# AV Receiver Recommendation???



## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Putting together a $1000 (approximate ) 5.1 setup recommendation for a friend.
What receiver would go better with the Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System?

Denon AVR 2313CI
7.2 Channel
105 Watts
upconvert/passthrough to 4K
3D
Audyssey MultEQ XT
Audyssey Dynamic EQ
Audyssey DSX 
Audyssey Dynamic Volume
6 HDMI IN / 2 HDMI OUT
Multi room audio
Internet Radio
Network Streaming
DLNA 1.5
Android Remote App.


or 

Onkyo TX-NR809
7.2 Channel
upconvert/passthrough to 4K
3D
Audyssey MultEQ XT
Audyssey DSX 
Audyssey Dynamic EQ
Audyssey Dynamic Volume
8 HDMI IN / 2 HDMI OUT
Multi room audio
Wireless network ready via USB
Internet Radio
Network Streaming


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
The Onkyo has far better Video Processing and a more powerful amplifier stage. This last part is especially important as while the Pioneer's are quite efficient, they are not Klipsch efficient. In addition, the Onkyo's lack of Airplay can get gotten around by purchasing an Apple TV. I barely use Airplay on my Denon as it only handles audio and to watch HBO GO you need an Apple TV.
Cheers,
JJ


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## xyzzy (Apr 5, 2012)

I would go Marantz receiver over the choices you have listed.

Go up in models as you can afford/budget. The Andrew Jones pioneer speakers are awesome for the price.

Marantz offers much better sound quality than even the sister Denon.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I agree with Jack, the Onkyo 809 is a super receiver for the price and with the HQV video processing and very strong amp section you will be far ahead over others in that price range.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

xyzzy said:


> I would go Marantz receiver over the choices you have listed.
> 
> Go up in models as you can afford/budget. The Andrew Jones pioneer speakers are awesome for the price.
> 
> Marantz offers much better sound quality than even the sister Denon.


Hello,
I am a big Marantz fan, but at this point there is very little differentiating Denon from Marantz. Since D&M was sold to Bain Capital, the two brands have become more and more similar. My Denon AVR-4520CI is remarkably similar to the Marantz AV8801 and so forth. Regardless, I am glad you are enjoying your Marantz.
Best,
Jack


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## xyzzy (Apr 5, 2012)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I am a big Marantz fan, but at this point there is very little differentiating Denon from Marantz. Since D&M was sold to Bain Capital, the two brands have become more and more similar. My Denon AVR-4520CI is remarkably similar to the Marantz AV8801 and so forth. Regardless, I am glad you are enjoying your Marantz.
> Best,
> Jack


Are you saying lack of differences based on your personal evaluation of the sound quality of the two?
This is my primary criteria and I have compared the two (marantz and denon) at different price points and find that the marantz outdoes the denon quite significantly. The denon units through all models (didn't try their ubber high-priced model) have a common sound which is antiseptic, harmonically thin, with one-dimensional bass.

Marantz also has a common sound through all their units. Midrange warmth and more detail. More transparency (where you get a better sense of listening to instruments and not speakers), and bass which is dimensional so you get a sense of the size and depth/deepness of a drum or explosion.

I did the sonic comparisons between receivers (also pioneer and onkyo) about a year ago. Kept each one for several weeks allowing them to burn in. Marantz was the clear leader in sonics and was much more musical sounding than the others. Note that most of a movie is music and dialog so I don't buy into the arguement that an AVR is either good for music or movies. Purchased the marantz sr6006 when it was on sale at the end of its model run.

If you are doing a features comparison then yes they are similar and I think Denon has more (useless features, to my mind).


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

xyzzy said:


> Are you saying lack of differences based on your personal evaluation of the sound quality of the two?
> 
> Marantz also has a common sound through all their units. Midrange warmth and more detail. More transparency (where you get a better sense of listening to instruments and not speakers), and bass which is dimensional so you get a sense of the size and depth/deepness of a drum or explosion.


I personally have owned Yamaha, Carver, Marantz, Sherwood/Newcastle and Onkyo. Of all of them the Marantz was the least dynamic and lacked high end clarity. I think your findings are personal taste and not necessarily fact. It will vary form receiver to receiver and room to room and from speaker to speaker even moving a speaker a foot can make a huge difference.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

xyzzy said:


> Are you saying lack of differences based on your personal evaluation of the sound quality of the two?
> This is my primary criteria and I have compared the two (marantz and denon) at different price points and find that the marantz outdoes the denon quite significantly. The denon units through all models (didn't try their ubber high-priced model) have a common sound which is antiseptic, harmonically thin, with one-dimensional bass.
> 
> Marantz also has a common sound through all their units. Midrange warmth and more detail. More transparency (where you get a better sense of listening to instruments and not speakers), and bass which is dimensional so you get a sense of the size and depth/deepness of a drum or explosion.
> ...


