Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Receiver Suggestions: PLEASE HELP!!!

I know all the experts are here, so I have to ask..... what is the best receiver for approx $700-$1000.

Comments:
- This unit will be used mostly to play games and watch movies.
- Dolby TrueHD/DTS Master Audio is a must
- Do not care about video upscaling (have Dish/PS3)
- My room is 14'x10'x9'(tall)
- Yamaha Rx-v659 is my current receiver

My speakers are:
- M22s
- VP150
- QS8s
- EP500

Appreciate any/all suggestions!!!!
Trey

treyp,

Small room, M22s as main with a nice beefy sub... You're priority is the decoding for TrueHD/DTS Master Audio...

Onkyo TX-SR606 - $399 at Circuit City. Put the $300-600 in your pocket.

Tough to say which is best, your current Yamaha is a great receiver, good bang for the buck. I would look into the 663 now or Onkyo and Denon in that price range and then pick the one you like the best, feature wise. I am not sure if 6ave still has the deal going but you could get the Denon 3808 for slightly more than $1000 if you call them and ask for the special pricing, the key is to call them, the web site shows the usual pricing.

yeah the 3808 for a $1050 or $1100 is a good way to go... lots of features such as network streaming of audio and nice GUI. however, there is no reason you should spend that much... you can definitely get something a lot less expensive that will work just as well.. it all boils down to what features you want.

I'm sure this has come up before, but would a Rx really do a noticeably better job than the PS3 for decoding Dolby TrueHD/DTS Master Audio? I haven't really been following the dialogue on that (as I still live in the SD realm) but would the OP notice a difference in audio with a new decoding Rx? Wouldn't any old HDMI Rx do the job?

Trey, welcome. If just about the only new feature that you're interested in is TrueHD, etc., capability, then that's easily had these days for around $300-$400. The Onkyo 606 that Steve suggests should be excellent. Since you're going to use the PS3 for Blu-rays, it will decode those formats and output the PCM over HDMI. Your 659 doesn't have the HDMI capability and the PS3 doesn't have multi-channel analog outputs to feed the 659, so you can't use new formats, although the DD 5.1 track on Blu-rays can be excellent and essentially indistinguishable from TrueHD(see Home Entertainment Magazine tests ).

Mark(doormat), sure in general a player, including the PS3, does just as good a job in decoding those formats as a receiver would do, and it isn't necessary to have a receiver with the decoding capability. As was mentioned above, though, Trey's 659 doesn't have an HDMI input which would receive and process the decoded audio signals from his PS3. So, he would need that input, but not necessarily the decoding capability in the new receiver.

Dang, thats a killer HT setup you have there with the EP500!

Others have covered it well. The entry level HD receiver market seems to be very competitive right now. The RX-V663 dosn't have a lot of extra features, and is limited in HDMI inputs, but it sure hits a nice price point for HD audio and video. It also has pre-outs, a surprising feature for such a low priced receiver and a good thing to have if you think you will ever get hit by upgrade-itis and want a pair of M80s

I'm sure the Onkyo mentioned is also very good.

After reading several articles (including the one above, thanks!) and calling around….. I think I may hold onto my Y659 for now and invest the money into 2 more QS8s as back surround channels. The sound quality improved so much going to Blu Ray on the PS3, that I think moving from 5.1 to 7.1 will be fun enough for now. I know it will be matrixed on most movies, but the Yamaha does a good job w/ it.

After a few more generations of HD receivers come out, I’ll jump in.

Really appreciate everyone’s input!!!

BTW,,,,, all the rumors about the EP500 are terribly true. Even though my system is upstairs, I can crank it up enough to shake the plates in the kitchen cabinet, which is downstairs AND one room over!!!!!!!

Axiom rules.

Trey

IMHO, don't spend the money on going from 5.1 to 7.1 (having both)... Spend the money on the decoding you want. JMHO.

I was told that if I upgraded to the lossless formats, that 5.1 would be a problem if the movie was encoded in 6.1 or 7.1. For example, the if I didn't have any surround backs connected, the sounds would simply be lost.

Was told this by the folks at Yamaha when I inquired about the Rx v-663 and when I called another large online company. I even called Yamaha back a second time and asked a different operator. The guy said all their receivers worked that way w/ lossless audio.

They all said it is not a problem w/ the normal DD or DTS but not the lossless formats.

Is what I have been told not true??? Wouldn't suprise me.
Thanks !!!!