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New member Username: TlinksPost Number: 1 Registered: Jan-06 | After finally graduating college I've decided to upgrade my home theater system. I recently purchased a Sony LCD HDTV and am enjoying it to the fullest extent. I am looking at 2 receivers at the moment and am willing to explore more options. However, I not sure which to go with and could use some help from the gurus out there. I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could compare these to me as I've been off the market for awhile. First is the Pioneer VSX-74TXVi valued @ about $1,500. Second is the Denon AVR-4806 valued @ $2,500 - 3,500. If anyone could do an in depth comparsion b/t these 2 I would greatly appreciate it. tlinks |
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DorseyE Unregistered guest | Read these pro reviews: [Updated links] https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_4/denon-avr-4806-receiver-12-2005-part-1.html http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-av-receivers/av-receivers/denon-avr-4806-7.1-channel-receiver.html https://www.soundandvision.com/content/pioneer-elite-vsx-74txvi-thx-select2-av-receiver |
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Unregistered guest | Looking for help choosing high end home theater system. Denon AVR-4806 or better with matching high end speakers. To go with the 60 inch Sony Grand Wega HDTV SXRD. Any/all recommendations greatly appreciated. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1054 Registered: Dec-04 | Go to a nice stereo shop out of the way. Not main street. A nice shop out of the way which sells nad as a basic line. Buy once and be happy for years. Bring money. Not a fortune, but bring money. |
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Silver Member Username: GmanMt. Pleasant, SC Post Number: 776 Registered: Dec-03 | Unless you have a very large room I would get the Pioneer 74TXVi. But both are probably the best receivers for audio/video at their price points. To recommend speakers one should give the room dimensions, the budget, the liveliness of the room, and the type of music one generally listens to. Also, if one generally watches movies or music more. Directional rear speakers are generally better for music, while the THX group recommends non-directions for surrounds. In a good set-up, I generally prefer directionals. |
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New member Username: Hypoxic_onesChantilly, Va Post Number: 3 Registered: Jan-06 | It seems you are comparing two different categories of receivers. After $1500 you venture into the land of diminishing returns, the biggest of these two being their THX certification standards. The Pioneer is a great value as well as a great sounding receiver, but its THX select rated vs. the Denon 4806 -- a well reviewed center-piece from a top of the line component maker and its THX Ultra2 Certifed. Price being no object then why not, but at twice the price of the Pioneer, why? Unless of course your room volume is greater than 3000 sf (THX Ultra2) vs. 2000 sf (THX Select). I have to agree that the Pioneer is the best choice at the lower price point; however, the Denon is a better receiver but at twice the price. Choices, choices. |
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HT Hunter Unregistered guest | Is the Yamaha RXV 2600 with its video upconversion a better choice than the Pioneer/Denon? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1266 Registered: Dec-04 | Hunter, I ain't sure about the video wars right now. Into your mix you might want to add the Outlaw reveivers, or beter yer, the integrated. The switches in the receivers are dvi, so you may need a converter, but dvi will always work with everything, so no worries. Thats why they made it dvi. Remotes are available for off-boeard DAC's Worth considering? |
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Silver Member Username: KanoBC Canada Post Number: 828 Registered: Oct-04 | Video upconversion is useless, I've found all it does is produce a washed out image, the colors may be more vibrant, but the cons far outweigh the pros IMO. |
