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Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Topic started by: Stumptown Matt on March 24, 2004, 07:44:12 PM
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I'm looking at upgrading my playback system. I want to get something that is good for home theater puposes, but sounds good as well. The Good Guys here in Portland has a Pioneer Elite Reciever (I can't remember the model #) that has 110w per channel and has pre outs. It has several digi ins and outs for DTS and whatnot. Best of all it is under $500 which is my limit for this purchase. Does anyone have any experience with the Pioneer elite gear. Obviously for under $500 it is the bottom of the barrel as far as the Elite line goes. Would my money be better spent on something else and if so what are your recomendations. As stated above I want good sound, surround sound, and a price tag under $500. My speakers are fairly low end at this point and they will eventually be upgraded so how they match with the reciever is not that important right now.
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sony dac2000 or something like that. I have been talking about it with Doug back and forth for about a week, (doug oade), and he seems to think the soundstage and digital path is really gopod for what we listen to. Go look over at the oade board under the caption upgrading I think it is in the playback section.
Right around 5 bills if you look.
Daryan
(there, now you all know who I am)
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Check out www.audioreview.com for reviews on a/v receivers. Just read through the reviews, i usually look for comments about faulty models.
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(there, now you all know who I am)
thanks for clearing it up, as you can see by your ticket count we were all in the dark on that one :coolguy:
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and all this time i was so confused. so whats up with the name?
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makes the cease and sessist letters seem more professional
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thanks tim +T for clearing that up :-)
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I'm here to help ;)
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Why does everyone hate this guy?
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he has a history of bad transactions with members of this site and other sites
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Fair enough.
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I'd personally stay away from Sony Receivers. As great of a guy Doug is, he sells Sony gear and I think he has a bias towards them. This may not be, but I've seen nothing but probles with folks Sony receivers. The upper line stuff isn't bad, but you won't find it under $500. Check out used Denon and Marantz gear. I've had nothing but good luck and great sound with both. I'm using a Marantz SR7200 at the moment and find the 2 channel sound superior to my old Denon. I'm waiting for a buddy to unload his Parasound Halo equip in the next few months!
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I'd personally stay away from Sony Receivers. As great of a guy Doug is, he sells Sony gear and I think he has a bias towards them. This may not be, but I've seen nothing but probles with folks Sony receivers. The upper line stuff isn't bad, but you won't find it under $500. Check out used Denon and Marantz gear. I've had nothing but good luck and great sound with both. I'm using a Marantz SR7200 at the moment and find the 2 channel sound superior to my old Denon. I'm waiting for a buddy to unload his Parasound Halo equip in the next few months!
i agree on the marantz upper end gear(i was a dealer) good move on the halo scott
jr
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The new Panasonic units with the digital amplifier circuits have been getting some good reviews. They need to be "burned in" for a couple of weeks ( not necessarily constant ) in order for their sound to mature, apparently. They are in this price range and supposedly sound much better than most would expect for something in this range. I hope to check them out soon, myself...
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I also agree against going with Sony, their commercial receivers are nothing spectacular and i actually had a friend trying to find a buyer for his Sony equipment since he wasn't happy with it. Denon, Marantz and Yamaha (among many others) make good receivers. I own a Yamaha and can tell you their sonic signature errs on the side of brightness.
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also what about some of the lower models of the denons- they are in this price range.
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<$500, I'd only look at the Panasonic "SA-XR" series with digital amps. I have the XR45 and using the digital inputs, it shouldn't sound as good as it does for <$400. The 25 & 45 are being replaced with the 50 & 70 early April. The XR70 will include impoved speaker jacks and HDMI (digital high-def a/v connection) for the same price as the XR45. If you can find a left-over XR45, I wouldn't hesitate to grab one unless HDMI means something to you. Wayne at www.boldercables.com is doing a mod on the XR45 to bring the performance up to that of multi-thousand dollar separates. Check out the Bolder Cable forum at www.audiocircle.com or search XR45 on www.audioasylum.com and you'll see tons of posts.
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If your going for digital amplifier, why not just build x number of monoblock GainClone amps (x = however many channels you want). ;D There's a forum dedicated to DIY chip amps here at DIYaudio.com (http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=40).
These ones were in wood housings, you can make them however you want.
(http://www.decdun.fsnet.co.uk/zgctrio2.jpg)
Stupid simple to build really and is virtually a clone of the 4700 GainCard made by Sakura Systems, retail for a few thousand dollars. :P Not that more money means it's better, but the reviews I've read about it are very good as well.
See the reviews of the GainCard here:
www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/ equipment/999/47review.htm
http://www.dagogo.com/47LabGaincardS.html
http://www.onhifi.com/product/47labs_products.htm
Forgot to mention, GainClone's work best with very efficient (sp?) speakers. So keep that in mind.
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you might want to take a look at the NAD 742, it doesn't have the bells and whistles of other receivers, but it sounds really good. Don't be decieved by its power rating either, NAD rates conservatively, so when it says 50 watts x 5 channels, you are getting at least that, if not more.
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If you buy a used "receiver", you're going to save tons as opposed to a new one. Check out the used gear on ebay.
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If you buy a used "receiver", you're going to save tons as opposed to a new one. Check out the used gear on ebay.
I have checked Ebay, but there are so many that some specific model #s and some personal experience is what I'm looking for so I can sift through all the crap.
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<$500, I'd only look at the Panasonic "SA-XR" series with digital amps. I have the XR45 and using the digital inputs, it shouldn't sound as good as it does for <$400.
How about < $300 (http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/item_detail.php?item_id=105046)? :o
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<$500, I'd only look at the Panasonic "SA-XR" series with digital amps. I have the XR45 and using the digital inputs, it shouldn't sound as good as it does for <$400.
How about < $300 (http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/item_detail.php?item_id=105046)? :o
Damn, that's cheap! At that price I'm tempted to buy a 2nd for the bedroom system. You may want to call to make sure they actually have some in stock since its a discontinued item.
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A pioneer elite receiver for under $500 is a good deal. Their elite stuff is much better than their consumer gear, but then again, I have always bought pioneer for some reason, even the cheaper stuff, they always have a good mix of features at a good price point.