Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Receiver upgrade options

Hi everyone. I'm looking to upgrade my receiver at some point in the near future. Budget would be around $1500 CAD and I would like something with at least 9.2 channels with pre out options. I've noticed on the gibbys electronics site they have a pioneer elite vsx-lx504 which has 9.2 ch and 180w per ch w 1 ch driven at 8ohms. For $1349. The 1 ch driven thing kinda seems like they are boosting the specs up because arent receivers generally rated at 2ch driven? If anyone has some recommendations that would be great. Oh and my m5hp's are arriving on Monday or Tuesday and I'm also looking at a vp160 hp in the near future as well so I would need a reciever to handle them as I usually like to listen loud. Thanks.

Corey, how far away will you be sitting, what size is your room and I surmise you will be using at least one sub?

Hi mojo, right now I'm about 11'. The room im in currently is about 13' front to back and maybe 14' wide to a half wall that separates the kitchen which is another 15' or so. This setup is only temporary as I'm looking on buying a home in the next year. So I'd like some future proofing options in a receiver.

And yes I have a klipsch r120 sw that I have to keep at about 10% gain so I don't piss off my neighbours lol

At 11 feet, you're going to need about 64 peak Watts a side to hit 102 dB peaks without a sub. With a sub, you'll need maybe 45W a side. So, not a tall order but...


...that receiver is a piece of shit!

"Power output versus load at 4 ohm was initially shocking at just 33 watts!"

It's an absolutely horrific write-up by Amir:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...surements-of-pioneer-vsx-lx504-avr.8862/

Get another receiver!

BTW, you'll eventually need a real sub. Sorry. LOL!

Disclaimer: If your room is overly cushy, you'll need more power.

Ok, well thats good to know, I'm new to all this but I'm learning more everyday. So if that receiver is a POS would you have any other suggestions on which would be a decent option in that price range? Also, out of curiosity, whats so bad about the klipsch sub? I heard their speakers are too bright (which led me to axiom) but to me the sub sounds great.

That sub doesn't go low enough for home theater...and some music. Music like rock, jazz and blues is OK but certainly not nuanced and textured. I compared it side-by-side with the Mirage Omni S10 200W and the Mirage was quite good! Both in the same price range. But if you like it, that's all that counts.

I really don't know much about receivers as of late because I haven't been in the market for 8 years+. Maybe someone else can help.

What receiver do you have? I may be able to tell you if that will "work" for you temporarily.

I have the onkyo tx-sr353. Right now I'm just dreaming of a new home theatre system so when I get a house to call my own I can have a system already started. Most of my listening is for movies and TV but also like to crank up the tunes with a bit of everything. (Old school hip hop, heavy metal, funk, blues, anything and everything except for country of course). Maybe I just leave the receiver as is for now and upgrade my center channel instead? CC is a paradigm cc-170v3. Sorry, going down a rabbit hole here

OK, that receiver will be great for cranking in stereo. I don't know about movies because I can't find detailed info.

Don't spend any more money until you have a chance to develop an appreciation for what you already have. One suggestion is to try playing your M5s without and with the Klipsch. You may have to dial down the M5 bass. Try to bring them away from front and side walls. Also try the AccuEQ.

Excellent choice on the M5s. You'll really enjoy them except maybe the first 30 hours. They take about that long to ripen unless someone at Axiom is planning to party with them before they get shipped. What finish? What surrounds?

BTW, the 160 is awesome!

Nad T758v3i

Can do 7.2.4 and has Dirac. Uses upgrade card system so later you can swap in new audio and video processing cards to get more life out of it.

For more than 7 channels you need to add a power amp. You can use the Onkyo to drive more channels off of its pre-outs -like height channels or zone 2.

That NAD is 2 grand. But yeah...it's got some 'nads.

Is it better than the new Anthem?

Thanks! I got the walnut bordeaux with the piano gloss finiah, my surrounds are paradigm atom v3.

