Best HT Receiver for Audio under $2k?

J North · « **on:** 18 Jun 2005, 02:27 am »

Looking for most natural sounding audio in a HT Receiver for under $2k.

Are the Panny and JVC digital's still all the rage around here?

Thanx.

jimmyp58 · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Jun 2005, 02:51 am »

Don't know about the price of this unit in Canada, but the ARCAM AVR-300 is a dandy!

gongos · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jun 2005, 03:28 am »

Buy a Panny or a JVC and send me $1800.

John Ashman · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jun 2005, 05:44 am »

I'm probably biased, but the NAD T773 is like buying the quality of a $4000 receiver, but without the bells and whistles. But seriously - dual toroidal transformers and a solid 770Ws of RMS simultaneous power. And pre-out/main-ins. Digital amps don't have the kind of current and low impedance capabilities that this kind of amplifier has. Rotel is another contender, but I'm not sure where they're at this second.

CornellAlum · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jun 2005, 02:23 pm »

Panasonic XR-45/50/70/55 etc, then send it out to Wayne at Boldercables and turn it into world-class with some mods!

Daryan

Carlman · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jun 2005, 04:39 pm »

I still like Marantz' HT receivers... I think they sound as good as most. I've been recommended to try Pioneer's upper end but never have... The only one I heard was at a dealer and I wasn't impressed with that system (it was driving a pair of B&W CDM series tower speakers).. I can't identify which I didn't care for. Everything was unknown to me.... cables, music, etc.

So, of what I've heard, between a Panny XR25 or 45, Sharp digital, or the Marantz, I'd pick the Marantz. I have not heard the new JVC. All of these digital amps need the 'right' speaker in my opinion. Seems that what I've viewed here is that people either love the digital's or don't understand what all the hype is about. I fall into the latter. Cheap digital receivers seem about as good as most $500 receivers. Once you get around 1,k and above, I'd be very surprised if the cheap digitals can hang. Not saying it's not possible, just saying I'd be VERY surprised.

That NAD sounds like a good option to me... I haven't heard NAD in a long time but it was always sort of 'yuppie hifi' to me.... looked good, sounded OK but wasn't anything special. However, that's me being a hifi snob...

Loftprojection · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 08:43 pm »

I was shopping for a receiver a few months ago and my budget was around $1500us. I tried various models bringing my speakers and my CD player to the shops or the receiver to my home. NAD, Marantz, Integra, Pioneer, Arcam, Cambridge, HarmanKardon and the famous Panny digital which I even bought to return a week later!

Purely for audio and to my personal taste, nothing equals Arcam. The Cambridge 540R is very nice if your budget is low, the Integra line is not bad, but the Arcam AVR250-300 are really a notch above all others if you have the money.

As I said, my comment is purely for 2 channel music which is what I was testing. I figured if the receiver sounds great in 2 channel, it will at least sound very good in 5-7 channel. As far as features, bells and whistles, I don't care so I did not check that either.

By the way, as much as I liked the Arcam receivers, I ended up buying a stereo integrated amp because my main focus is two channel music and no receiver was providing the same quality of sound as a good stereo integrated in the same price bracket...

Have fun shopping.

Quote from: J North

Looking for most natural sounding audio in a HT Receiver for under $2k.

Are the Panny and JVC digital's still all the rage around here?

Thanx.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 10:00 pm »

I like the Rotel AV receiver that runs around $2K, but I've been told that the Arcam AVR300 sets a new standard at that price..

electricbear · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 11:16 pm »

I also think highly of the Rotel RSX1067, it retails for $2200 but I think you should find it at your local dealer for somewhere about 2k. I haven't heard the Arcam but like most products with the Arcam name I'm sure it must be good.

Inscrutable · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 12:12 am »

Arcam is a nice choice. I've always liked Sherwood Newcastle for 'musicality' and value, and B&K for performance. used and for a whole lot less money, the Nakamichi AV10 is an incredible bargain and sounded better than the multi$K receivers to me.

If you are looking more for 2-ch audio rather than multi-channel, spend less on any receiver and save enough for a good 2-ch outboard amp, and I think you will be much happier than the equivalent $ in a receiver. As preamps they aren't bad, but it seems every receiver's amp section is compromised compared to a dedicated amp. I've always heard very distinct improvements adding an outboard amp to any receiver, but not so much listening for differences among receivers.