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wixy1 Unregistered guest | Im having such a tough time deciding, based on a price vs performance factor. Ive kinda narrowed it down to this list. Any other suggestions in same price range are welcome. These are aussie prices. Sony STR-DB790 - $680 (does anyone know the audio dac in this?) Yamaha RXV-450 - $650 Pioneer VSX-814 - $730 Marantz SR4400 - $950 (or wait for 4500?) Yamaha RXV-550 - $900 Denon AVR-1705 - $800 (hasnt come out yet) Sony STR-DB795 - approx $900 (hasnt come out yet) Harman Kardon AVR-230 - $950 Cambridge Audio 540r - $1100 I am interested in both movies and music, probably 75% movies 25% music. Its for a medium sized bedroom. I would be partnering it with Sony 3-way floorstanders and sony surrounds, with a 150w sub from a diy company. Any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers. |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 540 Registered: Feb-04 | The Sony DB790 is a decent performer. Great amps when compared to similar priced Yamahas, Denons etc. It sounds a little bright, but this can be a good thing depending on how your speakers sound. Overall it's easily the best bang for the buck. Marantz is usually great with music. The bigger models like 5400 are excellent, but the 4400 is a bit limited. The 4500 could be a good choice since it now shares a lot with the better models. For absolute best sound quality you should get the 540R or maybe a NAD T743. Both have a full, detailed and warm sound. I dont know if you can use the full potential of these with your speakers, perhaps not. |
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Anonymous | wix, what is your budget? If you shop around for the Yammy 750 you should get it for ~500 street price at a B&M, or if you want to go with the 450 I don't see why 400-450 is out of the question. The Denon 1705/1905/2105 should also be in the 350-550 range. Go out there and listen and have fun doing it. Good luck! |
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wixy1 Unregistered guest | my budget is up to $1000 australian. I have looked into the nadt743, seems very comparable to the harman kardon avr230, however its not out in aus yet. |
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wixy1 Unregistered guest | So can anyone here recommend the yamaha rxv-450? It is the cheapest of the lot. I dont really need the extra features of the 550 when I think of it. I have heard the older yamahas are bright. Is this true of the newer models? Also how would they perform for music, now that they have a direct stereo mode and 192/24khz dacs? Would it produce as much power as it states? |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 554 Registered: Feb-04 | I dont really like Yamahas. They have all the features, but their sound doesn't feel right, it's too bright, too thin and doesn't work well with low impedance speakers. Also their multichannel power is quite weak (5x~40W). Music performance is now better with direct stereo, but it's not even close to what Marantz or NAD will offer. |
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builton Unregistered guest | I am considering buying the Sony STRDA 1000 ES receiver for home theater (both music and movies). Does anyone have any experience with this system? Very few reviews found. |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 559 Registered: Feb-04 | It's pretty much the same receiver as the non-US STR-DB790. Here's a couple reviews: http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-bin/displayreview.php?reviewid=4343 http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-bin/displayreview.php?reviewid=3695 |
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Bronze Member Username: FalpPost Number: 70 Registered: Mar-04 | Marantz 5400 or the new 4500. Take also a look at Denon 2105/1905. |
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wixy1 Unregistered guest | landroval, is it the new yamahas that you think are bright, or are you referring to the old ones? |
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Bronze Member Username: Culp4684Post Number: 23 Registered: Aug-04 | Wixy- I just purchased a Marantz 7400 for $850. Not sure if its available in your country. So far, its a great unit. I'm still learning the basics on it. |
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dong Unregistered guest | wixy1 Since youre more on movies, get a Yamaha. Try pairing it with Paradigm speakers and listen. For me, its movie sound processing is better than anything at the same price level. But dont expect their 100wpc rating will give you a real 100wpc. Treat it to be 40% to 60% lesser. It should be more than enough for small to medium size room. Anyway the subwoofer will be responsible for that big, room-shaking sound. What we(movie fanatics) are after is that incredible movie sound reproduction which, for me, other brands cannot compete. However, dont Yamaha to be very good with music. |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 564 Registered: Feb-04 | I wouldn't say Yamaha is the best choice. The bigger models V1400/V2400 are good, but the smaller still tend to have a thin and straight sounds. Markus said it well in some other thread: "...its just that the Yamaha sounds more of the breaking glass variety - you can hear every shard with the Yamaha but with the CA, you may only hear 90% of the shards but you also hear everything else in the background (ambient music etc.) while the Yamaha only focuses on the breaking glass.". This was about V1400 and CA 540R. |
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builton Unregistered guest | Landroval Thankyou for the links to the reviews re:Sony STRDA1000es. I have since found a few others. I am now comparing it to the 2000es and am finding some concerns posted regarding hissing with the 2000es. I am leaning toward the 1000, even though it isn't digital. I don't know how much that should be of a concern. Thanks again, |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 574 Registered: Feb-04 | As far as I know the DA1000 sounds at least equal or even better than the DA2000. |
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MarcUR Unregistered guest | "As far as I know the DA1000 sounds at least equal or even better than the DA2000" thats completely backwards. The 1000 is a completely different technology than the 2000es. The 2000, 3000 and 5000 run circles around the 1000. Amazing imaging on the digital line, the 1000 just sounds like a whole different line of receiver (which it is). If the 2000 is close to your price, i'd definitely grab it over the 1000 without any ?s. |
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Silver Member Username: LandrovalPost Number: 578 Registered: Feb-04 | Have you listened to both side by side? |
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MarcUR Unregistered guest | I haven't listened to the DA1000 against the 2000 side by side, but I have heard the 2000 up against the Arcam AVR200 and Marantz 6400 (this was done at my house where I previously tested out the denon 2803 and nad 743) and thought the imaging and detail on the DA2000 was better than any of the others by a landslide. It doesn't have the warmth of the arcam, nad, or marantz, but its soundstage more than makes up for it. I listen primarily to audience recordings of concerts I've taped or got from friends who tape. The sony is in a league of its own in terms of putting you at the show. Now maybe the analog amps in the 1000 sound better to you than the digital amps (2000, 3000, 5000), but the two dealers who I talked to about the new sony line didn't want me wasting my time with the 1000 if I was going to even check out the 2000. That made enought sense to me after hearing from people in the taping community that were unloading their $2000+ seperates and replacing them with the new sony digi-amps. |
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New member Username: Taxi1958AUS Post Number: 3 Registered: Aug-04 | Cambridge 540R rules, great balance and musicallity, NAD's a bit harsh and many of the others have too many knobs and dials. 640R Stereo performance is great and FM tuner sublime, upgraded from NAD. |
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builton Unregistered guest | Thanks landroval and MarcUR for your comments. Just like I have found elsewhere, there are opposing thoughts in each direction. I am leaning towards checking out the 2000 based on everything that I have read. For the minimal extra cost, I am hoping that I will not be disappointed. |
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audiophilebrian Unregistered guest | guys the da2000 es is sony's new digital processor and sounds completely different than the 1000 es... the 2000 is very bright but sounds much better for movies than for music, but it really just depends on the listener... my suggestion don't listen to the people listen to the speakers (or in this case the reciever, go to a dealer and just listen). |
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xiola Unregistered guest | i have a sony strda 3000es and it sounds totally great.. it sounds better than expected.. i get no on screen display.. also when i use s video in from a vcr and use the component out the video sometimes goes to black and white.. but using the composite in the color stays in.. can anyone give me help in this area.. your help is greatly appreciated.. thanks... you can write me at UNDATAQER@AOL.COM and sony 3000 in the subject.. again thanks |