Your Opinion #2

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

If your going with the Polk RTi series, then get the cheapest receiver you can find. Make sure it decodes lossless audio, has 5.1 or 7.1 pre-outs & enough inputs(HDMI, etc.). Then spend the rest on a Emotiva UPA-7 or XPA-5. Those Polks will need some serious power. If you want a good receiver to power your RTi's look at the higher end Onkyo(805, 806, 876) Pioneer Elite(SC-05, SC-07), Denon or Marantz.

I really have to question the logic of marrying that kind of amp power to a cheapo receiver with substandard processing, most of which wouldn't have bi-amping capability anyway. I don't think that is good advice, to try to pinch pennies on the receiver. Besides that, separates are way out of the OP's stated budget. It is self-conflicting advice.

I know a lot of people on the forums have Onkyo receivers, like the OP, and are likely to get defensive about this, but while they show impressively on a spec sheet or benchmark, they do run hot, that is a fact. There are also other subjective matters upon which I would recommend against keeping the Onkyo.

Over the years, I have personally owned several Sony receivers, two Panasonics, a Teac, and an Onkyo. Most of them were pretty good, the only ones I was unhappy with were the Panasonics. My current Marantz 6003 greatly outclasses them all, and can be found for just under $800. Or, for a couple hundred less, I would suggest the Marantz 5003 or Denon AVR2309; but if you're running your video through it too, I'd stick with Marantz.

One thing, though, Grillsmasher, Fry's electronics does not carry Marantz, but they do carry Denon. I ordered mine online. If you want to find one in the Phoenix area, you might have to look up some dealers on the internet.