Dirac, so yes

Thanks trevor, I'd like to have something as you mentioned where it can have upgrade capabilities as well. Like tv's, receiver technology is always evolving. And yes, a power amp will also be in the future at some point. Just snowballing here.

X4700H when it goes on sale maybe

I have M5 walnut bordeaux satin on-walls and my FWB has walnut natural satin bookshelves. I also have black oak vinyl bookshelves. They all look and sound great! Warning: the bordeaux is quite reddish.

I also have walnut espresso M2 bookshelves, walnut Bordeaux M2OW, M50 ebony, 160 walnut natural satin, cherry chestnut EP125s, walnut natural satin 500s, walnut caramel 600s, black oak vinyl 800 and walnut natural satin LFR1100. And QS10s in walnut natural satin. And M3 in black oak. All v4. Had M100s but my buddy stole them. Waiting for two more 500s one in boston cherry and the other in walnut espresso. Oh...and I have burled walnut Audiobytes. And 12,000 Watts of peak amplification.

Stick with the atoms for surround for now. The QS10s are better BTW. Sorry...they just are.

I had an M80 v2 system and it wasn't nearly as good as M5s.

Need balls for ginuwine-pony

Hmmm...wish it came without amplification for cheaper.

Although...I no longer need room correction with my actives.

Oh I'm sure the qs10's are better. One thing at a time here lol. The surrounds will come eventually. It will take me years to get half of your setup if I ever get there.

Trevor, great tune for the weekends when the woman has her friends over

Also on a side note, I need to learn how to use this forum right, can't reply to anything or put emojis. Although I've upgraded from newbie to frequent flier. #makingmoves

Booya!

I had no idea what you guys were talking about. I do now.

No one uses this forum right. Look where this thread went. Riding ponies.

Corey, you won't be able to drive the M5s anywhere close to their limits. You need an ADA-1500-2 for that. Maybe the 1250. But not the 1000. It shuts down before they cry uncle.

Yea, as much as I'd love to drive them to their full potential, I won't be able to for a while. I'll push them to my current receivers capabilities. I just want some nice clean audio which I don't have now cause my FL speakers are fxxked. I already know it will be a massive upgrade.

You're in for a massive audio wake-up call!

Take a look at the Denon line of AVRs. I've owned (and still own) numerous brands, and the Denon's are by far the most reliable, and must up to date with new-fangled tech. Yes, there are brands that audio geeks fawn over....blah, blah, blah, but I'm over it. I like stuff to work when I push the go button.

Frankly, if it was me, I think I might wait a little bit for the more updated models to come out especially those connected with "Sound United"(Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer), since there is considerable speculation going around that unlike Marantz and Denon, there have been no new announcements about whether or not both Onkyo(especially Onkyo)and Pioneer will continue in the Sound United portfolio of AVRs which, if true, would essentially leave in the mainstream brands only Marantz, Denon and Yamaha from which to choose. It all may be not the case, however, one has to wonder why a company would buy FOUR lines that eventually would have cross R&D and ultimately just fragment their sales. Marantz and Denon announced new models early, but, Onkyo and Pioneer, nothing.

The history of electronics mergers is that eventually some brands fall by the wayside.

Just as a point of interest , it would seem Sound United has recently acquired Bowers & Wilkins.
This purchase means they have several loudspeaker lines now in their group.
For whatever that’s worth-
Jeff

I was quite surprised to hear that especially when one considers the esteem that B & W has held within the consumer audio industry for decades. I really thought initially that when one considers the lines that B&W carries, they were a little out of Sound United's league, however, just confirmation in recent years, the increasing consolidation of the consumer electronics industry.

I recently upgraded my Yamaha RXA1040 to the RXA2080 and I have to say I am very pleased. I can highly recommend any of the top three receivers in the Yamaha Aventage receivers. I've have tried various other receivers but Yamaha has always been a solid performer. And they last and last. I still have a RXV2400 that's still working like the day I bought it 17 years ago and of course the RXA1040 is still working fine. I upgraded mainly for Dolby Atmos and a little more power always helps.