# Receiver/ preamp choices and suggestions please !



## nerenz (Jun 29, 2011)

I am in the market for a new receiver for my HT.. now I'm very undecided and need some advice ..I currently am using a HK avr630 and I am looking to upgrade. I like all the features but have been plagued by quality issues and would like to try another brand...I would like to consider some Martin Logan electrostatic speakers in the future but currently use some Polk audio sad-1 fronts, just cheap small micro surrounds and uhh...lol a uh paradigm sub 25 sub...lol....should I go preamp and then just a amp, or continue my receiver hunt? I would like to have seperate eq controls for each speaker, or at least adjustable crossover settings.. Needs to be HDMI. I. Know Thera a lot that goes into choosing the right equipment including room size and furniture but have no idea where to start...any suggestions would be amazing, any questions. U have I will answer. Lol :bigsmile:


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Welcome to HTS. If you are considering getting MartinLogans, you definitely need to look for an AVR with Preamp Outputs as Electrostatic Speakers and Receivers do not work well together.

These days there are a number of Surround Sound Processors to choose from. Marantz's AV7005 has been a huge success and is available for $1500 Dollars. Also, Onkyo has a number of SSP's starting at around $1500 Dollars and going up from there. With these, you will need Amplification for all channels.

Many choose to use an AVR as an SSP myself included. With the AVR Market so crowded, the values are much greater. I have been using Onkyo AVR's as SSP's for the past 4 years and have been quite pleased on the whole. Not once have I hooked up a Speaker Cable to any of the 3 different Onkyo AVR's that I have used during this time (TX-SR805, TX-SR875, TX-NR3007)

With Onkyo, Preamp Outputs are available on the 700 Series on up. With Denon, they appear of the 33xx Series onward. Yamaha's Avantage Line really are quite good and I know the A3000 and A2000 also offer Preamp Outputs. Marantz's SR-6005 offers them as well as do many of the Pioneer Elite AVR's.

It really comes down to how much you feel comfortable spending on the AVR/SSP, how soon do you plan on upgrading speakers, and if you are planning on just upgrading the front 3 channels first. 

If starting out with the front 3 Channels of MartinLogans, it would be more cost effective to use an AVR with Preamp Outputs and adding a 3 Channel Amplifier like Emotiva's XPA-3 and using the AVR to drive the Polks you curently have for Surrounds. Also, as MartinLogan now makes many speakers that are not Electrostatic, the need for outboard amplification on these Models is not as acute.

If you could provide a rough estimate of how much you feel comfortable spending, and what Model of MartinLogans you are considering, it would help to give you the best recommendations.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Theresa (Aug 23, 2010)

I have a XPA-3 and it's a terrific amp. I use it to drive my L/C/R's midwoofers with a active crossover and never seem to run out of headroom.


----------



## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

I would start with this receiver and probably also use separates amps. 

What price range/models are you looking at for speakers btw?


----------



## nerenz (Jun 29, 2011)

I was looking at the vantage , I'm gonna have to wait a bit but that's what they used to demo with my sub purchase...fell in love lol , not sure what I can spend for a avr just hanging in until the HK gets to the point I can't use it...if it happens soon I'm talking under 500$ I will look at used and refurbished units that doesn't bother me right now lol. On a side note I do have a Rotel amp I am using on another system on my homemade sub... I could rob from Peter if I need to...


----------



## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

nerenz said:


> I was looking at the vantage , I'm gonna have to wait a bit but that's what they used to demo with my sub purchase...fell in love lol , not sure what I can spend for a avr just hanging in until the HK gets to the point I can't use it...if it happens soon I'm talking under 500$ I will look at used and refurbished units that doesn't bother me right now lol. On a side note I do have a Rotel amp I am using on another system on my homemade sub... I could rob from Peter if I need to...


The vantage is certainly a high end speaker. If you're looking at martin logans i suggest also looking at soundlabs, quads, magnepans, and linkwitz orions.


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I love my Vantages. And in tandem with the Stage Center Channel, Vistas for Surrounds and a Descent i and Depth Subwoofer, my HT brings me tremendous joy. Better still, the Vantages sound great in 2 Channel Applications.

Given how cheaply Vantages can be found on Audiogon, I would not discount them. I do think it is huge to find them within driving distance. I actually drove 650 Miles to Charlotte for mine because a dear friend is a MartinLogan Dealer and sold them to me at cost. The Boxes are so big that the Chevy Tahoe I rented barely fitted them. I realize renting a Cargo Van would have been smarter, but they all charged by the Mile and I got hooked up on the Tahoe from Enterprise to where it cost me 50 Dollars a Day with Unlimited Miles. Also, I think the Tahoe has some of the most comfortable Seats of any vehicle I have driven short of the Volkswagen Phaeton which will probably remain the benchmark for a long time. I prefer the Phaeton's Seats to the Bentley Arnage and most definitely the Continental/Silver Spur which is actually based on the same Chassis as the Phaeton.