Hello,
I have owned a number of Marantz AVR's and Denon. While many here do not ascribe details like "warmth", etc, as I said in my prior post, it is great that it floats your boat.

As the current respective lines share more parts than not with the exception of Marantz's HDAM which did not make a huge difference in my SR-19EX, I think it is safe to say my comments are not in the minority.
Moreover, I honestly do not know of many/any threads here where we put a dichotomy between an a "Music AVR" or "Movie AVR".

That is great that you took the time to audition a number of different brands and found one you are happy with in the 6006. There are many here who own one and Stereophile's Kal Rubinson is quite impressed with the AV8001. I believe he even purchased it. His review is available to peruse at Stereophile in his Music in the Round column.
Best,
J


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## kingpin748 (Feb 20, 2013)

And there you have it. Clear as mud. Unfortunately with AVRs it all comes down to what like and then to the bells and whistles. I'd go with Denon because I love my Denon. I like their sound better than Pioneer, Yamaha, or Onyko. IMO they are more reliable also.

Both those amps are great. What you need to do is go demo them, preferably in the same store. Then just pick the one you think sounds the best.


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## xyzzy (Apr 5, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> I personally have owned Yamaha, Carver, Marantz, Sherwood/Newcastle and Onkyo. Of all of them the Marantz was the least dynamic and lacked high end clarity. I think your findings are personal taste and not necessarily fact. It will vary form receiver to receiver and room to room and from speaker to speaker even moving a speaker a foot can make a huge difference.


I am quite experienced with home audio and own high-end equipment for 2 channel audio. I keep a seperate system for for 2channel music and seperate for TV surround sound. I have also listened to a large amount of equipment so I am quite comfortable with objective evalution of what I hear.

On speakers, in order to lock in imaging/soundstage a 1/4 inch makes a difference as does toe in, distance from walls, same height, etc.

Sound from audio vendor equipment is generally pretty consistent barring damaged or knock off unit. If one bought the marantz from anywhere other than a reputable dealer it could be a knock off. Beware of cheap ones on ebay coming from the far east.

Don't know your experience with listening to equipment. If you believe all audio equipment sounds nearly the same than we are in different worlds. The marantz is a favorite amount audiophiles who listen for sound quality. So is Arcam (great but out of my budget). The Marantz replaced an Arcam unit that I bought used many years back so it didn't have have the latest bluray decoders. The marantz was the only one that held its own against the Arcam, even exceeding its perfomance in a couple of areas (not surprising since my Arcam is 10 years old). The other mass market units sounded pretty lacking in harmonic richness. You may say this is "taste" but I disagree. The analogy here would be budweiser against a real beer from a microbrew. Is this a matter of taste as well? To me it isn't.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

xyzzy said:


> I am quite experienced with home audio and own high-end equipment for 2 channel audio. I keep a seperate system for for 2channel music and seperate for TV surround sound. I have also listened to a large amount of equipment so I am quite comfortable with objective evalution of what I hear.
> 
> On speakers, in order to lock in imaging/soundstage a 1/4 inch makes a difference as does toe in, distance from walls, same height, etc.
> 
> ...


Hello,
We here are huge believers in acoustics and I have consistently written that the actual space along with the speakers are the two single most important factors impacting sound quality.

Your beer analogy just rings hollow to me in respect to Marantz. I used to have a 2 Channel rig that far exceeds what many folks HT's cost and drank the Kool Aid down to Cryogenic Frozen IEC Main In Cables.
I am not sure what subset of audiophilia you are a member of, but a Bain Capital era Marantz AVR is simply not thought of in the same respect as a Saul Marantz era Model 8 Stereo, Model 9 Mono Amplifier combined with a Model 7 Preamp. Let alone one Made in China. (the horror)

We here are truly a live and let live forum, however the comments made specifically about Marantz implicitly draw the conclusion that all the other "mass market" brands are simply inferior. That is simply not a sentiment that most of us here believe. I think it is wonderful that you have achieved sonic bliss with your 6006 and it is an AVR I have recommended many times myself. That being said, I do not think someone deciding to purchase a Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, Onkyo, et al are being shortchanged.
Best,
J


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

xyzzy said:


> The marantz is a favorite amount audiophiles who listen for sound quality. So is Arcam (great but out of my budget).


That is very narrow minded and I really cant add much more given that statement, simply not fact at all. Glad you like Marantz, enjoy what you have but dont make assumptions that we are not experiencing the same if not better sound quality using other brands.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

phillihp23 said:


> Putting together a $1000 (approximate ) 5.1 setup recommendation for a friend.
> What receiver would go better with the Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System?
> 
> Denon AVR 2313CI
> ...


While these are both fine AVRs I think $550 & $600 respectively is too much to spend on an AVR when the budget is $1k.
I would be looking at $300 AVRs and spending more on speakers.
Even if you stick with the Pioneer speakers put the extra money into the Klipsch RW12D sub from Newegg.


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