Topic: Recommended DD and/or DTS receiver/processor

[Sen.Almondski]

Hi Levi,

I have my tight budget closer to the price of Yamaha 496 or Onkyo 494 ( they have the same price here in abroad $299 ) and eager to buy one. Which one is better? I was confused because they have both good specs except that Yamaha 496 is 100wx5 & DPL and Onkyo 494 55wx5 but DPL2. What do you suggest? Thanks!

I suggest dont decide now since there are new Receivers coming like the Denon 1602 or Onkyo 494 with DPL2 . They will be available anytime now. I wont recommend you get the lowest model if you can stretch your budget. I made that mistake so now Im saving again for a better receiver even if its only two months old. Im satisfied and happy with the Yamaha 496 but I need more features and I only realize it when I bought it. I suggest go for the mid models but if you have unlimited budget go for the best.

[levi]

Hi almondski WELCOME to PinoyDVD,

One factor that is related to the wattage is the area where you are going to use it. If the room is small and you dont really crank up the volume to the max then you wont see any difference. There is a long explanation to the wattage ( impedance,high current,rms etc)but the bottomline is, there both capable for small or average room. What is important is listen to both and choose what you like better. Regarding the DPL2, its another factor you have to look into. I think it has more weight than the wattage since you can use DPL2 for VCD, Playstation, VHS, and old DVD film that is not 5.1.

[Sen.Almondski]

Hi Levi,

Thanks for very informative reply. Personally , I was fascinated by Onkyo 494 but also got good impression with Yamaha 496 based on the experienced owners like you. Pls allow me to get some more tips, i dont have knowledge in matching avr's & spkrs and if ill go for 55w avr, is there a lot of speakers options available that i can choose to match with it?

What is important is listen to both and choose what you like better. Regarding the DPL2, its another factor you have to look into. I think it has more weight than the wattage since you can use DPL2 for VCD, Playstation, VHS, and old DVD film that is not 5.1.

[levi]

  The reason I got the yamaha 496 was during the time I was scouting for a receiver, my only option was Onkyo 484 and denon 1601.There was still no DPL2. The Denon was more expensive and my friend's Onkyo broke down after a year. They all sound good but I was given a good financing scheme for the Yamaha and it received good reviews in audioreview.com. For your speakers, I think any good brand like B&W,PSB,Paradigm,JPW,Dyneaudio or even Studio acoustic will be a good match. You can try them out at HT shops.

[levi]

Reposting for Seth

Can somebody tell me which sounds best? YAMAHA OR PIONEER

[levi]

Repost from another thread

It depends on several factors:

1.  Which models from Pioneer and Yamaha are you considering?  I don't know about Pioneer but the newer Yamahas have a different sound from the older ones.

2.  What speakers are you going to use them with??  The speakers will have a bigger impact on the sound of your system compared to the receiver.

3.  What are you going to use your system primarily for??  Music or HT???

4.  What sort of music do you like listening to??

[levi]

Repost from another thread

Pioneeer VSX-D710S-G and Yamaha RX-V430? Well choosing a speakers are not critical to me. And going to set my own HT coz my wife don't like going to movie houses so i'm bringing the theater to our home. Music, i like alternative, punk rock,acid rock and techno pop.

[levi]

Repost from another thread

i bought a Pioneer VSX-D710 s-g 2 weeks ago and after using it for a week, i disposed of it. the label says its 120watts X 5 power output. kaya lang ng gamitin ko bitin ang tunog. tapos  parang my oscilating/pumping  bass sound sa subwoofer out .
Comparing it to a  Yamaha RX-v620 ( which i used to own)  malayo tunog. the v620 seemed to have more power at mas malinis yung bass reproduction ng subwoofer out.
the speaker set up i used is the same for both the Pioneer VSX-D710 and Yamaha Rx-v620.
The price of D710  and v620 is almost the same at 18 - 18.5k. So, if I would be the one to choose , i go for the yamaha ( v620 is an older model vs the v430)
But if you want to stick it out with Pioneer, the model to get is the   VSX -d908 TX ,medyo mahal nga lang.

[levi]

Repost from another thread

rmpmla,

Thank you very much sa info, Pioneer p naman ang first choice ko pero i go the Yamaha na lang. What did u do to ur pioneer? Did u send it to service center ng pioneer? May service center be ang Yamaha?
Thanks again bro....

seth

[levi]

Repost from another thread

Hi Seth,

I've noticed that Pioneer seems to overstate the specs of their receivers. If you look closely, it says MAXIMUM, instead of NOMINAL, which most good receiver companies (like Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, HK, etc.) use.

