|
New member Username: Mac_20Post Number: 1 Registered: Mar-06 | I am starting up my home theater and would like some suggestions on the receiver I should go with. I am really liking the Onkyo line. I can't decide among the TX-SR603, TX-SR703, or the TX-SR803. Thanks, |
|
Silver Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 325 Registered: Nov-05 | Okay, try eenie meenie minie mo :-) Sorry Mac 2.0, but your question is to basic. Many can offer different receivers and different models. You give no information to help anyone give you a decent response. What size room, what speakers will it be driving, music to movie ratio, budget, what connections for future proofing and so forth. Fill in the info and hopefully you'll get some answers. |
|
Bronze Member Username: JethroLansing, Mi Post Number: 18 Registered: Jan-06 | if you've narrowed it down that far, to only 1 specific brand, just buy the receiver out of the 3 that have the options u want and make sure the power is *enough* to load ur speakers u will be using. very simple on the other hand if u gave some more information on speakers and room size, etc.. im sure u could get some more input from these forums later |
|
New member Username: Mac_20Post Number: 2 Registered: Mar-06 | I appreciate the help. Here is some more info. Speakers: Center: Polk Audio CSi5 Front Towers: Polk Audio Monitor 60 Surrounds: Polk Audio FXi3 Sub: Polk Audio PSW505 Usage: TV: 40%, Movies: 40%, Music: 20% Room Size: 30' x 30' x 9' Budget: Would like to keep the receiver under $1000 I don't have to be locked in on the Onkyo. I just like them the most of the ones I've looked into. I could even go with Dennon or Yamaha. Thanks for the input, -Mac 2.0 |
|
Bronze Member Username: JethroLansing, Mi Post Number: 22 Registered: Jan-06 | for a grand budget and ur speaks, look into the denon 3806 or yamaha rv-x2600 to match well. also look at marantz 7500. i like the denon sound, seems pretty neutral to me and i think the polks are fairly neutral.. haven't owned polks for about 5 years however. but, since ur not constrained to a particular brand and just want advice on a receiver, i wouldn't go with the onkyo. i would go with the denon 3806 which will match well w/ ur speakers. the marantz may be a bit warmer which u may like the sound better with ur mainly HT setup. any $1000 receiver from denon, marantz, or yamaha should suit u fine. i tend to try to say away from yamaha cause it just seems to mainstreem for me but that is pretty much almost a *racist* if u will statement vs yamaha. for instance when i was 16 i owned a yamaha dirt bike etc... but all in all the yamaha receivers have a great processor section. all in all, in this price range if u buy a receiver from one of these companies at that price range, they will all do just fine. just demo them in ur local shop if possible and pick the one u like the sound of. later |
|
Silver Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 692 Registered: Dec-03 | I would suggest the Marantz 5600 or the 7500. Smoother sound than Yamaha, Denon or Onkyo, and a very good match with the Polk speakers. However, a better choice is the Outlaw 1070 receiver which you can buy factory direct for $899. Outlaw has built a fantastic reputation with providing great HT products for a reasonable amount of money and they only sell factory direct. Go to www.outlawaudio.com and check them out. You get a 30 day home trial, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, such as great (not merely good) sound. If you don't like, just send it back. but I am confident you will like it alot. BTW, Onkyos are among the worst of the major brands because they spent their money on their pretty face, and make up for it with a lousy power supply. Hence, a 130 wpc x 7 Onkyo receiver (the TX-SR901, I believe) was bench tested by Sound & Vision mag a couple of years ago and it clipped at 54 wpc when driving only 5 channels. And this is a receiver they priced at $2K! To avoid this problem, look at the company website and check out the Specifications page of any receiver you are interested in. If the power is rated two channels at a time, such as L+R: 90wpc, and LR + RR: 90wpc, then STAY AWAY. It is a dog, no matter the price. It means the power supply can only hit the receiver's rated power with only two channels driven, so HT applications will be sorely lacking in power. Conversely, some companies like Marantz has been rating their receivers with all channels driven and Marantz has spent a lot of effort improving their power supplies (after the fiasco with the 7200) over the past three years, so I feel very comfortable with recommending them. The Outlaw is also rated as "x 7", so it is rated with all channels driven, as well. So, for example, the Marantz 7500 specs list it as "105W x 7". That is a desireable power specification. By comparison, Onkyo lists its power (e.g., the TX-SR603X) as Front L/R: 90 W/Ch; Center: 90 W; Surround L/R: 90 W/Ch; etc. That is an open admission they are rating the power at only two channels at a time. Denon, on the other hand, is being sly. It never says how it is rating them, but lists it as simply "Power output; Watts per channel" and then they give a number. Notice how carefully they did not say the number of channels. A sure sign it was written by the lawyers (and that it is rated at only two channels at a time!). I can say this because I am a lawyer and I know their evil ways. It is so unfortunate that these companies are able to bamboozle the public in this way, but they do. It is like a high tech game of three card monty being played at your local audio dealer. Naturally, when you choose their card, you are the loser. |