Worth upgrading old B&K AVR507? (1 Viewer)

[Todd_Petersen]

Using my older BK receiver from around 2002 its still a damn powerhouse. I also have the same Speakers from 2002, they are the Polk LSi15s , LSIC and LSiFX for the rears. My sub is a 2002 SVS CS Ultra with Samson1000 amp and also just added a PB3000 for duals..

So as the post states... would it be worth it to buy a newer AVR? I wouldn't want to spend more then 2k max. I would add HDMI and all the new DTX and Dolby sound formats that i cant play when using my XBOX Series X along with UHD BluRays... right now my BK switches to Dolby Pro Logic 2 which is annoying but honestly i own like 2 UHD movies, the other 99% is streaming content from Netflix etc all which use Dolby Digital 5.1.

My speakers are 4ohm and the BK powers them with no sweat playing at references levels for hours on end... That's what worries me about a 1500-2k receiver, they just seem cheaply built compared to my current. The dang thing weighs close to 60lbs !!

Thoughts?

 

[JohnRice]

I guess the main question is, what do you want to gain? There's been a LOT of changes since 2002, including high res audio formats, hdmi, 4K, and Atmos/DST:X. That's a lot of stuff. 4 Ohm is a bit of a problem, and heat already tends to be a problem with current units, since they have so much circuitry. It's worth considering a receiver at the lower end of your budget and adding an external amp to power 3-5 of the channels. Your best budget options for new units are the Outlaw 5000x (5 channel) for $769 or the Emotiva A3 (3 channel) for $500. I definitely suggest going that route with those speakers. The front three channels are the most important, since the surrounds use much less power and are more frequency limited.

 

[Todd_Petersen]

Thanks for the post! That's the dilemma I am in.. if I was a big Blu-ray UHD buyer I would get in a second to listen in all the newer formats.. yet I always see myself streaming Netflix, VUDU, Amazon , HBO ETC... all which give me Dolby 5.1. The amps on this B&K are insane powerhouses ! I'm scared all drop a lot of money to end up lacking power and quality to get the few upgrade I'm not even sure I'll notice a mass difference. Yet part of me wouldn't mind an Atmos system " not sure what I would pair speaker wise with my 4ohm polk".

Here are a few pics, I just moved from a 1900sq foot house to a 4500 sq foot house and finally have a dedicated home theater room!! Still needs a lot of love but I'm happy !!

 

[JohnRice]

That room is definitely suited for a 7.2.4 setup, if you can run wires into the ceiling for the 4 overhead Atmos speakers. And they should go overhead, in the ceiling, not just high and to the sides. You can certainly find speakers that are suitable to go with your current ones. There's no reason for them to be 4 Ohm, if that's what you're concerned about. They don't even need to be Polk. RSL has an excellent in-ceiling that's also a bargain.

That as many as adds six new channels, and the reality is, you really cant have too much power. Even though the B&K is powerful for a receiver, it only provides the rated power when driving 1-2 speakers. With five or seven, its per-channel power is actually lower. Do you have a 4K display? If you don't now, you probably will in not too long. The bottom line is, your receiver is 20 years old. It's earned its keep, and it's probably time to move on and embrace some new gear. Actually, a lot of streaming has Atmos, and getting more common every day.

Also, I have speakers with similar specs to yours. The efficiency of mine is a bit lower and the impedance is also slightly lower, and I can positively state that you won't regret more power. Personally, I recommend something to really feed and control them, at least in the front three channels.

The problem is, equipment is difficult to impossible to get right now. You're probably best off planning and saving up for a bit of an upgrade from what you were thinking and waiting the better part of a year. Hopefully by next summer at least availability will be back to somewhat normal. I think you should budget $3K (or more) for a receiver and amp. You won't regret it.

 

[Todd_Petersen]

John great post ! I think saving up and waiting till next summer gives me a good goal. In the mean time I'll tighten up that room , get cables hidden , get a new better looking tv floor stand.. also the tv I have is the 77in LG OLED. I got it about 4 months ago , I love the LG OLED, I actually got a 65 in my bedroom for the last year but when I bought this house I had to get a bigger one for the dedicated room!

I've seen reviews that the Denon 3700 powers 4ohm speakers with no issues but for whatever reason I still feel it won't compare to what I have.

