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L.J.
02-10-2006, 02:11 PM
Alright, I ve been working on a system for the bedroom and now it's AVR time. Im looking to spend about 300 or so. I really don't need much as far as features go, I just want something reliable. Right now I'm thinking Onkyo 503, Pioneer 815, Yamaha 5840 or Panasonic SA-XR55. I have not done any comparisons or auditioning yet.

I'm wondering do you guys have any comments or suggestions on these products or similar in this price range?

If you own any of these products I'd like to know what you think of it?

EdwardGein
02-10-2006, 03:00 PM
Again, to sound like a broken record you can get a Denon 3801 Receiver used in excellent to very good condition with remote & instruction book for $375 -$450 on Ebay including shipping & if you have a universal remote, sell your Denon Remote for $40- $50 on Ebay. My set up in my bedroom is the same as my living room but with a 34" Panasonic HDTV (34WX-15) & a less powerful sub because my living room sub in the confined bedroom space is too powerful). Same Orb Mod 1 5 Satellite Speakers but with an Accoustic Research Sub.

L.J.
02-10-2006, 03:22 PM
I'd rather buy new and local. I want to audition a few before deciding and I'd also like a warranty so used isn't gonna work.

thekid
02-10-2006, 04:05 PM
Alright, I ve been working on a system for the bedroom and now it's AVR time. Im looking to spend about 300 or so. I really don't need much as far as features go, I just want something reliable. Right now I'm thinking Onkyo 503, Pioneer 815, Yamaha 5840 or Panasonic SA-XR55. I have not done any comparisons or auditioning yet.

I'm wondering do you guys have any comments or suggestions on these products or similar in this price range?

If you own any of these products I'd like to know what you think of it?

Obviously auditioning them is the key.
A quick surf indicates the Yamaha is the cheapest.

I own the 815 and have been very happy with it. I won't shill it here just look at my review on this site and the links in it for a more detailed review. Your local BB should have it in stock to audition.

Good Hunting!!!

L.J.
02-10-2006, 04:14 PM
Obviously auditioning them is the key.
A quick surf indicates the Yamaha is the cheapest.

I own the 815 and have been very happy with it. I won't shill it here just look at my review on this site and the links in it for a more detailed review. Your local BB should have it in stock to audition.

Good Hunting!!!

Actually that Onkyo 503 is on sale at CC for only $239. I might audition that one first. CC has a great return policy and excellent CS.

Yes I read your review one the 815. Nice job, by the way! I know I'm gonna have to get off my butt and compare these products,but it's such a headache since there all pretty decent units.

EdwardGein
02-10-2006, 04:50 PM
I'd rather buy new and local. I want to audition a few before deciding and I'd also like a warranty so used isn't gonna work.

Don't take this personally, but no guts, no glory, especially if you're talking under $500. The odds of getting ripped off on Ebay when you buy from a seller with excellent feedback over 50 positives 95% positive feedback or better is minimal and for myself, I like the odds of getting a good excellent working $1300 receiver that's a few years old from a name company like Denon then something new but mediocore for $300 with a 1 year warranty but to each their own. Good luck with whatever you buy

L.J.
02-10-2006, 05:36 PM
Don't take this personally, but no guts, no glory, especially if you're talking under $500. The odds of getting ripped off on Ebay when you buy from a seller with excellent feedback over 50 positives 95% positive feedback or better is minimal and for myself, I like the odds of getting a good excellent working $1300 receiver that's a few years old from a name company like Denon then something new but mediocore for $300 with a 1 year warranty but to each their own. Good luck with whatever you buy

ED,

I feel what your saying, but it is not a $1300 AVR. If it was, it would sell for that much. The unit is priced at $375- $400 because that is what it is worth. I am not concerned with getting ripped off, I'm concerned with being able to get a product I know I can simply return to the store I purchased it from if a problem occurs. A 5 year protection plan at CC is only $39. I am not limited to how much I want to spend on an AVR. I set the mark at 300 because I don't need much. That 3801 may have a slight advantage sound wise, but I'm willing to trade that off for security. Anyways, your right, to each his own. I'm sure your happy with your product and I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever I go with.

