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New member Username: MarcioPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-04 | Hi, folks ! I'm interested in buying a good quality sub-$500 receiver and presently deciding between Onkyo TX-SR602 and Denon 1705. Does anyone has already tried one of these receivers or know how they compare ? |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 936 Registered: Feb-04 | The Denon is not even close to the well equiped and quite powerfull Onkyo. This would be an easy choice. |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 865 Registered: Dec-03 | I would also take the Onkyo over the Denon but a better choice is the Marantz 5400 from hifi.com at $449. You don't mention your speakers but for the money you can't do better than the 5400,IMO. |
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New member Username: MarcioPost Number: 2 Registered: Nov-04 | Thank you a lot for your advice ! As for the speakers, I am in fact considering the Polk Audio RM6800 system. They are being sold for $539, with a $200 discount from the original price. |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 867 Registered: Dec-03 | The Marantz and Polk's would be a good combo, much better than with the Denon and a bit better than the Onkyo. That should give you a nice entry level system. Good luck. |
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Bronze Member Username: MeursaultPost Number: 13 Registered: May-04 | If you don't mind getting a factory refurbished unit, you can get a really good deal on Denon receivers at www.ubid.com or www.macmall.com. I picked up a AVR-2105 a few days ago for just over $400, shipped, and you *might* even be able to find a AVR-2805 in your price range on ubid, if you check often. These units has a factory warranty and no cosmetic problems whatsoever. Some people on this board say that the Denon's are bright. I don't find this to be the case at all, at least not with my AVR-2105. I've listened to comparable Marantz and H/K, and they are both very nice, but my Denon has a *lot* more features than either of these brands can offer at a comparable price. Just for starters, my 2105 has a phono input, auto setup, and component video upconversion (which is very nice). So my Denon might sound bright with some speakers, but I haven't experienced that. And even if that is true, I think this board could use some perspective about Denon, or at least the **05 series. If they are brighter than, say, Marantz, they are not dramatically so. They're not Sony's or anything; they don't sound tinny in any way. Cymbals sound like real cymbals, not like castanets. Nor do they sound like gongs; you might not know it from reading this board (and I have read it a lot), but there really is such a thing as too warm. Word of advice, though, if you are going to go listen to music on a Denon, make sure you have it set in "Direct" mode. It really makes a world of difference on the soundstaging and clarity. |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 868 Registered: Dec-03 | I have owned two Denon's and Polk's and can say without any doubt at all that with Polk the Marantz is a far better match. Meursault, I am glad you like your new Denon and I liked my 2802 also. I regret ever buying the 3803 as it was the brightest receiver I ever heard. I have heard the new models and the 2805 is a good unit with the right speakers but I would never pair a Denon with Polk. You are right about the direct mode and I would say the same about any receiver. I do the same with my Elite. |
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Bronze Member Username: MeursaultPost Number: 14 Registered: May-04 | I haven't heard the Polk's on a new Denon, so I will defer on this call to therealelitefan. Marcio, if you do end up going with a Denon, I would recommend stepping up at least to the 1905. I looked at the 1705 and I don't think it is up to the level of the others (accounting for price difference, of course). The increase in quality from the 1705 to the 1905 is dramatic, and then I think it is more incremental from there up the line. therealelitefan--I got a Denon largely for the price/feature ratio, as I actually plan to add an external amp later on. Phono in, component upconversion, and auto setup just can't be had with other mid-fi digital receivers in the price range. If this is important, then Denon is really the only way to go for the price of my 2105. I do think that *maybe* Denon got a bad wrap because they had a bad run with the **03 series. Lest we forget, Marantz had that anemic *200 series, and NAD seems to be in the midst of a problematic 7*3 series, from what I've read. H/K is the only brand that has been pretty steady for the last several years it seems, in that price range. My point is that, if you have a bright to warm scale of 1-10, one might get the impression from this board that current Denon receivers rate a 1 or 2, while Marantz and H/K are in the 7s and 8s. Actually, I think that current Denon's are probably no lower than a 4, if that, while basic Sony's are about a 2; H/K and Marantz are more like 5 and 6. And a 9 receiver would be pretty awful with neutral source and speakers, just like a 1 would be, just for different reasons. Incidentally, if features were not a concern, I think the Cambridge Audio 540R is hands down my favorite at anywhere near the $500 price point, but the features on that unit are just not up to the job compared to others. And, while Elite's are just out of my price range and I can't really comment on them, I think that Denon's benefit more from Direct mode than do H/K and Marantz at the same price. That is to say, with stereo music in not-Direct mode, the H/K 330 and Marantz 5400 sound noticeably bettter than a Denon 2105, which sounds flat (soundstage) and thin (decay and the like) by comparison with those other good receivers. But if all are in Direct mode, they are just somehewhat (not dramatically) different, not really better one way or the other. So Marcio, I think I can speak for us all when I say that only you can be the final arbiter on what sounds good to you. My advice is just to not discount Denon too quickly and, if you can afford it, have the opportunity to test it out, and music is the major concern, try to locate a Cambridge Audio dealer with a 540R. I think that the 540R actually is better, not just different, than the other receivers in the price range for music. |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 872 Registered: Dec-03 | I agree with you about the direct mode. On my old 2802[which I gave to my sister] the direct mode was just as you say, dramatically better. It sounds like you got a good deal on your 2105 aned I am interested in what speakers you are using with it. The Denon's like every brand have their own characteristics and I liked the 2802 but was ready for a change to something better but found the 3803 to be anything but that. The 2802 was much smoother and easier to use. Denon's are certainly not the most user friendly receivers either and the 3803 was a real pain. In the end as I've said before it's like sports in that it'a all about matchups. |
