Receiver (Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha)- which one?

[Eric Z]

Hello, everyone-

I am in the market for a new A/V receiver and am looking for some advice or recommendations.

I am currently using a Sony STR385 (or something like that) with Mirage FRX5 floor speakers and a Def Tech PS80 subwoofer. I think it sounds pretty good now, but from what I hear, it can sound tons better!

I know there are receivers out there that can easily break the bank, so I am looking for something in the $250-$350 range. Here are some that I've looked at:

Denon DRA395
Onkyo TX8511
Yamaha HTR5650

Would it be better to wait and buy a receiver that's more expensive (hence higher quality)?

Any comments on these or other recommendations is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!
Eric

[topspeed]

Hey Eric,

More money will many times not buy you better sound, especially if you just move up the food chain of particular manufacturers. Because the amplifier topology usually remains constant, you are most likely paying for increased features and/or more watts. When you consider that you have to double wattage for a 3dB increase (hardly noticeable), I be careful about paying hundreds of dollars more for 15 or 20 addn'l watts. Technically, additional watts will allow more headroom during transients but how much you notice depends on you and your speakers.

You can get better sound with more money but you'll probably need to spend a LOT more and start looking at other manufacturers than the normal Japanese suspects. Arcam, B&K, Rotel, and Anthem to name a few and there are literally hundreds of others. "Difference" is all predicated on how revealing your equipment is and how closely you listen or even care for that matter. For 99% of the population, a good receiver from a reputable manufacturer (such as the 3 you listed) will be more than good enough.

You don't really say what you don't like about your current set-up so it's a little vague. Ultimately, the best sound possible is through separates, imo. You can start by adding a 2,3, 5 or even 7 channel amp to your system as long as your Sony has pre-outs. If you choose an amp that is a good match for your Mirage set, you should notice a dramatic increase in dynamics, better extension, blahblahblah. I'm not a fan of Sony's amps so any change for me would be for the better.

Good luck and have fun

[Eric Z]

Thanks for the input, Topspeed!

What I mean by better is more options I think. Currently, my receiver doesn't have a subwoofer or optical connection.

Thanks again.
Eric

[kexodusc]

Those 3 brands all make great receivers...significant improvements over your Sony.
They'll drive those wonderful Mirage speakers you've got quite nicely.
At this point, list the features you absolutely need, the ones you want, and your budget. Then listen to the models that qualify from all 3 brands, and remove any that don't sound good to you, then pick the cheapest of the remaining (unless one really stands out and grabs you).
I don't think you can go wrong with either make, certain models have advantages and drawbacks over the others. Sound quality wise, I doubt you'll notice much, if any difference between the three.

[woodman]

Hello, everyone-
I am currently using a Sony STR385 (or something like that) with Mirage FRX5 floor speakers and a Def Tech PS80 subwoofer. I think it sounds pretty good now, but from what I hear, it can sound tons better!

Would it be better to wait and buy a receiver that's more expensive (hence higher quality)?

Any comments on these or other recommendations is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!
Eric

Eric:
Don't be misled by what others may claim ... your statement that "it can sound TONS better" indicates to me that you're indeed operating under some very false pretenses that have been instigated by what "they" say. I've been involved with audio for 60+ years and one thing I've learned above all else is that there simply is no such thing as "tons better" - or "huge improvement" - or "night and day difference". All differences in performance between competing products is small, subtle, and quite often - minuscule and not really very meaningful.

Two of the three receivers you mention that you're considering for an "upgrade" are stereo receivers - not home theater receivers. As such, I would not recommend either as they do not enjoy the benefits of large-scale mfg. production that are responsible for the far greater value offered by the A/V receivers. Regardless of any factors, none of those three will give you significantly "better" sound quality. Save your money until you have more to spend on an upgrade than $300 is the best advice that I (or anyone else) can give you.

Hope this helps you

[Eric Z]

Thanks a bunch for your advice and honesty, Woodman!

[topspeed]

Thanks for the input, Topspeed!

What I mean by better is more options I think. Currently, my receiver doesn't have a subwoofer or optical connection.

Thanks again.
Eric

Why do you want optical inputs? What is it about your source equipment DAC's that aren't satisfying? A digital input will allow you to use the receiver's dac's but what if they aren't any better than your cd/dvd/sacd player? Can you even tell the difference? Most newer receiver's have digital inputs but that doesn't necessarily mean it will sound any better when you use them so keep that in mind.

As for the sub, you can run an extra set of wires via speaker level inputs and utilize the sub's onboard crossover if you need to.

I'm with Wood on this one, keep what you've got until you can make a bigger leap. Think of it this way, now you have a goal to shoot for.

Good luck

[PmR]

I had a similar dilemma but accomplished what I needed to do via the used market. The thing about audiophiles (I guess I'm a used-audiophiler) is that many have a disease called upgraditis. They need to regularly update their systems for the next latest and greatest piece of equipment. Sometimes those upgrades make a big difference (for example, going from a pro-logic HT receiver to a dolby digital receiver) and sometimes they make a small difference. Regardless, this means their old equipment which is often top-notch stuff can be had for huge savings in the used market.

A couple of good places to go for receivers is www.audiogon.com and www.videogon.com. You can also try e-bay. I got myself a Pioneer Elite VSX-D43TX for $400 USD (which is a huge savings compared to Cdn retail) and a Yamaha RX-V1300 (I have two HT rooms due to my wife's and my own vastly different viewing preferences) for about the same.

A couple of words of caution. Only buy from people with established good feedback ratings. Talk to the people who are selling them about their reasons for selling and whether there have been any problems with the unit. Use Paypal or COD (especially for those without established feedback) as this will give you some degree of protection. A reasonable compromise is often to offer COD but to pay the shipping charges prior to shipping.

Right now there are a couple of Marantz SR6200's available and these make excellent receivers.

There is a denon avr-1803 on ebay for $250 US (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...category=39793)

There is an Arcam AVR100 at Videogon (http://cgi.videogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.p...200&class&3&4&)

Anyhow, happy hunting.