Question Best options for replacing 10 year old AV receiver

morini3andahalf

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Hi,

I need of some advice as my head is spinning looking through AVR specs online.

Much as I have been putting it off, the time has come and I am now in the market for replacing my old Denon AVR 2310. It has served me very well for 11 years and is still going strong audio wise, but recently I'm running into several complications / compromises as I have a mix of 4k 2160p and 1080p sources, Obviously the AVR is so old it is limited to 1080p on the video side. My TV is a Samsung KS8000 circa 2016 (ish) and currently I have all my UHD sources plugged directly into the TV with audio fed back to the Denon 2310 via an optical cable. The 1080p sources are plugged directly into the Denon. This is ok (sort of) as I can get dolby digital through the TV's inbuilt Netflix / prime / disney+ apps and Sky Q seems to work as I can get DD surround when set up in this way.

What has made my mind up regarding moving to a 4k capable AVR is the addition of a google chromecast with google TV I bought just before Christmas. At the moment I am plugging this directly into the TV in order to get UHD video, but am unable to get any surround sound at all. From my limited research I believe the reason for this is the apps on the google CCTV use dolby digital plus and this can't be passed over optical (I could be wrong here, but it sounds plausible to me). My existing AVR does not have ARC so I have no way of getting the best visuals and audio out of the google device hence my looking to upgrade the AVR to something more modern. This isn't the only reason, I also want to simplify the cabling and use the AVR as it is intended for switching audio and video.

My end goal is to have a comparable set up to my existing AVR in terms of power and features but obviously UHD capable on the video side of things (i.e. I want to plug all sources into the receiver and have a simgle HDMI cable running to the TV). Spending time reading the owners threads on here for the models I'm looking at I'm beginning to think I should have done this last year. I have no need for HDMI 2.1 and from what I'm reading a lot of the current crop of HDMI 2.1 AVR's have some HDMI handshaking issues.

Been pondering :

Denon AVR-X2700H
Denon AVC-X3700H
Yamaha RX-V6A
Yamaha RX-A2A (which as far as I can see is identical spec wise though a lot better looking BUT £250 more!)

I think the closest match to my current amp audio wise is the Denon AVC-X3700H, but to be honest it doesn't seem like great value for money to me. IIRC I paid around £600 for my existing amp back in the day.

There does not seem to be a great choice available currently, but where would your money go? What else should I be considering with a max budget of £1k? I would rather buy new than second hand but I realise my options do seem rather limited.

Probably a combination of covid and Chinese new year but the models I list above seem to be out of stock everywhere. The Denon's from AVC-X4700H upwards seem to be readily available, but £1400 is way too rich for my blood! I've got to say the Denon's all look rather overpriced to me, but I guess they can charge whatever people are prepared to pay. The Yamaha RX-A2A is also in stock at several online outlets but I'm not liking what I read about not being able to select source directly and having to cycle through them. That alone would not pass the WAF tests. Besides, how do they justify the horrific price increase over the identically spec'd V6A? Looks rather expensive to me at £900.
 
I can't stay within your £1k budget, sorry, but this would be prefect for you:


It sounds much better than Denon and Yamaha AVR's at a similar price point, and has 4K / HDR / HLG video passthrough. It also has the option to use Dirac, which is a sophisticated room correction system.

This AVR was £1999 when released, and is currently discounted as it has been replaced by the AVR10 model which is £2499.
 
Hi,

I need of some advice as my head is spinning looking through AVR specs online.

Much as I have been putting it off, the time has come and I am now in the market for replacing my old Denon AVR 2310. It has served me very well for 11 years and is still going strong audio wise, but recently I'm running into several complications / compromises as I have a mix of 4k 2160p and 1080p sources, Obviously the AVR is so old it is limited to 1080p on the video side. My TV is a Samsung KS8000 circa 2016 (ish) and currently I have all my UHD sources plugged directly into the TV with audio fed back to the Denon 2310 via an optical cable. The 1080p sources are plugged directly into the Denon. This is ok (sort of) as I can get dolby digital through the TV's inbuilt Netflix / prime / disney+ apps and Sky Q seems to work as I can get DD surround when set up in this way.