Kaya it MIGHT appear na high wattage, yun pala, mahina!  

[levi]

Repost from another thread

I saw the displays of diff. pioneer recievers and they put stickers in front of the reciever ex. 120 X 5 watts, 130 X 6 watts etc. etc... na kung di ka marunong tumingin nang specs talaga nang reciever maatract kang bilhin yun....

[levi]

Repost from another thread

rmpmla,

Thank you very much sa info, Pioneer p naman ang first choice ko pero i go the Yamaha na lang. What did u do to ur pioneer? Did u send it to service center ng pioneer? May service center be ang Yamaha?
Thanks again bro....

seth

seth,

never bothered asking for the Yamaha service center but i am sure meron ito.
as for the pioneer, di ko na ito dinala sa service center. anyway na-dispose ko na ito eh.
actually, for me, Pioneer is not that bad as long as you know which model to choose/use .
Right now i am using a VSX-D908TX and the label states 100watts X 5  but a lot better than the D710 and V620 ( little bit higher in price level though ).
And another one, i just recently bought second hand  as replacement to the D710 is a  Pioneer VSX-D3S.  

rmpmla

[otcho]

Pardon me, makasabat nga,

It's so difficult recommending good AVRs or decoders  with a budget in mind.  Sa experience ko in the past, nagsimula ako na may budet , say P40k in cash, and ended up spending almost twice that.  Dahil magaling kasi yung sales talk na nakuha ko sa Apple sa Makati Cinema Square.  Dagdag lang ng konti dito, mas OK.  Problem was I had to buy  a DVD player, a speaker set and an amp or avr. components.  So add a little to this and that, suma total na doble yung nagastos ko.  Thanks to my credit card and my lack of self-control.  

To those contemplating to get a Pioneer AVR,  take a second look, especially at the back panel.  Maaring hindi issue ang power consumption to a moneyed audio purist, but for the budget conscious, the Pioneer  models I've seen boasts of an electric power consumption rating of 900 to 1100 watts.   Isang plantsa yan!!!!  E yung ibang brands like Yamaha at Onkyio, only 500 watts. for the same audio power rating of 80-100watts RMS per ch.

Kung tunog din lang,or DD/DTS/DL2 capabilities,  there is hardly any difference among them., except this power consumption thing.  I suggest you visit www.epinions.com for equipment reviews.  Very informative.  

[levi]

Otcho,

   We have a thread about power consumption courtesy of lexmil. Power Consumption .



levi

[levi]

Pardon me, makasabat nga,

It's so difficult recommending good AVRs or decoders  with a budget in mind.  Sa experience ko in the past, nagsimula ako na may budet , say P40k in cash, and ended up spending almost twice that.  Dahil magaling kasi yung sales talk na nakuha ko sa Apple sa Makati Cinema Square.  Dagdag lang ng konti dito, mas OK.  Problem was I had to buy  a DVD player, a speaker set and an amp or avr. components.  So add a little to this and that, suma total na doble yung nagastos ko.  Thanks to my credit card and my lack of self-control.  

To those contemplating to get a Pioneer AVR,  take a second look, especially at the back panel.  Maaring hindi issue ang power consumption to a moneyed audio purist, but for the budget conscious, the Pioneer  models I've seen boasts of an electric power consumption rating of 900 to 1100 watts.   Isang plantsa yan!!!!  E yung ibang brands like Yamaha at Onkyio, only 500 watts. for the same audio power rating of 80-100watts RMS per ch.

Kung tunog din lang,or DD/DTS/DL2 capabilities,  there is hardly any difference among them., except this power consumption thing.  I suggest you visit www.epinions.com for equipment reviews.  Very informative.  

In your other post

Hi Lexmil.

can't help reading thru this thread.  masasabi ko lang , your messages make for very valid technical arguments versus tubes. bilang kasagutan sa title ng thread dito. Glad to read you're not really leaving this group where some of the tube loving dinousurs' only argument are their primitive ears.  

