New A/C Receiver - Help please.. (1 Viewer)

[modded46]

So here is my setup.. I'm currently using an older Pioneer 5.1 receiver that i'm very happy with but need to upgrade because of HDMI & newer bigger speakers.. I have a Samsung 42" Plasma, 360 w/HD-DVD, DirecTV HD, Bell HD component output, etc.. All Polk Audio speakers with Lsi7's for fronts and Rsi-6's for rears..

I've done quite a bit of research and I think I at least have it down to a few choices that fit my budget so i'm basically just looking for opinions on build quality and personal experiences with these models..

It is down to the following.....

Denon AVR-987 or AVR-2807 (still trying to find the differences between the two)

Marantz SR7001 (this one seems very hard to find so I think availability might be an issue)

Yamaha RX-V2600 or RX-V1700

Pioneer VSX-81TXV or VSX-82TXS

Yamaha HTR-6090 or HTR-5990

Yah still a lot of options but you should have seen the original list!

 

[Nick:G]

1. The AVR-987 and AVR-2807 are identical, save for some slight cosmetic differences. The reasoning behind having two separate model numbers is for validating warranty coverage. The "four digit" AVR models are intended for resale at specialty stores, wheras the "three digit" equivalents for select models are intended for resale at big-box stores. Yamaha does a very similar thing with their "HTR" and "RX" models.

2. Marantz has a very limited dealer network, which does make them a bit hard to find. Marantz receivers have a well-established history of producing a rich, warm sound that's uncommon for products of its type. They come from the same parent company as Denon (D&M Holdings). Denon products tend to place an larger emphasis on features for the money, whereas Marantz emphasises audio performance.

All the models you mentioned are good choices, but I'm really a sucker for the Denon AVR-2807. It has a great set of features and actually does HDMI/HDCP switching correctly for the most part. Plus, you can set individual audio settings and bass management for every HDMI audio source, which is a life saver when you're tuning the subwoofer for different sources.

 

[modded46]

Thanks a lot for the advice, I was down to 3 and then it came down to price.. The Pioneer Elite 81 was the lease expensive followed by the Yamaha 1600 and then the Denon 2807... I went to a local home theatre store which carried all 3 brands to listen, with no real intention to buy as I thought prices would be MUCH higher than ordering online.

As luck would have it.. not only did they have half decent prices as it was.. I managed to pick up a Yamaha RX-V2600 which was a demo in perfect working order for $598.00CDN + GST 6%.. Needless to say I was bouncing with joy.

Came home, hooked everything up.. the YPAO setup was a breeze as is the on screen GUI. I haven't received my new Lsi 7's yet so i'm using the RSi's as fronts and they still sound amazing. Great looking unit that i'm sure i'm going to get many years of use out of.

Thanks for this site, has definitely helped in my decision.