EdwardGein
02-10-2006, 06:17 PM
I'd check out Circuit City then as they have a no hassles return policy. You might want to "try out" 3 receivers at a time, if your using your credit card. I still say a $1300 7.1 Denon receiver that's 5 years old will give you as good if not better sound then a $700 new receiver. You also might want to use Magnolia for checking out receivers. VSX-1015TX Pioneer Receiver New is only $429 from One Call with warranty & has gotten excellent reviews on Amazon.com

L.J.
02-10-2006, 07:17 PM
Yes, I have returned many products at CC with no questions asked. I have slowly moved away from BB due to the constant problems I have run into with them. You would think that BB would follow this no hassle policy. Although I see no problem with purchasing gear from BB, you had better hold onto your receipt for dear life.

EdwardGein
02-10-2006, 07:35 PM
Hey out of curiosity, have you listened to any CD's on your main system from any DVD players other then 2910 & if so did you notice any difference in sound quality as your DVD player is top rated? The Denon 2805's are going on Ebay from anywhere from $420 to $570 new with a warranty.

L.J.
02-10-2006, 08:02 PM
Hey out of curiosity, have you listened to any CD's on your main system from any DVD players other then 2910 & if so did you notice any difference in sound quality as your DVD player is top rated? The Denon 2805's are going on Ebay from anywhere from $420 to $570 new with a warranty.

I've played CDs on my 2910, but thru a digital connection, which means my 2805 is doing the processing. There was a huge diff. in sound for SACD playback vs. the Samsung 841 I owned for a short while.

Eric Z
02-10-2006, 08:58 PM
I don't think auditioning is going to do much at this price point. They will all pretty much sound the same- maybe a few differences here and there, but nothing too big. I recommend picking the one you are most comfortable with regarding ease of use and options. Yamahas are usually known for their quality builds and Pioneer you can usually get money receiver for your money.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!
Eric

L.J.
02-11-2006, 07:28 AM
I don't think auditioning is going to do much at this price point. They will all pretty much sound the same- maybe a few differences here and there, but nothing too big. I recommend picking the one you are most comfortable with regarding ease of use and options. Yamahas are usually known for their quality builds and Pioneer you can usually get money receiver for your money.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!
Eric

Eric, I feel you on the SQ advice. I'm currently using a 5 year old JVC in my bedroom and it sounds great. Of course the speakers have alot to do with it ;) . I'm pretty much auditioning for ease of use (as you mentioned), not only for myself but for wifee. A great remote will do wonders for her, as she will be using this system more than I will. I dont need anything spectacular, just reliable, easy to use, and a few features should get me by just fine. Thanks for your reply

GMichael
02-11-2006, 08:03 AM
Hey LJ,

Are you looking for something with auto set up, or are you going to do it yourself?

L.J.
02-11-2006, 08:36 AM
Hey LJ,

Are you looking for something with auto set up, or are you going to do it yourself?

No, I'm not worried about auto setup. It would be nice though. The Onkyo 603 is on sale for 329 and it has that, as well as the Pioneer 815. I'm dropping by CC today to take my first look over.

GMichael
02-11-2006, 08:52 AM
No, I'm not worried about auto setup. It would be nice though. The Onkyo 603 is on sale for 329 and it has that, as well as the Pioneer 815. I'm dropping by CC today to take my first look over.

Have a great day. I'll be here listening to music, playing pool, & waiting for the snow.

Don't forget to stop at BB too. I find them to be a great play to check things before I buy from a real store.

L.J.
02-11-2006, 09:02 AM
Have a great day. I'll be here listening to music, playing pool, & waiting for the snow.

Don't forget to stop at BB too. I find them to be a great play to check things before I buy from a real store.

Dont forget to have some cookies ;)

GMichael
02-11-2006, 09:08 AM
Dont forget to have some cookies ;)

What cookies? Did I forget something? Ever stop to think, and forget to... uh, um...
start again?

Eric Z
02-11-2006, 09:39 AM
I heard about the big snow out east, GM- enjoy!

LJ, I've heard great things about the Pioneer 815- some magazines rate it as one of the best inexpensive receivers. I'm a fan of Yamaha- I think just because I'm most familiar with them since I have two.

L.J.
02-11-2006, 11:47 AM
Ah, decisions, decisions. I'm off to BB and CC in a few. I'll let you guys know what I come up with. If I happen to peep out an open box buy or something, maybe I'll go that route.

