Receiver suggestions? (1 Viewer)

[Ryan_DS]

I was hoping i might get some advice on a good sounding receiver. My absolute max price limit is $450 shipped. I have been playing around with the idea of the Kenwood VR-6070 or VR-6060, also looking at the Pioneer D811S, and the Denon 3803, and the Onkyo TXR600. Is there one of these that stands above the other. Is there a receiver i don't have listed that would be a better choice. Please also provide sites or links to receivers that you would suggest. I will be using Polk Audio low end speakers since i am on a budget.

Thanks again for everyone's advice and input.

 

[Arthur S]

Ryan

Welcome to the forum.

The Kenwood 6060 or 6070 are excellent for the price. In the Sound & Vision test the 6070 put out 92 watts per channel with all 6 channels driven simultaneously. That is a lot of power. Probably the biggest advantage of the 6070 over the 6060 is the pre-outs for all channels. So if you get upgraditis in a year or two, you can add a heavy power amp.

I've heard good things said about the Pioneer, but I would be very surprised if it can match the power output of the Kenwoods.

Artie

 

[Andy_SB]

Artie, I believe I've read that in independent tests, the Pioneer tested at 74w x 6, which is still a decent performance.

Ryan, the Pioneer is one of the most-mentioned "budget" receivers around here, and it does provide an amazing feature set considering it can be had for around $300. For this class, it has more connections than you can shake a stick at. However, opinions vary regarding the sound quality - many people love it, some people don't care for it at all. The THD is certainly relatively high on this unit but it's low enough that it would not be likely to affect your sound, especially if you're using "budget" speakers.

I've also seen an increasing number of posts lately on the Kenwoods. I think that these receivers also provide excellent features for the price. These models use discrete amplification originally developed for Kenwood's higher-end Sovereign line and, as Artie mentioned, put out quite a bit of power. Additionally, the 6070 is pretty much the cheapest THX-certified receiver out there at $400-450 if that interests you. The 6060's a great deal too if you don't want/need preouts. One weakness of this duo is the poor 10mhz of component video switching.

Onkyo has a much better overall reputation for sound quality vs. Pioneer and Kenwood, however, it costs a bit more than they do and doesn't quite match the features of the 6070, for instance. It does have on-screen display which is a bonus. I've also read some posts lately questioning Onkyo's reliability and power output. However, sound quality is perhaps the most important thing to look for in a receiver so if you prefer the sound of the Onkyo to the others after auditioning it, that's a huge plus in its favor.

As far as the Denon, are you sure you meant the 3803? That receiver is in a totally different class considering you'd have to pay $900+ to get it. It's kind of hard to compare it to the others you mentioned. If you meant the 1803, that's a good choice. Again, you pay a bit more, but Denon has a great reputation for both reliability and sound quality. The 1803 doesn't have a learning remote or a full set of preouts, but it's still got a solid feature set for the money. One problem with Denon is their stance on internet sales in regards to their warranty (there are several threads on this). One tip I'd give is to look for the Denon AVR-883 - this is the exact same unit as the 1803, but re-badged for sale through mass-market retailers. It can be found cheaper than the 1803 from online vendors.

I'd give them all a listen and decide which receiver provides the best value in your situation. There is no "perfect" receiver - any unit will have some advantage over another one. And you'll hear both positive and negative comments on this board about virtually any unit as well. You just gotta find that "sweet spot" of features and sound quality within your budget.

- Andy

 

[Yogi]

Onecall has the HK AVR520 on special for $488 until this friday I think. Now thats a killer receiver thats hard to beat in its price range.

 

[Jonathan_D]

For info on the Kenwood 6070 check out the thread at ecoustics.com.

I have the HK 520 and agree it is a killer receiver (listening to Magic Sam's "Snakebite" with Logic 7 on right now - shazaam ), but the Kenwood can be had about $100 US cheaper then even OneCall's price on the HK (if that's a consideration - it wasn't for me, I love that HK sound!).

 

[Marty M]

Ryan,

Welcome to the Home Theater Forum. Nice to another Central Illinoisian visiting this site. I don't own any of the receivers you are choosing, but I know there is a strong Denon following here. I, personally, am a Yamaha man.