Help chosing an AV receiver????

Polkemon

Please Read and offer some experience to me.
I am new to the Home audio game and need some help with choices.
I curently have a PS3 running via Comp. Video & a DirecTV HD/DVR running via HDMI to the Sony Wega KD-34XBR970. I had recentily purchased a set of the Bose 16 Flagship 6.1 speaker set and I must say that that was the crapiest set of speakers I have ever heared and I must say that they went back for a refund quickly.

I have a Polk 505 Subwoofer on the way and am looking into a good sounding AV Receiver & Speakers.

I am looiking into these three at around the $1000 mark but am open to sugestions.
Yamaha RXV-861
Denon AVR-2807
Onkyo TXSR805

Now about the speakers: I am looking at the RTi10 or RTi8 Towers for the Front Mains and run the front and Zone 2 outs to them in a Bi-Amp set up so your sugestions would be helpful.What would be a good set to use for the back surrounds?

Thanks
Donny

Early B.

Forget about bi-amping. Spend $500 on a nice receiver with preouts and buy a 2-channel amp to power the RTi10's. This option should sound much better than powering 10's on a $1,000 receiver. Next, get a Csi5 center channel and some RTi6's for the rear, and you'll be in hog heaven.

candyliquor35m

great name. I can't believe it wasn't taken already.

cfrizz

Welcome Donny.

I am partial to Denon's myself.

Most people complain that the combo of a Yamaha & RTI's comes across as too bright. which to me means that I will have a headache after an hour.

I know that quite a few people have Onkyo's and are happy with them.

Whatever receiver you get, just make sure that is has preouts for future expansion. The Denon 2807 does.

Good luck.

duksbak

Polkemon wrote: »

I had recentily purchased a set of the Bose 16 Flagship 6.1 speaker set and I must say that that was the crapiest set of speakers I have ever heared and I must say that they went back for a refund quickly.

Quoteworthy. I had to quote it.:D

Pepi28

Early B. wrote: »

Forget about bi-amping. Spend $500 on a nice receiver with preouts and buy a 2-channel amp to power the RTi10's. This option should sound much better than powering 10's on a $1,000 receiver. Next, get a Csi5 center channel and some RTi6's for the rear, and you'll be in hog heaven.

I def. second his getting a cheaper rec. with preouts and getting a 2 chan amp.

Polkemon

About the name Polemon? I was in shock as well that is was available.

I think I am going to search for a cheaper receiver with the pre-outs and go with the second amp as mentioned.

Any good sugestions on the Amp for the RTi10's to run off this for a good price that will be better than the onboared amps in the $1000 receivers.

I just sold a TA-N77ES Sony Amp on Ebay that I wish I would have kept now that I am told to do a external Amp for the Front.

Donny

engtaz

Adcom,Outlaw Audio,Carver,Rotel and .....

Polkemon

Hey guys I just got back from my other Browser shopping at Crutchfield and I have a couple of choices that have pre-outs and was wondering what thoughts would be.


Sony ES STR-DA3200ES 120 X 7 and is $799 after a $100 Savings

Yamaha RX-V661 for $499 and has 90 X 7.

Most of the 2CH Amps I am finding in the $500-$800 Range are less power than most of the $1000 AV Receivers. I found a Niles that puts out 125 X 2 at 8ohms and 200 X 2 at 4 Ohms for $649. Could I make this amp show a pair of RTi10's the 4 Ohms and would this be good?


Thanks
Donny

engtaz

Try to aim for 200 watts for fronts and center that way you arn't upgrading again. The side and back speakers don't require as much power. Get a AVR with 80 to 100 watts a channel per 7.1 channel AVR, then pick up a amp with 200 watts achannel. AVR = Denon, HK, Rotel, Outlaw, NAD to name a few of the favorites Yammi and Sony are a step down to me.

Good Luck

Early B.

Polkemon wrote: »

Hey guys I just got back from my other Browser shopping at Crutchfield and I have a couple of choices that have pre-outs and was wondering what thoughts would be.


Sony ES STR-DA3200ES 120 X 7 and is $799 after a $100 Savings

Yamaha RX-V661 for $499 and has 90 X 7.

Most of the 2CH Amps I am finding in the $500-$800 Range are less power than most of the $1000 AV Receivers. I found a Niles that puts out 125 X 2 at 8ohms and 200 X 2 at 4 Ohms for $649. Could I make this amp show a pair of RTi10's the 4 Ohms and would this be good?


Thanks
Donny

Keep looking. Don't be afraid to buy refurbished units. You can always find good deals. Stick with Denon, Harmon Kardon, Onkyo, Pioneer Elite, or Marantz for your receiver.

Buy a used 2-channel amp and save yourself lots of money. Take your time and do some homework first. Visit the System Showcase and take a look at the amps some of the folks here use.