Eric, I'm definitely gonna look at that 815, if it's still available at BB. Thanks

L.J.
02-13-2006, 08:15 AM
So I peeped out a bunch of AVR's this weekend and picked up the Onkyo 603 on sale for $329. This baby meets all my needs and more. On screen display, video conversion, universal/learning remote with 3 macro buttons(huge plus), plenty of digital inputs, 2nd zone and so on. Plus more bells and whistles such as iPod and XM ready, not to mention auto setup. This unit is perfect for my needs and the price is right on with what I was looking for :)

GMichael
02-13-2006, 08:46 AM
So I peeped out a bunch of AVR's this weekend and picked up the Onkyo 603 on sale for $329. This baby meets all my needs and more. On screen display, video conversion, universal/learning remote with 3 macro buttons(huge plus), plenty of digital inputs, 2nd zone and so on. Plus more bells and whistles such as iPod and XM ready, not to mention auto setup. This unit is perfect for my needs and the price is right on with what I was looking for :)

Cool, got it up and running? How's it sound?

L.J.
02-13-2006, 09:22 AM
Cool, got it up and running? How's it sound?

No, it's still in the box. I only had enough time yesterday to peep out the remote. I'll hook it up tonight. I only gotta 2.0 thing going in the bedroom right now though.

Something I noticed over the weekend was alot of stores did not have the remote available for viewing. This was a drag because a nice remote was one of the features that was important. There must be alot of remote thefts or something.

GMichael
02-13-2006, 09:40 AM
No, it's still in the box. I only had enough time yesterday to peep out the remote. I'll hook it up tonight. I only gotta 2.0 thing going in the bedroom right now though.

Something I noticed over the weekend was alot of stores did not have the remote available for viewing. This was a drag because a nice remote was one of the features that was important. There must be alot of remote thefts or something.

OK, You can update us tomorrow?

Most likely. It's always the few, who screw things up for the rest of us honest people.

L.J.
02-15-2006, 07:16 AM
OK, You can update us tomorrow?

So I hooked up the Onkyo and gave it an unofficial test run. Compared to the old JVC I was using there wasn't too much of a difference. The Onkyo was a little more dynamic. I cannot comment on surround yet, since I only got a 2.0 thing going for now. I auditioned a bunch of speakers and ended up going with Energy C-3's. The sound from these speakers are amazing. I also liked the Paradigm mini monitors, but in the end, went with Energy. Not only am I putting a 5.0(for now) system in my bedroom, I'm also gonna paint, put up borders and all that good stuff. So it'll be awhile before everything is hooked up and all finished. I'm gonna try to get er done this weekend. Well at least get started on it.

GMichael
02-15-2006, 08:02 AM
So I hooked up the Onkyo and gave it an unofficial test run. Compared to the old JVC I was using there wasn't too much of a difference. The Onkyo was a little more dynamic. I cannot comment on surround yet, since I only got a 2.0 thing going for now. I auditioned a bunch of speakers and ended up going with Energy C-3's. The sound from these speakers are amazing. I also liked the Paradigm mini monitors, but in the end, went with Energy. Not only am I putting a 5.0(for now) system in my bedroom, I'm also gonna paint, put up borders and all that good stuff. So it'll be awhile before everything is hooked up and all finished. I'm gonna try to get er done this weekend. Well at least get started on it.

It's hard to tell what you'll end up with before it's calibrated. When I first replaced my 20 year old, 2 channel, $200 Pioneer with a new $1000 Yammie I thought it sounded much better. But it wasn't until it was completely calibrated when I realized how much better it was.

L.J.
02-15-2006, 10:10 AM
It's hard to tell what you'll end up with before it's calibrated. When I first replaced my 20 year old, 2 channel, $200 Pioneer with a new $1000 Yammie I thought it sounded much better. But it wasn't until it was completely calibrated when I realized how much better it was.

Oh the Onkyo is in an entirely different league. SQ wise, I'm sure the Onkyo is superior, but there is no night and day difference. I felt the same way when I upgraded from my other JVC to my Denon. The sound was more dynamic and crisp, but not night and day. Well that's just what I've experienced from upgrading AVR's. Speakers are of course, a whole different story.

L.J.
02-23-2006, 07:18 AM
Hey guys,

I finally finished my bedroom project. Well almost finished. The Onkyo 603 is a breeze to work with. Very easy set up process and the remote is nice as well. Lot's of extras and convenient features like on screen display and video swithing/conversion are what sold me. For $329 the 603 was exactly what I was looking for.

As far as speakers go,I'm using Energy C-3's for my mains and Energy C-C1 for my center. I pulled out some old Yamaha's I had laying around to use as temporary surrounds(they actully don't sound that bad) and will eventually be getting a sub.

I also got rid of my HUGE 36" JVC, and replaced it with a 32" Sharp LCD mounted on the wall(WAF). The picture from this baby his simply flawless. The HD is stunning, crystal clear and very vivid.

