HK 7200, Denon 3803, NAD? (1 Viewer)

[kumar]

Audiophiles,

I am considering to buy one of these HK7200 or Denon 3803 or NAD (equivalent model pls help here).
Which one do you guys recommend? I would go with 60% music and 40% movies (atleast till I build the complete 7.1 system). Right now I am considering to go in only for a stereo (floor standing). I will slowly upgrade over the next year or so.
What sort of Floor Standing would sound good with one of the above receivers?

Is etronics an authorized dealer for Denon?

Thanks
Kumar

 

[Dennis Gardner]

Many will say that the HK or the NAD are your best choices for primarily music. I have the 7200 and love it with Polk Audio RT Towers. A setup with 7.1 capability built around towers will result in great sound but will take a hefty wallet to round out.

If I was trying to get into surround quickly and reasonably, I might go with the a HK-525 or Denon 2803 in 5.1 form w/DVD player. You can always add external amps or back surrounds later.

The best suggestion that I could make to you, just starting out is to listen to as many possible setups as you can before you buy, since each time that you buy a piece of equipment that you consider to be better than any other link in you setup, you have just opened yourself up for an upgrade that you might not have intended. I have 4 rooms full of surround equipment to prove this and my wife keeps asking what happened to those cute little speakers that we started with. Front projection deserved bigger sound! See what I mean?

Enjoy, take your time, listen and learn.

Dennis

 

[Chuck Kent]

Here are the authorized Denon web-based dealers
http://www.usa.denon.com/dealers/dealers.asp?l=1

 

[JerryMa]

Between NAD and Denon, go with NAD. I listened to both and the NAD T752 was better for music than the Denon 3803. I wound up buying a T762, probably more the equivalent to the 3803 than the 752.

 

[Tom McGary]

I would recommend the NAD receivers. I have had denons for years; old STR-375 stereo amp and more recently the 1803 for 50% music/30% HT/20% xbox. Recently I bought the T752 and IMO it is a superior receiver, particularly for music. The features on it are also much better than any denon receiver I have seen to date.

Etronics is NOT an authorzied dealer for denon (although I have purchased some Denon stuff from them before).

My friend has the T752 with a pair of Klipsch RF-5s. I know not everyone likes the horn sound. I go against the general attitude that these are good rock speakers-I enjoy them more for classical music and less for rock.

My T752 is driving my Infinity Alpha 50s and really help to give depth and clarity to the speakers in comparison to my old 1803.

Go with the NAD-youll be happy you did.

 

[Mark Russ]

The Rotel 1055 is in that price range, and should be on the short list.

 

[ChrisLazarko]

I recommend what Dennis said as well. HK and NAD I think are the best for music. If you don't want to spend a load of cash on the HK-7200 look at the AVR-525, it is somewhat close in features to the 7200.

Good luck.

 

[kumar]

Wow!! so many recommendations for NAD... Let me find somebody in my area (Raleigh, NC) who carries it.

Now that I am almost leaning away from Denon...., can someone tell me if any local dealers let you demo a piece for a weekend?

If yes, this weekend I will be having HK7200, NAD T752 or 62 and a Rotell at home.


If I spend about 600 bucks for a pair of floor standing would it give me what my receivers worth is?

Thanks
Kumar

( I am already imagining my living room with the receivers and the two towers..... :b )

 

[ChrisLazarko]

Well don't pick up a pair of white van speakers and you should be perfectly fine. Some popular brands are: Polk, Infinity, Klipsch, Monitor Audio, JBL... the list goes on but those are the ones I see most talked about.

Give everything a listen, i'm sure you'll find what is best for you.

 

[Marty M]

can someone tell me if any local dealers let you demo a piece for a weekend?

This policy varies from dealer to dealer. You will just have to call and ask. The dealers that allow this will let you take the display model home over the weekend and return by the beginning of the day on Monday. That is the way it works for several dealers here in Central Illinois.

Even though there are so many recommendations for NAD, be sure to choose the one that sounds the best to you. Your ears are the only judge to which is the best.

 

[Brian L]

I have a 762 that I run with some series 1 B&W 600s (604s, 601s, CC6, and HSU 1225 sub). I am very, very happy with the set-up, although I did NOT audition any competing brands.

FWIW, I don't really agree that a A/V receiver has a "sound". If it does, its broken. All I want to get out of it is what goes in, but louder!

In any event, the NAD has some great convenience features, and is extremely flexible. It lacks all the bells and wistles that a lot of other vendors offer, but I prefer that more simplistic approach.

You should search around a bit though. There are some bugs (signal lock problems for example) that may or may not matter to you. Having said that, I would argue that EVERY recent A/V receiver has some sort of bugs or quirks. The trick is to find out what they are before you buy, so you can decide how much they matter to you.

As a side note, my NAD dealer (Sound Design in Albuquerque) just sent me a flyer with the entire NAD range. There is a 763 and a 773 on deck. I would expect that this would mean you might get decent deals on a 762.

BGL

 

[Tom McGary]

I purchased my T752 on a end of model year closeout (a screamin' deal) which would lead me to believe that there might be a T753 on the way as well....?

 

[Mark Russ]

NOW Audio/Video in your area carries both Denon and NAD. The only HK dealer I know of offhand is Circuit City, but even they don't have the 7200.
Good luck.

 

[kumar]

I am more leaning towards HK7200 (good decision I guess).
Now, right now looking at my wallet after mentally purchasing a HK7200, I think I can go only for a stereo right now and add the surround, Centre Channel, and Sub later. Given that, will I be able to get the worth of movie experience in a 2.0 is one of my question. Secondly, what are the popular speakers (floorstanding) that you all would recommend to get my money's worth for my 7200?
I am right now willing to go as far as 1K per pair of Floor standing.
I like the B&W looks, but not the price tag. any etailers for them in US?

 

[Ben Stern]

Jerry Ma. I live in Brooklyn also. Where did you audition the NAD. Thanks in advance.

 

[ChrisLazarko]

I think the HK AVR-525 might be better suited if you don't want to kill your budget, but if you can afford the 7200 then it's well worth it. It is the only reciever I have seen that is a flagship reciever that will give you more than what you paid for it.

I love my HK though... It has a distinct sound I haven't heard from anything else that I love.

 

[John S]

I'll still vote for the Denon. I bought it over anything else even for music. But it is not even a performance thing for me, I truly prefer that Denon sound is all.

At this level of equipment, personal preferences definetly come more into play than nearly anything else.