Which AVR

[browndk26]

I have a Sony S350 player. If the prices were all the same, which AVR would you recomend?



Onkyo 606
Yamaha 663
Sony 920
Pioneer 1018

[wdhays]

Of those, the Onkyo has won more recommendations & awards from various A/V magazines. It wins my vote as well, based on experience.

If adding an external amp later was a consideration, then the pioneer.

[s0nIc]

Pioneer 1018 can be found for about 400-500.00 or just wait like me till april for this baby http://cnettv.cnet.com/2001-1_53-50004956.html

[Audiophile_At_Birth]

Originally Posted by browndk26

I have a Sony S350 player. If the prices were all the same, which AVR would you recomend?



Onkyo 606
Yamaha 663
Sony 920
Pioneer 1018

*sigh* I would go in this order...Yamaha 663 (pre-outs for seperate amp), Pioneer 1018 (which I almost bought), Onkyo 606, and Sony 920- NEVER WOULD EVER BUY THIS ONE.

[acleftguard76]

Yamaha 663...Dual DAC chips for true 96-192khz AND compressed audio restorer that works on multi-channel surround tracks in addition to two-channel audio tracks.

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by Audiophile_At_Birth

*sigh* I would go in this order...Yamaha 663 (pre-outs for seperate amp), Pioneer 1018 (which I almost bought), Onkyo 606, and Sony 920- NEVER WOULD EVER BUY THIS ONE.

Why?

Links? Facts? Anything?

Here is a review for you on the step down (STR-DG820)...

While it’s initially perhaps a touch leaner than the Onkyos, the greater insight is noticeable, as are improved dynamics.Listen to a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, as provided by Mamma Mia!, and the music has rhythm, timing and punch, with the Sony’s speed and agility really coming into its own, while bass notes are both deft and tight.

The level of performance with two-channel audio is a real bonus at this price-point and makes for a budget machine that’s nigh-on impossible to quibble with.

http://whathifi.com/Review/Sony-STR-DG820/

[wdhays]

Oh yeah, forgot the Yamaha has pre-outs too. -Didn't mean to leave it out.

[wdhays]

I have noticed there seems to be what I will call "American" taste & "British" taste in audio. I have read both & tend to agree with the "American" reviews. Which one you like or agree with is, of course, totally up to you. I especially like the measured power output included in the "American" versions, though.

Here are a few examples "for" the 606:

http://www.hometheatermag.com/receivers/808onk/

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/avreceivers/608onk606/

Here is an example "against" the 663:

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/avrecei...63/index4.html

These are by "American" magazines.

Nothing for the 920 or 1018 yet, but here is a Sony ES review:

http://hometheatermag.com/receivers/...yrb/index.html

Sony's power measurements usually rule them out for me.

If you want to read "British" reviews, click around whathifi.com

[callas01]

wdhays, while I have thought you have had some really good points in the past weeks, I do have to say that one of the guys on here MrRoy, has both the Onkyo 605 and the Sony 920 and has said that the 920 is better then his 605. read posts #122, #128 & #144.

While I can agree that they test low based on some of the reviews I read, even in one of the tests the tester had a hard time thinking it was actually as low as it measured when cross comparing to other brands and that the Sony sounded much more powerful then it measured. I don't know what you call that, but its some intangible. Also, wasn't it an Onkyo 806 that measured far below its rated output?? You posted the link on that one.

That said, I believe the pioneer 1018 has preouts, I would go pio, yammy, sony/onkyo doesn't matter.

[ozzman]

Originally Posted by browndk26

I have a Sony S350 player. If the prices were all the same, which AVR would you recomend?



Onkyo 606
Yamaha 663
Sony 920
Pioneer 1018

Brother,
i have to say you got 4 nice recievers there.have you listened to any of them.I personally like Yamaha but iam not saying GO Yamaha.

Can you go listen to these recievers.I've never heard the Sony 920,but i bet it would look nice with your player.

Remember this.
It's your choice to make not are's. 4 recievers with there own sound.Great companies. Each one is good in there own right

You have to find the one that suits your ears.We cant do that for you.

I know that sucks and i with i could just give you a name and we can move on but just because i like a reciever doesn't mean its the right one for you

Iam sorry but my suggestion for you is hit the pavement and let your ears do the walking

[JJ]

Pioneer 1018 or Yamaha 663.

