AVR-2807 or TX-SR805 (1 Viewer)

[Autoengineer]

I'm looking to upgrade my 4 year-old $300 sony with something in the $1000 price range. Looks like the Denon AVR-2807 or Onkyo TX-SR804 are good choices. I went to listen to them and I could not discern that one was better than the other. PLus who knows how the guys had them setup. The Onkyo is THX certified. Does that count for anything? Anyone have any opinions on which would be the better choice for home theater? I understand the Onkyo is going to be soon replaced with a SR805 model as well. Would probably just wait for that if I decide to go Onkyo.

 

[Stephen Orr]

I recently purchased the Denon 2807. It's currently set up for 5.1, but I think that's gonna change as soon as we finish the renovation of our living room/home theater. So far, we love it. Way better than that old JVC HTiB that it replaced. Definitive speakers, also.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

Based purely on specs I would lean heavily towards the SR805... HDMI 1.3 is a nice feature but not a be-all-end-all... the most impressive feature I see of the SR805 is its 50lb heft and THX Ultra2 certification, both of which are unprecedented in the sub-$1k price range. Ultra2's processing isn't a hugely important feature by itself but is a sign of high quality amplification and processing overall. Together all of these features make up one of the most attractive packages I've seen, one I don't see a trump for under $1k (unless the Pioneer VSX-92TXs can creep below $1k street fairly quickly, which is doubtful).

 

[Jon_Liu]

I cannot speak for the Denon 2807 really, but I did just get the SR805. I can say $1000 dollars for all the fantastic features that it touts, is a real bargain!

As Stephen said, the 50lb weight (weight shouldn't necessarily be a factor), but the THX Ultra2 certification is impressive enough. Not necessarily impressive in terms of what it does, rather in terms of the "base" standard for what a receiver should be.

On top of that, what really sold me was the variable crossover frequencies for each set of speakers, and the different options for that. Plus, my previous receiver didn't do 1080p passthrough, so having that now, is a definite bonus. There are just a bunch of features you won't find in receivers in that same price range.

But, on the other hand, Denon receivers are very reliable and good quality. My brother has a 3805 (or a 3806) I forget which, and it's a very impressive receiver in it's respects.

i really don't think you can go wrong with either, but obviously, my choice was made with the TX-SR805.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

In an analog (not digital-switching) amplifier weight is a VERY good indication of the quality of the amp section, mostly because it indicates a robust transformer and power-suppy that can provide the power and current neccesary to cleanly reach the specified output.