Help picking a receiver... (1 Viewer)

[rlsterling3]

Ok, so my wife and I just bought a house, bonus for me it already has a theater built in! So I have decided to upgrade all the components in the theater to newer hardware (which lets me move the current projector to a new room ;-) So here is my list of hardware so far, all I'm really looking for now I guess is the receiver. Projector: Panasonic PT-AE8000 http://www.projectorcentral.com/Panasonic-PT-AE8000.htm Front Speakers: (2) Polk audio Tsi 500's http://www.polkaudio.com/products/tsi500 Center: Polk Audio CS 20 http://www.polkaudio.com/products/cs20 Surround: (2) FX/iA6's http://www.polkaudio.com/products/fxia6 I'm not sure what Receiver to go with. I've been thinking of the Marantz sr 6007 http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=avreceivers&ProductId=SR6007 or, well, I guess I haven't been thinking of much else. I'd like something that handles 3D as my new projector is 3D. (not that I watch a lot of 3D, but it would be nice to have) Are there any sugestions as to a receiver or component set to use? I'd like to keep it under or near the $1500 mark as well. I hope to get soe help here because I feel as though my heads going to explode after reading all the info I have lately. Thanks Rob S Chicago

 

[schan1269]

Your AVR is determined by what you are connecting and your use. Wii? VCR? BD? DVD? SAT/Cable? NAS? Have... Ipad/Ipod/Iphone/Droid?. Laptop? NAS?

 

[rlsterling3]

Good point, I didn't mention what I'll be using. The projector will be used primarily for movies and games. My ps3 is what I use for both blue rays and gaming. I might hook cable up to it as well, that hasn't been determined yet for sure. I may also stream some music from my iPhone or iPad as well. The biggest role will be blue ray and gaming.

 

[schan1269]

There is no reason to spend the amount you have budgeted. Those speakers are going to make your ears bleed at 20wpc(power doubles for every 3db increase). 20wpc gets those speakers comfortably over 100db. To get to 110db, you'd need 200. Unless you want to go 7.1, I'd get this... http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1613-Channel-Networking-Receiver/dp/B007R8U5QW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363193555&sr=1-2&keywords=denon+avr That will do everything you need...with nothing you don't need. The only things(pertinent) that the 1713 would get you is... 1. Zone 2 line out. (would you even use it?) 2. 8 "seat" Audyssey....instead of the 6 "seat" the 1613 has. 3. One more HDMI (which the 1613 already has you covered)

 

[rlsterling3]

Looks good but isn't that based on the standard db at ~1m from the speaker? To maintain that volume doesn't it increase 10x for every meter increase in distance?

 

[schan1269]

But you also have 5 speakers. Each speaker adds roughly 3, then 2.8, then 2.4, then 2(something like that...it isn't a 3db increase per speaker...it does trail off after 2 speakers). So, 1 meter is 3 feet. A 106" screen means you should be 8-12 feet. So your db loss is 3db after the first 3 feet, so 8 feet is 5db, roughly. But you gain back most of that loss from the SPL gain from three more speakers. Besides. 99% of people are shocked when their ears are bleeding on 20wpc. I was rocking a 40x40 room with the SVS Ultra(I'm reviewing them for the site) using... Onkyo TX-SR707 Kenwood M2A*(times 2...for the main and surrounds...meaning the 707 is only responsible for the center)... According to the power meters on the Kenwood M2A...you can't stand to be in the room bumping on 20wpc. The "next" meter level on the M2A is 63w. I was doing a maximum volume test in the room, with ear plugs... 63w times 4(and the 707 leveled to "keep up" with the M2A) reached 104db. At the main seated position(all 5 speakers are roughly 12-13 feet from "sweet spot"). I figured 104db, main seat, was more than enough volume. I could have pushed the M2A to 300w(which they will do) and I might have gotten 108 out of it. The 1613 should be able to cough up 40wpc. *The power meters on the M2A are precise. 0db is 200 watts. -50db is .002. The meter range is...(roughly) .002 at -50 .006 at -40 .02 at -30 (already comfortable listening) 2 at -20 (the volume required for "action" TV) 20 at -10 (the volume at which I want to "rock the room" or listen to an action movie while scaring the cats and dogs all over the house) 63 at -5 (if I want to listen to a CD from this room all over the house...and cover my ears when I walk in the room) 200 at 0 (If I want to hear it outside in the yard. With the windows open I can hear, this volume 100 yards from the house. I haven't done this with the SVS. I do this with my actual speakers by moving two of them outside...of course, today, it is 25 degrees outside)

 

[rlsterling3]

Ok so it seems as though I don't need to buy the super super receiver that the marantz is. Maybe I can get away with a slightly less expensive pioneer or ken wood. My system is currently using a Harmon kardon avr 347. I've got the new speakers coming in next week. Maybe I'll just hook them up and see how they sound. If the sound is nice an clean then I can look for a less expensive receiver. Still open to suggestions as this is my order venture into true home theater

 

[schan1269]

Denon and Marantz are the same thing. The AVR you chose is, essentially, the AVR3313 anyway. My "needs" in an AVR are different than yours. Specifically, I won't buy an AVR without pre-outs(so you can use the AVR as a pre-pro). The "lowest cost" AVR where you can do that is the Onkyo NR717. I also have a turntable in most rooms. Luckily for me, it is easy to find AVR with pre-outs and a phono input...as lately, they mostly co-exist(the only AVR I can think of that has pre-outs without the phono is Onkyo's own NR818...the only AVR in Onkyo's line-up that actually drops a feature going up the food chain).

 

[MTrotter]

Denon and Marantz are the same thing. The AVR you chose is, essentially, the AVR3313 anyway. My "needs" in an AVR are different than yours. Specifically, I won't buy an AVR without pre-outs(so you can use the AVR as a pre-pro). The "lowest cost" AVR where you can do that is the Onkyo NR717. I also have a turntable in most rooms. Luckily for me, it is easy to find AVR with pre-outs and a phono input...as lately, they mostly co-exist(the only AVR I can think of that has pre-outs without the phono is Onkyo's own NR818...the only AVR in Onkyo's line-up that actually drops a feature going up the food chain).

Just a note: The Onkyo site indicates the 818 does have phono input.

 

[schan1269]

Just a note: The Onkyo site indicates the 818 does have phono input.

I looked, it does. That is what I get for using a "sales site grid" showing features and step up features. This one site shows the 818 lacking one.... My fault for not checking the manufacturer...