Whaddya Think?

MacLeod · February 2005

Well, Ive researched and researched and this is my final draft of the system Im gonna put together.

Yamaha HTR5740 for the receiver. Its a high current amp rated at 100x6. Looks to be the most solid, highest performing receiver on the market for $270!

Monitor 40 for the fronts
Monitor 30 for surrounds
CS1 for center.

As I live in an apartment, Im not gonna worry with a sub for now.

This sound about right? I welcome opinions.

Now to start saving!

ohskigod · February 2005

thats a sweet little reciever for the money, guided my friend in putting together a budget home theater and was very impressed by the unit's performance (matched with BIC America speakers and a sony WM 500 sum, modded)

RuSsMaN · February 2005

I hope you like it 'bright and bouncy'. That's what the Monitor series on Yammie is going to result in.

Don't read me wrong, it's a great receiver - with my tastes in sound at that price point, I would have opted for something a little more lush and mellow on the top end, ie Onkyo, Denon.

Cheers,
Russ

dorokusai · February 2005

Yamaha is the bottom of my list.

Unless it's a Z9 or Z1, I have no interest....just my opinion.

pjdami · February 2005

Yamaha makes very reliable and solid receivers. Their amp section compared to a similarly powered Onkyo Integra receiver was more powerful and dynamic in my comparison.

Unfortunately, I have to agree that the Yamaha and Polk matchup isn't the best in terms of what I like. Voices and speech during movies was very difficult to listen to due to the forwardness (brightness) in presentation. I had to (and guests) rewind just to hear what was said many times.

Sony ES, Denon, better matchups for Polks IMO.

MacLeod · February 2005

My problem is that Im SEVERLY limited on budget and the Yam is the most I could spend.

This Onk 502, this Sony 597 and this Pioneer 514K are the other ones I was considering.

I cant afford any Denon or Sony ES models and these are the other brands I trust.

I realize you cant get a great receiver for $200 but Im trying to get the best I can on my po' **** budget.

Early B. · February 2005

Are you considering used gear? You may be able to increase your options plus get higher quality for the same amount of money if you do. Check out www.videogon.com.

okiepolkie · February 2005

If you don't mind refurbished, you can get a Denon 1705($209) or 1905($289) from ubid. The 1905 performs very well and has preamp outputs as well.

Kevinvb11 · February 2005

Originally posted by okiepolkie
If you don't mind refurbished, you can get a Denon 1705($209) or 1905($289) from ubid. The 1905 performs very well and has preamp outputs as well.

I'll second that. My Denon reciever has been bullet proof since I owned it. I've been driving 4 ohm speakers for the last four years... not a glitch.

stereo55 · February 2005

Vanns has the 5740 onsale for $260 w/FREE ship / NO tax HERE . (authorized dealer)

Also at Onecall for $230+ship (no tax)

Or , maybe a trip to Ubid for a Denon or Onkyo ...

MacLeod · February 2005

Im very leary of ordering online. The only places Ill get car audio gear from online are Crutchfield and Sounddomain. Theyve got extremely well proven track records and I trust them.

What are some reliable online stores for home audio? I dont trust Ebay or sites like that, only established retailers like Crutchfield.

Maybe I should just get the $200 Sony 597 and be happy.

stereo55 · February 2005

Originally posted by MacLeod
Im very leary of ordering online. The only places Ill get car audio gear from online are Crutchfield and Sounddomain. Theyve got extremely well proven track records and I trust them.

What are some reliable online stores for home audio? I dont trust Ebay or sites like that, only established retailers like Crutchfield.

Maybe I should just get the $200 Sony 597 and be happy.

I understand where your coming from .

Vanns has an xint track record , as Ive purchased quite a few things from them and always had great service .

My brother just purchased a pair of ATI 1502 amps from Onecall and was VERY VERY happy .

There is a thread about Ubid HERE (notice Ive put in my .02 there also )

You can also check resellerratings.com HERE

Onecall = 9.47 rating
Vanns = 8.77 rating
Ubid = 3.66 rating

You can also check Bizrate.com for more store ratings...