 

[JohnRice]

I’d suggest something like the 3700 along with an amp like the Emotiva XPA-3 or Monolith 3x200.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I can attest to the night and day differences when upgrading from a 20-year old composite and S-video receiver to a modern HDMI and Atmos enabled one. Mind blowing.

 

[Todd_Petersen]

What were you using and what did you upgrade to ?

I never uses s video for anything and for sound it all comes from an optical cable.

So like my Xbox series X hdmi to tv then optical from TV to receiver...

 

[Clinton McClure]

I went from a Yamaha RX-V995 to a Denon S750H.

 

[kalm_traveler]

I guess the main question is, what do you want to gain? There's been a LOT of changes since 2002, including high res audio formats, hdmi, 4K, and Atmos/DST:X. That's a lot of stuff. 4 Ohm is a bit of a problem, and heat already tends to be a problem with current units, since they have so much circuitry. It's worth considering a receiver at the lower end of your budget and adding an external amp to power 3-5 of the channels. Your best budget options for new units are the Outlaw 5000x (5 channel) for $769 or the Emotiva A3 (3 channel) for $500. I definitely suggest going that route with those speakers. The front three channels are the most important, since the surrounds use much less power and are more frequency limited.

John could you point me to some information about limited frequency range in modern discrete multichannel sound? I recall back in the Dolby ProLogic days that the surround channels didn't carry full-range signals but I swore I'd read that with modern formats that is no longer the case and all channels carry full-range?

 

[smithbrad]

Todd, I was in a similar situation. I recently replaced my Denon 5803 from early 2000's. The thing was huge and heavy and seemed to do fine with my M&K 150 speaker setup. I wanted to get rid of having to use external outputs from my Oppo player or even worrying about that in future. I also wanted to simplify the hookup to my projector using a single HDMI cable. Price is my issue, I didn't even want to do $2K this time around. I thought of going separates back in 2003, and should have. If I had, I could have swapped out with mid-range receivers while maintaining the same amp and wouldn't have fallen so far behind the technology curve.

I ended up picking up a mid-level Marantz receiver of a previous year model for around $600 and plan to pick up an Emotiva A3 in the near future. I'll use the Marantz to power the 4 surrounds and the Emotiva for the fronts. A much smarter approach for upgrades, too bad I didn't follow my gut the first time around.

 

[JohnRice]

John could you point me to some information about limited frequency range in modern discrete multichannel sound? I recall back in the Dolby ProLogic days that the surround channels didn't carry full-range signals but I swore I'd read that with modern formats that is no longer the case and all channels carry full-range?

I should have phrased it differently. DPL had the high frequencies limited in the surround channels. Current formats can provide full range, but virtually every system is configured to cut the low frequencies, especially in the surrounds, which is where the biggest power drain is.

 

[Todd_Petersen]

what about the Monolith by Monoprice 5x200 with the Denon 3700.. I am seeing good things on this Amp with 4ohm Speakers.

 

[JohnRice]

what about the Monolith by Monoprice 5x200 with the Denon 3700.. I am seeing good things on this Amp with 4ohm Speakers.

Absolutely.

In that price range I'd also consider the Emotiva XPA-5. You'll get more power, plus since it's Class H instead of A/B, it's 32 lbs lighter.

 

[Todd_Petersen]

Absolutely.

In that price range I'd also consider the Emotiva XPA-5. You'll get more power, plus since it's Class H instead of A/B, it's 32 lbs lighter.

thanks for the reply ill look into that one as well... !!!

 

[JohnRice]

thanks for the reply ill look into that one as well... !!!

I should clarify. Both amps use A/B outputs, but the Monolith uses a transformer for power. Class H still uses A/B outputs, but with a switching power supply. That's more efficient, since it doesn't have to store power like with a transformer. It is also significantly lighter. It's an alternative to Class D, which really will be more common. Both H and D are ways to improve the efficiency and weight of traditional A/B designs.

 

[Todd_Petersen]

Well i just bought the Monolith B stock 7 channel amp for 1399!! I am happy i saw this deal.. i then spenT 999.99 on their 15inch Sub that was 340 off... Hell i didnt even need that , But guess it will replace my 20 year old SVS CS Ultra and now be paired with my svs PB3000.


Oh and the main reason for this thread.. I pre ordered the New Onkyo receiver... I'm excited.. will have that new AVR with a great price on the 7 channel amp