I need some advice. I currently have a pioneer VSX-108 receiver. It's a Dolby Pro-Logic A/V Receiver. It has a subwoofer pre-out and 50Wx4 channels. It would appear it is designed to be used with 8 ohm speakers.

Is this sufficient to drive the Axiom speakers? If not, what do people recommend to replace it with? I know, everyone is going to ask, what price range? I am not sure yet. But under $500 would be preferred. But if something was much better at $600 I would probably think about it.

I should be just fine driving Axiom speakers, except maybe the M80's which are 4ohm speakers, the rest of them you should have no problem. The biggest thing is that for Home Theater, you'll be missing a lot, not being about to get digital 5.1 or 7.1.

Randy, who aspires to be my sensei, is correct.

I just want to underscore two things here. First, and most importantly, you can get a very satisfying, modern Dolby Digital receiver in that price range, especially if you shop hard (i.e. online rather than retail at a local dealer). I have a lower end Denon and it does everything I need and is plenty loud. People around here also like HK models in that price range.

Second, you won't get the full impact of a home theatre experience with a Dolby Pro-Logic receiver. It does not have the necessary circuitry to decode the 5.1 soundtracks on DVD's.

If you just want to start out with stereo, and then upgrade from there, you don't need to do anything. But you are going to get a much bigger "wow" from new speakers if you can hear some of the more impressive DVD surround scenes in full, modern glory.

Don't worry too much about the impedance (ohms rating) of Axiom speakers; while some models are not rated at 8 ohms, they still present a very benign load and most modern electronics won't even flinch except at excruciatingly high volumes.

You might try shopping at harmanaudio.com or ecost.com for some good deals.

Well.. I looked at some receivers and I am lost. I am too new to this. Can people give me some model numbers to look at? I have read that Denon's are good, but what models? Do most AVR's also have a radio tuner? Or is that seperate?

What about the following:
Onkyo TX-SR303(S) - $199
Onkyo TX-SR503 - $200
Yamaha HTR5830 SL - $199
Denon AVR-485S - $299
Harman Kardon AVR 135 - $279


Or am I wasting my time looking at $200-$300 receivers.

Also, the TV I am going to buy will have a HDMI input. Is that essential to have on the receiver? Are their lip-synch issues otherwise? I am really a novice, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

To help.. I should mention my plan is to buy:
2x QS8
2x M22i
1x VP150
1x HSU VTF-MK 2

I hope others will jump in here. In their absence, you may wish to peruse the forums here and elsewhere for "Receiver" threads.

My opinion is that you would be well served to spend a bit more to upgrade from an entry level receiver. The amplification will likely be more robust and it will certainly be more feature-rich. I was especially happy to have the advantage of on-screen display to help with setup, and dismayed to lack sufficient bass management (which is somewhat better on HK than on Denon). You may also be glad in the future to have a Receiver with pre-outs so that you can add external amplification if the mood strikes you. You can buy a bit of flexibility in the beginning to ward of complete replacement later.

I do not have, and dare not contemplate, HDTV. However, I echo your concerns about the lip-synch issues. While buying a receiver that will solve that problem may seem costly right now, I am of the opinion that "you're never sorry when you buy the good one" and you will certainly get additional features along with that capability.

Receivers combine not only the pre-amp, processor and amplifier sections but also a tuner.

I think you will be very happy with that speaker array.

Here's a checklist to look for: Keep in mind that for most novices like you and I, price and feature set are the most important thin in a receiver.

1. about 100 watts/ch is sufficient. Keep in mind that some brands rate their receivers higher than others. Caveat emptor.

2. Look for Dolby Pro-Logic II or Dolby Pro-Logic IIx decoding. As a bonus, look for Neo:6 or Logic7 decoding. These will let you take stereo signals (liek from regular cable or your cd player) and turn them into room filling surround.

3. Look for plenty of digital audio inputs. These are S/PDIF (Sony/Phillips Digital Interface) connectors, otherwise known as optical connections, and digital audio cable connections. These let your receiver obtain the unmolested digital bitstreams from yoru DVD, CD and Cable boxes. Then, your receiver can decode the DD and DTS signals therein - giving you a truly discrete 5.1 or 6.1 (depending on your set-up) surround sound.

4. Component up-conversion is nice if you're going to use your receiver as a video switcher, too. Since you'll be hooking up your TV using HDMI, that source will not pass through the receiver (hook it directly to the TV). For your other sources, you can have a single connection (Component) to the TV.

5. Look for bass management. You want to be able to set your sub-woofer's cross over internally on your receiver. Also, having separate cross-over points for different inputs (DVD vs. CD, e.g.) is a big bonus, but not essential.

6. Make sure that your receiver has enough inputs for all ofyour components, plus a few - to accoutn for future additions. and upgrades.

7. Some really like Yamaha and Pioneers microphone set-up system, which auto calibrates your system's volume, etc. for you. Some don't like Yamaha's YSP microphone set-up because it fools with the frequency response of the speaker, though. Just note its existence.

8. These days, a lot of receivers are offering an XM radio tuner. Again, just a consideration.

9. Look for an audio delay, up to 200 ms should do fine - just in case some micro-display you buy has problems keeping in synch.

10. Price - I am overwhelmed at the functionaility of my Yamaha RX-V750, which I got for around $350. You can get considerably cheaper deals on comparable equipment these days.

Tastefully done, Adrien.

Yes.. thank you! I am going to have to learn a bit more it seems.

If I have one hdmi input on the tv and two hdmi devices, should I use the receiver as the input to the tv and plug the hdmi devices into the receiver? (And then am I talking $1000 for the Denon 3806 or something.)

