opinions on receivers

[lovedrummin]

Halfadeck, I have the Denon 3802 & couldn't be happier. I have RB5 mains, RC3 center, RS3 surrounds & KSW12 hooked up to it & I love the sound. I find it's great for both HT & music. Although the Prologic II is fun I've found myself listening to music in stereo lately. I use the DPL II mostly for TV or video tapes. The 5 channel stereo is also very enjoyable. Mostly it just depends on my mood as to what format I use. But then again that's what I like about the 3802 - the variety. It's a quality receiver as are some of the other receivers you're considering. Have fun with your quest.

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Lew

Not Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll

[TheEAR]

Rob,

Do you see load selectors on great quality SS power amps? HELL NO

Name me ONE (just one) high class SS power amp with a little puny load selector.

...

Well?

I knew so much

FYI the best SS power amps(Spectral,Pass,Krell,Bryston,Celeste, Acuphase ,Classe,Goldmund,MarkLevinson,JeffRowland,

YBA and company...)DONT need any load switches.

Try to drive an all Thiel setup with your Yammie at high volume and let me know how it sounds.LOL

PS I know the Yamaha is more then up to the task to drive any Klipsch speaker with style and grace.Just dont try these with speakers 85dB 1W/1M and lower and that dive under 3 Ohms.The Yamaha will cry for mercy and distort like a hoe.

LOL

Trust me I torture tested many recievers to the point of thermal shutwon.Even the mighty Denon 5800 amplifier section will hit its limits with very hard to drive speakers.Great power amps on the other hand LOVE these tough loads and DOUBLE and DOUBLE and you get the picture ...their output.

I have Klipsches and Dynes and the Dynes will clearly leat you hear when a ubber amp is driving them.Its pure magic and the body of the music is there,with a reciever driving them,you can sense strain,be it even minute.Klipsch work great with most amps(not the class D magnetic field as Colin said,I tried the TFM-75 and its a brute with little finesse)

Who needs this? Ahem not many really,just sickos like me. Or snooty audiophiles...like me.I am no audiophile really just a power freak who will match very sensitive Klipsches with massive power amps for no real practical reason.

TheEAR(s) Now theears

[halfadeck]

Hi all first let me say thanks again for the posts. I ended up ordering the denon 3802 couldnt pass up the price 729. Now im just pacing waiting for everything to come(getting a crick in the neck staring out the window lol). Cya on the boards friends

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turn it up hmmph i said turn it up

[JLL]

Hey all you guys i need your feedback about these two receivers.I am looking to get a new receiver in the future and it will most likely be between the denon 3802 and the onkyo 797. What i am looking for is big heavy sound not skinny and bright that is very clean and clear and a bit warm for 2 channel because that is all i listen too. I will also be using this receiver for home theater also. So please what receiver denon or onkyo falls in my preference?

[halfadeck]

hiya jll I cant coment on the sound difference cause I havent heard the denon3802. But the onkyo sounded nice I heard that against the hk avr520 I personally liked the sound of the hk a little better my wife liked the onkyo though(she might have the better ears since I work in a stamping plant).I went with the denon cause of a few things all the recomondations here and in stores 10 more watts and its 7 channel. I got the denon for 729 and i seen the onkyo for 744 let me know if you need the address for either(I'll have to back track to find where i got that price for the onkyo)them was the best prices I could find for brand new ones.Hope that helped a little after I get the denon I could let you know better. Take care

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turn it up hmmph i said turn it up

[JLL]

Thanks alot halfadeck. I would appreciate it let me know when you get that denon up and running and let me know the differences.

[Kimon]

To JLL :

Just finished searching(2 weeks)for the lowest prices for both 3802 and 797 : I've ordered the Onkyo from soundcity.com (#1 :they are authorized dealers (2 yr. Warranty and #2 :will price match from any other authorized dealer) for $735 plus S & H . Another option would be crazyeddie.com for $744 (currently out of stock.

