I guess I am worried the 7001 will be underpowered.. I may try to convince a dealer to let me take the 7001 home and put it through its paces...My front Paradigms are round 87dB so not as efficient as a lot of newer speakers but I love their sound.

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JOHNnDENVER

· #11 · May 24, 2007

The Audyssey? If your room is truly horrible? May not work so well.

In a few months here, I should be moving everything into a real perfect or near perfect anyways, sound treated former recording studio for my new dedicated home theater. I will report back then on it.

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countingbackward

· #12 · May 24, 2007

Based on anecdotal evidence, the Marantz is likely to be a much more reliable machine. Also, you should be able to get it for $1300 CAD or less from a Canadian authorized dealer.

I'm very happy with the Marantz...but contrary to some other opinions, I find it has excellent balance for soundtracks and is really optimized quite well for HT use. Simply for HT purposes, I'd generally recommend it over Yamaha, Denon, etc. If it were to be my main music listening system as well as HT, I'd likely opt for one of the British receivers (Rotel, Cambridge or Arcam), although the Marantz does a good job (particularly with DVD-A and SACD).

Unless your speakers are really inefficient, I can't see power being an issue here, so I'd discount that as a decision factor. I've never come close to using the full power of my SR7001, and my speakers aren't that efficient (and are 6 ohms).

laz_x

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 24, 2007

1300 or less? where? everywhere i went want 1598 for the 7001. I bartered down to 1498 plus tax...

Are there any autohorized online retailers in Canada?

JOHNnDENVER

· #14 · May 24, 2007

Search on ebay Canada. But some of those lowest ball numbers are importing them from Honk Kong, so read the location carefully.

laychooba

· #15 · May 26, 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHNnDENVER /forum/post/0

Search on ebay Canada. But some of those lowest ball numbers are importing them from Honk Kong, so read the location carefully.

i got a price quote last night at a local shop for the SR7001. $1360+tax. that's in

montreal... i found another price today, $1310+tax. i think i might

have to cave in!

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