One of my friends from Acupuncture School and I made the Trip, spent the night at my friends and went first thing in the Morning to the Store and loaded up the Vantages and headed straight back to Florida.
This still does not beat the longest I have ever driven to pickup a piece of AV Gear as I once drove from Charleston SC to West Lafayette Indiana to purchase a new in box Aragon 8008bb. Again I had a friend willing to go, but this time it was to meet his Biological Father for the first time. Kinda weird, but we did have a free place to stay...
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## nerenz (Jun 29, 2011)

I am leaning toward a marantz, I have a friend that picked up a 7005? I think...I'm thinking I have to stick with a single unit, being restricted to price at this point for around 1500$ I don't feel ill get what I want if I buy a preamp /amp combo ...me being indecisive is the issue o think lol....I know the difference is hive but I wouldn't mind the Polk sda srs 1.2 tl either...love my sda -1 so.......and those also need that big amp...


----------



## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Good choice with the Marantz,there sound quality is exellent as well as build. I did hear a rumor just today that there will soon be $100 price increase on it. weather true or not:dontknow:


----------



## Dwight Angus (Dec 17, 2007)

I have the Emotiva XPA-3 to power my L/C/R. Does a great job


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
With a 1500 Dollar Budget, I would look at either the Denon AVR-4311 or Onkyo TX-NR3008. Both offer Audyssey's MultEQ XT32 which really is fantastic. And both would make for excellent Surround Sound Processors once Amplifiers are added.

Both have their advantages. The Onkyo weighs almost twice as much as the Denon and is THX Ultra2 Plus Certified so I do believe it to have a decent bit stronger Amplifier Section. The Denon offers a Preamp Only Mode where it literally takes the internal Amplifiers offline which should reduce Power Consumption when being used strictly as an SSP. Problem is it is all channels off or on. That is you cannot add a 2 Channel Amp and have the Front Left and Right Channels be taken offline.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Theresa (Aug 23, 2010)

I too use an Emotiva XPA-3 for my fronts. Excellent amp and like all the Emotiva amps it copes well with electrostatics, or so I hear. Its 300 watts per channel with 4 ohm loads so it should get plenty loud even with electrostatics.


----------



## nerenz (Jun 29, 2011)

Well today I accomplished what I set out to do years ago, in 1997 I built a sub box containing 6, 15" subs, intended for a s10 pickup...being just a kid I never did better then 146db with it and it then sat in my garage with home audio intentions for YEARS...after a quick ohm check and a rewire ( series instead of parallel) it now lives in my basement entertainment room...lol ok, the sub 25 I have is awesome, and has better quality to it..I can't believe it, but I think I'm impressed lol all said and done I have 1000$ invested and volume wise...it's capable of inducing my skull with a headache lol...I used a Rotel RMB 1066 six channel for power, my HK 2600 as my head and six rockwood 4 ohm 15" subs in a box built to 2.26 cu ft per sub..box measures roughly 68" long, 38 wide and 18 tall on one end and 16 on the opposite I used 3/4 MDF for wood...now all I need is 14 rolls of carpet, a case of spray glue and a fork lift to finish it off lol just thought I'd share this...I thought it was cool!


----------



## nerenz (Jun 29, 2011)

Sorry that's a little off topic


----------



## wallyjog (Jul 7, 2011)

On a 1500 budget how about the marantz 5.1 power amp and one of there mid level receivers combine them I think the amp is 140 per and you could hook the rears to the receiver if you are doing 7.1


----------



## nerenz (Jun 29, 2011)

I think I finally decided, a 3 channel amp and a separate preamp, I will never probable go with big surrounds , in fact I will probable look at some wireless blutooth stuff, that way all I. Need to do is amp the fronts and center...


----------



## Theresa (Aug 23, 2010)

I have an Emotiva XPA-3 powering the mid-woofers of my all active L/C/R. Its a great amp with a great deal of power.


----------



## Dwight Angus (Dec 17, 2007)

I use an XPA-3 to power my L/C/R. Does a great job and its good value relative to the competition.


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

nerenz said:


> I think I finally decided, a 3 channel amp and a separate preamp, I will never probable go with big surrounds , in fact I will probable look at some wireless blutooth stuff, that way all I. Need to do is amp the fronts and center...


Hello,
That is an excellent choice and by purchasing Separates, you will have a great deal more flexibility down the line.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## wallyjog (Jul 7, 2011)

For the same 1500 why don't you look at the marantz 6005 and the marantz 7055 amp. It's a 5.1 and you can use the rears r
From the reciever. My feeling is you get a better amp plus all the processing from the reciever and if you need to upgrade processing at some other time in the future you have a killer amp to keep. FYI the marantz 6005 is a great value as it's being discontinued and you Can pick up the amp returned from accessories for less.


----------



## wallyjog (Jul 7, 2011)

wallyjog said:


> For the same 1500 why don't you look at the marantz 6005 and the marantz 7055 amp. It's a 5.1 and you can use the rears r
> From the reciever. My feeling is you get a better amp plus all the processing from the reciever and if you need to upgrade processing at some other time in the future you have a killer amp to keep. FYI the marantz 6005 is a great value as it's being discontinued and you Can pick up the amp returned from accessories for less.


I meant refurbished sorry


----------



## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

nerenz said:


> I think I finally decided, a 3 channel amp and a separate preamp, I will never probable go with big surrounds , in fact I will probable look at some wireless blutooth stuff, that way all I. Need to do is amp the fronts and center...


You could look into active surrounds like JBL LSR 2325s, and then add a blutooth preamp externally.


----------