Lastly, I'm using some old gear I had laying around. An old JVC dvd player and a 5 disc RCA mp3 player with a digital output. I've listened to some tunes and watched a few movie demos(sections of Hero, Master&Commander, Zorro and Star Wars III) and wow, it sounds great.

On the WAF side, I painted the room, put up borders and curtains and all that other wifee stuff. ;) I'll post pictures when I get a chance.

GMichael
02-23-2006, 07:29 AM
Hey guys,

I finally finished my bedroom project. Well almost finished. The Onkyo 603 is a breeze to work with. Very easy set up process and the remote is nice as well. Lot's of extras and convenient features like on screen display and video swithing/conversion are what sold me. For $329 the 603 was exactly what I was looking for.

As far as speakers go,I'm using Energy C-3's for my mains and Energy C-C1 for my center. I pulled out some old Yamaha's I had laying around to use as temporary surrounds(they actully don't sound that bad) and will eventually be getting a sub.

I also got rid of my HUGE 36" JVC, and replaced it with a 32" Sharp LCD mounted on the wall(WAF). The picture from this baby his simply flawless. The HD is stunning, crystal clear and very vivid.

Lastly, I'm using some old gear I had laying around. An old JVC dvd player and a 5 disc RCA mp3 player with a digital output. I've listened to some tunes and watched a few movie demos(sections of Hero, Master&Commander, Zorro and Star Wars III) and wow, it sounds great.

On the WAF side, I painted the room, put up borders and curtains and all that other wifee stuff. ;) I'll post pictures when I get a chance.

Good job LJ. Turn it up a little so I can hear it.

L.J.
02-23-2006, 10:27 AM
Good job LJ. Turn it up a little so I can hear it.

Thanks GM!

All I need now are some small (very small) or discreet surrounds and a small sub.

I was thinking of using flat speakers for my surrounds. Do you have any suggestions?

edtyct
02-23-2006, 11:17 AM
LJ,

Do you mean flat as in planar, maybe? If so, the Magnepan MMGWs are about as flat on the wall as you can get. They run a little less than $300/pair with AudioReview discount (see ads on right side), come in many color combinations, and sound terrific. The obvious way to go would be complementary Energies, but if you aren't afraid of mixing it up, I think the Maggies have a 60-day grace period.

Ed

GMichael
02-23-2006, 11:28 AM
Thanks GM!

All I need now are some small (very small) or discreet surrounds and a small sub.

I was thinking of using flat speakers for my surrounds. Do you have any suggestions?

So many to choose from. The mini mags that Ed suggested do sound nice. They are part of my ultimate wish list. Not sure how well they would match up with what you have now though. The 30 return thing sounds like a good idea. The only problem I see is that you may like them too much. Then you'll have to replace everything.

L.J.
02-23-2006, 11:56 AM
Ed and GM thanks for the reply.

I think those or gonna be too big. One side of the room has a closet, which only leaves a 6" width of wall available for mounting a speaker. I don't think my wife cares for large surround speakers on stands. If it were just me, then I'd be putting some C-1's up as surrounds. So I was thinking flat speakers that were no more than 6" wide. My only other chose would be tiny sat. on stands. Any other suggestions?

L.J.
02-23-2006, 12:13 PM
Here's a pic of my front 3 and flat panel tv

edtyct
02-23-2006, 01:44 PM
What about the little Energy Take 5.2 speakers (actually, they might be at Take 6 by now)? I thought they were fantastic when I heard them in a surround mode. They measure only 4" across and come with a wall-mounting bracket. I don't know how the drivers match up with the Energies that you have, but maybe it's worth some research.

L.J.
02-23-2006, 02:21 PM
What about the little Energy Take 5.2 speakers (actually, they might be at Take 6 by now)? I thought they were fantastic when I heard them in a surround mode. They measure only 4" across and come with a wall-mounting bracket. I don't know how the drivers match up with the Energies that you have, but maybe it's worth some research.

That's what I was thinking. Nearest Energy dealer is about 50 miles from me :( I'll have to see how close a match they are.

Boston, Klispch and a few others have on wall type speakers, but I didn't realize they were so expensive. My only for sure timbre matched options are Energy C-1's on stands or C-R1's above the closet door, which is gonna be about 4 or so feet above ear level(bad WAF). The Yamaha's I'm using now sound pretty good for the time being, but it doesn't have that seamless pan from front to back that I'm used too on my main system. This is actually starting to give me a headache. Perhaps I will try to sweet talk the wife. Thanks for your thoughts guys.