Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater ONKYO TX-SR601, DENON AVR-1803, NAD T742 ???HELP!!

That's funny, the other day I put in my first post asking questions about my Onkyo HTR510(similar to TX-SR501) beeing able to push Paradigm speakers and now I am already about to upgrade my receiver!! This hobby is killing me!! Anyway, hello everyone! Well, I am ready to upgrade my receiver after having this Onkyo for only 40 days. I have experienced a minor problem with it already. when I turn on the unit it shuts back off after about 2 seconds, then i go to turn it back on and it stays on with no other problems, weird huh? Mabe its just a problem with the button or something? Anyway, I am taking it back to circuit City tomorrow and exchanging it for a brand new one in the box. I will leave it in the box unopened and list it on Ebay for sale. I have been researching different receivers for a couple of days. My budget is no more than $500.00 for a receiver. So the onkyo,denon and NAD have been on my mind. I do listen to music sometimes, but not too loud. I like listening to smooth jazz and R&B mostly. The most thing I will be doing with the receiver is watching movies like a madman!!!!:)My Onkyo I currently have is excellent for movies and music as well. Now I know for sure that the Onkyo TX-sr601 is much better than the receiver I currently have, I think. I heard an NAD receiver at a local stereo place and it sounded excellent, but the post here about NAD's kind of pushes me away from them. I know Denon is good but heard that Onkyo's sound better with movies which is what I will be doing most. I am not putting Denon down in anyway, I like Denon alot and many of my friends own them as well as Onkyo. It's just that I already have other Onkyo componets to match my system. Also, I have owned nothing but Onkyo receivers and this is the first one that i have had a problem with. My room is only 10x11 and I dont think I need barrels of power . I am just looking for the cleanest sounding receiver that sounds excellent with movies and music as well for $500.00 or less. What do you guys think of the receivers I listed in the Subject? Thank you in advance.

P.S. My current Onkyo is a 6.1 receiver , I would like to be able to get a receiver within my budget that also has 6.1 .

also, what does everyone here think about Harmon Kardon ??

I won't read your post, but based on your subject, get the Denon.

NAD breaks easily, apparently, although they look nice. I also find them to not be so dynamic.

ONKYO overrates power ratings these days.

Denon's great, and clean. A great 6.1 with easy to use features. Solid build.

Love my HK525 refurb from Onecall. If/When they get them in stock you could get the refurb HK325-z. Always conservative power ratings from HK.

Frank

I really like my H/K 525. Very full featured, good price, clean sound. Also from Onecall.

Check this site out and e-mail/call for price. They have the Onkyo SR601 on sale for less than $500 and they are an authorized onkyo dealer.www.bestpriceaudiovideo.com
As far as power ratings go every company, with the exception of HK, over rates power and this includes denon. Im not saying that one company is better than the other and mass market receivers in the same price range usually yeild simaller performance. You have to go and listen for your self. Since you have already been bitten by the upgrade bug, I would buy a receiver with preouts if I were ytou. Good luck.

What is the 601? Did this just recently replace the 600? Anyone know what they changed if so? I have the 600 and am just curious....I guess I could always go check their site.

Or not...their site doesn't look like it makes it easy to compare the two. I believe the powered zone 2 vs. just a B speaker connection is new...I believe the Denon 1803 had that and Onkyo didn't (the two I was comparing between before I bought). Nothing else jumped out at me right away, but there is probably other stuff as well.

The differances are powerd zone 2, 192 kHz/24-Bit x 6 DAC's (the 600 only had 192 kHz/24-Bit x2)composite to s video sonversion, and I think 85 wats vs 80. There might be a couple more. The features on the 601 are almost the exact same features that I have on my Onkyo SR700, besides the wattage and lack of preouts. I am happy with my 700 and I think you would be happy with the 601. Check the web site I told you about, they have the best prices I've seen on Onkyo equipment. Let me know how you make out. By the way I auditioned the denon 1803 and liked it alot. To me the sound of the Denon amp was very very similar to the sound of the Onkyo amp. I got a better deal on the Onkyo so I bought that. I also own an older Onkyo pro logic amp and had great luck with it.