Pls tell me what Receiver to get for £300?

S

sainthalo

Guest
Spending £300 pretty strictly but the sales are on! Looking to connect up for HTPC/HCPC use (DIVX, DVD, TV, MP3, CD). Looking for silver colour and will connect multi-room (one 5.1 and other stereo). This is the supplier I will buy from and prices:

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/productlist.asp

Also looking for a sub and some small speakers. The Yamaha 220s (silver) seem very nice and have tilt mounting kits included.

Any help seriously appreciated!
:D ;) :)
 
Originally posted by sainthalo
Spending £300 pretty strictly but the sales are on! Looking to connect up for HTPC/HCPC use (DIVX, DVD, TV, MP3, CD). Looking for silver colour and will connect multi-room (one 5.1 and other stereo). This is the supplier I will buy from and prices:

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/productlist.asp

Any help seriously appreciated!
:D ;) :)

Possibly, there is nothing in this price range:

- silver colour
- multi-room (one 5.1 and other stereo)

I would suggest you to do some reasearch and ask for opinions on a short list ;)

Silent Fly

P.S. the link does not work
 
If you're looking for a receiver for £300 plus speakers, how about the Yamaha HTIB45. Yamaha RXV430 receiver with NSP220 Speakers/Sub. Receiver comes highly recommended in What Hi-Fi. I bought the old version last year and can highly recommend.
 
Originally posted by Mitch2000
If you're looking for a receiver for £300 plus speakers, how about the Yamaha HTIB45. Yamaha RXV430 receiver with NSP220 Speakers/Sub. Receiver comes highly recommended in What Hi-Fi. I bought the old version last year and can highly recommend.

Cheers MITCH, I was thinking about this package which is £300 and seems a bargain (also it is in Titanium). I do need multi-room thoughwhich only the 630 has but my multi-room problem can be solved as the wardrobe speakers above the bed will only really need powering by the computer so can use 3.5mm stereo out for that and digital out for the 5.1. Just wonder if they work same time (best if they dont really!).

You're the only person I know with these speakers/setup so could you tell me if they are a good sound quality? They will go into a room which is approx 11 by 10 foot but is open plan to a kitchen area and stairs which is an extra 10 foot. The room height is just under 9 foot - whats the best spot for these rears?

Im thinking of hiding all the AV/PC equipment under a sofa and getting a projector this year and a plasma next year!
 
Saint,

The Yamaha speakers are OK for the money. but the're not going to compare with something like the Keff Eggs or some large floorstanders.
I upgraded last year to the wharfdale diamond speakers and they are great. IMO The small Yamaha's are fine for movies but not the best for Music. Try and find somewhere where you can demo the package. I think the're quite common in the HI-FI shops.
With regard to multi room, I believe the receiver has A/B speaker terminals (The Older RXV420 does) so you could have 5.1 in one room and stereo in another.
 
Wow Army bloke, the Pioneer sounds like good value, compared to the prices some entry Denon amps seem to command that have DPL2.

There are many (about 15)good comments about it on one of those user review hi-fi site I forget the url of. There are a few with comments about weak stereo sound, unless midnight mode is on and one about two faulty units. One reviewer commented on poor processing sound quality compared to his old Sony 555.

Anyone know how it would compare to something like the £250 Sony STR-DE685?

I'm always toying with a reasonably discrete budget amp to use under the telly in the living room to run some small lifestyle type speakers.

I too would be looking for something in silver, also I would like Pro-Logic 2, Circle Surround2 or DTS:neo for NTL digital cable TV sound, via my Tivo.

I'd be looking for a warm multi-channel sound for dolby stereo TV shows and background music listening off our Sony 725 DVD, nothing too loud.

I'd probably end-up with an entry level sub behind the telly, so absolute low-end grunt is not critical. Just something that doesn't sound offensive at -25dB. I'd be using the THX Denon and HTPC in the garage room for critical DVD and music time.

regards,
Rob.
 