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New member Username: MarcioPost Number: 3 Registered: Nov-04 | Therealitefan and Mersault: I did appreciate your comments on Denon and Marantz and I really believe that Polk and Marantz would be a great match.(From what I read in Marantz site, the 5400 has beeen dicontinued - the new model is the 5500) Unfornately, I have to restrict my choice between Onkyo and Denon, because I have a store credit in a dealer that doesn't carry Marantz. I have read no comment this far in this forum about Onkyo's 602, my first choice. I know it's a brand new model, but do you think - considering I would have no other choice - it would be a great step down from Marantz ? Mersault - in your scale, what rate would you give to Onkyo ? Again, you have been very helpful ! |
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Bronze Member Username: MeursaultPost Number: 15 Registered: May-04 | Marcio, Sorry, I really don't have much experience listening to Onkyo receivers. My local dealer is pretty unreasonable with the prices on the Onkyo's, so they weren't much of a consideration when I was looking around. I think that landroval is probably right, though. If the choice is between the avr-1705 and the sr602, the Onkyo is probably the way to go. Like I said, the 1705, while still a good quality receiver, is just not as good of a deal as the Denon's higher in the lineup. If you were looking at the 1905, the story might be a little different, but, honestly, I think if you are going to buy either Denon or Onkyo, you can feel safe buying on features and rated power alone. They are both good brands; they make good receivers. But, again, I haven't heard the speakers you are going to get, so I'm really not one to ask about how well they match up to the various receiver brands or models. I wish I could be more help. Believe me, I read everything there was to read about $500 receivers before I bought mine. At some point you should just trust a) your ears and b) the reputations of the brands. If there is one thing that I realized when shopping around, it's that you can make yourself nuts trying to figure out all the options. therealelitefan--Right now, I am actually running Magnepan MMGs, believe it or not, with some old Bose rear speakers. I am actually speaker-sitting the Maggies for a friend while he is in Europe, but I am planning on getting a pair of my own when or before he gets back in a few months. I usually just listen to music in stereo mode and the Denon seems perfectly happy running the Maggies. I live in an apartment, though, so I rarely turn them up very loud. The original plan was to get the Denon and a NAD or Rotel stereo amp for the fronts, but I might actually wait on the amp now that I see that the Denon is not going to melt on me. I have my eye on a turntable... |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 875 Registered: Dec-03 | Marco, Considering your situation with the store credit and all I would say get the Onkyo 602. It will match better with the Polk's. I have had two Onkyo's in the past and liked them both so I see no problem with this combination, especially in your circumstances. Not a bad budget system at all. |
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New member Username: MarcioPost Number: 4 Registered: Nov-04 | Thanks again, Mersault and therealitefan, for your advice. I've already heard a Marantz paired with Polk and they sound great, but I think I will stick to Onkyo for now. I've seen it for $399 in my dealer, and, as you said, it's a good entry-level receiver, and a goog bang for the buck. Just out of curiosity, from what I've read so far, it seems to me that is this board there is a general preference, in this order, for Marantz, HK, Onkyo and Denon. Am I right ? Regards |
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edster922 Unregistered guest | Marcio, You can get an Onkyo 601 for $300 shipped from JandR.com or $250 refurb shipped from eCost.com As far as I can tell, the main difference is that the 602 has 7.1 sound while the 601 has 6.1 sound. Surely you can use the store credit for the speakers? |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 496 Registered: Dec-03 | Marcio, I don't think that there really is any "general preference" on this board as you say. There may be some brands that get recommended more than others because of the quality of the product (i.e. sound, build, etc.), but if there is one thing that is for sure on this forum, it is tough to get people to agree on a lot of things. |
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Elliot Unregistered guest | Hey All, I just stumbled onto this forum, and I have a related question. I'm also considering the Onkyo 602 and the Denon 1804. The speakers I need to match them with are the Onkyo SKS-HT240's. I originally bought the Onkyo 502 with the speakers, but I just realized that the 502 does not do any conversions between formats, so I'm going to return them and get another receiver. As my return period expires tomorrow and I must decide right now, without having a chance to listen to any of the recievers, any help would be appreciated. |
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Elliot Unregistered guest | In case it matters, I care much more about sound quality for music than for home theater. |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 884 Registered: Dec-03 | I'd go for the Onkyo all things considered. |
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Elliot Unregistered guest | Therealelitefan, Thanks for the input. Are there any particular factors you're basing your recommendation on? |