Receiver Recommendations

**Darrel Hawthorne** · **06-17-06, 04:44 PM**

Hey Guys,
I am looking for your recommendations for a Mid priced HT receiver ( 5.1 or better DD DTS. ) that I could use as a pre -pro. I am not interested in the amplifier sections for the front L-C-R but could use the built in amps for the rear.. I also need LFE output.

Basically looking for a pre -pro that I can afford ( ~ 500.00 new or used version of an oldie but goodie) .
Not needing a lot of bells and whistles or multi room capabilities. mainly just a high quality processor section.
Thanks in advance for your responses.
Best regards

Darrel

**nova** · **06-17-06, 05:55 PM**

Hmmm,... $500 might get you into a used Denon 3805, should get into a 2805 pretty easily, both have pretty good DAC's and processing.
New,...maybe a Panasonic XR-70 ($499) or XR-57 ($399) not sure on the processing, though everyone who has one seems to love it.

**Darrel Hawthorne** · **06-17-06, 06:07 PM**

Hey Mark,
Thanks for the quick response,

I just went over to Audiogon and looked for the Denon you mentioned and found one:
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....roc&1155249855

I have liked some Denon products in the past so this could work for me....

I have also been reading more about pre-pros and may try and find a used high end stand alone processor.
I really don't need the amplifier sections and could do without much of the other goodies if that would result in better sound???

Thanks for the recommendations
Darrel

**Sonnie** · **06-17-06, 06:56 PM**

The only thing you will want to watch for in a use pre-pro is if you need DVI, HDMI, and/or Component with video switching or not. If none of those are that big of a deal and you have 5 channels of amplification... you can probably find a pretty good used pre-pro in that price range. Otherwise I'd jump on that Denon 3805. I sold my 3805 just 5-6 months ago for $725 or $750. I used it just like you are suggesting and I use my Denon 3806 that same way now.

Here a few to check out at Audiogon:

Parasound HALO P3

B&K AVP-2030 (lol... ironically being sold by Hawthorne Stereo) ... a little over your price range but they might negotiate.

Acurus ACT-3 (another from Hawthorne)

**Darrel Hawthorne** · **06-17-06, 07:23 PM**

Hey Sonnie,
Thanks for the response !

Quote:

The only thing you will want to watch for in a use pre-pro is if you need DVI, HDMI, and/or Component with video switching or not.

Ok , here is where I show my lack of HT knowledge.

Not sure what all that is?

I would basically want to run my Sony DVD player into my Sharp projector like I currently am. The audio output from the Sony would go to the SS pre-pro and then out to my amps and speakers? I would most likely use the optical out put from the Sony.

I have been doing a lot of

this afternoon and I don't think I can afford the audiophile versions of these products..even used they are holding their prices well.
Arcam
Outlaw
Classe'
Lexicon
Mark Levinson etc.

It would be nice to find a receiver that just happened to have a good processor section, that didn't also have a lot of features that may go unused...

So, You were basically happy with your Denon? (noticing that you upgraded to another Denon ) . Reason for upgrade was power related? ( Man, I have got to get you into high Sen. speaker some day... LOL)

Good to hear from you Sonnie,
Take care
Darrel

**Sonnie** · **06-17-06, 07:39 PM**

Yeah... I've been extremely happy with the Denon. As far as pre-pro's I've had Lexicon, Sony, McIntosh, Rotel... and now Denon. I say it holds its own myself... but I'm not near as critical as some others.

I upgraded for the Audyssey MultEQ that the 3806 offered... that was the main reason and I think HDMI input/output too.

It depends on how you connect up your DVD player to your Sharp projector. If you only have the one source to connect then you can just go straight to it, but if you had several sources and needed video switching, this is when you'd want the proper video inputs/outputs on a pre-pro or receiver. No worries if you only use one source though.

I was at one time using a Directv receiver and my Denon 3910 DVD player and only have one HDMI input on my projector... so I needed the HDMI switching that the 3806 offered. I could connect those two sources via HDMI to the receiver and then the HDMI out on the receiver to the projector. Whichever source I chose to watch and selected on the receiver it would pass that video signal to the projector. Now I just use the DVD... so it's not even a big deal for me. I no longer need the video switching of the 3806.

I do use the two rear channel of the 3806 to power my surrounds. I have two extra channels of power for my surrounds on my Earthquake amp so I may be considering another change myself. I can do without Audyssey, although I've noticed it helps in the upper range... it effects my lower range in ways I don't want it to.

**bobgpsr** · **06-17-06, 08:04 PM**

No personal recent experience with Onkyo but refurb TX-SR803's are around $550. Try ecost.com. It is a 7.1 ch 105W/ch with two HDMI 1.1 inputs. orig around $1k.

Bob

**reed.hannebaum** · **06-18-06, 01:06 AM**

Darrel,

You also may want to consider a Yamaha receiver. For $500 you can buy a new HTR-5890 or a used RX-V1500. I have owned an RX-V1400 for over 2 years and I am extremely pleases with its performance and features. I am very particular with sound quality and I use my receiver in way similar to what you are suggesting. This setup has worked out really well for me.

