Marrantz 4300 and Yamaha - Good Combination

[marshahu_cr]

Hello everyone, long time no see. I have finally found what I think coudl be an ideal solution.

I visited a local hifi shop and for £299 I saw a Marrantz 4300 6.1 Receiver coupled with Mordant Short 5.1 Speakers which could be added for another £299. Since I use positional audio with my 6.1 sound card all channels are important. The shopkeeper tried to sell me two extra pioneer speakers for £50 but I rejected that deal since mixing brands in speakers is bound to bring some inconsistency in the final output.

Then I saw yamaha's website. For £199 I had a complete set of 6.1 speakers all matching and with equal output and a sleek but punchy subwoofer. Perfect. Then I took a look at yamaha's equivalent 6.1 receiver (RX-V450) for the same price as a marantz. I was more impressed with the yamaha because it had Dolby Pro Logic IIx, which means no deathly silence from the rear center when listening to Dolby Surround Broadcasts. Also the built in cinema sound modes are impressive (I tried them out on their lower end models and the few that lay there were pretty impressive and natural sounding, unlike many DSP effects where they are incredibly "wooden" or excessive), and the silent cinema will certainly be useful for my 50 year old dad, saving him having to keep turning the volume up when straining to hear dialogue, only to have to quickly reach for the remote when a sudden orchestral swell belts out the speaker!

However Yamaha's website was not to clear whether the analogue inputs are only 5.1 or actually 6.1. Would someone be able to clarify whether the RX-V450 has 6.1 input - I want to connect my PC sound card (audigy 2) analgouely as well as digitally so I can listen to DVD Audio and enjoy 6.1 positional audio.

If yamaha's RX-V450 doesn't have 6.1 input then would someone be able to advise me on how good Yamaha's 6.1 NS-P106 speaker set would sound with Marrantz's 4300 6.1 Receiver.

Also since I can't be bothered with spearates what is the cheapest Mini System I could get that has 3 CD Changer with MP3 support, Twin deck auto reverse cassette which is controlled by remote and auxillary input (for a mini size turntable) AND output so I can scrap the mini systems speakers and put it in my Receiver!

Thank you for your time!!

[aud19]

Looks like the Yamaha only has 5.1 inputs...


If you're only using the receiver for it's amps and using your PC for a pre/pro why don't you just buy some used amps off Audiogon or Ebay? Or buy some powered speakers? Like the Klipsh ProMedia series or if you want higher fidelity, something from Genelc for example.

Secondly, you'll likely find that for the same money as "mass-market" companies you can get a lot better speakers from other companies for the same/similar money. For example here in Canada you gen get base systems from PSB, Paradigm, Athena, Energy etc for relatively little money (Canadian companies).

Jason

[marshahu_cr]

My mistake, I didnt mention that I was not just going to use this receiver for the PC. I am using this receiver as a hub to connect a load of audio sources dotted around the room

My PC is considered to be a Media center. My mates come round to play games on my PC but we discovered that it's more sociable to play around a big TV rather than huddle round a 17" monitor. However since the TV is facing a different direction to the PC speakers it detracts from the surround sound experience and games aren't that good. I can use Digital output for DVD movies and use Analogue for Positional audio in games and DVD Audio.

So whilst I got a secondary set of speakers for the PC, why not clear up some clutter by selling the crap Midi system and gettin a mini system with inputs for a turntable and outputs so I can plug it into the receiver. Then the speakers that came with the Mini system I could sell off for a decent price. And why not connect the TV to the receiver and enjoy Dolby Pro Logic II instead of Pro Logic sound?

So it looks like a no go for yamaha - very dissapointing! However is yamaha's 6.1 speaker package worth considering when used with a Marrantz 4300?

[aud19]

Regardless of which receiver you buy, I still recommend looking at other brands of speakers. Try to check out brands from your home of England (B&W, Kef, Tannoy etc.) as you'll likely be able to get them for less there.

FYI, companies I'd look at for receivers: Denon, HK, Yamaha. I've never been a big Marantz fan but that's a personal opinion kind of thing... :lol:

Jason

[marshahu_cr]

The only reason I am choosing Yamaha speakers is beacause space in my living room is limited, not to mention my budget is extremly tight. I was originally going to settle for a Home Theatre in a Box solution but I thought I would try and aim for a receiver and speaker solution for better sound quality, a bigger selection of inputs, and a 6.1 DVD Audio input. Your choice of brands is no doubt top of the range but I simply dont have that amount of money to spend on those brands at the moment. :cry:

Do you have any other brands you can reccommend which can sell me 6.1 speaker systems for my Marrantz for no more than £200? What is so bad about Yamaha speakers anyway, I thought Yamaha were supposed to be a company that specialise in musical equipment, therefore providing high quality audio and home theatre equipment? 8O

[aud19]

Of the mass market brands, Yamaha's speakers aren't all that bad compared to Sony, Pioneer etc. However I still say you can get better speakers from companies who specifically build speakers. The companies I listed to make very high-end and expensive speakers for sure but they also have base speaker systems that have trickled down features and sound quality from those more expensive lines at very resonable prices. Energy Take/Encore speakers for example here in Canada represent a VERY good value and will easily outperform similarly priced speakers from Yamaha (and a lot of other companies ). I know B&W's 300 Series are a good example of relatively low cost/good performing speakers and being UK based are probably cheaper for you over there as well. Heck even their Leisure series is probably a better option.

Poke your head into some AV shops over there and check out some of the better brands entry level systems. You may be surprised the performance you can get for your money

Jason