Just hoping somebody can help me with a shortlist of products I should be looking at. I want to add Home theatre to my current stereo set up , and I probably will use my existing amp to power the front channels and the new receiver for the centre and surrounds. With this in mind the receiver needs to have preouts for the F L/R outputs . I would also like the latest features regarding formats so adding a Yamaha 800 3 channel processor is not really the way to go. The speakers I have are Avance(danish) Magnum 12 for the front and Avance Dana for the centre and rear. These are 4 ohm speakers .I would be looking to spend under 1000$ well under if possible, I know the NAD models will fit the bill but I was wondering about others such as the Marantz 6300 which is now available at a good price where I am(Europe). Any advice would be welcome.
Pierre
Unregistered guest
Posted on
It depends...lol
How much music vs. HT do you anticipate? Are you dying for the latest formats (I have yet to see a 7.1 DVD anywhere), or is true power more important? How big is the room?
Ok , to be honest music is the most important , which is why I am going to take the add on route to my current stereo set up. 7.1 is not important I just want to be able to adapt easily in the future for such formats as DVD Audio, Sacd etc, so 5.1 will be enough for me. My actual listening area (not total room size) is about 3m X 2.5m.I do in fact like the look of the Denon(2803 and above has pre outs) and Marantz products but I have my doubts regarding their abilities to drive 4 ohm speakers.
There is a great difference between AVR2803s and SR6300s 4 ohm power. The Denon gives nice 5*15W constant power to 4ohm (5*30W 8ohm), while the Marantz is a lot better by its 5*115W 4ohm (5*73W 8ohm). These are measured values. The only negative thing about the Marantz is its not so stylish remote, but I think you can live with it.
Check out also the new Cambridge Audio 540R. It should give great musical performance and it has about all the same features than the SR6300.
Thanks for the info on the CA 640R , music performance is not that important as I will be using my stereo amp for that, the figures for the Marantz 6300 regarding 4 ohm speakers are those correct? and is anybody driving 4 ohm speakers with this model. I knew that the Denon range would be a non starter as they are always repoerted to be poor at 4 ohm .Any other models /manufacturers out there with suitable product within my price range?
Well that's what they say. This is a 999-1190euro AV-Receiver review from a finnish HIFI-magazine (1/2004). Marantz won the test with Pioneer VSX-AX3 second and Yamaha RX-V1400 third. Others were Denon, H/K AVR4550 and Sony STR-DB2000.
"Ok , to be honest music is the most important" "music performance is not that important"
What do you mean by that? SACD and DVD-Audio are also music so why shouldn't the receiver be good at music? Or are you going to use it only as a pre-amp/decoder with separate power amps?
I know you already mentioned this in your original post, but like you said, NAD sounds like it would be perfect for you. NAD receivers are known to handle 4 ohm speakers very well. I think in your price range and because of the fact that you have 4 ohm speakers, either the NAD T743 or T753 would be the way to go for you. I really can't think of any other receiver that would do as well with 4 ohms. There are probably others out there that MAY be able to handle 4 ohms, but the NAD will outpower any of them (in this price range of course).
With regard to the post by Landroval when I said that music was not that important I was refering to a previous poster and his comments regarding the CA 540 being good for music but as I will be using my existing amp for stereo so hence the music side of things are not a priority with the receiver. I think I will have to go the NAD route in the end , something I dont mind as I have happy memories of a 3130 amp many years ago that I owned . I was interested in the Marantz 6300 and its suitability as I can still get one here for 470 Euros. The only thing that does worry me a little is the problems I have been reading about Nad HT products and its quality control issues.
There have been MANY posts here lately about NAD and quality control issues (do a search and you will see), but as has been said many times, one cannot make a generalization about an entire brand based on internet postings. I have spoken with two NAD dealers and both stated that there are no more problems with NAD receivers than any other brands. Just in case though, buy from a reputable dealer, and you won't have to worry at all. Fortunately, I have never had to use them, but I have heard that NAD customer service is wonderful. There have been stories of NAD service reps meeting people at airports to give them new units to replace defective ones.
I have a Marantz SR7300. I would like to recommend Marantz (great sound) but I doubt it will handle 4ohm speakers. On the rear of my unit it states 6-8 ohms. My mains are 6ohm and it handles these well. I agree that NAD would be your best bet.
Probably like you, I was happy with my stereo system, and just wanted to add three extra channels to get 5.1. This sounds simple enough, but isn't, without going to a separate surround pre-amp/processor. Even then, where do you get a 3-channel power amp?
So something is going to become redundant. In the end I got a 5.1 NAD A/V receiver (and do not regret it). Fortunately, it has pre-amp outputs and inputs for all six channels, plus the convention "Tape" input and ouput. Plus a stereo CD input.
So I still have my old stereo system in use, but it now has an input from the pre-amp output of the new receiver, and drives older speakers via cables carrying the signal to another room.
It is the best of both worlds, and nothing was thrown way.
Just for stereo sound, the 5.1 NAD is more that equal to the older, stereo-only system. And, for music, you add the option of DVD-A and/or SACD, provided you have a suitable player. Johnny is correct about NAD reliability. Their new lines have sometimes had teething troubles, but NAD is first to acknowledge these, and always seems to look after individual customers. The T7x3 receivers introduced late last year are now out of the teething stage, I think, but some dealers may carry old stock. Even then, if you have a warranty on a new purchase then there is no serious cause for concern.
I like NAD, but it is all I really know in the new world of surround sound. The general view here seems to be Marantz and Harman Kardon are in the same class, for sound quality, and in the same price range. Whether they have fewer problems is difficult to say. One guy had a new Marantz shutting down, but I think it was going into protection mode with 4-Ohm speakers. With your speakers, you should certainly get a no-quibble home trial period if you go for Marantz.