Hi all, I've recently bought a pair of Monitor Audio's Bronze B4 for a great pricediscount of 50%, i've got them for 150 euros's (thats about 177 american dollars) each. Normally they cost about 300 euros each. I'm looking for a good receiver to go with them and to upgrade to a hometheater setup. Could anyone give me their thougts!! My budget for a ht-receiver is somewhere in the range from 600-1000 euros (or: 700-1200 US dollars) Thanks alot!
Pioneer Elite series, NAD series, Marantz series preferably the 7300 series and Harmon Kardon peferably the 7200.
This list is just a partial compilation of receivers I have read that go well with the MA bronzes. BTW I have not personally auditioned them either.
Anonymous
Posted on
That is a great price...I wish that I could've gotten those at that price. But since I didn't, I bought the B2s all around. I have an Onkyo SR-600. I like the sound from it. Of course, there is always Integra (Onkyo's premium brand).
Thanks so far I've been told by the Monitor Audio representative that MA's match well with Denon and Pioneer receivers, but other brands should also match well. Since i'm living in Europe (Holland) it would be difficult to get any Integra receivers, they are hard to find over here. So if i went in that direction i would have to go for a Onkyo.
And i can recommend these speakers to anyone, especially for the price that I payed for them. I bougt them without even auditioning them. But i never regret it, my 15 year old Denon stereo amp really shines again. Before this I had a pair of Magnat bookshelf speakers and they really sucked with my old Denon.
NAD and onkyo ts-xr 800 or above sounds good - even for music - much better than others. They got good writeups in Hifi magazines. Try to hear them.
Panasonic sa-xr45 is another good one. It has new digital amps - sounds smooth, clean, and warm. Not the most full and powerful sounding though.
If you go with one of these 3, you would enjoy music more as well. Try to hear them and go with one you like the best - you gotta like it. and not some critique.
I Have 2 pair Monitor Audio GR 10's, a GR center, and a HSU VTF-3 with a Pioneer Elite 49TXi receiver and a 47AVi dvd universal player. It is great--receiver works great with speakers and the i-link (firewire) from the dvd player and the receiver allows the receiver to immediately recognize whatever disc you puit in without doing anything, and the firewire helps SACD/DVD-Audio performance through more precise steering and 5GB bandwidth in digital.
So if the 55TXi is available in the US at under $1,000 now--which would work great with an i-link dvd player, plus also has USB port for MP3, camera, or direct computer connection. With VAT costs though, who knows what it costs in the UK.
I am sure the NAD and Onkyo 800 are both excellent--particularly if you already have a dvd player or aren't getting one with firewire (i-link).
For some reason though the 3 or 4 people that have Monitor Audio Silvers and Bronzes and have posted here all have PE 45TX's or 53TX's or what I have. Could be coincidence or that the PE's smooth out the slightly hot high end of most new MA speakers.
Who knows--but you did get a heckuva price. Two pair of those Bronzes, an MA center channel, and a HSU VTF-2 will give you an excellent surround system for both music and movies at a reasonable price.
One of the only other speakers I love at about $330/pr are the Ascends, which are bought online. But they are in a utilitarian black--no fancy rosemah veneers like on many of the MA models.
Well, my own thougts are being confirmed more and more that i'm strongly believing that an Pioneer Elite model would be a wise choice. Although Onkyo is still an option maybe Nad also, but Nad tends to be a bit more expensive. Also i'm interested in the feauture for upgrading digital formats trough an RS-232 port on a receiver. Although those format upgrades seem only to be available on more expensive models, so i'm asking is the extra money worth it, futureproofwise?? Again thanks a lot for your replies!!
Julius
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Try to audition your MAs on a Harman, Marantz, Onkyo and Pioneer Elite. Then choose what sounds best to your ears. I personally like the MA + Harman combination. Monitor Audio Bronze series (slightly bright) + Harman Kardon (slightly laidback) = neutral sounding system!
Igor, Elite, Marantz and H/K are all great matches with Monitors. I have a Elite 45 with the Monitor Silvers and it's pure heaven. Any of the 3 will be fine, buy whichever you like best and you'll have a very good sounding system.