What has made my mind up regarding moving to a 4k capable AVR is the addition of a google chromecast with google TV I bought just before Christmas. At the moment I am plugging this directly into the TV in order to get UHD video, but am unable to get any surround sound at all. From my limited research I believe the reason for this is the apps on the google CCTV use dolby digital plus and this can't be passed over optical (I could be wrong here, but it sounds plausible to me). My existing AVR does not have ARC so I have no way of getting the best visuals and audio out of the google device hence my looking to upgrade the AVR to something more modern. This isn't the only reason, I also want to simplify the cabling and use the AVR as it is intended for switching audio and video.

My end goal is to have a comparable set up to my existing AVR in terms of power and features but obviously UHD capable on the video side of things (i.e. I want to plug all sources into the receiver and have a simgle HDMI cable running to the TV). Spending time reading the owners threads on here for the models I'm looking at I'm beginning to think I should have done this last year. I have no need for HDMI 2.1 and from what I'm reading a lot of the current crop of HDMI 2.1 AVR's have some HDMI handshaking issues.

Been pondering :

Denon AVR-X2700H
Denon AVC-X3700H
Yamaha RX-V6A
Yamaha RX-A2A (which as far as I can see is identical spec wise though a lot better looking BUT £250 more!)

I think the closest match to my current amp audio wise is the Denon AVC-X3700H, but to be honest it doesn't seem like great value for money to me. IIRC I paid around £600 for my existing amp back in the day.

There does not seem to be a great choice available currently, but where would your money go? What else should I be considering with a max budget of £1k? I would rather buy new than second hand but I realise my options do seem rather limited.

Probably a combination of covid and Chinese new year but the models I list above seem to be out of stock everywhere. The Denon's from AVC-X4700H upwards seem to be readily available, but £1400 is way too rich for my blood! I've got to say the Denon's all look rather overpriced to me, but I guess they can charge whatever people are prepared to pay. The Yamaha RX-A2A is also in stock at several online outlets but I'm not liking what I read about not being able to select source directly and having to cycle through them. That alone would not pass the WAF tests. Besides, how do they justify the horrific price increase over the identically spec'd V6A? Looks rather expensive to me at £900.

So, staying within your £1K budget, as It's a bit pointless going higher - the obvious choice is the X3700H. I would have to disagree with you on the value for money front as it's well specced and also has a degree of future proofing built in - important if you intend to keep it for as long as you have kept your existing Denon.

Unlike some AVRs that may be recommended to you, and also may be more expensive than the Denon, the X3700H is 8K capable, and also has HDMI 2.1 connections. Granted there has been some negative press around the functionality of the 2.1 features, but this has been way overblown IMHO. The only problem I am aware of is with X Box users wishing to use 4K/120Hz games, other than that there are no issues - certainly none with bog standard 2.0 functions.

Other than the above future proofing, it also has Audyssey XT32 room correction, full 4K/60Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG capability, and does of course process Dolby Atmos. Power output is strong and it drives my 5.1.2 system well.Although not an audiophile standard for music, it sounds ok for Stereo, and excellent for movies.

As far as the WAF is concerned, it is also very user friendly so I'm sure it would pass !
 
I can't stay within your £1k budget, sorry, but this would be prefect for you:


Cheers for the recommendation, that looks like a potential bargain for someone. No doubt a very nice quality piece of kit but not for me. Am I right in thinking this wouldn't would work well with HDR content? Doesn't that require hdmi 2.0b?

Think I should add that this is for the living room which is only really used for watching TV / movies. Music is secondary requirement in this room as I have a dedicated room with a 2 channel setup for my music / vinyl listening. Music in the living room would be limited to casual listening or multiroom for parties (that is if we are ever allowed to have people visit the house ever again!).
 
So, staying within your £1K budget, as It's a bit pointless going higher - the obvious choice is the X3700H. I would have to disagree with you on the value for money front as it's well specced and also has a degree of future proofing built in - important if you intend to keep it for as long as you have kept your existing Denon.

As far as the WAF is concerned, it is also very user friendly so I'm sure it would pass !

Yes, I'm coming to that conclusion myself (though I don't see it anywhere for less than £1,099). Also, nobody seems to have any stock.