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Silver Member Username: GmanMt. Pleasant, SC Post Number: 821 Registered: Dec-03 | The amp section of the Yamaha 2600 isn't as robust with 5 or 7 channels channels driven as the PE 74TXvi and definitely not as much as the Denon 4806. The PE 74TXvi has a superior and easier to use speaker balancing system than the Yammie and it has firewire (so does the Denon) for superior audio connections to a firewire equipped universal dvd player. Unless you have a very big room and difficult to drive speakers I would go with the PE 74TXvi. If it is a big room and you need the extra power, go with the Denon 4806. Also, since the audio portion of HDMI is a moving target--at least until HDMI 1.3 gets released with full support for SACD, getting a receiver with firewire (i-link) and a universal dvd player with the same is the best solution. Firewire carries all the audio, from DVD-V, cd, DVD-A, SACD, and others. It is best to just use the HDMI for video. Video upconversion doesn't improve the picture, but it does simplify the video connections to one HDMI wire. You can't create more resolution from a lower resolution picture on a big screen. You just end up with an amplified picture with fill-in pixels. If it was poor coming in--it will be even worse when blown up. Unless one has a very rare HDTV or an even rarer receiver with excellent scaling and video processing, one is often left with viewing poor blown-up renditions of standard tv fare (480i)on their HDTV's. Unless one owns the top of the line Denon receiver, the poor scaling bugaboo's of most videophiles can only be ameliorated by buying a device like the DVDO iScan VP30. These type of devices scale the incoming video to the most advantageous pixel set-up on your HDTV. Plus they serve as a great switching station with a number of different inputs (from HDMI, DVI, component, etc.)and outputting in HDMI. The lack of available bandwidth with most cable and satellite companies, along with the desire of them to show as many broadcasts (stations) as possible, has led to these companies using various quantities of compression on the broadcats. This compression when combined with often poor source material leads to a viewing nightmare, which can only be ameliorated by using a DVDO, DWIN, or other such video scaling device. Until the cable companies either switch to or get thicker fiber optic cables and put the muscle on content providers to provide more high quality HD material in 720p or 1080i (dream on for 1080p)we will be subject to the vagueries of the system. The situation in satellite is much the same--they need more satellites launched to increase their bandwidth, otherwise we suffer from the severe compression they use to market all those broadcasts. I wish they would cut many of those stations to increase bandwidth in the meantime, but I know that isn't likely to happen. |
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Bronze Member Username: Patriots_fanPost Number: 30 Registered: Jan-05 | If you're goign to spend $2000 or more you can do much better than the two recievers you suggested. If you are serious about getting a quality piece and spending a littl emoney for it I would reccomend looking into NAD, Sunfire, Arcam, Anthem, B & K, and Cary Audio Designs. I would stay away from Denon, Yamaha,Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Marantz, Pioneer because they are not as good as the aformentioned brands. I know I'm going to get critisized for critisizing Denon, Yamaha, and the rest of them but I dare you to go listen to a NAD, Arcam, Anthem, or B & K and tell then listen to the Yamahas, Denons, Pioneers etc and tell me you don't agree with me Timm. |
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One Ball Jay Unregistered guest | You Are All Crazy! Everything mentioned here is great. Take extra time to listen to the music/sound and maximize your pocket book. Whatever sounds and feels the best to you go for it. The level that you are in is a saturated market. The lottery would enable you to hear sounds as if you were actually on stage or at the scene. For now just enjoy as far as you can go... |
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Gold Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1558 Registered: Dec-04 | The video switching is BS. Dvi will do just fine, with a converter later. Outlaw is hard to beat. |
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Silver Member Username: Rysa4Post Number: 400 Registered: Jul-05 | Original Poster- I can't actually do an indepth comparison because, frankly, that would take pages and pages and the feature and instruction manuals on these are lengthy in their own right. However, there are a couple of things to consider: I actually looked at these in detail at CES; I like the Denon. It has solid bass management. Also, it is firmware upgradable for the new Hi Res lossless audio codec coming out with Hi Def DVDs-- both Dolby True HD and DTS HD, which at this point are the names of the new audio codec. On the flipside, having listened to both Dolby and DTS demos I cant hear ANY difference between current 5.1 and future lossless audio. None. That is an opinion. Also, I disagree that DVI is sufficient. You want a receiver that is HDMI capable and preferably up to speed on HDMI version 1.3. I wouldnt consider a new HT receiver purchase without HDMI native connections and firmware upgradable. A much longer topic. |
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Bronze Member Username: CroozerRockford, IL United States Post Number: 34 Registered: Feb-06 | Those Rx's are not even in the same class. |