**Sonnie** · **06-18-06, 01:31 AM**

Yeah... I'm pretty impressed with the sound of this Yamaha RX-V1000 I'm using on the SBS-01 system.

**bricor** · **06-20-06, 10:02 AM**

Check out Marantz as well. Better sounding than most receivers IMO.

**rcarlton** · **06-28-06, 05:59 PM**

I believe an Outlaw 950 goes for $400-450 on e-bay and Audiogon. I've been tempted.

**Darrel Hawthorne** · **06-28-06, 06:08 PM**

Hey Ron,
I share your temptation for these units....
Anybody here care to share any first hand experience with the Outlaw 950?
Thanks
Darrel

**JCD** · **06-29-06, 02:49 PM**

If it's my $$, and I want to buy a ~$500 reciever, I'd probably by a refurbed Marantz SR7400.

End that behind-the-rack jungle of video connecting cables with the SR7400. End substandard sound quality, too. Begin listening to a Marantz and enjoy the best home entertainment has to offer.

105 Watts x 7 Channels

Video Up-conversion with TBC

Speaker A/B Switching

Multi Speaker "C" output

Direct IR Flasher Inputs

Pre-coded/Learning Remote

JCD

**rolyasm** · **07-17-06, 11:23 AM**

Here's Da Sitiation,
hehe. Just went through this. The models I narrowed it down to where the Denon 3805/3806, yamaha 2600, Onkyo 703 (even 603), or Harman Kardon AV435. The HK and Onkyo where my final choices d/t lower price and features. I didn't care about HDMI, because that format is changing. If you spend $200 more on a unit just becuase it has this, you are thinking poorly. For the extra $200 you can get a stand-alone HDMI converter and have an less expensive part to change when the formats change. Otherwise, your entire reciever is out of date. Going back and forth between the 2 was difficult. Each had features the other didn't, but both good models. I finally decided on an inexpensive seperate that had the features I needed that were lacking on the Onkyo, HK. I didn't care about Xm radio or Ipod, nor HDMI. Like I said, I will use a seperate converter when that time comes. In case you don't know what a stand-alone HDMI is, here is a link to one.
Sherwood Newcastle HSB-600 HDMI-Link

Good luck and happy hunting. If it where my, and you where set on the $500 range, get the HKAVR435. The heaviest unit in the category. Second choice would be the Onkyo.

**rolyasm** · **07-18-06, 02:43 PM**

Darrel,
I got home today and found the sheet I was looking for. Basically I made a chart comparing everything from THD to warranty. I tossed out the Denon 3806 and yamaha v2600 because they were around the mid $850 range, while the Onkyo 703 and HK435 were right around $500. The Yamaha is a great THX item. The things it had the others didn't were presence speakers capablilty, Silent Cinema headphone, HDMI, and 12v triggers. The Denon is very similar, no presence speaker ability, no special headphone feature, no THX. So between those two, for the same price, the Yamaha, IMO. However, at close to that price I could buy a Sherwood Newcastle P-965 seperate. So, I dropped those two. Next are the HK435 and Onkyo 703, both around $500. The Onkyo is THX certified, has Ipod hookup and will push a 4 ohm speaker, but doesn't have ethernet hookup, doesn't have a dolby headphone and weighed a lot less than the HK. Onkyo is 29.8 lbs, HK is 39. The Onkyo does have Dolby headphone, does have an RS232 port, but doesn't have XM, or Ipod. Both have AV sync and about the same THD/SNR stats. In the end, I wanted some of the things like 12 volt triggers, ethernet, Dolby Headphone. The only thing the HK didnt' have that I really wanted was some 12 v triggers and the SNR/THD was a little poor. THD .08, SNR 100. The seperate I got has THD at .003%, SNR of 105.

**Josuah** · **07-18-06, 05:27 PM**

Right now at home I have an Emotiva DMC-1 and a Sony STR-DE597. The Sony's a budget/crap thing that I just bought for upstairs. I used to own a Yamaha RX-V1400.

The RX-V1400 was pretty good, and I see one on Audiogon (think you mentioned that) for cheap. The DMC-1 was a significant improvement in sound quality but outside your price range. If the Emotiva LMC-1 is as good as I hear people say it is on the forums, then I suspect you should seriously consider it. There are some issues with it though, so you'd need to do your homework on the AV123 forums.

One thing to consider when using a receiver as a pre-amp only is that you might still be paying for the electricity costs (as associated home cooling costs, if any) of the receiver's amp section. I know on the RX-V1400, the pre-outs used the electricity normally sent to one of the surround channels, but the remaining channels were still fully driven as far as I could tell. I don't know how much of an issue that is for you.

**rolyasm** · **07-19-06, 04:34 PM**

Josuah,
How did you determine that the channels were still driven? Are you saying you were running your pre-outs, but if you hooked up speakers to the regular speaker outputs you would get sound? Does that yammie have a second zone capability?
roly

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