Marc W
Auditioning
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2004
- Messages
- 6
I'm researching a new receiver purchase, and I want to get the best-sounding receiver possible for under $400. I was primarily considering Onkyo, Denon, HK, and Yamaha, but then I came across the Kenwood VR-7080 -- a THX Select Certified product for around $320.
Once the Kenwood popped up on my radar screen I went to the THX website to do some research, and also read an interview or two that Audioholics has done with the THX folks. The main gist of a THX Certification seems to be that certified equipment has been tested and shown to be capable of reproducing sound as the director intended it to be heard. I don't know all of the finer points of what is involved in the certification process, but my question is -- how much weight should I place on this rating? Should it be a major consideration? Or just a minor one? And speaking of "weight," the Kenwood is pretty light -- less than 21 pounds . . . .
In addition to the THX Select Certification, the Kenwood also has a lot of bells and whistles, and what appears to be a pretty cool remote. That's all well and good, but I don't really need anything too fancy. What I really want is a receiver with high-quality sound, because I've been slightly disappointed with my Pioneer VSX-811 in this regard (either "Loudness" or "Midnight Mode" need to be on when listening at low volumes, and sometimes it sounds a bit too bright). The Kenwood does have Timbre-Matching and some sort of auto-eq system which might contribute to the sound quality -- then again they might not -- I just don't know.
My primary use for the receiver will be TV and DVDs, with music a distant second place. I don't have a large number of components, so just about any receiver out there should have enough connectivity for me, and I don't need any particular features (other than 6.1). I just want the best quality sound I can get. Is the THX Select Certification an indication of sound quality, or merely sound accuracy? (a subtle but significant distinction)
I realize that what sound is "best" is a very subjective thing, and that auditioning various receivers side-by-side would be the best way to figure out what I like, but for practical reasons that simply isn't going to happen. The next best approach is to read reviews and solicit educated opinions, so that's what I'm requesting. Comments or suggestions?
Best Regards,
Marc
Once the Kenwood popped up on my radar screen I went to the THX website to do some research, and also read an interview or two that Audioholics has done with the THX folks. The main gist of a THX Certification seems to be that certified equipment has been tested and shown to be capable of reproducing sound as the director intended it to be heard. I don't know all of the finer points of what is involved in the certification process, but my question is -- how much weight should I place on this rating? Should it be a major consideration? Or just a minor one? And speaking of "weight," the Kenwood is pretty light -- less than 21 pounds . . . .
In addition to the THX Select Certification, the Kenwood also has a lot of bells and whistles, and what appears to be a pretty cool remote. That's all well and good, but I don't really need anything too fancy. What I really want is a receiver with high-quality sound, because I've been slightly disappointed with my Pioneer VSX-811 in this regard (either "Loudness" or "Midnight Mode" need to be on when listening at low volumes, and sometimes it sounds a bit too bright). The Kenwood does have Timbre-Matching and some sort of auto-eq system which might contribute to the sound quality -- then again they might not -- I just don't know.
My primary use for the receiver will be TV and DVDs, with music a distant second place. I don't have a large number of components, so just about any receiver out there should have enough connectivity for me, and I don't need any particular features (other than 6.1). I just want the best quality sound I can get. Is the THX Select Certification an indication of sound quality, or merely sound accuracy? (a subtle but significant distinction)
I realize that what sound is "best" is a very subjective thing, and that auditioning various receivers side-by-side would be the best way to figure out what I like, but for practical reasons that simply isn't going to happen. The next best approach is to read reviews and solicit educated opinions, so that's what I'm requesting. Comments or suggestions?
Best Regards,
Marc