New Receiver - moving on from a deceased Yamaha RX-A1030

[gazzaboy]

I'm facing a bit of multifaceted kind of dilemma....
My Yamaha RX-A1030 died a couple of months ago, and was around £500 to fix, so that was written off... So I need to replace.
The Yammy was driving B&W M-1s with a REL T-5; with the front L&R M-1s presently being driven my an old Denon microsystem as a stop gap. I'm looking to replace, and was looking about at things. I've got a few thoughts on the table.
Buy a Denon AVRX2700 to replace the Yamaha, not quite the same level, but would I notice wiht the M-1s?
Or a more left-field idea:
Buy an Arcam AVR390 (on offer for £1k from Peter Tyson) and use that to drive my older B&W 603s2 based atmos system in the other room, moving my AVRX3500 into the front room to drive the M-1s.

Any thoughts on (i) performance difference between the 1030 and the 2700 and (ii) benefits of the AVR390 over the 3500....

Looking forwards to your thoughts, and seasons greetings to all!

 

[QuestShield]

I have the same dilemma as you also coming from a Yammy, except I started looking a few months ago and all I was faced with was [email protected] bug, and hardly anything about what the receivers actually sound like. Also prices going through the roof. I read a thread that said the Yamaha V6A was great, then oh the A2A is the same thing but more expensive and and extra foot, them oh the A2A does have better sound than the V6A, then oh the Marantz SR6015 is better than the V6A, then oh the V6A sounds better than the SR6015.. bloody nightmare.
All I know it's I'm getting new speakers, but with regard to what receiver? No clue. A lot seem to be plagued by bugs too be honest, sound bleed etc.

 

[Zarf2007]

The AVR390 will do Atmos/DTS:X, 4k up to 60Hz, HDR/HLG/DOLBY VISION so you are well covered for formats and you will definitely notice a better sound for music than a Denon or even Marantz will ever produce. I would try it in both rooms, you will probably rate it in your main listening area…if you end up liking the Arcam sound signature the newer AVR20/30s sound even better than the 390 (has a hdmi 2.1 upgrade option coming soon) and are mostly bug free now.

 

[gazzaboy]

Thanks both.
Still trying to reconcile between spending a bit more on an older model, 5yr(?) and the newer denon. Thinking about it I'll probably see less of a performance difference from the Yamaha running the m-1s with the Denon. Edging toward the Arcam as a bigger upgrade to the Denon 3500 I have driving the 603s in the back room. I watched The Dark Knight Rises yesterday, and it did sound good, but it does feel like there's something missing there, so perhaps an upgrade in amplification might do the trick...
Probably holding on til after Christmas now, on the (almost infinitesimally small ) chance that there might be some AVR bargains to be had in the sales... Thinking budget upto around £1k, though still surprised to see how much prices have increased over the past 2 years.

@QuestShield - what speakers were you thinking of?

 

[QuestShield]

@QuestShield - what speakers were you thinking of?

I've already ordered Dali Oberon 5's for the fronts and a Dali Oberon Vokal for the centre.. who knows when I'll get them!
Might move my (13 year?) old MA BR2's to the back and down the line maybe use my existing Q-AV speakers I got years ago as rear Atmos speakers preferably in a 5.1.4 system.
Haven't decided on which replacement AVR yet, though I would like one that's good with music that's why I cast an eye at the Marantz SR6015 and SR7015, and maybe the Arcam mentioned above. The SR7015 if obviously pretty expensive but if it drops in price a little I might snap it up. I would like phono inputs for my old and rarely used Pioneer DVD/SACD player which the Marantz's have, but it's not a deal breaker. Then again some people have reported they got nice stereo fidelity out of the Denon X3700H after messing around with it, though Denons aren't generally well regarded for music apparently, just what I've read. You'd know better than me in that regard. Might wait for more info on the Onkyo NR7100 or the bigger Onkyo TX-RZ50, though the latter wouldn't have much headroom in my AV stand. Not sure if and when they being released in Europe (Spring?).
The problem with Yamaha now is you need to spend big bucks on the Aventage line (A6A I believe?) to get 5.1.4.

 

[gazzaboy]

Had another play with my 3500 this morning, and switching all of the Audyssey correction off, and tweaked a lot of it by ear, thought I'd gotten it sounding pretty decent with my 603s2s, which I guess might be comparable to the Dalis that you've ordered @QuestShield. Also had a listen to my M-1s / REL T-5 on my Bluesound Node played through my old Denon UDM-30 microsystem. They sounded really good, room filling and pretty good imaging, despite the modest electronics driving them. This makes me think that the AVRX2700 might be a good amp to keep me running for a few more years, and then when more wholesale upgrades are called for to go a bit more hell for leather! And the extra £££s saved on not going for the Arcam might bring an OLED in to replace the plasma in my front room. - roll on the sales...


As a side note, I have to say that little Denon microsystem has been great in the 20 years I've had it, never put a foot wrong.