Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater What do you love or hate about your receiver?

There's been a ton of posts about receiver choices, mostly centered on power ratings, dsp modes, etc. While these are important, that information is generally available from the manufacturer and the choice between those typically comes down to the individual's needs, what they consider to be important and the compromises they're willing to make.

What i'm interested in here is user functionality - things that can make a unit either a joy or a hassle to use. I think those can be much more important than an extra 5 watts or 4 extra dsp modes that will never get used anyway. They're the little conveniences or annoyances that you encounter daily. Too many times I've poured through stats, etc. to make a choice and end up not using half the bells and whistles I thought were important and that I had to have, only to find some other feature or lack thereof to be much more relevant on a day to day basis.

So, what receiver do you own and what do you love or hate about it that you wouldn't have known about without actually using it?

I have an older Sony DB940 HT receiver. There are a few things that really irritate me about this receiver.

One: In the speaker setup, the distances from the prime listening locations are set up in full feet...no feet and inches, no point feet, nada, one foot, two foot, red foot, blue foot...and if memory serves me right, there is only one setting for the fronts and one single setting for the rears...You have to take the average of the distances between left and right before entering into the settings...

Two: Most irritatingly of all, the levels for the fronts (after you determine what the volume setting will be your "reference" setting), do not have separate settings for LF & RF...there is a balance slider from left to right. It is setup the same way for the rears.

And Three: The level settings are in full DB...no percentages or decimal points of DB's...

I bought this "thing" a number of years ago before I "knew any better" (5.1 only, no DPx anything, etc)...unfortunately now I have to live with it...

Although I am secretly saving to hopefully replace it with either the Denon 3803 or 3805...or something comparable...

I'll move this dinosaur into the bedroom or game room for my son and his cronies...

Other than the above irritations, this relic with the Axiom's (M60's, VP150 & M22's) and my SVS 20-39 PC+ sound bloody awesome!

WhatFurrer

I have an older Pioneer VSX-710s. There are a few things I don't like on it as well: I hate DSP modes. Never use them. The volume jumps around every once in a while. The speaker terminals don't allow for spade connectors. The power cord is integrated into the chassis. I do like the "midnight" select, it never gets hot, and it sounds decent. I also am fighting between a Denon 3805, Pioneer Elite VSX-55txi, or a Rotel RSP 1056.

Many things i like about my receiver (Onkyo DS797).
The only thing that annoys me is the fixed crossover. I would prefer a variable setting.
Secondly, there is NO A/B SWITCH!!

I have a Denon 1804.

I love the manual.

Kidding aside, it's got good build quality and I like it a lot. It sounds fine to me. The on-screen-display is good, I like the video switching and upconversion. I did not love the remote (actually, I thought it was fine but my wife found it clumsy). I don't like the speaker connectors (really need banana plugs to avoid intense swearing). I don't like how it takes ~2.5 seconds to switch from one audio mode to another (like from Stereo to some DSP mode). I like how you can "watch" one thing using the video switching but "listen" to another. I like how it has zone2 capability (which I'm not using yet). I don't like that it has no other pre-outs, so I cannot use it as a pre/pro if I get upgradeitis.

I like everything about my KH avr-7200 except for the annoying 2 second delay when switching between digital sources/formats. Other than that it's got a ton of power(real power listed in HK specs) and right now they are a bargain as the 7300 is due to debut.

The only thing I don't like about my receiver (onkyo 601) is that I could not afford to spend $20,000 on separates. I very much like that for $350 I got a nicely powered receiver that lets me set the crossover manually.

jr

My Marantz SR-8300 - I love it. The only aggravation is the RC3200 remote. The novelty factor wears off fast and it eats batteries like candy.

My Technics SA-GX710 - great sound from the mains. The surround channels are typical Dolby Pro-Logic - lower quality, lower amplification.

Sean

I have a Denon 3805. There are several things I love about it..
It started at the beginning of our relationship. I opened the box and ouuooo.. the smell rose for the packaging. Now I know that all new components come with a smell but this was different. I cant put my finger on the familarity, maybe Victoria Secret models do packing for Denon on slow days I am not sure. Then there is the door, with a gently stroke of a finger it responds with a gently gracefull swoop, open itself to your command of every aspect of audio adjustment thought possible. Again gentle strokes of a finger and crossover frequencies, distant delay rates, db adjustments for individual speakers, input choices, even multiple programable function are available. Then the quality of sound seems endless. When I think I can't possible go anymore a gentle twist of the volume and I reach a new plateau of blissful listening. I am no audiophile superman, but she brings out the best in me.