To be honest mate, it's the best "budget" amp I've ever heard. I had a discission via e mails with Andy Fov the other night (he's also a 811 owner) and he too couldn't praise it highly enough. For £305 I got 7 channels at 100watts into 8 ohmms, though the THD is 1%, which is consodered quite high. For example, the THD of it's bigger brother, the 2011, is only 0.09%!! However, that IS an outstanding amp. You also get Dolby Digital EX (official licence), Pro Logic II, DTS, DTS ES Discrete, DTS Neo 6 and a reciever.
I owned the Marantz 5200 and 7200 previously. They to are packed recievers and they do a lot, but, to be honest, they don't do it to well. The 811 does everything well.
And, as far as I am aware, you can't engage the midnight mode in stereo - only in Dolby Digital. It's actually a spec of DD.
One reviewer commented on the poor processing quality compared to his old Sony 555 eh? Why did he change the 555 then?;) Surround steering is spot on with the Pioneer. On the set up side, my main criticism is speaker distance - this is measured in .3 of a metre and not .1. A small niggle but 20cm in sound delay is quite a delay I would imagine.

And it does have the A/B speaker switch for other room listening.
Whatever you do, don't try and compare the 811 with your Denon THX amp - there's probably about £1500 difference in price. No comparison IMO.
I use mine with a complete Mission 77 package - with 774's on the front and a single Boston VRS micro for the surround back. It does give you the option to use 2 though.
Try and get a demo and let your ears decide.....
 
Originally posted by Army Bloke
I owned the Marantz 5200 and 7200 previously. They to are packed recievers and they do a lot, but, to be honest, they don't do it to well. The 811 does everything well.

I own a 7200 and would challenge that assertion - could you be more specific, particularly as regards the 7200 weakness with stereo when compared to the 811. I'm struggling to find fault with the 7200 (which cost me £490, and retailed and £600) against a budget Pioneer (not reknowned for making AV amps good with music).
 
Challenge all you like mate - get a demo and then throw up an argument. I don't listen to a lot of stuff in stereo. We are talking about an AV amp here. I CHALLENGE YOU to find ANY AV amp that does decent stereo.....
IMO. the 7200 still comes under budget status. Start looking at THX certified Denons and you get mid range, give me an MC12 and a set of Brystons and you have high end....
I'm struggling to find fault with the 7200

Funny how you can't find fault with your amp and I can't find fault with mine....;)

Anyway, so far I have dished out 2 bits of advice on this thread - enough for one day I think....but lets start with OFFICIAL EX licence and DTS ES Discrete........;)
 
Originally posted by Army Bloke
Challenge all you like mate - get a demo and then throw up an argument. I don't listen to a lot of stuff in stereo. We are talking about an AV amp here. I CHALLENGE YOU to find ANY AV amp that does decent stereo.....

I have, sorry if I didn't make that clear - and the 7200 slaughters it. No question. You may think that no AV amp can do stereo, but frankly I don't believe that for a minute. Unless you can back up your claims with something more than "challenge all you like mate" then said claims don't stand up. As for AV amps that do stereo very well, try the Acram AVR200 or Marantz 6200 and above (particularly the SR9200) to name a few. I've compared the 7200 with a NAD C350 (owned by a friend) and there's nothing in it at all.

IMO. the 7200 still comes under budget status. Start looking at THX certified Denons and you get mid range, give me an MC12 and a set of Brystons and you have high end....

I'm not saying that the 7200 doesn't come under budget status, so that's something of a specious argument. What's the point of bringing in Brystons, Krells et al when discussing AV amps for around £300?
 
Check my edit - this thread belongs to a guy asking for advice. I gave advice. Did you? If you want an argument about what amp is better than what, do a search or start a new thread.....
I don't jump on the "my amps better than yours" threads. I know what sounds good. I'm happy with my kit, your happy with yours. All I was trying to do was help a guy be happy with his - leave the "fanboy" arguments to the video console forums please....:D
 
I wasn't trying to hijack the thread in a "my amp's better than yours stylee", simply to challenge what I thought was a wrong comment. But as you said, we're both happy with our kit.



:)
 
I think ArmyBloke was just mentioned the power amp thing when pointing out to me that although a few of these budget AV amps are really quite good now, I shouldn't expect the performance of a big Denon THX AV amp.

I would certainly audition a Marantz too from what I've read here.

cheers,
Rob.
 

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