# AVR Recommendation



## CarolinaNomad (Dec 10, 2011)

I'm looking for an AVR that will be upgradeable, handle 5 HDMI in and 2 HDMI out. And can have an IPhone connection.

But first, give you a little info on me and my current setup. I'm a custom home builder that builds one house a year and lives in it for a year while building another. My current home, I had already installed four in-wall (200 watt cheap speakers). Before I found HTS. The room isn't the Home Theater Room. So, I wasn't too concerned with the speakers. I also have a logitech speaker system (It's an older version of the Z906). In my next house, I plan to incorporate a Home Theater. Until then, I plan to piece mill the components by first purchasing an AVR and purchasing the other components next year when I'm building the next house. 

My first goal was to take the front two and centre speaker from the logitech and the four in-wall speakers and hook them up to an AVR. Will the current AVR's handle the different speakers?

I don't necessarily have a budget in mind. My philosophy is to purchase the best now knowing that I will have it for decades. But I'm just not going to pay for bells and whistles. Secondly, I love music and movies, but my wife and I can't hear the difference between the high end or midrange stuff. Keep in mind, I will be constructing the speakers. However, my ultimate goal is to construct a mack daddy HT with a golf simulator, two tv's, stream movies and music, play on my PS3, have a desktop computer hookup and a bar area. The golf simulator is a dream until the prices drop. I live in Toronto, ON.

Which AVR provides the best options for the right price?

If you had a dream HT, what would it consist?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Good morning, Right now Onkyo has the best bang for buck receivers. They have been bench tested and deliver very close to what they are rated for watts per channel. Most receivers fail badly in this area. 
The Onkyo 809 offers everything you need and is well regarded to be very reliable.


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## Viggen (Dec 31, 2008)

I just purchased a Integra DHC 80.3 last week & even though I am not using all of it's 9.2 capabilities (yet) it is worlds ahead of the DHC 9.8 (3 years old) that I replaced it with. It just doesn everything better... easier to use, setup, looks & sounds better! 

I think you need to let us know what you can spend. For me the 80.3 fit my budget (barely) they offer a DTR version if you need the amplifiers in it. 

Onkyo, Integra (Onkyo's high end line), Denon (always been a HUGE fan of their stuff), Yamaha, Marantz all make great stuff..... 

I am slowly building my dram system just on a average joe's budget. This is my setup

TV- Mitsubishi 73in Diamond DLP (Wife wants the 92in Mits)
Receiver - Integra 80.3
Front speakers - Infinity Kappa 8.1's
Center - Infinity Kappa Video's
Rear - Kappa 5.1's
Front effects - probably use some of the wifes extra boston speakers
rear effects- trying to figure out what/where.... 
Mirage 8in subs - from my wife's first husband

Each pair of speakers will have a parasound HCA1500 amp powering them. Presently my kappa 8.1's are bi-amped & I am just running 5.2 surround. Leaning towards a whyred4sound amp to power those


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## CarolinaNomad (Dec 10, 2011)

If I were to purchase a 7.2 or 9.2 receiver, will the system function as a 5.1 system due to my lack of speakers.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Yes, It automatically selects the format of your speaker setup


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## CarolinaNomad (Dec 10, 2011)

At what point do an all in one AVR will not be sufficient and I'll need to go with a separate amplifier system?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

CarolinaNomad said:


> At what point do an all in one AVR will not be sufficient and I'll need to go with a separate amplifier system?


Thats not really the case any more, The issue is that low end receivers that have inadequate power supplies and poor amplification do not have Pre Outs and they are the ones that need it the most. Once you get into the $700 and up receivers this is far less an issue. A good Pre-pro will cost far more than a Receiver like the Onkyo 709 that has pre outs and has far more features than a pre-pro of any where near the price.


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## Viggen (Dec 31, 2008)

CarolinaNomad said:


> If I were to purchase a 7.2 or 9.2 receiver, will the system function as a 5.1 system due to my lack of speakers.


Like mentioned you can run a 9.2 receiver in 5.1 or even stereo. You tell the receiver how you have it setup & it will take it from there. On my 9.2 pre/pro I have it in 5.2 with the front main speaker bi-amped. If I go to 9.2 I can't bi-amp my mains due to not enough outputs on the unit. 



CarolinaNomad said:


> At what point do an all in one AVR will not be sufficient and I'll need to go with a separate amplifier system?


It's all up to you! It just depends on how much money you are willing to throw at it. Seperate amplifiers sound a LOT better compared to the all in one amplifiers. It really just depends on how much you get into the sound quality of the setup. I love listening to music & I think it's worth it to get seperate amplifiers due to how much better it sounds, huge improvement in HT stuff to...... Even a more entry level audiophile amp like a adcom gfa-5500 will blow away probably just about every receiver. However it's just the added $400-500 for the used amp & another $50-100 for some good cables (DIN-XLR's sound amazing though). For slighty more money parasound's HCA-1500's out perform the adcom's.... & the list just keeps going.


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