New Reciever Buying Help PLEASE !!!!!

[NY Yankees 23 2]

Ok I consider myself very aware of home electronics and all that but these new lossless codecs from bluray and the recievers with decoding and not decoding is pushing me to the limit. I have a Samsung LN40A650 LCD and a Sony BDP-360 (which decodes Dolby TRUE-HD and DTS Master HD). And at the moment I am using an HTiB from walmart with the optical audio for the surround from the bluray. It's time to upgrade the surround so what kind of reciever do i need? I have been looking at the Best Buy Insignia one but the more i read on here people say to stay away and I am not surprised. I saw the price tag and that it decodes both lossless audio's and that caught my eye. Then i saw the Sony DH800 and that one looks really nice for a little more money. Now the question is I know since my bluray player decodes the lossy audio I don't need a reciever that decodes it right? Or do I? If I don't need a reciever that decodes the audio then what do I need to look for in the reciever so that i can still get the lossy audio to work? I know that the sound passes through HDMI to get lossy audio too. Help me out here please...sorry I am sure this thread is out there already i just couldn't find it. Thanks everyone for their help !

[tootall82103]

What's your budget?

[NY Yankees 23 2]

around $250. can't really afford anything more right now plus i still gotta get speakers then..lol

[Steve]

I suggest you check out the HK AVR 254 from Harman Audio on Ebay. It's a factory authorized Ebay store selling factory refurbs. I don't think you'll be able to do any better for the money.

[NY Yankees 23 2]

actually i have before. but aren't they factory refurb's? and if i am not mistaken they have a low watt output for the speakers no? And how much should i pay for one? cause i know they watched by harmon kardon or something cause they all start at like $0.99 and with hours to go they always have 8 bids and are over $200. i can't explain it but i know..lol

[tootall82103]

Originally Posted by chrishaney23

actually i have before. but aren't they factory refurb's? and if i am not mistaken they have a low watt output for the speakers no?

Nothing wrong with a factory refurb. HK puts out real numbers too, which is why they are generally lower. i'm sure if you get a $250 dollar receiver from Pioneer or Sony that claims 100 watts per channel, it will be more like 50 watts. The HK 254 is probably the cheapest receiver you can find with pre-outs so you can add an amp down the road to increase your power.

[Steve]

Alot of receivers out there that claim 90-110 watts per channel on their specs only put out somewhere between 40 and 60 watts per channel when they're bench tested. HK puts accurate numbers on their specs (as already stated) so in reality you're getting about the same amount of power from most entry level receivers, despite what they claim. It's also worth noting that the HK has pre-outs so you could add an amp to the system down the road if you want to. Alot of other entry level receivers are missing this feature.

[callas01]

Harman would be a good receiver, you can look at accessories4less.com and see about the Marantz 4002 or 4003, you don't need on that decodes the HD audios, and so these ones will accept LPCM and give you HD sound. they are true to their specs also and have pre-outs for future add on amps. there is no auction so the price you see is what you pay, and they have a 1 yr warranty from the factory.

If you cannot bring yourself to buy a refurb, then the Sony DH700 would be better then the Insignia and should be priced similarly. Or look at the onkyo 507 and Yamaha 465 or Pioneer 819 or 919. However as stated, any of these receivers will only push out about 30-45 watts per channel when you have 5 or more playing.

[NY Yankees 23 2]

ok thanx for the HK tip. You guys know how much or what not to exceed in price for one of those AVR 254 models?

[NY Yankees 23 2]

Originally Posted by callas01

Harman would be a good receiver, you can look at accessories4less.com and see about the Marantz 4002 or 4003, you don't need on that decodes the HD audios, and so these ones will accept LPCM and give you HD sound. they are true to their specs also and have pre-outs for future add on amps. there is no auction so the price you see is what you pay, and they have a 1 yr warranty from the factory.

If you cannot bring yourself to buy a refurb, then the Sony DH700 would be better then the Insignia and should be priced similarly. Or look at the onkyo 507 and Yamaha 465 or Pioneer 819 or 919. However as stated, any of these receivers will only push out about 30-45 watts per channel when you have 5 or more playing.

