HT AV Receivers - rank the different brands for me...

Mario_S · 04-15-2003, 11:51 AM

hi all. i'm looking into purchasing a new HT AV receiver. problem is i've only been exposed to a few brands and don't really know the landscape very well. i'm looking for something fairly high-end, but not the highest. looking to spend anywhere from $1K - $2.5K maximum. the brands i'm familar with and are considering:

denon
kenwood sovereign
onkyo
pioneer
sony

can somebody add to this list and provide a list of pros/cons for me?

steven pm · 04-15-2003, 01:21 PM

I'd put the Denon and Onkyo up top, along with perhaps H-K. Personally, I think you can get a better bang for your buck with non-Sony brands in most price ranges. Do as earch on this forum for more options and opinions!

Mario_S · 04-15-2003, 01:28 PM

would you say the same thing for sony's? that you could get more bang for the buck in other brands? from what i can tell (which isn't much) i really like the kenwood sovereign series receivers right now. i like the look, the features, and it's thx certified. does this certification really count for anything?

steven pm · 04-15-2003, 01:37 PM

I meant other brands will probably be better than Sony in any given price range. Although some folks here really like the 4ES, which is the only Sony receiver I can recall seeing praised anywhere by audiophiles.

Mario_S · 04-15-2003, 01:43 PM

i'm sorry - i made a mistake in my last post. i meant kenwoods. what are your thoughts on kenwood sovereign series receivers?

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John Tompkins · 04-15-2003, 02:11 PM

Thats a loaded question to begin with. If you want automatic room calibration give the pioneer a look, if you are big on features and tweakability give the sony a look, if you prefer a slightly warmer sound give the denon a look, if you want logic 7 give the h/k 8000 a look..and so on..Now if you asked what people PREFER then you may get more answers..Best value imo may be h/k 8000 (which Ive owned) logic 7 is awesome..I love the two channel performance of the denon (owned the 4802)..the sony (da4es I had was a tweekers dream with great bass managemenT)..the onkyo (owned 898) rocked on ht and had a more forward sound..

Adam.Gonsman · 04-15-2003, 02:14 PM

I'm gonna just mention yamaha to for your brands to consider. In the $1k to 2.5k price range, they compete very well with all the others.

One thing to consider, is that in this price range, nearly all the units are pretty well built and offer many of the same features to other brands at the same price point (I'm being careful not to sound like I'm lumping a $1k and $2.5k receiver into the same category). A lot more comes down to the subjective things like whether you like the flavor of sound an HK produces or Yamaha or Denon produces.

Also, I wouldn't put too much weight in THX certification. There are a number of very fine brands that just simply don't bother (don't want to pay) to get their models certified. Sometimes, I almost question if maybe you get a little more for your money from brands that don't bother since the money you pay for the unit doesn't have THX licensing fees coming out of it.

Barry Lieberman · 04-15-2003, 03:43 PM

The $1500-$2000 range is a highly contested one, especially when internet sales drive down products that were in the 3000 range into the 2000 range.

Consequently, the Denon 4802 which MSRP's for $2500 can be had for less since it is the oldest model in their range right now.

The Rotel RSX-1065 is a fantastic unit, and even though it isn't 7 channel its onboard 5 channels rock!!! It MSRP's for 2000, but you can go to a Rotel dealer and buy one for 1800.....I know because I own one.

2000 puts you right below the flagship models of most manufacturers, and I think that the Denon and the Rotel are the best representatives in this mid-fi segment.

Barry