Just for reference I auditioned 797 w/ RF 3 fronts, rs3 Surr, Velodyne sub and klipsch center and I was floored by movie sound( Episode One, Drive, efects & dialogue) as well as musically (both 2 channel and DTS ) .Listened to Clapton, Portishead and Brahms : detail in vocal, strings, heavy digital bass and classical and the detail and musicality were right up there with the best I've heard(also listened to Denon w/ PSB speaker setup and Paradigm setup)

Again this is all a matter of taste , just make sure you listen to a large range of sounds( what you'll be listening to ) .

Hope this helps:

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K.

[Audio Flynn]

Ear,

You are getting overly condesending again. Anyone who reads a magazine can rattle off the names you mentioned; most of us will never listen to or buy them, the cost borders on the absurd. I have been into audio for 28 years; if I never listen to a Mark Levinson piece of equipment, it will not inhibit my apreciation of music.

I have separates but have had 2 friends buy the Outlaw with much satifaction.

I thought Yamaha was a bit bright.

My 2 old Dennon integrated amps in my house I like allot and they seem to have better 2 channel warmth than their newer HT receivers.

Onkyo and HK seem solid

Stay wary of Sony power.

[Audio Flynn]

By the way halfdeck; nice to see a fellow Michigander on the board.

Welcome

[JLL]

To Kimon,

I recently went to circuit city last week and they had the onkyo 797 there. I heard this receiver on their best speakers they had in the listening room, some polks which werent even close to the sound of klipsch. BUt none the less it didint sound that bad it went loud the music didint brake up and the bass was quick. HE also played a cheper onkyo i think the txds 496 and that also sounded good, he compared this to a more expensive harmon kardon which i didint like too bright when loud. I also have the RF-3's with a yamaha rxv-800 and this receiver is too bright the music gets uncontrolled and sounds congested. So for me it is between the 797 and the denon 3802 i have to try both of these receivers. I am looking for mainly more of 2 channel than home theater. I prefer much warmer sound than my yamaha is producing.

[dsommerl]

Don't know your price range--but the Pioneer VSX 49TX I just bot is pretty awesome---the auto spkr calibration system is unbelievable----the thing weight like 70lbs----had a cheap JVC before---so I'm not the best judge---bot the 49TX for $2500--new delivered (MSRP is $4K)----check the 47TX as well---cheaper with less DAC's and user adjustment but cheaper

FYI Dave S

[force95]

I go the Onkyo 797 at Christmas and I am very happy with it. It drives my KLF-30's and KLF C-7 well along with the rear surrounds. Haven't gotten around to getting a rear center yet.

The remote is also very user friendly compared to the other programmable remotes that have come with other receivers I have. One reason I picked the 797 over the Denon 3802, was because a lot of reviews I had read said the 3802 remote was not very user friendly. And looking at them in person it appeared that way also.

The only complaint I have is I cant seem to get all the bass I wan't when in 2-channel mode, and this is with the bass turned up to +12. Maybe I am just expecting to much! Any suggestions about getting more bass would be appreciated.

[TheEAR]

Yep the Pioneer VSX 49TX is quite a piece.Its built like no previous Pioneer and has features like this auto calibration that works quite well.Its the best choice for a newbie(with cash)who wants to getgreat sound the easy way.

The amp section in the 49TX is quite good,two large caps and a heavy C core transformer provide the base and two heatsinks mounted at the center provide a nice cooling chimney.Not bad,I lifted the beast and it looks to me like its a solid 60lbs,very much like the Denon 5800.Pioneer is on the right track.

Audio F,

While I do have over 900 high end audio mags from all around the world I do own many high power solid state amps.So I dont need to parrot what they say.You know very well one does not need a Mark Levinson to reach total audio satisfaction,a inexpensive ATI or Outlaw will take you there...or very close.

Oh and IMO a Krell is better than a Mark Levinson and costs less per watt!I did compare a 336 to the FPB600 at home and found the FPB600 a much better value(value my eye as both will make you eat Ramen soups for a year and a half! LOL).

TheEAR(s) Now theears