Upgrade dilema - Please help... (1 Viewer)

[Alex Yang]

I have an interesting dilema and I'm hoping you people can help me out, which would you pick given the same situation:
1. Denon AVR5803 for $2998.00 (Don't know how long this price will last...!!!)
2. Get Anthem AVM20 for under $2500.00 now
3. Get Anthem AVM20 for under $2900.00 later (August 2002) after retail units ship with DPLII and DTS-ES upgrade
4. Wait for the Outlaw 950...
First they are not in any particular order the numbering system doesn't mean a thing... I really want/need some other opinions on what to choose... Originally the DENON wasn't even on this short list because of the HIGH price, but UNDER $3K it's back on the list!!!
I've been sitting on the fence so long my legs are numb... I really really didn't want to have to write another "please help me decide" posts, G*D knows this forum is FILLED with enough of these!!!
I really did try to resovle this on my own first before resorting to the forum...
Thanks in advance to all!!!
-Alex

 

[Alex Yang]

Anybody?

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Instead of Midasizing, Denonsize. At the great price you'll pick this receiver up for, you should be able to recover nearly the same amount in 6 months if you decided to sell it.

 

[Alex Yang]

Correction, make that $2800 for the DENON 5803!!!

 

[Vishwa Somayaji]

I would go with the denon. Then, if it is really necessary, a two or three channel amp may be added. Do not play the waiting game especially on the Anthem. Motorola was supposed to be ready with the code a long time ago. Buy now and enjoy.

 

[Alex Prosak]

A 5803 for $2800?! Buy it! Like Wayne said, at that price you should have no problem getting back every cent if you decide to upgrade in several months. But, you'll probably love it and decide to keep it. Enjoy!

 

[DexS]

Alex,

Go the seperates way....I would buy a five channel amp now and hook up with your receiver pre outs for the time being. You will hear a world of difference now. And you will feel that you have bought some new processor..This will be sweet to you for at least three months.. When the so called Anthem 20 version 2 is out GO FOR IT!!

This is my current strategy but I have short listed three processors ie Aragon Stage One, Tag Mclaren AV192R, Anthem 20 Version 2

Have fun !!

I am a quasi seperates guys

Cheers

 

[Alex Yang]

DexS,
If I only had a receiver, I would do so, I returned my Onkyo TXDS797 back in 07/2001, I've been without ANYTHING for over 9 months now, NOTHING... :frowning:
I've been reduced now to using the TV's built in speakers only...
Also, please don't take this the wrong way, I don't think you read my post carefully... Did you SEE the FINAL price of the DENON 5803? Only $2800?!? I'm not saying I'm going to go for the DENON, but anyone else who's at least read through the posting PAUSED long enough to at least make a comment, you didn't... ???
Believe I know full well the benefits of SEPARATES!!! Since the DENON was originally being sold for $3800, I started looking at separates BUT now with the DENON being only $2800....
Bottom line is I do VALUE you opinion DexS, and I'm not taking it for granted but after CAREFULLY reading your post three times, it seems that you just blindly ignored everything else in my post about BOTH the DENON AND the OUTLAW 950...
Please do me a favor and re-read the original post again and let me know what you really think this time, please take into the account of the pricing of the DENON 5803 and let me know your thoughts on the 950?
Thank you so much!!!
-Alex

 

[Charles Gurganus]

Alex, I take it you have a budget of close to 4k? I just have a hard time with these flagship receivers in the 3k range. I think you would be much better off either waiting on the Outlaw and getting a VERY good 5 channel amp like a Parasound 2205, Sherbourn 5/1500a OR getting a receiver in the $800 to $1500, use that mainly as a prepro and STILL add the very good 5 channel amp.

This way, when the prepro of your dreams come out, and many new ones are on the horizon, you should be able to easily sell the mid line receiver and recoup most of your money. But you would still have a great 5 channel amp.

Certainly if you have the money for the Anthem AVM20 and a very good 5 channel amp now, do THAT! The Anthem is upgradable for software and hardware and that makes it impressive.

Have you considered anything from Lexicon? Maybe a MC-1 with the latest software? These are suppose to be great digital preamps. You could easily add a Sony TA-P9000es 5.1 analog bypass (if SACD and DVD-A are in your future or you have it now) and a 5 channel amp (or even 7 channel) under that budget.

I am sure the Denon is a great receiver but NO receiver will have amps that perform like the 2 mentioned above.

 

[DexS]

ALex,

I got the gist of your posting. My obervation is that you had listed Denon, receiver, amongst three processor. All are under 3k but for options 2,3,4 you got to buy power to complete it. This will blow the 3k no doubt. If you are really budgeting for 3k in total I say Denon would be the most bang for buck. But for seperates, Anthem will never be wrong.

Hope this make it more clearer.

Regards

 

[John Morris]

Hi Alex,
Why not have some fun! First, buy the 5803 for $2800. Next, when available, buy the Outlaw 950. Do your own A/B test in your own system and then decide which you like best. Maybe you'll decide that both units sound pretty good but you can't do without the added programability and functionality of the 5803. In that case, you'd be out $30 or so when you send back the 950. But, if you decide the 950 sounds better, or you'd rather have the extra $2K than the 5803's added functionality, then you can sell the 5803 and hopefully break even or make some money(I'm basing this comment on what other folks said in this post). Then you can take that $2K and buy yourself some really nice source components and media to play on them.

 

[Evan S]

Alex, whatever you do...just make some kind of move. Life is too short to be without HT for 9 full months!!! That's what Audiogon is for!!! If you already had a 5 channel amp kicking around I would say get the Anthem as you know I love it, but knowing you don't (have an amp that is), I would get the Denon...use it for 6 months...sell it for a slight profit and then get a great 5 channel amp with the Outlaw. If you don't like THAT combo, sell the Outlaw and then save the extra coin for the Anthem.
At least in the upgrade path you will have something in the meantime that gives you value and enjoyment. Call me a complete HT snob, but I would suffer through massive CC debt before I would relegate myself to listening to ANYTHING through my TV's internal speakers

 

[John Tompkins]

No brainer, 5803 for 2800.00..go for it!! keep it a year and sale it for 2400.00~or so, not bad,not bad at all..as Tom Cruise once said "sometimes you just gotta say what the heck" ...well close enough.

 

[Jeremy Hegna]

$2800...that's a very good price for this piece. It's no secret that I love my 5800, so I'm probably a bit biased.

That price is a steal. Some great suggestions in this thread, like John Morris says...buy the Outlaw down the road and do some comparisons. I believe that the 5800s used are still around 2k on ebay, the 5803 should easily go for 2.5-3k 6 months from now.

Jeremy

 

[Alex Yang]

Thanks guys for ALL of your input!!! I'm going to come to a decision really really quickly!!!
-Alex