But we all love the brands we have. So we're gonna tell you that what we have is the greatest thing EVER.

Go out and listen!

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

Pioneer 1018 or Yamaha 663.

But we all love the brands we have. So we're gonna tell you that what we have is the greatest thing EVER.

Go out and listen!

Hey, man, it's more than cheerleading what you bought - it's the REASON you bought it.

Some folks need to decode codecs with less expensive Blu players.

Some folks need receivers than can handle low-ohm speakers.

Some folks are close to broke, have to go with minimum specs.

And some folks just run with the herd, buy whatever everyone else got, then yell "YAAY", "WOOT", or whatever clubhouse chant is cool at the time.

We ought to deliver opinions with brands and models behind them, supported by the reasons we're saying that. It sure won't be instructions for buying, and maybe when the questioner goes out to make choices, he'll have a bit more info to work with.

I bet you had darn good reasons for picking your own gear.

[browndk26]

Thanks for the input. I will listen when I go to buy an AVR. I was leaning toward the Pioneer and Yamaha. I have a Pioneer now.

[ZIPPO]

pioneer 1019 has 4 hdmi inputs ( comes out in April )
pioneer 1018 has 3 hdmi inputs ( discontinued )
yamaha 663 has 2 hdmi inputs

all about the same price less than $ 500

[wdhays]

Originally Posted by callas01

wdhays, while I have thought you have had some really good points in the past weeks, I do have to say that one of the guys on here MrRoy, has both the Onkyo 605 and the Sony 920 and has said that the 920 is better then his 605. read posts #122, #128 & #144.

While I can agree that they test low based on some of the reviews I read, even in one of the tests the tester had a hard time thinking it was actually as low as it measured when cross comparing to other brands and that the Sony sounded much more powerful then it measured. I don't know what you call that, but its some intangible. Also, wasn't it an Onkyo 806 that measured far below its rated output?? You posted the link on that one.

That said, I believe the pioneer 1018 has preouts, I would go pio, yammy, sony/onkyo doesn't matter.

I have no doubt that plenty of people prefer Sony to Onkyo. That's what sounds better to them & I can't argue with that.

When someone says that a receiver sounds more powerful than it measured, then that's a good thing. It lets you know that you may never know the difference, or maybe more power was not needed. However, I have listened to receivers that were obviously lacking in power.

OP got the specs first & didn't put all the relevant numbers. The 806 did 79.6 watts x 7 channels driven, 107.2 watts x 5 channels driven & 185.7 x 2 channels driven. Pretty impressive in all actuality, but I've seen & come to expect better from Onkyo. Still, this is a receiver, not a separate amp.

I have pointed out the measured power of some popular receivers. That is something that you cannot argue with. I'm a numbers guy & not everyone is aware these numbers are out there, or even that they can't trust advertised specs. That's really all I'm trying to point out. The numbers matters to me. If someone else doesn't care, that's fine. At least they know.

The original question was "what would you recommend?". At this point I assume he's been to the stores & needs some help. Ultimately, I know that is something he has to decide for himself, so I'm just throwing some info out that may help him narrow down his list, but only if he too, is a numbers guy.

[hagar852]

Originally Posted by wdhays

I have no doubt that plenty of people prefer Sony to Onkyo. That's what sounds better to them & I can't argue with that.

When someone says that a receiver sounds more powerful than it measured, then that's a good thing. It lets you know that you may never know the difference, or maybe more power was not needed. However, I have listened to receivers that were obviously lacking in power.

OP got the specs first & didn't put all the relevant numbers. The 806 did 79.6 watts x 7 channels driven, 107.2 watts x 5 channels driven & 185.7 x 2 channels driven. Pretty impressive in all actuality, but I've seen & come to expect better from Onkyo. Still, this is a receiver, not a separate amp.

I have pointed out the measured power of some popular receivers. That is something that you cannot argue with. I'm a numbers guy & not everyone is aware these numbers are out there, or even that they can't trust advertised specs. That's really all I'm trying to point out. The numbers matters to me. If someone else doesn't care, that's fine. At least they know.