So go ahead.  YOUR RESP0NSES ARE APPROPRIATE TO THE QUESTION IN THIS THREAD:  WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST REASON WHY YOU WON'T GO TUBES..

para sa akin,  i share your understanding of tube operation vs solid state.  there is no known technical superiority of tubes over solid state.  sa mga nagsasabing let the ears be the judge., go ahead.  that's like getting married to someone and just letting the eyes be the judge.  (and geting married has so many similariities with going into this audiophile hobby of ours.)

anyway, palampasin mo na lang into raccio na ito.  Not worth it.  I too have been to a  number of live performances and they do sound just as clear and defeanning (sometimes) as my solid state equipment.(a second hand conrad-johnson mf-5600 and a harman-kardon avr7000). I do not compare between tubes and ss, only between live and ss.  yan ang hi-fi.

    You are against the power consumption of Pioneer to be 1100W, but your using Harman Kardon AVR 7000 which is a high current amplifier ( 75 Amperes ) that draws 1100W for 2 channel stereo only. If you use all five channels, 3 plantsa na iyon. Plus your using a CJ MF5600 then ilang plantsa nanaman iyon. I guess your a moneyed audio purist if this is your setup. If you can afford this gears then you wont mind using this electricity except if your an Electrical Engineer. Just my 1 cent.

Levi

[otcho]

Hi levi,

Sa pagka-alam ko, yung Harman Kardon ko at Conrad Johnson are both current amlifiers.  Pero yung mga Japanese brands like Onkyo, Sony, Yamaha at Pioneer ay voltage amplifiers na walang karapatang katumbas ng plantsa and consumo sa electricity.  Unless you say that Pioneer is a current amp, then their power consumption is justified.   So when I caution would-be Pioneer buyers about this, it is in context sa mga voltage amplifiers na mostly Jpanese and not with Harman, or most US and European amps na almost always current drivers.

PS.  I'm neither moneyed nor a purist.  Kaya nga sinabi kong second hand e.  

[levi]

Pardon me, makasabat nga,

It's so difficult recommending good AVRs or decoders  with a budget in mind.  Sa experience ko in the past, nagsimula ako na may budet , say P40k in cash, and ended up spending almost twice that.  Dahil magaling kasi yung sales talk na nakuha ko sa Apple sa Makati Cinema Square.  Dagdag lang ng konti dito, mas OK.  Problem was I had to buy  a DVD player, a speaker set and an amp or avr. components.  So add a little to this and that, suma total na doble yung nagastos ko.  Thanks to my credit card and my lack of self-control.  

To those contemplating to get a Pioneer AVR,  take a second look, especially at the back panel.  Maaring hindi issue ang power consumption to a moneyed audio purist, but for the budget conscious, the Pioneer  models I've seen boasts of an electric power consumption rating of 900 to 1100 watts.   Isang plantsa yan!!!! E yung ibang brands like Yamaha at Onkyio, only 500 watts. for the same audio power rating of 80-100watts RMS per ch.

Kung tunog din lang,or DD/DTS/DL2 capabilities,  there is hardly any difference among them., except this power consumption thing.  I suggest you visit www.epinions.com for equipment reviews.  Very informative.  

Otcho,

   I think you forgot it was you who compared the Pioneer to a "plantsa". Howcome you are now saying that Pioneer is a voltage amplifier and cant be compared to a plantsa.  They are all power consumption whether its current or voltage. Just my 1 cent.

levi

[otcho]

To Levi,

pls reread my posts.  Ang sabi ko yung Pinoeer katumbas ang plantsa compared with Yamaha, Onkyo and with all japanese brands na voltage drivers.  Siya lang bukod tangi ang may rating na 1000 watts thereabouts while the rest only say 500w or so for the same amp rating. Then sabi ko kung Pioneer ay current driver maybe the consumption rating is right.  Hindi ko alam kung current dirver si Pioneer.  But what I know is it is also a voltage driver like all jap brands.

Malaki and difference ng voltage sa current amp.  The latter is low impedance driving at kaya nya kahit 2 ohms load.  That is why matass sumipsip ng current.. Kung voltage driver hindi tatagal yung transistors mo sa ganitong load.  You are right parehong nag- coconsume ng power.  What I know is that the current amps consume more than voltage amps.  And my basis for cautioning you all is what is rated at the back for comparison purposes.   And only among jap brand. Claro???

[levi]

Nope................

[gboi]

hay..alam nyo sice th laserdisc days many yrs back hanggang ngayon..upgrade upgrade upgrade..as if theres no stopping frm upgrading....

[Superman]

hi!

if you really have the money and want to invest in a "best buy", go for the following:

1) denon 1602

2) onkyo 989 (thx ultra)

3) higher-end yamaha models (at least rxv730 and above)

thanks!

