Help choosing a receiver

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by JurassicMass88

Hey everybody,

Right now I currently own a 5 year old Yamaha receiver with no HDMI inputs and is lacking severely in audio codecs. I am currently in the market for a new receiver but there are so many to choose from so I would love to hear some recommendations. I hoping to keep my budget at about $500 or less.

I've been looking at the Yamaha RX V663 and also the Onkyo 607, but I'm having a hard time deciding between the two. My main goal is to be able to get all HD audio codecs for my speakers so I can truly experience the greatness of Blu-ray. I figure I'll update my receiver first, then when the time comes I will upgrade my TV to a nice 1080p flat screen. Thanks for the help.

P.S. I currently have a PS3 and have a Panny BD60 on its way from Amazon. And on a side note, my main TV is an older Mitsubishi 55in rear projection that maxes out at 1080i.

Any other receiver suggestions would be much appreciated.

I have a Yamaha 565 and a Denon 789, I have also owned a Onkyo 607. All 3 are great receivers but I am leaning more in the Yamaha direction these days. They make a fantastic receiver in your price range and out of the 3 I have owned the Yamaha was the easiest to setup.

Honestly if you choose either the Yamaha or the Onkyo you will be in good hands. Just make sure you have a decent setup of speakers to go with it.