Please help me pick a new budget receiver (<£300)

stringsonfire

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Hey

I'm looking for a surround receiver I can afford :) I have the Wharfedale Diamond 9 5.1 HCP speaker set (6 ohms, 75W sats, 120W centre, 150W active sub) and will be going from an Onkyo TX-SR705 (way too much for my needs).

I watch movies, play video games, listen to music, a full mix. 2 PCs with optical, a 360 via HDMI.

I need 5.1 with the best sound I can get in budget. I don't need any fancy features like network and USB support, I won't use them often enough, though I won't say no. Banana type sockets would be a plus though. I may use 3D eventually too.

Heat is a major issue. I have a hot room at home, and student rooms tend to be hot. My current amp is like a heater. The less heat output the better. I don't know if a lower power rating means less heat, but I won't be getting bigger speakers for a long time, and the current ones only need at most 120W at 6 ohms.

Here are a few I've looked at:

Pioneer VSXS300
Marantz NR1402
Yahama RXV371/3
Denon AVR1312
Onkyo TX-SR309
Onkyo TX-NR414 (If I can get it at £300)

Lastly, as my 705 doesn't remember it's settings, I'd like to have at least 3 years warranty. I'll buy at a place like richer sounds for their 5 year warranty if they do a good price on the amp ;)

Thanks for any advice!

Daniel
 
Last week I picked up a pioneer Vsx527 for 320. I'm using it with my PCs and am happy. It has networking features which are always nice to have. I used to have a Sony h820 which I saw new for 200 the other day. That's a lot of amp for that money but no networking, which you don't seem to care about anyway.
 
Last week I picked up a pioneer Vsx527 for 320. I'm using it with my PCs and am happy. It has networking features which are always nice to have. I used to have a Sony h820 which I saw new for 200 the other day. That's a lot of amp for that money but no networking, which you don't seem to care about anyway.

How're they both for heat? Is there a noticeable difference in the sound?
 
Both fine for heat. The only really hot amp I've had in the last few years was made by onkyo. Sound wise there is not much in it. I also own a denon 1912 which is a similar sort of range amp but sounds better than the sony. Sadly I doubt you'll find a cheap one of those around now.
 
I got a Pioneer VSX-921 for sale in the classifieds, amongst other things, and it has an original box with warranty, 2 months old.
 
Although you may not use the features of the 705 there is going to be a fair drop in sound quality by going for one of the receivers you are looking at since most are pretty much at the bottom of the range for these manufacturers. Going for an older second hand receiver may well be a better option since you would be able to afford a much better receiver. Looking in the classifieds here would be a good start.
 
Although you may not use the features of the 705 there is going to be a fair drop in sound quality by going for one of the receivers you are looking at since most are pretty much at the bottom of the range for these manufacturers. Going for an older second hand receiver may well be a better option since you would be able to afford a much better receiver. Looking in the classifieds here would be a good start.

Even the 414? :( I thought the sound would be the same level, they just strip features from the lower models? I'm assuming newer amps are more efficient, and buying a newer, lower power amp it'll put out less heat...
 
The lower amps (even the 414) will have smaller power supplies and cheaper components which will all mean lower sound quality. They are not the same amps as the higher models with less features. Lower power receivers may produce less heat but this is because they have smaller power supplies which is not a good thing when it comes to sound quality. Onkyo are known for running hot (especially their older models like the x05). Getting something like a Yamaha/Denon will produce less heat.
Not much has changed in terms of the physical amp side of things in AV receivers over the last few years (the analogue side has remained the same). All that has really changed is a few more bells and whistles. In fact there is a school of thought that due to the cost of the extra features corners have been cut in other areas with cheaper components and power supplies (look at how receivers are getting lighter as some evidence for this). Hence some would argue that sound quality has actually got worse over the last few years for the same level of receiver and not better.
 
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The lower amps (even the 414) will have smaller power supplies and cheaper components which will all mean lower sound quality. They are not the same amps as the higher models with less features. Lower power receivers may produce less heat but this is because they have smaller power supplies which is not a good thing when it comes to sound quality. Onkyo are known for running hot (especially their older models like the x05). Getting something like a Yamaha/Denon will produce less heat.
Not much has changed in terms of the physical amp side of things in AV receivers over the last few years (the analogue side has remained the same). All that has really changed is a few more bells and whistles. In fact there is a school of thought that due to the cost of the extra features corners have been cut in other areas with cheaper components and power supplies (look at how receivers are getting lighter as some evidence for this). Hence some would argue that sound quality has actually got worse over the last few years for the same level of receiver and not better.

Is this still an issue considering my speakers? I assume I've barely scratched the surface of what the 705 could actually do with a better set...
 

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