Cheap but clean 5.1 receivers

[purplepeople]

Hi all,

I am a newbie on the forum. I know my way around equipment but haven't really kept up with the latest stuff. Any suggestions on a cheap but low-noise 5.1 receiver?

You see, it's time to replace my parents' old Yamaha RX-V receiver with something that is much less noisy. They were visiting the other week and heard my studio monitors and want something with the same fidelity. Anyway, they just moved into a two-bedroom apartment so nothing powerful, just clean sounding. I'm looking for THD <0.1% 20-20K and SNR >90dB - hopefully that will still be cheap.

I think they have the 590 model but can't be sure of my memory. Just idling it generates at least 35dB of noise. My Creative PC-Works speakers are cleaner. When you turn up the volume, the noise gets much worse, even when the DVD is not playing anything.

Thanks in advance everyone,

ensen.

[brendon]

At the cheap end of town(unfortunately where my budget leads me) the Marantz sr 4400 ,5400 and 6400 are well worth a look.Some argue they are better musically than equivalent priced yamahas and have better power reserves for any given rating(Marantz has a 80% power guarentee ie5 or 6 ch out put will be a min of 80% of two chanel output.I saw a review recently with some brands barely acheiving 60%) .
From a home theater point of view a lot of people feel the yamahas have a less laid back sound and they definately have more bells and whistles for HT.
There are still a few Sr-3-- series amps being run out at some retailers in Australia for a mild discount.
Out here in Australia we dont get a lot of the brands available in US with Marantz ,Yamaha,Pioneer, Sony,Dennon and Harmon kardon the mainstay at this price point.
Good luck with your search .
Brendon

[purplepeople]

Hi Brendan,

I would never have believed that Philips would sell Marantz's at the budget price point, but a look at some prices out of Toronto show them at $699CAD.

I'm not too worried about the power delivery since it only has to fill a 9'x10' room from the short side. From what you say about this 80% thing, I'm guessing that having 5+ discrete amps would put the price way out of entry level. The M-S speakers are rated at 87db/W/m so hopefully there are amps that can deliver 16 good watts per channel.

As for features, what more do they need. It gets radio and they can plug in their DVD-karaoke player. I haven't figured out whether to run 2-ch or digital since I don't know if the there is a digital coax. But, I'm pretty sure from all the badly designed advertising that they will all decode into 5.1 nicely enough. The problem is that I would hate to pay for all this extra venue simulation. Concert Hall indeed! I think the mfg put that stuff in so that nobody notices how bad the receivers sound, as in the case of the Yamaha.

Have you any opinions on the Onkyo or Denon models?

ensen.

[brendon]

Marantz power ratings

I dont think they actually have 5 seperate supplies merely one large that then supplies each channels individual amp.The lesser performing amps have smaller capacity transformers?
If you put Marantz sr5300 reviews into google there is a couple of articles mainly from UK magazines that compare marantz against denon,HK etc in most cases the Marantz comes up trumps.
The cheapest marantz SR4400 is about AUD $1000 and the 5400 approx $1300
(1$ AUD approx 72 -74cents US)
Brendon

[Miker]

Harman Kardon AVR 230...or there about!!!
Mike R

[number17]

Marantz 5400 should be around Cdn$750 new ... if that fits into your price range that's as good as it gets for an entry level receiver IMO.

I compared the Marantz 5400 to the Denon 1804 and a Denon 2803 (now discontinued). Personal preference but the Denon's come out a little too brights. When watching to movies the dialogues really pop out (which some ppl actually like, but I don't). When listening to music, Marantz is on the warm side, which is what I like. The denon's are on the bright side again.

[aud19]

In the budget range I like Denon, Yamaha and HK.

Jason

[Miker]

Harman has a much warmer sound than any of the Denons I have auditioned...I must say that it has a lot to do with your speaker of choice...ie if you run some of the Klipsch product, as I do...a Denon will tear your ears off!!! Ask me ....I know...so there is that aspect to consider as well.
Mike R

[purplepeople]

The speakers are an old set of Mordaunt Shorts, two bookshelfs and two surrounds. I cannot make a comparison since they've only ever been connected to the Yamaha. I don't have the models but they are circa 1993-5 and black veneer. The rears are some kind of injected plastic. Sound great, but not much extension below 70Hz or so. No center or sub, yet...

I will be over tonight to re-wire for them since the move so I will get some model numbers for everyone.

ensen.

[Miker]

Best thing for you to distinguish is if they are horn type or soft dome tweeters...also mid and bass driver sizes if possible. That will give everyone an idea of how harsh or smooth sounding the speakers might be if the model numbers are tough to pin down or if they are basically unknowns!!!
Mike R

[purplepeople]

The receiver to be replaced is a Yamaha RX-V870 while the speakers are a front pair of Mordaunt-Short MS5.10 and rear pair of Mordaunt-Short CS-1. I didn't have time to pop the grills but from what I've seen of M-S images on the web, I would have to say that they have silk domes. They sound like metal domes but I think that is the Yamaha's doing.

ensen.

[Miker]

I have to agree with you on the Yamaha thing....Denon will de even brighter from my experience. Considering your budget I would opt for the H/K AVR 230. Listed at 45 per in 5.1 (50 x 2), it's that Harman high current that makes it happen!!!...check one out..lots of basic features and a warmer tone than the Yamaha or Denon!!.

[number17]

For Mordaunt short speakers, I'd at least get a listen of the Marantz receiver with them ... they seem to work very well together.

[Bruce]

You should also check out the Panasonic direct digital amplifier based receivers. These are based on the T/I digital amp chips and get many rave reviews for transparent sound and low (non-existant) noise. This performance is based on using the digital inputs (coax or optical) from a DVD or CD player.

Models include last years models XR-25, XR-45, as well as this years models SR-50 and the SR-70 (SR-70 not released yet).

These are small units, inexpensive, but very high quality sound.

[brendon]

A good source of proffesional reviews

Hi all,I have just been looking for the review which had the marantz against the HK and Dennon etc but darned if I can find it again.
A good spot to find a list of professional reviews is ecoustics.com - hometheater- receivers-reviews which has an up to date list of all reviews from almost all major magazines .
Brendon

[purplepeople]

I've started digging around and discovered that Denon and Marantz have merged. In addition, Philips owns half of Marantz so I'm guessing there are TDA semiconductors in both those units. If so that would explain why their entry-level receivers have almost the same specs. Can anyone confirm this?

ensen.

[purplepeople]

Hi all,I have just been looking for the review which had the marantz against the HK and Dennon etc but darned if I can find it again.

Google 4th result. Keywords: Harman vs Marantz vs Denon.

http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/10102.html

[number17]

Denon does indeed own Marantz. Not sure about the Philips part though.

[brendon]

RE -reviews

Hi, I finally found one of the reviews I was refering to go to smarthouse.com.au and click on the button on the left hand side for home theater amps?receivers and you will find a fairly basic group review.I think if you read too many of the user reviews madness is very possible as I have seen every model from almost every brand rubbished at one time or another usually by people who have the units for two days or have only listened to it in a store!!
Brendon