Wish I'd looked earlier while places were trying to get rid of old stock of the 3600 as that would have been ideal.
 
Yes, I'm coming to that conclusion myself (though I don't see it anywhere for less than £1,099). Also, nobody seems to have any stock.

Wish I'd looked earlier while places were trying to get rid of old stock of the 3600 as that would have been ideal.
Yes, stock seems to be an issue for all popular pieces of kit, Covid has impacted on production and shipping.
 
Cheers for the recommendation, that looks like a potential bargain for someone. No doubt a very nice quality piece of kit but not for me. Am I right in thinking this wouldn't would work well with HDR content? Doesn't that require hdmi 2.0b?

Think I should add that this is for the living room which is only really used for watching TV / movies. Music is secondary requirement in this room as I have a dedicated room with a 2 channel setup for my music / vinyl listening. Music in the living room would be limited to casual listening or multiroom for parties (that is if we are ever allowed to have people visit the house ever again!).
It is an excellent price for entry level to the Arcam sound. I have the AVR550 and it works fine passing through 4K and HDR content.

You are correct that it is equally excellent with 2 channel music and movies / tv. It might be overkill for your living room, but for the difference in cost between that and a Denon AVR, it does seem tempting.

I have had, and still have in other rooms, Denon, Marantz and Yamaha AVR's, they sound nice and are packed with features, but the Arcam sound, even for movies and TV is quite significantly better. The 5 year warranty is nice also.

Good luck which ever way you choose!
 
I find myself in the same boat upgrading from a Denon Avr 1910. Like you I've got a grand to spend and are looking at all the same models. Personally I'm leaning towards the Yamaha RXV6 or Denon X2700H but I'll be interested to know what you pick.
 
I find myself in the same boat upgrading from a Denon Avr 1910. Like you I've got a grand to spend and are looking at all the same models. Personally I'm leaning towards the Yamaha RXV6 or Denon X2700H but I'll be interested to know what you pick.
If you've got the budget, then no reason to go for the cheaper X2700H. The X3700H has better Audyssey, more power and more flexibility.
 
So, staying within your £1K budget, as It's a bit pointless going higher - the obvious choice is the X3700H. I would have to disagree with you on the value for money front as it's well specced and also has a degree of future proofing built in - important if you intend to keep it for as long as you have kept your existing Denon.

Unlike some AVRs that may be recommended to you, and also may be more expensive than the Denon, the X3700H is 8K capable, and also has HDMI 2.1 connections. Granted there has been some negative press around the functionality of the 2.1 features, but this has been way overblown IMHO. The only problem I am aware of is with X Box users wishing to use 4K/120Hz games, other than that there are no issues - certainly none with bog standard 2.0 functions.

Other than the above future proofing, it also has Audyssey XT32 room correction, full 4K/60Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG capability, and does of course process Dolby Atmos. Power output is strong and it drives my 5.1.2 system well.Although not an audiophile standard for music, it sounds ok for Stereo, and excellent for movies.

As far as the WAF is concerned, it is also very user friendly so I'm sure it would pass !
I concur with this. Granted, I have the x4700h and it’s excellent for movies and tv. Very user friendly too.

Xbox owner as well. There is still the 120hz issue, but I connect the Xbox directly to the TV.
 
Er..., that didn't go quite the way I had envisaged. So much for self imposed budget caps!

Found somewhere offering the the AVC-X3700H at £999 (hificorner) so tried to get Peter Tyson to price match it as they have a 6 year warranty. They wouldn't come down from the website price of £1,099 because these are hard to come by currently, though they do have some stock arriving tomorrow. I declined as I refuse to pay list for anything substantial at list price and casually asked if they would do anything on the AVR-X4700H. Came back with a surprisingly good discount on that including the 6 year warranty and HDMI cable. Couldn't refuse so I've ordered one. Should be with me tomorrow with any luck.

Why can't I ever stick to my budget limits?
 
Er..., that didn't go quite the way I had envisaged. So much for self imposed budget caps!