The original question was "what would you recommend?". At this point I assume he's been to the stores & needs some help. Ultimately, I know that is something he has to decide for himself, so I'm just throwing some info out that may help him narrow down his list, but only if he too, is a numbers guy.

more issn't always better, and less sometimes is more. There is a point of diminishing returns you get to with power. Depending on the amps used, pushing the power way up to a high number just to make it high probably is worse than having less. Onkyos usually run warmer than most avrs and for goosd reason. They probably push the heck out of the amp to have high numbers, where other brands ay have built in circuitry to scale power down with all channels being driven. It is only one amp driving 7 channels, how good can that really be.

For comparison.. Take a cable signal and split it out to 7 other tvs. You loose quite a bit of signal doing that and increasing the signals strength may help a bit but won't be as good as having 7 different lines. So my point is there is only so much you can do with a single amp in an avr. Obviously seperates would be the way to go and if that is the case it won't much matter what avr you have then.

He should by a receiver not for sound or power outof those 4 but for feature set. For example, that if he wants seperates in the future by all means get the Yammy. If not, pick a name out of a hat.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by wdhays

OP got the specs first & didn't put all the relevant numbers. The 806 did 79.6 watts x 7 channels driven, 107.2 watts x 5 channels driven & 185.7 x 2 channels driven. Pretty impressive in all actuality, but I've seen & come to expect better from Onkyo. Still, this is a receiver, not a separate amp.

NOPE, you cant say that, heres why, In post #32 you call it crappy for an onkyo and then here say its pretty impressive.??? What gives?

I'll be honest, I thought you have been pretty knowledgable the past couple weeks, but you will lose credibility with ME if you want to be wishy-washy about your opinion on the same thing just 1 week later.

So to go back, you say your a numbers guy, but then if the Sony 120 watts/ch and the Onkyo 130 watts/ch, are both 60% of rated power when bench tested with all channels driven, then how is one clearly "better"?

Originally Posted by wdhays

I have no doubt that plenty of people prefer Sony to Onkyo. That's what sounds better to them & I can't argue with that.

Ok, then why did you jump on JasonR's post of a review that said they prefered the sound of the Sony over the Onkyo? The reviewer was simply commenting that it had better audio clarity & dynamics, nothing to do with power.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I am gonna hold you acountable for what you've said. I am not trying to start an arguement either. I have enjoyed what you have brought to the forum the past couple weeks, just please be consistent.

Thanks.

[s0nIc]

^^^^^^^^^^^ Now now you 2 lets not start fighting.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by browndk26

I have a Sony S350 player. If the prices were all the same, which AVR would you recomend?

Onkyo 606
Yamaha 663
Sony 920
Pioneer 1018

When I went to get my reciever (sony 920) I was doing the same as you, I compared these four and the Harman 254, and here was my experience, hope this helps

Onkyo, good sound, not overly impressed with the SQ a little harsh/edgy, did seem to have good power, thinking back.

Yamaha, warm sound, not as powerful as the onkyo/sony/pioneer, very clear audio, warm sound for me was too warm for me, and reviews I read said it lost power at the top end, that concerned me. (actually thinking back, this may have been a great reciever cause of the pre-outs, hindsite ya know)

Sony, Sounded great, good power, product I was really familiar with, was exactly what I expected.

Harman, Hated it immediately, to bright sounding for me. Moved on.

Pioneer, My Favorite of them all, warmer sound then the Sony, but not as much as the Yamaha, audio was precise, power was good, (It has pre-out too, this is my regret.)

I didn't buy the Pioneer cause it wouldn't fit in my AV rack but it was the one I liked the best, so I went with the Sony which was my 2nd choice. Now that I have thought about it over the past few months, I wish I would have got the Pioneer and just redid everything, but at the time, I didn't want to rewire the house or get a new rack. The Sony is a great reciever too, it just doesn't have the the Pre-out I wish I had now....

Good luck, and go listen to them.

[CasualKiller]

Originally Posted by callas01

NOPE, you cant say that, heres why, In post #32 you call it crappy for an onkyo and then here say its pretty impressive.??? What gives

I'm going to have to jump in on this one. As far as mass market receivers go in this price range it is indeed pretty impressive, especially since so many ratings are over inflated to attract unknowing consumers.

As far as it goes for Onkyo it is crappy seeing how they set the bar so high with their 05 series of receivers.