Need a receiver within 10 days, need some help ! (1 Viewer)

[Alanta]

Hi guys,

I'm new to this forum, and i am extremely glad that i found this site. It has already helped me a great deal with information.
I'm setting up a HT system in my bedroom, nothing too fancy. Approx dimensions of my room is 15' x 14', and i have bought floor speakers, 10" sub, centre, and rears, all from JBL. All i need now is a receiver.
What i need is a good receiver for multi-purposes. Watching movies and sports, Listening to music, playing X-box and computer games.
What receiver do you recommend?
My budget is $1200 CAD or $850.00 USD.
So far my research has concluded that the Yamaha RX - V1400 MAY be the best choice within my budget.
Does anyone have any other suggestions.
Also, other posts have indicated that Yamaha receivers tend to be "bright".
What does it mean?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Richard Travale]

I too am looking at receivers in that price range. I had narrowed my choices down to the Denon 2803 and the NAD T752. I have decided on the NAD just because I liked the sound a little bit more.
I recommend giving these a listen.

 

[prashanth_sharma]

for $850 USD you can do better than the yamaha $1400

- HK 525 from bestpriceaudiovideo - $639
- Denon 3802 from 6ave - $648
- HK 640 from 6ave - $739

these prices include taxes and shipping.

-prashanth

 

[John S]

Also that 6ave Denon 3802 is being upgraded for free to a 3803.

That is way beyond your requirements, but represents a solid platform for upgrading in the future.

One of the best deals I have come across really, maybe even ever.

 

[Dan Driscoll]

for $850 USD you can do better than the yamaha $1400

I should hope so, particularly since the MSRP on the Yamaha 1400 is US$799 and it can be purchased for a fair bit less, depending on the vendor and your haggling skills. Certainly you will be able to find a Yammie 1400 for less than the $739 you quoted for the HK 640.

 

[Alanta]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your help so far.
I've noticed that the Denon 3803 is not THX certified and the RX-V1400 is.

Is this a big deal, or will i even notice the difference in sound?
Also what do they mean when they say the Yamaha tends to sound "bright"??

 

[Dan Driscoll]

If you are really into movies the THX cert may be something you would want, but it wouldn't be a major factor in my decision making process.

Brightness taken to a fault is a tendecy for a piece of equipment to over-emphasize the treble or high notes. In bad cases it can make everything sound shrill or harsh. Very bright equipment might sometimes be described as fatiguing.

Keep in mind that "bright", just like "warm", "laid back" or "forward", is a individual perception and will be very different from one person to the next and that the entire system needs to be taken into account. What is "bright" to one person may be detailed and accurate to someone else. Equipment combinations are very important, a "bright" speaker paired with a "bright" receiver may not sound very good to some people. But pair the same receiver with a "warm" speaker and they might love the sound.

Yamaha A/V receivers developed a reputation for 'brightness' about 5-6 years ago and to be perfectly honest, it was deserved. However, that is no longer the case and most Yamaha's, particularly the higher end units, are very neutral. Some of the low end units still may sound bright to some people and with some speakers, but all entry level receivers have some sort of compromise in sound quality, brightness just happens to be Yamaha's.

 

[John Garcia]

...THX certified and the RX-V1400 is.

My receiver is THX also, but I never use THX processing. IMO, it seems to sound better with it off. THX SELECT is also not the same thing as THX cert, which means it has processing functions, not that the receiver meets all THX standards.

 

[SeanV]

You can find the HK AVR525 at macmall for $501.99 delivered.

 

[Alanta]

Dan: Thanks for that info.

John: Sorry, i meant the RX -V1400 is THX select, and i didn't know there was a difference between THX Select and Certified.

The thread about the Denon 3803 for $648.00 has intrigued me.

Is the Denon 3803 a better unit then the Rx - V1400?
Where does the HK AVR525 rank among these 3 ??

Thanks.

 

[George Caronan]

Alanta,

I'd vote for the Denon 3803. I had Yamahas before from the RX-V995 to the RX-V1000. Both were replaced by the Denons. I thought Yamahas were fine receivers but I felt that the Denons were more neutral and robust in comparison. The Yamahas seem to have more features along with soundfields but you'd have to ask yourself if you are going to use them or will they be useful. I'd rate the HK AVR525 third in the list. Audition them for your own conclusions if you can find a store that have them all hooked up since your perception will most certainly differ from the next listener. Good luck.

 

[John S]

Of those three, I have to throw the nod to the Denon.

I have the 4802 and it is really sweet, I'd rank it with any system. The 3803 is the same thing with just a tad less power, if I were buy'n today, I would have got the 3803 deal, over what I paid two years ago for the THX certified 4802.

