AV Receiver recommendations

+1 for Yamaha. Still using a 2095, but I have to do some creative wiring to get everything working together - specifically the OPPO Bluray, Panasonic TV, and Nvidia Shield. Speakers are all Paradigm with 9SE (Monitor 9) for the mains.
 
I was thinking about one of the Marantz slimline
NR1504 looks nice and simple
 
I bought 2 of these a few years ago. Got one hooked up in our loft with Canton L/R/Center and a Polk sub. Simple single optical connection for audio fo Blu-ray, Roku and Xfinity cable box. It sounds awesome. Have one of these older, circa 1998 Sonys in our beach house with a Pinnacle 5.1 MB6000 speaker system. Sounds great too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-STR-D...AUDIO-VIDEO-CONTROL-CENTER-/261719043735

Years as a cop and a cold water surfer have left my ears unable to appreciate or distinguish 7.1 & 9.1, Atmos etc...

101709-29437691-panasonic_saxr55_receiver.jpg
 
I wanted good but fairly basic and picked up a Marantz 5.1 with Audssey .
Absolutely love the way it sounds and integrates with the rest of my stuff, in the room and how it works for home theater. Sound formats are easily selected for music or critical listening when not in the cinema mode. Polks front and center plus a powered sub and Klipsch bookshelf size on adjustable mounts for surround.

** Q
Has anyone found value and appreciable difference running bi amp with speakers able to do so ? Thinking of going retro for an older receiver or amp from Goodwill or a thrift store as those old heavyweights are easily found and still regarded as solid build and sound. My Polk fronts are wired for that option. I know I won't be spending much just to sample it and try it out but would like to hear of others experience.

T Y
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
My five-year-old denon recently took a crap so I'm in the market for a new AV receiver. Not looking for anything fancy. Just 5.1 channels not a lot of bells and whistle's sound quality is most important. Any recommendations?

I would try to find a good used one. I see so many being sold used for practically nothing because few are intested in large component systems anymore and they just want to get rid of it.
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
I was thinking about one of the Marantz slimline
NR1504 looks nice and simple

While I like the looks of that it's only 50watts at 2 channels which means when you hook up all your speakers it will be even less, plus it looks like it's half the power you had with your Denon, I'd look for something with at least the same watts.

If your really stuck on 5.1
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V385-5-1-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B07BNXXJKB/ref=sr_1_4

This post sparked my interest so I did a little research and if my Yamaha died today this is the one I would get which is close to what I have now, RX V667.
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V683BL-7-2-Channel-MusicCast-Bluetooth/dp/B06XY1YTMJ/ref=sr_1_3

Both of these are well under your budget.
 
Last edited:
Wow, Im glad to hear the Pioneer Elite recommendations, gosh, I remember elite from decades ago of which I had one of their tuners.
Its nice to "hear" that they are still part of a more "upscale" performance level then the standard stuff out there.

Right now we have a Yamaha 5.1, VERY happy with it, dead on reliable hooked up to Paridigm front, JBL center and Jbl rears. Plenty enough power for our great room which is open and has 16 foot ceilings.

With that said, Just in the last year I was in the "thinking" stage of a newer unit and what I might buy, so much "consumer" stuff out there and I really want a well made receiver knowing true power output 20khz-20hz not the BS numbers the low cost stuff uses.

Anyway, power not as much concern vs upgrading for the newer sound modes, not much into audio as I knew it many years ago, which I knew a lot. Now its pretty much used for movies on our 65 inch Sony. The wild big party days are over, glad I survived them *LOL*
I do know enough to want true power output, latest sound modes used in Blu Rays ect and a quality unit.

Anyway, glad to hear the Elite is still so well liked and will be the only one on my list plus a Yamaha.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by alarmguy
Anyway, glad to hear the Elite is still so well liked

FWIW, Pioneer sold its home theater entertainment business to Onkyo a few years back. The new Pioneer models are essentially the same as Onkyo on the inside, with just different looks on the outside. From all I've read, they're not the same as what they once were. Alas, the cheapening and disposability aspects of consumer electronics are everywhere now - most brands do it, so it's not just a Pioneer issue.

Late last year, Pioneer/Onkyo almost got acquired by Sound United who already owns Denon, Marantz, and Polk, alas, that deal got called off at the last minute.
 
Originally Posted by Duffyjr
Originally Posted by VQLT
I was thinking about one of the Marantz slimline
NR1504 looks nice and simple

While I like the looks of that it's only 50watts at 2 channels which means when you hook up all your speakers it will be even less, plus it looks like it's half the power you had with your Denon, I'd look for something with at least the same watts.

