Hi all. I am looking for some thoughts on a replacement for my current receiver which is a Yamaha HTR-5750. I am running Polk RTi8s and Polk CSi3 up front with Mirage Omnisats as the surrounds. The system is used probably 70/30 movies/music.
While it is hard to describe, I just feel like the receiver is the weak link and the sound could be significantly better if I were to upgrade the receiver. I am looking at spending between $400 - $700.
I recently saw a Factory Certified Marantz SR7500 for $599 from Accessories for Less - would this be a good fit and would a refurb unit be reliable or should I stick with A stock?
I would agree that your receiver is the weak link in your system. Additionally, I would suggest that it is not a well matched system. I say this because Polk loudspeakers have a very forward sound. Your Mirage OmniSats surrounds are somewhat bright sounding, as well. This is not a problem in and of itself. The problem that arises is when you mate these with a bright sounding amp like a Yamaha receiver. Yamahas typically are a bright sounding receiver. That means that the upper midrange has been accentuated (between 2 and 4 kHz). This make them sound exciting in the showroom (a controlled environment where they will shine against many competitors), but when mated to speakers that are also bright sounding or very forward, the receiver's brightness can cause audio fatigue. Overall, it leaves the listener dissatisfied with the overall sound.
The solution would be for a receiver or amp that has a rather warm sound. The Marantz you found would certainly fit that bill. Addtionally, you will benefit from a much better power supply in the Marantz that will give you twice as much real power as the Yamaha in a five channel configuration (Yamahas are notorious for rating only two channels at a time, so the 100wpc rating of your Yamaha drops significantly when driving five channels instead of two--I would guess your receiver only delivers about 50wpc in a 5.1 system). This will result in an amp that sounds less strained and more controlled when pushed. Even more important is that it will be a better balanced system that you can listen to and enjoy a great deal more.
I have had several purchases from the dealer you mentioned and I think they are great. Additionally, I would not be afraid of refurbs. Factory Certified has, according to industry sources, 1/20 the return rate of new "A"-stock, so you are more likely to get a good unit. However, if you are still uncomfortable, I believe you can get an extended warranty from Accessories for Less for a very reasonable amount, so just buy an extended warranty. It is still significantly cheaper than an A-stock unit and it is less likely to have a problem. I have purchased a number of refurbs and they have always worked well.
Thanks for the explanation Hawk. That is very helpful.
How would you think the Pioneer VSX-81TXV would match with my speakers? I have heard that they are very good and have a "warm" sound. I found one for $586 at Butterfly Photo but am concerned about buying from them because I don't think they are an authorized dealer. (I have purchased other items from Butterfly and been satisfied, but....)
Unlike the Marantz unit, I have not heard that particular Pioneer unit, so there are limits to what I can say (I will only recommend units I have actually heard). Generally speaking, Pioneer elite receivers are well built and are very warm sounding--much warmer, to my ears, than the Marantz. In their Pioneer Elite line, Pioneer has sought to emulate the sound of a tube amplifier, which is a very warm, buttery sound that many people like, but for others it sounds so warm that it sounds dark. I would say that the sound from PE receivers is rather polarizing as people either seem to really like it or they strongly dislike it. I have heard earlier models in the Elite line and they all have this same sound charecteristics. Now, with really bright speakers, such as jmLabs Cobalts, the Pioneer Elite receivers would be my first choice (along with Harman/Kardons) as their very warm, laid back sound helps to tame the very bright speakers to give the listener a very balanced sound. Conversely, with warmer sounding speakers (such as Paradigms and PSBs), I recommend a different amp that will make the speakers more lively. Your Polks aren't as bright as the Cobalts, but your OmniSats are, so I guess I would recommend that you actually go listen to both the Marantz and the PE at a local dealer to listen for yourself. Both are fine products, but there is a significant difference in the sound that they reproduce. You should go with the one that sounds best to you.