Dennis Gardner

Don't confuse wattage claims with 7 channel receivers with a quality 2 channel amps wattage. Few receivers actually deliver their claims, while many 2 channel amps exceed theirs.

Polkemon

Do I look for a Amp that puts out the 200 at 4 ohms or 8 ohms and what would I want the RTi10's (or should I go RTi12's) to see or can I make them see the 8 or the 4 ohm load.

How do I up the power to the center channel since the receiver will show them 80-90 watts.

Thanks

engtaz

200 watts @ 8 ohms. 2channel amp and a outlaw Audio mono 200 watts amp. or a 200 watts a 3 channel amp.

Dennis Gardner

Polkemon wrote: »

Do I look for a Amp that puts out the 200 at 4 ohms or 8 ohms and what would I want the RTi10's (or should I go RTi12's) to see or can I make them see the 8 or the 4 ohm load.

How do I up the power to the center channel since the receiver will show them 80-90 watts.

Thanks

You can't make a speaker show different loads.

The 10s respond nicely to more power and the 12s demand it. Choosing speakers once you've chosen a particular brand's line is dependent mostly on the size of your room to be filled and size of your wallet to be drained.;)

When buying new gear.......choose the largest speakers and amps you can afford, to avoid wasting $$$ ugrading later. If you purchase used, you stand to lose less.

cfrizz

Again, unless you like your music extremely bright & harsh, I would avoid the Yamaha receivers.

You can step down to the Denon 2307 or 1907 if you want. Then get any of these for your amplification.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1189370816
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1189926746

Polkemon

Damn you GUYS are great!!

When I stated about the 4 or 8 ohm speaker I meant are the Polks able to have your amp see 4 or 8 ohms, another words can your wire them in series to drop your amp down like a woofer in a car that comes to be wired to show different ohm loads.

Sorry for the confusion.
Donny

Dennis Gardner

Home amps rate for and like 8 ohms as a rule. Better amps will of course handle the lower loads, but mainstream receiver's amplifiers aren't among those that can.

wallstreet

Out of the 3 you have listed, I like the Denon best. Make sure you get HDMI switching. The 2807 will make the RTi's sing rather nicely.

Polkemon

Now with the receivers I mentioned in the start of the thread what one would be the best to go with if I go that route instead of the amp with a cheaper receiver.

Onkyo is THX and puts out 7 X 130
Denon is not THX and puts out 7 X 110

Crutchfield has a Sony ES for $300 Savings making it $1299. This is not THX and is 130 X 7.

Is THX what I should look for or not????

I want the best SQ so I want the receiver that will give the best SQ and then in the future I can also add Amps to any of them. I am leaning towards the RTi10 unless I am convinced that the RTi12's would be a better choice.

My plan is to send the 4 front channels of the receiver I chose to the RTi's giving them 220-260 watts at 8ohms.

Thanks

MSALLA

Polkemon wrote: »

Any good sugestions on the Amp for the RTi10's to run off this for a good price that will be better than the onboared amps in the $1000 receivers.

There is an ADCOM GFA 555 for sale in the flea market right now for $350.00 shipped. 200 wpc @ 8 ohm's. Perfect for your plans at a nice low price.

askinquestions

MSALLA wrote: »

There is an ADCOM GFA 555 for sale in the flea market right now for $350.00 shipped. 200 wpc @ 8 ohm's. Perfect for your plans at a nice low price.

Unless your planning on 7.1 or 5.1, if you have the coin, get the 5 channel or 7 channel amp so you can be done with it.

Face

MSALLA wrote: »

There is an ADCOM GFA 555 for sale in the flea market right now for $350.00 shipped. 200 wpc @ 8 ohm's. Perfect for your plans at a nice low price.

+1..

tonyb

1st option is the seperate amp,will give you plenty of power.
If you really want an avr,I'll suggest a B&K 307 on the used market for around a grand.Best SQ you will hear from an avr imho.THX doesn't mean squat,don't let that sway your decision.Seperate amp is by all means,the 1st choice.To each his own though.

MADGSF

Do stay away from bright sounding AVR's, like the Yamaha, with the RTi range. I would lean towards a HK or NAD before the Pioneer which I have. I agree a high current amp is needed to make the RTi-10 or 12 sound their best. I am partial to B&K as I think they compliment the RTi series and suggest you find a good used B&K 2 channel whatever AVR you get. The RTi-12s with a good amp will put out as much bass as your Polk Sub. And as Tonyb stated the THX stamp would not sway me either way.

AndyGwis

I agree, from my sig you can see I think HK, NAD and B&K gear are all "warmer" sounding and would be great with Polk speakers, especially supposedly "brighter" ones like the RTis.