Parent's AVR solution?

[allredp]

Hey Shacksters,

What surround-sound AVR do you suggest in the $300 & below range?

They have an older pre-5.1 Onkyo that they've liked, but are now ready to make the jump to true srround.

They don't like to push the spl meters, but since their hearing is going it isn't quiet either!

They are probably 40% music to 60% movies/TV.

Thanks for any help!

--Phil

[Sonnie]

I think you meant to post this in Receivers, so I moved it for you...

If they have liked the Onkyo, why not consider the Onkyo TX-SR504 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver for $220 shipped?

Another for just a little more would be the Yamaha HTR-5940BL 6.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver.

[allredp]

Thanks for bailing me out, Sonnie! Life's rough when you're an idiot...

I appreciate the suggestions--I'll go check those two out. I've liked my own Yamaha RX 1200, though it is old enough now not to have some features I'd really, really like to have (e.g. variable x-over for LFE for starters).

Does anyone out there have either one of these AVRs suggested by Sonnie? Are there others in the <$300 range I should consider?

The Shack rocks!

-- Phil

[Sonnie]

I've about got the Shack Receivers-Store up and running... only a few tidy things to do, but you can scroll through those various brands and see some other ideas.

[allredp]

I'm assuming the Onkyo 674 there is above my target $300 range

How do I get prices for the "too low to display" models?

Curious about the "digital" amps from Panasonic--how do they do for producing bass, etc.?

Thanks for the help Sonnie!

-- Phil

[salvasol]

allredp wrote:

.........How do I get prices for the "too low to display" models? ..Thanks for the help Sonnie!-- Phil

I always add to cart and the price shows ......

[Sonnie]

Yes, simply add to the cart for those prices.

I've not heard the Panasonic receivers, but I have read that they are well worth the money, FWIW. There are plenty of reviews and the Panasonic SA-XR55S gets 4 stars from ~45-46 reviews. It starts at $200 new.

[JCD]

I have a friend who, like me, is a total skin-flint/cheap skate/etc (we're both CPA's ).

Anyway, after much online research he purchased a panasonic reciever for a couple of Studio 20's he found on Audiogon. He'll never claim to be an audiophile type but he likes the performance of the unit. I can't comment on it since I haven't heard it either.

That being said, my opinion (not held by all) is that pretty much every receiver in the same price range will sound pretty much the same as any other receiver in the same price range. This assumes we're not talking about no-name brand receivers. Just find the feature set you like from one of the brands listed below and I think you're good to go.

Brands I'd look at:
- Yamaha
- Denon
- Onkyo
- Outlaw
- Pioneer
- Marantz
- Sherwood
- Panasonic

I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of any right now. The one brand I've had problems with in the past has been Harman Kardon. Very likely, just a fluke, but I've had 3 units fail me in the past.

JCD

[allredp]

You guys are very helpful!

My guess is that my fairly old-fashioned Dad will rather go with a somewhat heavy (beefy) transformer drivern amp. He's one of those "if it's heavy is quality" kind of guys...

Again, much appreciated!

-- Phil