Need help choosing a receiver

[UschaAlfons]

Thank you for taking the time ... I am a long time audiofile but because of the "long time" I'm not fully up to date on what is offered!! I want to update an amplifier/receiver for a 25 year old home entertainment system and these are the features I believe I want - and I need help with culling out the receivers that do not offer these features...

1)100 watts/ch minimum preferred

2) standard surround sound (4 speaker) with center channel speaker and subwoofer auxiliary output

3) zone 2 capability (the rest of the house has 6 rooms wired with separate volume controls (standard speaker output or auxiliary output is acceptable) would like the zone 2 function of watching a movie downstairs while listening to music upstairs, for example

4) Wifi capable with Smartphone APP control so a smartphone can turn the receiver on/off (the receiver would have to have a standby mode I would think) and app functions including standard audio input selection functions, streaming, and volume control .. the audio system is installed in the basement and would want the ability to turn on the receiver from the kitchen, for example, and operate it without having to go downstairs to turn the receiver on.

5) Phono input preferred, but if not that is "ok" as I do have a phono preamp to use with an auxiliary input

6) Preferably $800 or less

I've looked at Yamaha and Onkyo but wondered what else is out there?!

thank you for your assistance in the discussion!

Alfons

 

[felderga]

Check out accessories4less.com which has great deals on new, discontinued and refurbished products. Recently purchased a Marantz SR5015 7.2 AVR for $799 refurb (normally $1299 new) and it came with an extended 3 year warranty. Pretty much Marantz/Denon, Yamaha and Onkyo will get you what you want. If you're not a gamer I would look for deals for the last gen models as the latest AVRs suffer from 8K 2.1 HDMI issues which you probably don't care or will use.