receivers what to buy

anothermbdusted

Hello everyone...

I just recently purchased my first Real home speakers the RTI10's from CC for 200 a wack...Hope that was a good deal...Getting the CSi5 in morning.. I've been looking at receivers as I don't have one yet and don't want to spend more then 500 for one...The guy said to get a Onkyo and I'll be happy and alot of the people on this forum says the same but what other brands and models would fit my budget?That would be a good choice?Remember I'm a little new to receivers as I always bought a cheap surround sound from places like walmart.. I plan on getting the recommended setup that polk has on the website...Figure they know what their talking about...I watch movies 80% of the time and the other 20% music...Plz help as I want to purchase this on Friday....And if not normal brand (sony,pioneer,yamaha,jvc...etc)plz include a website... Thank you for any responses.....

gidrah

On this site you're gonna hear 4 brands in this price range. Yamaha, Onkyo, HK, or Pioneer Elite. Some membersmay even think about some of the Sony or Panasonic digital receivers, but wouldn't have the balls to suggest it.

I stopped doing 5.1 about 6 months ago, but I just disconnected my JVC 9010-VBK receiver last weekend. I have plenty of gear that I could've put in it's place, but I didn't feel the need because it sounds pretty good. It's fairly basic by today's standards, but has many features I liked. It has 2nd zone (CD on speaker B and FM an speaker A type thing), can handle a 4ohm load without a worry, RF remote (no pointing or you could be in another room).

The main thing I can suggest is to listen for yourself. Listen loud too. Try to go to CC and get in good with a salesman. Ask him to switch around a bunch of stuff if need be. This is their job.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by gidrah
On this site you're gonna hear 4 brands in this price range. Yamaha, Onkyo, HK, or Pioneer Elite.

Mark, how could you leave Denon off that list ...seems like more people here own that than any other brand...

anothermbdusted...

Ultimately, let your own ears guide your purchase. Alot of guys on here run Denon, as do I. Personally, I think the 3801 is one of the best recdeivers I've heard below $2000...you could snag one of those for below $500...you'd have to buy used though becuase that's a 2001 model.

You might also look at the Sony ES stuff from a couple years ago (STR-DA2ES, DA3ES, DA4ES. I had one of these for a while and loved it. I wouls steer clear of their newer stuff right now though...

Ultimately though, you just gotta listen. I would definitely go somewhere else in addition to CC becuase CC only carries ONkyo and HK. I think you need to listen to Pioneer Elite and Denon before you make that decision...and give Yamaha a listen to.

It's not that any of the brands are better than the others, it's about which on sounds best to you.

Also, if you're willing to buy used, you can get more for your money. Check out Ebay and Audiogon...just make sure your seller has good feedback...

jefft1314

Buy a factory refurbed denon, marantz, or harman kardon, that's my suggestion. 500 should get you a refurbed denon avr 2803 which has preouts so allows for furture uprgradeability. There's too much good stuff out there used or refurbed to buy new. Check out ecost.com for the refurbed denons and search the web for the marantz or harman kardon. Five hundred dollars will get you a lot of receiver in the used or refurbed side of things, or it will get you a onkyo 601, a harman kardon avr230, or a denon avr-1804 (my personal suggestion if you decide to go new, i really like my denon). But like others suggested definitely try and listen to as many of these receivers with the Polks as you can. I personally like the sound of the Onkyo's with Polks RTI's, others will clame it creates too bright of a sound for music.

VR3

With 500 to spend...

Don't even look at Pioneer or Pioneer Elite.

They make nice looking receivers, great preamp sections, but their amp section is terrible -- not to mention they run HOT!!!! - unless you can get one for 500 that is above the Pioneer Elite VSX-41

I would look at.....

Yamaha, NAD, Denon :rolleyes: , Onkyo - tons out there!

And yes, the Panasonic Digital receivers are supposed to be awesome, as are the Sony Digital Drive -- the older series, I would look at.

Digital amps are pretty cool...

anothermbdusted

Well thank you for the responses..I'm going to do a little more research on what models have been mentioned and go driving around to hear the differnt models...I dont know anywhere I can listen to a denon though....got bestbuy,CC,ultimant elec.,rcwilleys...and dont really wish to buy used(had bad luck in past with used things)but I have listened to a few yamahas and onkyo's and sonys and pioneers,panisonics,harmon kardon,and out of the ones I have the onkyo 601 and yamaha 5760 sounded the best to me... but i have decided that im going to go listen to them and then go to their respected website and see if i can get a refurbished unit for a little cheaper and maybe a better model for a few bucks more.....

cfrizz

You can go to Denon's or any of the manufacturers websites and search for a dealer in your area.

jefft1314

My refurbed denon1804 came to me in perfect condition, I mean not a cosmetic problem with it , letalone any performance issues. But if you don't want to go the used or refurbed route, you're probably dead on with the onkyo 601, will probably be best receiver you can buy new for 500. I'd personally get an hk or a denon, but we all have different tastes.

jefft1314

Oh, and the pioneer 912k is actually a pretty nice sounding receiver with ample power (real life measurements at 90watts per channel all channels driven) my denon is a little smoother, and I prefer it, but the 912 is an excellent performer. The only issue with it was the annoying crossover settings, no setting for anything under 100hz. I haven't heard or seen the new 914 in a store, but I know they upgraded the dac's to 192/24's and if they improved the bass management system it may be a worthwhile receiver to check out. I'm no audiophile, but trust me, the 912 is by no means a bad receiver, it runs circles around any sony product at the same price and i think performed favorably against an onkyo 501 (the 502 is also an excellent performer for the price, though the 601 should be an upgrade, I'd compare the two of them against each other, you may be surprised.) Had to get that in there, far too often people bash things they haven't actually listened to or experienced. I took the 912 home for a couple weeks, and I like I said it did a very nice job for both music and movies.

anothermbdusted

well after listening to alot of the systems out there i decided on a denon 1804/884 now im trying to figure out how to hook it up to my tv and vcr lol no s vid cables on vcr but i got all kinds of ways to the back of my tv though but got a cable box also that has hdtv dang im screwed lol but it sounded great so i guess ill find out once i get this thing connected in like a few hours and a few beers lol

jefft1314

Glad to hear you picked up the 1804, I think it's really an excellent receiver for the money. Powered zone-2 s-video up conversion, which actually brings me to my next point. On the back of the receiver there is a monitor out jack, hook up an s-video from this into the back of your tv. Anything you hook up to the reciever that is s-video or composite video will go through that output into your tv, so less video switching! And if you get screwed like me and have a tv with a worthless component video imput you can just leave your tv on one input all the time! Hell, lol, I don't even turn my tv off most of the time it just sits there on video 1.

anothermbdusted

need to get alot of banana plugs lol but I love how it sounds.....still trying to figure out the dials and all and still got to program it also for all my remotes lol....
got the rti4 for the rear and the rti10 for the front and csi3 for the center and absolutly love the sound it reproduces.rewatching all my movies now lol

jefft1314

I love mine, though I had to get a different universal remote, one that had leaning commands. I still use the Denon remote for setup functions, but everything else I run through a 30 dollar phillips remote.

dbournival

I have a Pioneer Elite and find it to be a great receiver. I reccommend you check one out. I also have a Onkyo that I purchased as a refurb for 50% on the cost on new. The Onkyo is a good receiver, but a little small for the space that it is filling.