Found somewhere offering the the AVC-X3700H at £999 (hificorner) so tried to get Peter Tyson to price match it as they have a 6 year warranty. They wouldn't come down from the website price of £1,099 because these are hard to come by currently, though they do have some stock arriving tomorrow. I declined as I refuse to pay list for anything substantial at list price and casually asked if they would do anything on the AVR-X4700H. Came back with a surprisingly good discount on that including the 6 year warranty and HDMI cable. Couldn't refuse so I've ordered one. Should be with me tomorrow with any luck.

Why can't I ever stick to my budget limits?
Nice one. Important thing is that you didn't end up with a flaky old Arcam AVR!
 
Nice one. Important thing is that you didn't end up with a flaky old Arcam AVR!
In fairness I was quite tempted by that Arcam. The thing is I don't change AVR's very often so buying something with an up to date feature set was more of a priority.
 
In fairness I was quite tempted by that Arcam. The thing is I don't change AVR's very often so buying something with an up to date feature set was more of a priority.
I can understand that. Nothing wrong with the Denon's, I have a Denon / Marantz / Yamaha AVR in rooms 2,3 and 4. But I wouldn't go back to that in the main lounge, purely on a sound quality viewpoint.

If I do need eARC or HDMI 2.1 etc in the future, I will be a bit stuck, as buying a replacement Arcam at full RRP would be very painful on the family finances.

Let's hope my TV holds out for a good few years, alongside the Arcam 🤞
 
Er..., that didn't go quite the way I had envisaged. So much for self imposed budget caps!

Found somewhere offering the the AVC-X3700H at £999 (hificorner) so tried to get Peter Tyson to price match it as they have a 6 year warranty. They wouldn't come down from the website price of £1,099 because these are hard to come by currently, though they do have some stock arriving tomorrow. I declined as I refuse to pay list for anything substantial at list price and casually asked if they would do anything on the AVR-X4700H. Came back with a surprisingly good discount on that including the 6 year warranty and HDMI cable. Couldn't refuse so I've ordered one. Should be with me tomorrow with any luck.

Why can't I ever stick to my budget limits?
You will enjoy the x4700x, mate.

And, what’s a budget?! :)
 
And, what’s a budget?! :)

Something to be frequently exceeded? Seems that way in my experience anyway ;)

Just ordered a three pack of Amazon basics 4k HDMI cables "just in case". I'm not anticipating issues as I already have PS4 pro, Sky Q and UHD bluray player hooked up directly to the TV and all work in UHD. However, I know some devices can be finicky with cables so thought I'd have some alternatives on standby.
 
In fairness I was quite tempted by that Arcam. The thing is I don't change AVR's very often so buying something with an up to date feature set was more of a priority.
Exactly. Arcam AVRs are the "Alfa Romeo" of AV - tempting, but in the end, flawed.
 
Good old amp the 2310, still got one as my 'just in case' amp. Going from the 2310 to the X4700 is a significant step up in overall quality and is not too dissimilar to set up as the 2310. Audyssey XT32 will make a difference over the basic XT found on the 2310. Hope you enjoy it.

Perhaps one day I'll be able to enjoy fish and chips in Beales again. ;)
 
Good old amp the 2310.

Perhaps one day I'll be able to enjoy fish and chips in Beales again. ;)

I like the 2310 and have plans for it to provide surround elsewhere.

In a second (mostly music) listening room I have another TV, sky Q mini, Bluray player, turntable and 2 channel amp hooked up to some nice floorstanders (well I think they sound nice anyway). At the moment when watching TV in that room it is stereo only, which is OK to be fair. However, I am going to move the AVR2310 into this room as the 2 channel amp I have in there has HT bypass on one of the inputs and the 2310 has the necessary pre-outs (I believe). Have some spare speakers to use as surrounds and a spare centre doing nothing in the loft. I think I will be able to set up 5 channel surround for TV viewing whilst leaving my vinyl and music streaming "2 channel only" through the existing amp. No sub for that room though, but not sure I'll need one, we'll see how it goes.

Wondered about the Beales comment, but I guess my location in profile is a giveaway :)
 
Yes, it has pre outs and a 12v trigger out too, if your 2 channel amp has an input for that (e.g. like some Audiolabs) could be handy.

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