Marantz SR6300 - receiver choice?

AsSiMiLaTeD
AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
edited February 2004 in Electronics
OK, was supposed to get an H/K AVR80, but the seller fell through...now I'm looking at the Marantz SR6300.

Can anyone tell me anything about this receiver, is this a good buy for around $400? Is there another unit in that price range that I can look at? I am currently running an Onkyo Tx-DS595, and this should be at least an upgrade...

Thanks
Post edited by AsSiMiLaTeD on
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited February 2004
    sounds like a great buy to me, some ppl dont like marantz stuff and feel they have gone down the drain but im very happy with my receiver, no complaints here. why not go for the newer 6400 though? money? i think that marantz will be a step up from the onkyo tho, i wouldnt go with the onk
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Airplay355
    sounds like a great buy to me, some ppl dont like marantz stuff and feel they have gone down the drain but im very happy with my receiver, no complaints here. why not go for the newer 6400 though? money? i think that marantz will be a step up from the onkyo tho, i wouldnt go with the onk

    yeah, the 6400 is a bit more expensive.

    Any other thoughts in here on Onkyo vs. this newer Marantz? I'll also try some searching through the forums.

    Thanks
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited February 2004
    Does anyone know anything about the PIONEER ELITE VSX-43TX?

    Unfortunately, I cannot listen to either of these receivers, so I'm hoping to get some feedback here.

    Thanks
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,201
    edited February 2004
    Buying a receiver off faith isn't something I feel should be done.
    Now if sound quality isn't a big factor then buying by features will work.

    As far as Marantz products,I find them to make some of the best sounding recievers on the market.Good power,clean and dymanic.

    Pioneer Elite is also a top notch product.Excellent sound quality dollar for dollar.

    Remember that the kind of speakers and wire used will greatly change the sound quality.Some receivers are better suited to drive certain trypes of speakers.Even better receivers sound worse on speakers that don't match.

    Bottom line is this,you need to hear what THEY sound like and figure out if they also have the correct amount of inputs and features needed to work in your system.

    Sound quality is first in my book,then features and connectability is 2nd.Rule has it..it;s needed to have it all.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited February 2004
    i agree mantis......

    polk maniac you should go out and demo a much gear as possible, preferably with the speakers you will be using. but making a list of gear to demo does help but i wouldnt pin down an actual receiver unless u are getting a special price on it. is that the case?
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Airplay355
    i agree mantis......

    polk maniac you should go out and demo a much gear as possible, preferably with the speakers you will be using. but making a list of gear to demo does help but i wouldnt pin down an actual receiver unless u are getting a special price on it. is that the case?

    Actually, price is a factor here. I just moved into the new house and don't have much money to toss at a receiver. It looks like I can get either one of these for ~$300, which appears to be a good deal based on actual value of each of these.

    I have a pair of RTi150s I'll be driving with the receiver I choose, so I'm wanting the best match for those speakers. The problem is that I can't demo either receiver. And even if I could demo these side by side, the chances of me finding a place with these receivers that also sells Polk around here are slim.

    Any thoughts?
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  • haroo
    haroo Posts: 83
    edited February 2004
    ive had nad,sony,pioneere,akai,nakamichi....
    theres nothing that can even touch the power and sound stage of my sr-18ex !!!! EXECPT MACENTOSH
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    --MARANTZ SR18ex 140wpc x 5 (high current/direct amp)thx-ex "ultra"
    electrohome tube amp 15watt. pr channel(aprox.1955a.d.) for 2 channel audio{recently recapped& tubed-5ar4power rect. & 12au7)
    -kenwood amp(km-996/140wpc(used for 7.1 rears(thx ex)
    -toshiba dvd video/audio player(progressive scan) sd-4700
    -sony sacd cd player scd-xe670
    -nakamichi "music bank cd player "6+1disk(20bit dac)
    -toshiba hifi vcr (v3 pro head)
    -motorola digital cable box
    -RCA 32' "home theater" PIP tv
    -polk RT800i x 2 (mains) ~bi-wired
    -polk sc400i x 1 (center) ~bi-wired
    -polk fx300i x 2 (side fx) ~di-pole
    -polk r10 x 2 (rears)
    -polk pws250 (powered sub)
    -2x173ltr(48"-16")sono subs(powered by kenwood kr-7200 250watt & w/ audiosource EQ (model eq eight/series II)
    -Thorens td-166 mk II/Grado silver fs1
    -Thorens td-160/empire 66cart
    -Dual 601
    -D.I.Y. carfea "little big horns"-(pioneer full range 8" & fostex 4" compression horn tweaters
    -sony (ps1)
    -sony (ps2)

    -haroo, "GOD gave you the gift of sound, Your gift to God is what you do with it!"
    "marantz haroo"
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited February 2004
    i would go with the marantz, i used my sr7200 to power my rti150s and did not need a subwoofer with them. marantz and polk is definitely a nice combo. go for it!
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited February 2004
    Okay, it seems like Marantz has more support than the Pioneer, think i'll go that route.

    I listened to a couple of the Sony ES receivers, but they wer hooked up to crap speakers, is the ES line any good. A few years ago I wouldn't even mention Sony in the same sentence with Polk, but I hear their ES stuff is OK. Anyone own one of those and want to share a little?

    Thanks
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,783
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Polkmaniac
    Okay, it seems like Marantz has more support than the Pioneer, think i'll go that route.

    I listened to a couple of the Sony ES receivers, but they wer hooked up to crap speakers, is the ES line any good. A few years ago I wouldn't even mention Sony in the same sentence with Polk, but I hear their ES stuff is OK. Anyone own one of those and want to share a little?

    Thanks

    Sony doesn't get much love here but several of us have and like them. I've got a DA1ES, Doro has a DA2 and I've seen a few DA4's in the system showcase. Great gear IMO and a pretty good bang for the buck.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2004
    Ken - Unloved would be a great term for Sony, :D

    It's unfortunate, but they do make some real losers. The only exception IMO would be the ES line. Its manufactured very nicely, and contains better components than the standard lineup. I wouldn't buy anything but ES as far as Sony goes, but that's just personal. They really are feature oriented and provide alot of connectivity.

    The two previous AVR lineups are strong, DA1ES-DA7ES and the DA333ES-DA777ES. I have unfortunately heard more bad things about the new Digital series than good, but digital is not my bag anyways.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,783
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by dorokusai
    Ken - Unloved would be a great term for Sony, :D

    It's unfortunate, but they do make some real losers. The only exception IMO would be the ES line. Its manufactured very nicely, and contains better components than the standard lineup. I wouldn't buy anything but ES as far as Sony goes, but that's just personal. They really are feature oriented and provide alot of connectivity.

    The two previous AVR lineups are strong, DA1ES-DA7ES and the DA333ES-DA777ES. I have unfortunately heard more bad things about the new Digital series than good, but digital is not my bag anyways.

    While I agree 100% I don't think Sony's entry level stuff should be singled out. I think most all manufacturers entry level gear is mediocre at best. IMO of course
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited February 2004
    alright, looks like I'm going with the SR6300, found it from an online Authorized Marantz dealer for $480.

    I'll post again after I test it...
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited February 2004
    Well, all that for nothing, looks like I'm going to get the H/K AVR80 MKII after all. I am hoping this receiver is as good as I remember. This was out when I first started getting into home audio a few years back, and I remember it being one of the best sounding receivers I have listened to to date.

    I'm hoping that I was impressed due to true quality and not just the 'wow factor' of this being one of the first units I ever listened to...can't really find one of these to listen to anywhere today, so we'll just have to wait and see.

    Thanks everyone for the info.
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