Here a couple I would look at if I were in your shoes.
HK AVR335 or Denon985

Thanks for the suggestions! Is the 55 w/channel an issue with the HK 335?

Looks like the Denon 985S fits most of the requirements for a decent price..

>http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/538899996

Does anyone own either of these? I also noticed the Denon 2805 is popular..

The Denon 985 and the 2805 are exactly the same unit, just tagged different. On average you can find the 985 to be $100.00 less than the 2805.
Go figure.
I own a 985 and have been mostly happy with it.
If I were buying a new AVR I would look at the HK 635.
The 55 w/channel on the HK335 in reality is more like 65-75w/channel' and shouldnt be an issue at reasonable db levels.

HK tends to underrate their specs.

Okay.. when I look at the 985S..
http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/473.asp

Does this mean it doesn't support DTS 5.1 surround.. or any of the other stuff?

THX Post-Processing – DPL (4.0), DPL2 Cinema, DD/DTS (5.1), ES Discrete (6.1), ES Matrix, Neo:6 Cinema –

This would be important.. wouldn't it? Do I need to wait for a deal on the Denon 3805? Or Denon 3806?

It does support DD and DTS and has all the other "stuff' you will want or need.

I noticed the Denon 3805 is on the way out and several places have it for around $700. Is it worth the extra $150? I don't know enough about how to read the Denon product sheets.

Two good suggestions by Bray. I can vouch for the HK 635. It is a very solid receiver. Great power for a receiver under $1000. You can usually find it from J&R World or Onecall (both authorized dealers) for $650-750. Even cheaper if you buy refurbished through harmanaudio.

I read the difference between the 985 and 2805 is that one is the commercial line and one is the consumer line.

Would it be worth it to buy a Denon 3805 (last years model) for about $680? (The $2805 was going for $550)

I still need to research the HK receivers. I just happened to know several Denon owners.

For those wanting to research the HK 635, I found this review quite helpful.

http://reviews.cnet.com/Harman_Kardon_AVR_635/4505-6466_7-31249751-2.html?tag=top

I had the same dilemma about 10 months ago deciding whether to go for the 2805 vs 3805. After some pms to the helpful Axiom members (bray, sirquack and MarkJohnson) I chose the 2805. I think it was Randy who mentioned the extra 20wpc only equates to 1 extra db per 7 channels. Also, I really hated the fact that the more expensive 3805 did NOT come with the Denon auto-calibration mic whereas the 2805 did. The mic costs about $60.
You don't have to get the mic but I wasn't that knowledgeable on how to calibrate speakers/eq.

For receivers in this price range you should really focus on what features you want. I found that the extra minimal features of the 3805 wasn't worth the premium plus extra $60 I had to shell out for the mic.

In hindsight, like other Denon owners, would probably now go for the HK 635 since they have extra features like crossover settings for each channel. But if you're deciding between an 2805, 3805, or HK 635 you really can't go wrong. They are all excellent receivers for their price and it should come down to what features you really want.

Have you seen the Denon spec sheet pdf comparing all their models side by side? The 3805 has 20 extra wpc, some higher end DACs, an extra zone, and a better remote. There might be other features but I think those are the major ones.

Sounds like I need to spend about $700.

I could get the Harmon Kardon 635 or the Denon 3805.

Doesn't the Denon have the ability to change the crossover frequencies as well?

Both of these got good reviews at cnet, but the denon 3805 scored higher.

Are there owners of either that would stand by their choice? Sounds like a Denon person is longing for the greener grass of the HK 635. Any HK 635 owners wishing they had a Denon?

The 3805 has a global crossover for all speakers. I still like it!

Come to think of it I chose the 2805 since it was about $150-200 cheaper than the HK at the time. I don't regret for a second on purchasing the 2805 but now that I have more money I'd probably get something else cus that upgraditis bug is hitting me (drooling over the HK 7300)

If you plan on purchasing an amp or seperates then any modern receiver will do. Again, go for features, features and aesthetics

I know what you mean hashts. I owned the excellent HK 635 and in a moment of weakness (actually several moments of weakness) I framed myself into getting the HK 7300. It is awesome.

But both HK receivers are very good.

Okay.. that being said. Since what I have now is pretty cheap. (Pioneer VSK-108), would I be just as happy with the Denon 2106. (Since I don't want to break the bank right now on my living room.) I plan to build a complete front projection home theater in my basement over the next few years.

link to denon 2106.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-JXiYKwOYbjh/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=033AV2106B

Is THD of .08 bad? That's one thing that stood out when comparing the 2805 and 3805.

Re: Is THD of .08 bad?
You have to ask yourself this question. Can I hear the difference between 0.05 & 0.08 THD? Probably not...

Wow that new 2106 looks awesome! Its pretty much the old 2805 with an XM radio input. For this price and all those features you get, it sounds like a good deal.

Now I'm drooling over the 3806 which has hdmi switching, xm radio and newer auto-calibration for up to 8 people...NICE!

EP, the 2106 would be excellent for your use. As far as THD goes, blind tests have shown that it has to exceed about 1% before it becomes audible on music. Although on occasion we read of audiophiles anguishing over differences of hundredths of a percent, this is yet another example of being out of touch with reality; .08% is far below audibility.

Well, thank you for all the help. I think I have narrowed it down to 3. Now to see what I get the best price on.

Denon 3805, Denon 2106, HK 635

(I like the features of the HK 635 and it's the same basic price as the Denon 2805.. so, the 2106 is the next logical step down.)

I think all of these would work and probably even be overkill for my situation. But it should prevent upgradeitis.

If anyone has specific thoughts or comments on these receivers (some have already commented and I appreciate that) than feel free.

(Has anyone purchased at OneCall before?)

I got my 3805 on Ubid.

Same price as above. No problems with refurb.