Need help deciding on a receiver. (1 Viewer)

[ericb618]

Here are the three I am currently looking into. To start with I will only be powering 2 B&W 683s but will be buying matching speakers to complete the system as I go.
Here are the three I am considering
Denon AVR-2312CI
Yamaha RX-V573
Yamaha RX-V673
Thanks for the help!

 

[schan1269]

What are your sources?
Wii?
PS3?
Magnavox Odyssey?
Cassette deck?
Turntable?
Cable/Sat?
Ipod?
Beta?
Needs/wants...
Networking?
Cloud?
Ipad/Ipod control?
Multi-zone?
pre-outs?
7.1?
5.1 with height or width?

 

[ericb618]

Sorry should of said.
I listen to a ton of music via my Ipod, so I would like air play but I am ok with connecting my ipod to the receiver via cord.
It will mainly be for cable TV, PS3 and xbox. I use my PS3 as the blu ray player.
I want/need multi-zone
Networking isn't needed but I do listen to internet radio.

 

[schan1269]

If you want multi-zone that automatically rules out the 573.
Between the 673 and 2312...
YPAO R.S.C. is "designed to use all the same speaker".
Audyssey has variable crossover.
Do you need a "complete" analog front input?
How many HDMI do you see yourself needing in the future?

 

[schan1269]

By the way, neither of those receivers will allow Airplay to be 2nd zone, on its own...
So, if you plan on Ipod listening in Zone 2, you have to use the USB.

 

[ericb618]

Good to know. I doubt I will use all 6 hdmi ports
Which do you think is best for the money? Wattage wise and sound quality wise?
I feel like I am picking a decent set of speakers just need to make sure I am picking the right receiver with a decent amount of power

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by ericb618 /t/324353/need-help-deciding-on-a-receiver#post_3986947
Wattage wise and sound quality wise?

IMO, neither of these factors come into play when shopping for a receiver.

Those B&W speakers are 8 ohm and very efficient (90dB) - you don't need much "power" to produce ear-bleeding levels. Besides, receiver power ratings bear little semblance to the real world. Any mid-level receiver (i.e. $400 and up) from a reputable manufacturer (Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer...) will power them just fine.

In terms of "sound quality", the speakers have a much greater impact on sound quality than the receiver.

A receiver should be chosen based on the number and type of inputs it has, and whether or not you require features that reside solely in the AVR realm - things like multiple zones, iPod connectivity, streaming Internet radio, etc.

Having an auto-setup and calibration utility that includes a microphone is a nice feature, and most here would agree that it's a feature worth having. Audyssey is used by Onkyo and Denon, YPAO by Yamaha, and MCAAC by Pioneer (I think that's right). All are decent setups.