The DH700 doesn't decode TRUEHD or DTS Master. so how does that work then? and i thought that model doesn't utilize the passthrough tech? doesn't that mean that audio isn't transferred via HDMI ?

[callas01]

Originally Posted by chrishaney23

The DH700 doesn't decode TRUEHD or DTS Master. so how does that work then? and i thought that model doesn't utilize the passthrough tech? doesn't that mean that audio isn't transferred via HDMI ?

It will handle LPCM multi-channel, your blu-ray player will detect that the DH700 doesn't decode the HD formats and then you will set the player up to decode priority as PCM then your player will decode the DD THD and DTS HD MA and you will get audio as uncompressed PCM. You will need it all hooked up via HDMI.

[tootall82103]

Originally Posted by chrishaney23

ok thanx for the HK tip. You guys know how much or what not to exceed in price for one of those AVR 254 models?

I think most auctions have ended around $250 or $300.

Here is a buy it now for $293, which I still think is a good deal for it.
Harman Kardon HK AVR 254 7.1 Home Theater Receiver HDMI - eBay (item 390147932947 end time Feb-24-10 07:28:40 PST)

But if your patient and don't mind having an ebay bidding battle the last 30 minutes of an auction you can probably get one for less.

[NY Yankees 23 2]

ok i get that. so then what kinda specs am i looking for on a reciever so that i know it can do what you just said? I really feel more comfortable buying a "built for blu-ray" reciever though...maybe i should just go that direction and be done with it...lol. i do like that harmon kardon avr 254 on ebay but don't know how high i should go in bidding. they have been on there for at least a year now and tons of theem. isn't there something fishy about that or is it just me?

[NY Yankees 23 2]

Originally Posted by tootall82103

I think most auctions have ended around $250 or $300.

Here is a buy it now for $293, which I still think is a good deal for it.
Harman Kardon HK AVR 254 7.1 Home Theater Receiver HDMI - eBay (item 390147932947 end time Feb-24-10 07:28:40 PST)

But if your patient and don't mind having an ebay bidding battle the last 30 minutes of an auction you can probably get one for less.

Now you got me really intewrested in this one. i was looking at this last year for about a month and never pulled the trigger (obviously). $300 for a refurb though...i dunno. This HK compared to that Sony DH800....which is better? I seriuously doubt if i will ever go to 7.1 and need another amp so if you take that out of the equation then what you guys think? I never was impressed with Sony's sound in the past though. always seemed really low even with the volume all the way up.

[tootall82103]

Originally Posted by chrishaney23

Now you got me really intewrested in this one. i was looking at this last year for about a month and never pulled the trigger (obviously). $300 for a refurb though...i dunno. This HK compared to that Sony DH800....which is better? I seriuously doubt if i will ever go to 7.1 and need another amp so if you take that out of the equation then what you guys think? I never was impressed with Sony's sound in the past though. always seemed really low even with the volume all the way up.

Better to have and not need to than to need and not have right?
I love Sony products though, I'm not downing their stuff. But HK makes some of the nicest looking receivers I have ever seen. Others on here and bought refurb HK receivers and have been perfectly happy.

[callas01]

then jump on the harman if its in your price range. I think you want a Harman, but your thinking to much.

[tootall82103]

Originally Posted by callas01

then jump on the harman if its in your price range. I think you want a Harman, but your thinking to much.

[NY Yankees 23 2]

alright you guys RULE ! HK is the way to go. I'll be back maybe next month when its speaker time...lol. and i thought i knew what i was getting into. ATTENTION manufacturers....NO MORE upgrading ANYTHING for at least 20 years dam it. Bought this nice Samsung LN40A650 LCD not even a year ago and its already outdated. Had to buy the new Sony BDP-360 cause it had the DTS Master HD audio built in (upgraded from the 350 model)....tired of this sh*t already. At least the XBOX360 is staying the course even with a new "upgraded version" coming out this year. Thanks alot again you guys !!!!

[tootall82103]

Trying to keep up with the latest and greatest is too expensive, which is why I avoid it.