HTiB I'm not Beginner I am - need advice (1 Viewer)

[slowlearner]

Gentle-folk,

I'm looking for the PERFECT (for me) solution. I've been using HTiB for some time, and am seeking to step up the quality.Toward that end, I paid to have someone from Best Buy come out and give a consultation, but I don't feel more informed as a result of it, I just see how I could spend my money, quickly.

That said, I started to research some of the products they'd recommended. For this post, the receiver:

MARANTZ SR7007 7.2 Channel 3D Pass Through

I see it's 8ohm and 125w, however, beyond that it has some features I like, some I'm sure make the price jump but that I'll likely not use or need. First, I will not be using 3d, so I don't care much there. Next, the zoned audio is cool, but if I want that I'll use a home media server not my theater receiver.

So that said, I think I'm looking for your recommendations for a receiver that would offer at or greater power to 125w per channel. I'm not sure if I need image processing - I'd plan to watch mostly DVDs but I would LOVE to air play content (I did like that feature of the 7007 - however it's available in the 6006, too). Possibly a high quality receiver would protect my audio, give the power, give the inputs - but allow me to use an Apple TV while saving hundreds). All that said, would you have a receiver recommendation for me? I'm mostly interested in intensley clean sound with awesome surround, as I want this to drive a nice theater for our family. My next thread, after deciing on a reciever will be speakers.

I'm in the US and am open to buying used (quality) equipment. Thanks for any thoughts and help you can provide this stymied uninformed audio snob.Grace and peace,John

 

[schan1269]

3D is an HDMI 1.4 thing. Been around, now, for 4 years. Unless you go back to the 7004(I think???), you still get HDMI 1.4.

Power rating is not a spec you need to care about. That rating is based on 2 channels. Not all of them at the same time. Every AVR when running 5 channels will come up with 40-65% of the 2-channel rating...ergo...meaningless.

What other content/sources do you have?

VHS/Wii? (you would need HDMI upconversion for this)

We know you have apple products....so Airplay is a no brainer. Yamaha, Denon/Marantz, Pioneer/Elite and Sony all offer it. The "lone" holdout is Onkyo/Integra(although their AVR remotes are pre-set up to use ATV...which covers the Airplay).

So tell us more...we can tell you what AVR fit. Nothing wrong with any of the Marantz or Denon models. But buying one because you think you "need 125 watts" is a bad path to go down.

 

[slowlearner]

Shan - wattage caution, good call. Thanks! I'd not thought that it wouldn't be RMS per channel.

That said, I guess my reasoning for saying that is knowing that I loathe distortion and under driven sound, so my real requirement is for well processed sound, I'd imagine.At this point, I don't *think the theater will have games that need to be processed - those things are upstairs, however, I guess it may be a capability to protect in the event that things do migrate down at some point.My thinking is that DVD and web content (streaming from apple devices) will be most of this systems usage, however it could have some game systems on it (Xbox and PS3 are systems we have).

Maybe a 9.1 receiver and speaker system would deliver sound I'm looking for as I would LOVE to have front high and wide sounds. Maybe the most limiting element is my budget - I'd like to keep a receiver and speaker system within $2,200.

Grace and peace,

John

 

[schan1269]

If you are open to using an ATV(which gives you your ipad/ipod video as well...not just the audio...as Airplay does)...

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-NR1007-9-2-Channel-Surround-Receiver/dp/B002M78EPC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383329644&sr=1-1&keywords=nr1007

Keeps your height/wide.

Old enough it is HDMI 1.3(since you care not for 3D)

But...the remote is not immediately set up for ATV. And if you find a Gen 1 ATV you can still feed Apple audio to Zone 2(if you would ever use zone functioning).

Your budget is out of whack with a new 9.1 AVR. As you should be spending 2/3 your budget on your speakers.

 

[slowlearner]

Do you feel that there is a good compromise between a speaker package and receiver that I could consider then, that would fit that budget?

 

[schan1269]

Here is your lowest price new(of each manufacturer) of a 9 channel...(all three of those will be available from A4L as refurb. and Onkyo back to the 1007 are also there)

http://www.amazon.com/Marantz-SR7008-9-2-Channel-Networking-Receiver/dp/B00CS4X8S2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383330023&sr=1-1&keywords=sr7008
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-4520CI-Networking-Theater-Receiver/dp/B0092KZCKC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383330081&sr=1-1&keywords=denon+4520
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-NR929-9-2-Channel-Network-Receiver/dp/B00CO07C6E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383330123&sr=1-1&keywords=onkyo+nr929

There are Yamaha models that are 9 channel...but Yamaha doesn't do width. Elite(Pioneer) has 9 channel...but I've never dealt with their MCACC version of wide or height.

 

[schan1269]

Do you feel that there is a good compromise between a speaker package and receiver that I could consider then, that would fit that budget?

I use the Onkyo NR1008 in my main theatre with height in 9 channel. I got my 1008 for an absurd price..because it was defective at the time I bought it(known Onkyo recall on the 1008 so it was a free fix. But the guy I got it from sold it cause he "didn't own fixed stuff"... . I paid $350 for it...and fixed it for $65. The free fix required mailing it and waiting for it to return. For the $65 and a pizza...I got it fixed while on a lunch break)

My main theatre cost me(having to brain dig...as my speakers are circa 1990) around $10k.

The equipment in the room...

JVC projector (18 month old floor sample)
Screen Research Clearpix2
Hitachi 50" plasma (floor sample from the company I used to work for selling wholesale. Yes...a floor sample off the wholesale price)
9 BIC Venturi V series (procured over an 11 year period)
M&K subwoofer (bought when it was 7 years old)
Panny BD35
Pioneer DV49
Wii
Mits VHS
RCA CED
Pioneer LD
Toshiba HD-DVD

Yes...all that for under $10k. (mostly from not buying BD or HD-DVD till after the format war was over. Also didn't buy LD till DVD came out)

 

[schan1269]

My example is to show you how to judiciously spend your $2200 budget.

I wouldn't spend more than $800 on the AVR. (no matter how you spin it, the 9 channel AVR capable of height/width is going to be at least this much...unless you get stupid lucky like I did)
Around $300-$500 for the sub.

9 speakers on the rest. Even if it means buying 3 or 5 now...than adding the rest, procured via the used market.

 

[slowlearner]

I'd posted without knowing of your latest reply - let me digest, readust, and then come back. Thanks for your feedback.