Onecall HERE
Vanns HERE
Ubid (not listed)

Hope this helps . Personally I would never recommend ANY online store if I had not dealt with them myself . Ive been shopping online for atleast 9 years and too am VERY careful where I shop .

gregure · February 2005

I've gotten two Onkyo receivers from Onecall.com, and their service is excellent. Had no problems with the unit, and would definitely buy from them again if I were in the market for products sold on their site. Their prices are unbeatable.
Just as established and trustworthy as Crutchfield or a walk-in store, if not more so. They even sent a follow up letter asking how everything was going-the unit, their service, etc. Really the best way to go.
In addition, if you're only in the market for a cheaper receiver, I really think Onkyo will go further. The amp rating may not be as high, but the sound quality matches the Polk speakers better, and Onks really are quite good. If you can find a decent used 701, or a new one at a great price, you would be golden. Sorry, but my opinion would be to ditch the Yamaha idea.

Mjr7531 · February 2005

That's sweet receiver you picked there Mac, it's full bandwidth tested, I can't figure out though, if it's all channels driven, maybe you call the company and find out?
Full bandwidth testing is a huge selling point for me.

MacLeod · February 2005

LOL!!

Thats 50% for the Yammie and 50% against the Yammie! Im so confused!

Ill check out those online stores.

Thanks for the help guys!

Tour2ma · February 2005

50:50??? Better do a recount... All, but two are saying that your intial combo is going to be very bright sounding... and I agree.

Out of the box the Mon's are going to sound bright on just about anything, but per Russ and others that lived with them a while, they settle down.

Yammie is just bright, period, but if your taste runs to liking bright, it could be the AVR for you...

TrappedUnder Ice · February 2005

I have Yammie/Polk combos in 2 rooms. I love it. The newer recievers are not quite as "bright" as the ones in the past. I actually have 3 yamaha recievers....I'm gonna need to buy 1 or 2 more recievers....what do ya think i'm gettin...yup...Yamaha. Unless I can talk the wife into the cost of seperates...Yeah right.

personally I compared the yammie to the denon/onkyo/hk etc...and normally like the Yamaha....but then again...Thats ME!

bert26 · February 2005

I'd have to agree with everyone about one call. I Bought an H/K DPR 1005 right before Christmas. Called them on my cell in traffic, and they patiently walked me through the transaction. The unit was double boxed and sent Saturday delivery via FedEx. Arrived on time with absolutley no issues. They followed up a few days later with a phone call to make sure that everything was ok. I would not hesitate to do business with them again.

As for the Monitor 30's, I am running them as surrounds, and I have been pleased. They don't get much of a workout, but in some instances they make my head turn, and the dogs bark. They most recently impressed me when watching Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Say what you will about the movie, it is one of the best non - DTS soundtracks I own. I will also agree that the Monitors start off a bit bright and settle down. My 60's are really growing on me, although I haven't had the chance (or the cash!) to tube them as Russ has suggested. One of these days!

I retired a Yamaha HTR 5440 (80 watts into 8 ohms) that I never had any troubles with. I never pushed it very hard, and it always performed well.

MacLeod (of the Clan MacLoed?) - I'd be willing to sell my little Yammie if you're interested. Maybe get you started a little cheaper. No pre-outs though. Feel free to PM me if you're game. If not - good luck, and good hunting!

MacLeod · February 2005

In car audio. all amps sound the same. Some may have less distortion and some may be more powerful with more headroom but none have "clearer highs" or "tighter bass" than another model. This is proven by the $10,000 Amp Challenge. All you have to do is correctly distinguish between 2 different amps in a blind test and you get $10,000. In the 10 or so years this has been going on, NOBODY has yet to claim the prize!!!