[notaku]

should receivers be chosen based on their weight?  i've read this somewhere,

i'm actually thinking of onkyo's 797 and denon's 3802.  they seem to occupy the same market niche based on their identical prices (45k) but the denon has more amplifiers for a full 7.1 setup, despite this the onk is both larger and heavier-does this mean the power supplies in the denon are inferior to the onk's, and therefore (?) the sound, especially with low-impedance speakers?

[gaol]

Hmmm, I've always thought that receivers should be chosen on the basis of their sound quality!   (Sorry, I couldn't resist.  )

BUT, the better receivers usually employ better components, such as larger and heavier heatsinks, power supplies and transformers, which leads to heavier equipment. So I guess, to a certain extent, it's true--the heavier the better--but not entirely.

I'm not familiar with the onkyo 797, but the denon 3802's have lots of rave reviews. In the end, it boils down t what sounds better for you, and what features you want.

Cheers!
GAOL

[notaku]

yup, a lot of raves went the denon 3802's way, but those i've read come with a caveat:  use the digital connection, especially w/cd's.

which brings me to another question:  since every maker brags about the dacs in their gear (denon & analog devices, onkyo & akm, h/k & crystal semicon, yamaha's own + burr-brown), should we then buy a receiver for its dacs?

yeah, yeah, somebody will always say "sound comes first"-but we're talking one-box receivers here, not separates.  it'd be better to base a choice on how a product attempts to arrive at its sound rather than one's perceptions in the showroom w/c may or may not hold up in one's own room and w/one's speakers.  

i'm asking about dacs coz those reviews were pretty detailed about the diff. bet. the denon's analog vs. digital inputs.  this is very interesting because if those analog devices dacs really are any good - and with the improving build standards of dvd players - maybe we need not be so finicky about sources anymore-???

[bonjit]

I plan on upgrading my AV Receiver I currently have an Onkyo 656 DD without DTS unfortunately I'm choosing between the six models Onkyo 696 or 797, Marantz 7200 or 8200, Denon 2802 or 3802. I think it all boils down to power, I think the Denon 2802's isn't powerful enough they're only rated at 90 watts per channel,  because I have a bigger listening room, so I might cross that out from my short list. By the way these receivers would be driving my 602 series 2 B&W's for the front and a cc6 series 2 for the center and a pair of B&W's 601 series 3 for the rear. Can somebody recommend to me the best AV receiver for my HT setup?

Bonjit of Sydney

[sandman]

 ;DGood day to all!!

I need some expert advice regarding what receiver to buy which is compatible with my DVD player.  I have a Pioneer 533K (I think).  

Being new to the world of DVD (since I purchased my player just 4 months ago), I thought that one can attach speakers and the sub-woofer to its back.  Yun pala, you have to buy a receiver in order to get that "cinema quality sound".  I need a decent receiver which is not too much of a burden in the pocket (I canvassed for a Pioneer receiver and it costs the same as the player!!)

I appreciate if you can assist me.

[Tango]

Hi sandman

  Welcome to the world full of gastos do you have a existing speakers? (component speakers) ok na yon for starter...later mag upgrade kana lang...btw yah you need a good reciever for your dvd player...i might consider a yamaha RX V-430 at least...it cost i think for now 15k+...thats the only budget reciever i can offer you, good reciever na yan...check mo yung features nya sa yamaha.com for more info, the rest is within your budget...pero i think dagdagan mo ng center speaker para mas cinematic ang dating. k....good luck and happy viewing

[xinesyss]

Hi Sandman,

     If you're interested in a budget receiver, i am selling a Pioneer 510G (Dolby Digital, DTS compatible with a power rating of 120 watts X 5). Im selling it for P12k. If you're interested you can txt me at 0919-8192809. Thanks and happy viewing.

[lmerb]

Hi sandman

  Welcome to the world full of gastos do you have a existing speakers? (component speakers) ok na yon for starter...later mag upgrade kana lang...btw yah you need a good reciever for your dvd player...i might consider a yamaha RX V-430 at least...it cost i think for now 15k+...thats the only budget reciever i can offer you, good reciever na yan...check mo yung features nya sa yamaha.com for more info, the rest is within your budget...pero i think dagdagan mo ng center speaker para mas cinematic ang dating. k....good luck and happy viewing

In addition to Tango you can check out Pioneer sells for 15+ in raon and Sherwood sells 14.5K in avid.

[redkoji]

Try for starters...Sherwood Receivers, the cheapest is at P14,500.00, 100W per channel or try mo yun NAD T741 which sell P23,500, 40W per channel.