He mentioned he has Klipsch speakers which are usually very efficient, so it won't take a ton of power to drive them to relatively loud levels, unless OP has a huge room to fill. My guess is he'll be just fine. Doubling the power just gives you a 3 dB gain.
 
I can buy a used pioneer elite VSX 21THX
For $60. 2009 model. Does anyone have experience with this model?
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
I can buy a used pioneer elite VSX 21THX
For $60. 2009 model. Does anyone have experience with this model?

I'd jump on that if it's in good shape and works, if you only get a few months out of it you won't be out much and who knows you may get years out of it.
 
Vsx21thx Picked up the receiver today. Dang these high and receivers are complicated. I spent two hours reading the manual and searching online to answer all my questions. This thing does 100 things that I'll probably never need.
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
I was thinking about one of the Marantz slimline
NR1504 looks nice and simple


It's part of the reason I chose it. Marantz are usually reviewed quite well but others mentioning power needs for speakers are not wrong. Audiophile speakers I recall from my old days of selling this stuff were a trade off of needing finicky electronics and gobs of power but when settled in, very nice. Trends even in those days were changing toward more effective use of every-day electronics and speaker designs that favored more efficient sound levels with 35 to 50 watt quality equipment doing the job well. In the 70's and 80's Yamaha. Onkyo and Denon were another breed of component from the mass merchant big box stuff. A 40 watt, 70 or 125 watt receiver or amp wasn't always apples to apples and I suspect the same today, I'm just not as familiar with the brands or newer names.
The speakers you hook up won't change the power nor the tires on your car reduce your horse power BUT, SPL is a measure of sound level and a terribly inefficient speaker with a low power amp or receiver will be a poor match. My Polks in front are 89 db / 1 watt , Klipsch rear are 90 db / 1 watt. The Marantz lets me tune the levels independently so efficiency within reason isn't a concern.
I found it easier to enjoy and set up systems that weren't as finicky and definitely easier to sell. Sony and Pioneer had their higher line stuff so I suppose the 80's and 90's big box market cost some reputation as those names from the 60's and 70's were quite respected.
If you don't need something 10" tall, I see no reason to go that route but today's tech and pricing, hard to go wrong. Look to see what C-Net reviews for budget receivers. I'll bet you can do well in the $200 to $350 range if going new in box.
 
Last edited:
Have been using a Harman / Kardon AVR 25 II since '98 (?) which was bought at Circuit City . Also have the H/K 3250 since '99 (?) .The AVR 25 II is connected to Sound Dynamics 300 TI and the 3250 to Sound Dynamics RTS 3s' . The center channel for the 25 II is Sound Dynamics RTS C2 . Had to get the volume knob of the AVR25 II replaced a little over a year ago . Not sure if the newer H/K models are that dependable .
21.gif
 
Last edited:
AVR-X2100W denon
Giving away for free if anybody is in the Southern California area. I did decide to replace it with a used Pioneer elite. I was told the denon has a bad relay. Might be an easy fix for someone inclined.
 
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by alarmguy
Anyway, glad to hear the Elite is still so well liked

FWIW, Pioneer sold its home theater entertainment business to Onkyo a few years back. The new Pioneer models are essentially the same as Onkyo on the inside, with just different looks on the outside. From all I've read, they're not the same as what they once were. Alas, the cheapening and disposability aspects of consumer electronics are everywhere now - most brands do it, so it's not just a Pioneer issue.

Late last year, Pioneer/Onkyo almost got acquired by Sound United who already owns Denon, Marantz, and Polk, alas, that deal got called off at the last minute.


DARN IT!!!!!!
I wish you didnt tell me *LOL*

Aren't there ANY real companies out there anymore, good god, all part of nothing different then offshore "shell" corporations.
Man, well, I guess I will stick with Yamaha since we have been impressed with it and at least, so far, its still Yamaha sound division, even though they have a boat division and everything else in-between.

Im just sick of the cloning of everything, Yamaha it will be. Ill refuse to give in as long as I can to this giant cloning of the last of the audio equipment and yet my budget not big enough for some of the small companies.
I still to this day remember when this started to change, the day, the internet came about and the audio magazines such as Stereo Review and Audio stopped being printed. Once they stopped the younger people were no longer educated, now did they care to be educated about true power outputs and what neutral unaltered sound is.
All this has given way to "extra" bass headphones, and manufacturer sculpted sound, the heck with the sound the artist wanted to present.

I have to say, we truly live in a time where we have gone backwards on sound reproduction. The general public is happy with their little bluetooth speakers and not enough left to make real companies profitable and make good stuff.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top