Home audio is different in that receivers are more than just amplifiers. They have all kinds of EQ's and sound fields and whatever else they call em so you can just buy based on specs cause Im sure they all sound different. :mad:

I like the Yam cause on paper, it has the best specs and seems to be the most soild and high performing. And at $230 at Onecall, it seems hard to beat.

The comparable Onk is $300 everywhere and although the Sony is $200, it just doesnt seem to be as solid as either the Yammie or the Onk.

I guess I can get the Yam now and use it temporarily whilst I save up for one of these $5000 Sunfire receivers I just found on Onecall! Gawdamighty! Are these things really worth $5000?

My Polk MM6's started out very bright but as they got broken in they mellowed out to a near perfect color for me. Im sure the Monitors will be similar.

...and yes, thats ...Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod!

But my friends call me Aaron.

xsmi · February 2005

I have owned a Yamaha RX-V2090 for 8 years now and when I got it, I was told that it would be bright. This was mind you before I even walked into the store! When I got there, there were Denons, Marantz's, Sony ES's and Pioneer Elites that I tried in side by side comparisons. At that time, I don't know if I hit a sweet spot in the Yamaha Line, but for the $1300 I paid for that unit, I could not findanything in the store that was as smooth or transparent as that receiver save the seperates in the other room that to start I was looking at double the price. I don't know about Yamaha's less expensive gear but mu 2090 I will use both in 2 CH and 7 CH pro logic until it dies.

Tour2ma · February 2005

Originally posted by MacLeod
... use it temporarily whilst I save up for one of these $5000 Sunfire receivers I just found on Onecall! Gawdamighty! Are these things really worth $5000?

Whilst? Damn... are you an honest to goodness import???

The Sunfire Ultimate for $5k... IMO, no... because there are so many good used deals on Sunfire separates around...

MacLeod · February 2005

Originally posted by Tour2ma
Whilst? Damn... are you an honest to goodness import???

Jest not about thy fellow Polkie's chosen words. Lest ye feel the wrath upon thee!

Mjr7531 · February 2005

Originally posted by MacLeod

...and yes, thats ...Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod! But my friends call me Aaron.

Can I be Richie?

So you're set on the Yammie? Have fun with it, I'm sure you'll be satisfied.

PolkFreak · February 2005

The onkyo and denon budget receivers are rated at 6 ohms.
The budget Yamaha receivers have an impedance switch on the back and you can switch the impedance to 4 ohm. All Yamaha receivers come with the impedance switch on 8 ohm "or higher"
I think the switch should be set to 4 ohm "or higher" because
it could adjust to any speaker from 4 ohm to 16 ohm. When the switch is at 8 ohm or higher it limits the options of speaker impedance. Almost every Polk speaker I have owned has been rated 4 ohm. I tested them with my RAT SHACK meter. My Monitor 10's were the only ones rated at 6 ohm. The rest are have been 4 ohm. For Example, the Monitor 7C, 5 JR++, "both have the same drivers and tweeters". Both are 4 ohm. The RTi 28's, R15's, and the LSi9's are 4 ohm. Some Polk speakers say, "compatable with 8 ohm outputs". That is just saying that they can play on an 8 ohm receiver being driven at moderate levels. All of the Polk speakers that have "compatable with 8 ohm outputs" that I have tested have been 4 ohm. Yamaha seems to be the only budget receiver in its price class that can do a 4 ohm load. Since speaker
impedance always changes while its running the Yamaha is made to go as low as 2 ohm. The Yamaha needless to say is more capable of high current than an Onkyo or Denon in YOUR budget.
The Yamaha would also be the more "campatable" choice in terms of impedance therefore running your Polk speakers closer to their potental. If you decide to go with Yamaha make sure the impedance is switched to 4 ohm. I don't know of many receivers so if anyone can name another budget receiver that can do a 4 ohm load speak now. I must also mention that since speaker impedance always changes while the speaker is running that Onkyo manuals state WPC at lower impedance levels, but also state on the receivers that the speakers impedance should be no lower than 6 ohm. Denon says the same thing on their receivers.
So I think that would imply that the Onkyo and Denon receivers are NOT "4 ohm stable". I'm not sure what their higher end HT receivers are rated at, but I just know this is the way the lower end ones are.

