Receiver Upgrade

polkerfan
polkerfan Posts: 120
in Electronics
Need opinions on this one- I currently have a DENON AVRX2100W (couple years old) and am looking to upgrade. I'm VERY interested in the brand new AVRX4500H, which lists at $1599, but I also see the AVRX4400H (lasts years model?) which lists at $899. Is the 4500 worth the extra $700?! Also, is either receiver going to be a NOTICEABLE improvement sonically over my 2100?
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Comments

  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,465
    I'd say save the $700 and get the 4400H. I have that same AVR and love it. Music rocks as good as my SR5010 did and movies are great.

    Yes you will notice a difference over your 2100. The 44XX has a lot more power and better sound boards.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,814
    Personally, I'd keep saving for when that receiver dies. Then get one. Otherwise, not worth upgrading unless there is a feature you HAVE to have in the newer version.

    I've had a lot of receivers through the years. If primarily watching movies/TV, then the difference is not huge. There may be a 'noticeable' difference, but there may be other areas where $800 could have a bigger improvement (ie: if your subwoofer is not already a top performer)
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    Save for separates.... Get some nice amps and when the separate pre becomes out dated you just replace the pre... Way better SQ than an AVR.
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
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  • polkerfan
    polkerfan Posts: 120
    excellent point. Maybe back to square one...
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    Are you trying to go 4k?
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • polkerfan
    polkerfan Posts: 120
    already there. Sony Bravia 55". What are youre thoughts?
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    I would get this: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marsr5012/marantz-sr5012-7.2-ch-x-100-watts-networking-a/v-receiver-w/heos/1.html

    And then spend the rest of your budget on a really good two channel amp that will long outlast the receiver. Or, if your speakers are really easy to drive, spend the extra on a sub upgrade.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,465
    You need a good foundation to start on. The Marantz is a very nice AVR. Only problem with the SR50XX is the Audyssey XT, it does not come with XT32. basic XT takes a little to dial in. I went from an SR5010 to a 4400H much nicer over all AVR. If you go Marantz go SR60XX which comes with XT32.

    A good sub is a must, HSU and SVS make some of the best bang for the buck subs on the market.

    Adding a power amp is a nice upgrade when you can. Signatures are an easy speaker to drive, I added an amp and it was a hello moment when I powered it on.

    What speakers are you using?

    What is your end goal? This hobby can get a little costly.

    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,772
    mrloren wrote: »

    This hobby can get a little costly.

    Ya think?
    8rdhopz27fpk.jpg
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  • delkal
    delkal Posts: 764
    Keep your surround sound rig as is and start saving up for a dedicated stereo.

    Then you will know about an expensive hobby................
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 10,015
    Heck, my buddy just spent over five grand on a bicycle
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  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    ANY hobby CAN be expensive. Additionally, expensive is subjective/relative to the individual.

    Cheers!
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    dromunds wrote: »
    Heck, my buddy just spent over five grand on a bicycle

    Do you have an address ? Have some bolt cutters not doing anything at the moment. 5G's on a bike ? You know the kind of espresso maker I can buy for that coin. :)
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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