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Bronze Member Username: MgkaplanCalabasas, CA USA Post Number: 14 Registered: Mar-04 | I am in the market for a new receiver and have narrowed my choice of receivers to the following: Yamaha RX-V 2400 NAD 753 Denon 3805 I welcome opinions about these 3 receivers. Thanks |
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Bronze Member Username: MgkaplanCalabasas, CA USA Post Number: 15 Registered: Mar-04 | An addition to the above post is that I am using Paradigm Speakers. |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 261 Registered: Dec-03 | Michael, It is great that you posted what speakers you had as this was the first question I was going to ask. :-) You have choosen 3 very capable candidates for Paradigm speakers. You have obviously researched this or are just lucky I guess. Paradigm speakers are very warm and laid back sounding, and thus sound better with a more neutral or forward sounding receiver. The three choices you listed fit that bill perfectly. I think all in all, this choice is going to come down to your own personal preferences. All three receivers are good matches with Paradigm, yet all three have very different sonic charachteristics. I am usually very hesitant to recommend Yamaha to anyone. Their past models have been known to be overly bright (almost mind numbing) and their power supplies were comparatively very poor. However, with the more current RX-V1400 and RX-V2400, Yamaha has finally tamed some of this brightness...so paried with the right speakers, these newer receivers are very capable. That being said, from what I have read on this forum, Yamaha is still in the habit of artificially inflating their power specs in order to make the average consumer think they are getting more power than they actually are. For example, they typically rate their receivers with only 2 channels driven at once. When tested with all channels driven at the same time, Yamaha receivers have been shown to come FAR short of their specified power ratings. See this current thread for more information on Yamaha and power ratings. https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/16309.html If one thing is for sure, Yamaha receivers are definately NOT short on features. It offers Yamaha's automatic calibration feature as well as more simulated surround fields than you can shake a stick at. For me, the benefits of these features is minimal, but who knows, you may like them. Denon is also very feature rich. The 3805 also offers an automatic calibration feature (although you have to buy your own microphone to make it work). In my opinion, Denon has a very dry and lifeless sound. Others may disagree, but when I listened to the Denon 3805 in a showroom this weekend, I was not impressed at all. It definately has good power, but I am used to that very lifelike and detailed NAD sound, and the Denon just didn't "do it for me". Like I said though, it is all a personal preference...if you like the way the Denon sounds...go for it. Something I was not aware of until recently (by readin this forum), the Denon 3803 and 3805 offer a very promising speaker feature. They offer two sets of surround speaker terminals. If you so choose, this allows you to place two sets of surround speakers (note-these are totally separate from the surround rear speakers)...which means you can have one set of surround speakers placed for music, and another placed for movies. If I understand it correctly, you can have both sets of speakers playing at once, giving you 9 speakers total. The NAD/Paradigm combination is absolutely wonderful. I have an NAD T762 paired with some PSB speakers (which are sonically very similar to Paradigm) and absolutely love the sound. The sound is very warm and detailed. If you get the NAD, you will hear things in the music and movies that you have never heard before...trust me. I once thought there was an intruder in my house because the movie sounds were so lifelike. NAD is also very conservative when they make power ratings on their receivers (the exact opposite of Yamaha). So, even though the NAD's power ratings are less than the other two, it will offer MUCH more real-world power than either of the other two you listed. The NAD is only a 6.1 receiver, but it does have pre-outs for 7 channels so you with an additional external power amp, you can have the full 7 amplified channels. Just the opposite of Yamaha and Denon, NAD offers very few of those gimicky features. No automatic calibration and no simulated surround fields. Well, I hope I have given you something to chew on. Let me say it again, you have choosen three brands that all match well with Paradigm...in the end, it is going to come down to which receiver has the features and sound that you like. For me, it was NAD, but for you, it may be something different entirely. Good luck, and let us know how it ends up!! |
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Bronze Member Username: BuckeyeshinePost Number: 79 Registered: Feb-04 | Michael, I echo Johnny's comments. If there is any opportunity at all for you to test the combinations you are interested in side by side that would be my recommendation. And then let YOUR ears be the judge. You'll thank yourself later. I am also a NAD T773 owner sold on it after I tested the T763 side by side with a Yamaha RX-V2400 in my home with my Paradigms (I was replacing my Yamaha RX-V2092 which died on me). It was a night and day difference for me but you be the judge yourself. The T753 has slightly less power than the 763 I tested but still more than comparable. As Johnny said, don't be fooled by the power ratings stated in the brand comparisons you mentioned. The NAD is more conservative (realistic) in their ratings so not underpowered. Some are sold on proprietary sound formats that NAD doesn't have. Personally for me that made no difference. I found I didn't use 95% of these even with my previous Yamaha that I had. You may feel differently. Both the Denon and Yamaha have the automatic speaker calibration feature but even the positive reviews I saw stated this feature was not perfect. I bought a $50 SPL meter at Radio Shack and used that which is by far the best method. As Johnny and most anybody here will tell you the Paradigms are a good match for the NAD as well as the Yamaha. I don't know about Denon. I have a buddy who has a Denon 3803 and loves it. These things can certainly be a matter of individual taste. Let your ears be the judge if you can and good luck! |