AsSiMiLaTeD · February 2005

FWIW, just becuase a receiver has a 4 ohm switch on the back doesn't mean it can do 4 ohms effectively.

While helping a friend out a while back with his Yammy receiver, I spoke to two techs and Yamaha and they both told me to NOT switch the thing to 4 ohms...go figure...

Nothing wrong with the Yamahas, I just prefer a smoother, less bright sound...If you like a bright sound (based on your speaker choices, this looks to be the case), then a yamma is perfect for you...

PolkFreak · February 2005

My bad for opening my BIG yap about having the ohm switch always set to 4, but I do think the switch should be set accordingly. I mean to say I have seen people that left the switch at 8 ohm with a 4 ohm speaker. If ya have the proper option, why not take it. If the person doesn't know about running at the proper impedance or that they are running at the wrong impedance for the speaker, they wouldn't know they had the option. I had a friend that had speakers that were rated at 4 ohm and he was running them at 8. He didn't know the speakers were 4 ohm and the receiver was running at 8. I wasn't making a
direct comment to you or anyone else about their fine taste in audio. I just thought that running speakers at the proper impedance was improtant to get the most out of them. I see people running LSi9's with 8 ohm receivers. It just seems like nobody mentions those points I mentioned in the last post. I thought they were an important part of deciding what receiver to go with. I'd like to hear more on that "TECH" situation. Did the tech know what speakers/impedance you were dealing with? Or was he just trying to tell you not to move the switch with the power on? Which would be bad... Please forgive me! I Just want to understand where you were comin from with the "TECH" situation.

MacLeod · February 2005

Ya know. Im about as wishy-washy as a damn woman.

I went back to Tweeter the other day and gave another listen to the RTi6 vs the T90 or whatever they are.

The Monitor had more bass but overall the 6 just sounded a lot better. So therefore Im not going with the RTi series. :rolleyes:

Ive also decided against the Yamaha as it doesnt have S-video outputs which is all my TV excepts. Probably gonna go with the Onk 502 as its the only other high current receiver in this price range ($250).

Also, went over to Best Buy and gave a listen to their speakers. None impressed me but the Klipsh did. These were their entry level models and they sounded pretty damn good! I was really impressed!

aubrey jeffcote · February 2005

Another option for your receiver if you don't mind factory refurbished with the full, new product warranty is Harmon Kardon.Try their Ebay store.They auction a variety of receivers on 24 hour auctions.You may be able to pick up a 230 or even 330 in your price range.

organ · February 2005

Which model Klipsch did you audition? harman/kardon goes very well with them.

Maurice

unc2701 · February 2005

Ultimately it comes down to your preference. I think Yamaha's & polks sound fine together- I would try to get a RX-Vxxxx model rather than a HTR-XXXX model if your budget can handle it.

As for the impedence issue: There aren't many receivers that I'd trust to drive a 4 ohm load- sooner or later, you're going to want to go to seperates, end of story.

Now as for that 4 Ohm /8 Ohm switch, it's typically there for UL reasons. A 4 ohm speaker will pull more current through the amplifier, everything gets hotter and your AVR becomes a fire hazard as far as UL is concerned. The switch LIMITS THE CURRENT that your speakers get. On the on hand, this is bad since the speakers are getting less juice and it will harm the sound. On the other hand if your going to be driving speakers that hard with an AVR, it's going to not sound too good anyway.

MacLeod · February 2005

Originally posted by organ
Which model Klipsch did you audition? harman/kardon goes very well with them.

Maurice

This was the bookshelf I liked.

This was the tower.

The bookshelf sounded very good but lacked bass of course. The tower sounded awesome and had a good little punch to it! I liked it much better than the model with dual 6.5" drivers!

Price aint bad either!

Whaddya Think?

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