Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Receiver recommendation for M60/ M80

Hi Everyone, newbie here

in the market for speakers and a receiver. I want just one receiver to do everything. Regardless of whether I get the M60 or M80 I want to make sure I get a receiver that can comfortably handle the 4omhs necessary for the M80 (in case I choose to upgrade in the future.)

I have read on the discussion board the Onkyo is not a good choice, although I have not been able to find a thread that lists recommended receivers for the M80s.

Since I am buying a new receiver, I will probably get one with the new HDMI 1.3, and I also quite like the idea of having a network receiver so I can play endless internet radio and connect it to various playlists i have on my computer.
Denon have 2 receivers that would serve both these purposes - AVR-4308CI & AVR-3808CI (main difference being that one of them is has wireless connectivity)

I have owned Pioneer elite in the past and was very happy with them (except for the remote control...)

what other brands, models would you recommend for being capable of driving a complete 5.1 - 7.1 M80 HT?

thank you very much

Based on my personal experience with the Onkyo TX-SR805, I do not recommend using it paired with M80's. I can't speak for the 875 or the 905, but I wouldn't expect stellar results in comparison. I ended up taking the 805 back, and when I was at Circuit City saw two other 805's on the floor that had been returned as well. I'm not sure of the reasons behind those returns, but that IMO didn't bode well given the length of time the receiver has been on the market combined with what I believe were pretty small quantities of initial shipments. For instance, the CC I purchased mine from received only three 805's initially, one of which was the one I purchased.

I'm not sure if you're set on HDMI 1.3, but if not, then I feel Rotel is worth looking at. I bought an RSX-1057 for my girlfriend with the intention of setting it up with some B&W bookshelf speakers. Her new place isn't done yet so I've been running my M80 5.1 home theater with the Rotel receiver. It's been handling the M80's with aplomb.

What about Pioneer Elite?

The Elite is always a good choice. BTW - I am a happy Denon guy.

I do recall Alan saying the Pioneer recievers that use mosfet output devices can handle the M80s.

Dan, welcome. Apparently you have the list of features that you want in a receiver firmly in mind and you're willing to pay up for them. The network provision for internet radio limits the choices and since the 3808 meets your requirements there may be little reason not to just go with it. Nevertheless, if you haven't researched them thoroughly, the new Onkyo 905 and Yamaha 3800 also meet your specifications and should be considered.

All the new Onkyo’s are being reported as running quite hot, and also the Integra 9.8 pre/pro that has no amplification. I suspect they are running hot because of the video processor placement and lack of adequate cooling. Whether this will be detrimental or not, I don’t know. It does give me cause for concern though. The 905 does look like one heck of a receiver, on paper anyway.

If I were looking to buy an AVR today and was looking for all the features the OP has listed, I believe I would lean toward the Denon.

Hi Dan5555,

Pioneer is a kind of "iffy" brand for 4-ohm loads, based on previous Axiom customer experience with the M80s. The "Elite" designation is no assurance that a Pioneer will drive the M80s.

In the past, Pioneer had a model called the 1015, a mid-line model that used MOSFET output devices and, as Wid indicated, had no problem driving the M80s. My understanding is that Pioneer has changed the design of that model's output stage, and it no longer uses the Mosfets, so I wouldn't recommend it.

Regards,

Hi,

I don't want to hijack this thread, but my question is kind of specific to this situation and may benefit the OP aswell as myself. Is the Denon AVR-3808CI receiver a good choice when paired with the M80's? If not, what is the minimum Denon receiver one should look at?