Sound is very subjective, I could have went with separates, I seriously considered, but in the end, I just seem to love the way Denon power amps sound. Smooth as silk, even with the brashest jazz or clasical horn blair'n at you in full fury.

 

[Dan Driscoll]

The list price for the Denon 3803 is $999, the same as for the Yamaha RX-V2400. The 3803 is a very popular receiver and at $650 it is an excellent value, if you like how it sounds and it has the features you want. Don't make the mistake of buying the 'popular' component or just because it is a bargain, because you won't be happy if you don't like the sound or the features.

That said, the 3803 is popular because it is a good unit and it certainly deserves serious consideration. But something to keep in mind is that it likely will be replaced soon by the 3804. Denon hasn't made any announcement yet that I'm aware of, but a couple of x803 models have already been replaced by x804 versions.

WRT to rank, I'd put the newer RX-V1400 on par with the somewhat aging 3803, with the H/K 525 3rd. But be aware that I like the Yamaha sound, I think it has a resolution and clarity that the Denon lacks. I also feel the YPAO feature of the Yamaha adds a lot of value. Other people may feel the Denon has a warmth that they prefer and not care about equalization. The only way to know is to listen.

 

[DarrylM]

John: Sorry, i meant the RX -V1400 is THX select, and i didn't know there was a difference between THX Select and Certified

There are two types of THX certification for receivers: THX Select and THX Ultra (or Ultra 2). Basic THX Ultra and THX Select employ similar post-processing algorithms for surround sound decoding (toning down bright movie sound tracks, adjusting the delays to the rear channels, and so on). The biggest difference is that THX Select is intended for smaller room sizes, while THX Ultra requires greater power output for larger rooms.

 

[Alanta]

Thanks for the info.

If the 3803 is somewhat of an aging unit, would i be better off with the Yamaha and is the YPAO really a useful feature?

So now i guess it's between the Denon 3803 and Yamaha Rx-V1400. Has anyone heard a direct comparison between the 2?

 

[John S]

Well yes, I have, but sound is subjective, you will get opinions each way for sure.

I think you make an effort even if it is not easy for you to do, and try to audition both, and each with a few different sets of speakers if possible.

 

[Mike Veroukis]

The RX-V2400 can also be had for under CDN$1200 as well. I would definetly check out the Denon 3803 as well. They are both solid receivers, the deciding factor will be which ever sounds better to you. In all honesty, they really don't sound that different, but one will be a touch sweeter then the other. I can't stress enough how important it is to A/B test various receivers together, it's the only way to be sure you buy the one you really prefer!

As for the brightness, well, that's what some people use to describe a speaker/amp that seems to exagerate the high-end a bit too much. Bright, in this case, is a negative thing and can be considered annoying by many. Of course I wouldn't say that the new Yammies are bright (or annoying) at all, instead using the word others have used; neutral (or "Natural Sound" to borrow a marketing term from Yammaha themselves). I compared a Denon2802 with a RX-V2200 and found that the Yammie was more musical and found the Denon to be a bit boring. Many Denon owners would say the opposite. It's really up to you to compare and decide. But like I said before, both receivers are top notch, you won't have problems with either.

- Mike

 

[Dan Driscoll]

So now i guess it's between the Denon 3803 and Yamaha Rx-V1400. Has anyone heard a direct comparison between the 2?

I have heard the RX-V2400 vs. the 3803, in a Good Guys listening room on Monitor Audio S8 speakers and the source was a Denon 2800 MKII. I prefered the Yamaha over the Denon. FWIW, I have also heard the 1400 against the 2400 on Energy Veritas speakers and they sounded identical.

 

[Alanta]

Thanks again for all your help.

Does anyone know where i can get the RX - V1400 for a good deal that will ship to Canada.
Or does anyone know a place in Toronto that i can get the RX V1400 for less than $1100.00 CAD taxes in??

If i were to buy the 3803 i would go through the 6ave deal, but i'm curious on the best price i can get on the RX-V1400.

Thanks,
AL

 

[Mike Veroukis]

Isn't there an A&B Sound in TO?!? They carry the 1400 here in Winnipeg, and I'd be surprised if you couldn't get it for under $1100, taxes in. Yamahas are pretty common, you shouldn't have a problem finding on in TO. Btw, I'm not sure if the RX-V1400 is available via mail order, you may need to look up the HTR equivalent (which although has the same build quality, it may by missing some features - which was the case with the RX-V1200 and it's HTR equivalent)

- Mike