I realized early on that there may be some jealousy issues. My plasma has been a remarkable partner. I waited to introduce them to each other, in fear of being given an ultimatum... "It's me or her", has echoed the walls of my home to many times. A few component connections later and the fear subsided, replaced by a feeling of Kingship. Not only did they not argue, but they developed a bond. She (Denon 3805) would upconvert any signal input (S video, component ect) to component for Ms. Plasma's pleasure. On the other end, She immediately began to command the Axiom 60's QS8 and vp150 to please me. She did this with expertise and remarkably well before any calibration or request on my part.

This brings up calibration. Many times women (especially since the late 60's)resist any attempts at change eminating from a man. She begs for it. And Understanding.. She understanding when I was tired from attic trips and running speaker wires and offered to just let me relax and enjoy myself while she auto calibrated. I had to explain to her that the boys on Axiom forum would be dissappointed if I took the easy way out.

On the first ocassion we were seperated, I carried with me her remote. Again another remarkable piece. It is capable of commanding all functions, to all other components in the room and the next room over ( with IR repeater). Programable to your every whim. Buttons change at your discretion. Just like the the main piece the remote is sensitive. To activate it, I need not even touch it. I havent figured it out yet, either movement or heat causes the touch pad to turn on, and beckon to be used.

Now this relationship is new, and like all new relationships things are not always what the seem like at first. Will it withstand the test of time, will she calm the wanderlust of upgrade the seems to always stir inside of me. I can not answer that, but I do know that the void she fills has had a dramatic effect on me. No longer do I hit ebay search engines looking for another. Since the day she came in my life, I have not visited manufacturers websites like Onkyo, Yamaha, ect.. At this time I feel complete and at peace.

My experience may be unordinary so take it for what its worth. I am not an audiophilist. I know nothing of the wave thingies that bounce of the walls, or frequency response, "brightness", "open", and such terms confuse me. After following the man path of not opening the instructions, I felt I should (for her) learn more about her. I quickly came to a realization the whomever wrote the guide on operating her was a complete moron, or extremely smart and assummed I was also of the same intelligence level. Confusion set in, panic overcame me, insecurities, that my lack of ability to entertain my new found love would drive her to another, riddled my thoughts. Mentally tormented, I again ran my finger across her door and she opened. A gentle voice crept in my thoughts.... "Its ok, We will figure this out together, we have all the time in the world", "Oh and dont feel bad, He was a moron"

I am happy to say the least..

Here is another Pioneer fan
I have vsx-d912 ( good for HT - bright for music ) AND PE vsx-d2012 ( which is PE ELITE 45TX paid $600 instead of $1200)

What I like about 2012:
1. MCACC with EQ ( distance inj .5 ft, level .5 db, EQ for EACH channel and FRONT allign)
2. crossover 50,80,100 and so on
3. Full, rich and at the same time very detailed and balanced sound ) As full as HK7200 which failed my test due to full, but ( HK fans don't get affended ) too darkish, over bass heavy, and not very dynamic sound ( even in spite of published 40ms slew rate, triple crossover is a nice toy for 10 minutes, EQ does it for me)
4. great remote all functions, tons of free memory, runs everything
5. Great is stereo ( ONKYO 701 failed due to low power, same distance setting for BOTH fronts, and really lame stereo sound, which was partually compenstaed with theater mode in stereo, but HEY - it is a STEROE sound )
6. video/audio independent source
7. multi zone/bi ampable. or plain sur back
8. midnight ( in ALL modes ), good ole LOUDNESS, D. noise reduction ( sometimes it does the job, HiBit sampling ( mostly doesn't do any damage and sometime does a good job )
9. M60 are not BRIGHT speakers with PE2012 - they PRECISE :-)
10. USB/R232 support
11. WEIGHT 45 lbs ( buy it by the pounds :-)
12. Runs warm, not hot like HK, have not heard sup. fan kicking in yet
13. Memory for setting for different modes/sources ( can compare to AI sound of ONLYO - nice )


What I don't like? Does not serve a cold one?