# I need to replace my HT receiver & have a hypothetical ??



## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

I've always been a JVC fan since I was old enough to try more than one brand of equipment both car & home audio. But I have this 7.1 receiver I bought a few years ago & it's just been a total piece of trash. The center channel cuts in & out & you can smack it on top to get it going again lol. Anyway, it's time to remove that POS. I had a lower line Sony before it & it really sucked but, other than it I always liked Sony. I was looking for a CD changer a few years ago & ended up with a Sony DVD changer that I love. I'd really like to try to keep with the same brand throughout (my OCD) so I'm thinking Sony for a receiver but I'm not rigid with that decision. So...

If you were going to spend around $500 give or take for a receiver & knew where to get a Sony STR-DA7100ES for around that price range used, would you buy it (It retailed around $1500 new)? Or buy something new instead? If so, what & why? I'm not a true die hard home theater guy because lately since I'm only able to watch movies at night with headphones... well you get the idea. But I do have a badass subwoofer setup with 2 amps, 2 Audio Art 12"s & another box with four 6 1/2"s behind the couch & on weekends I do enjoy cranking up a good action flick.

I plan to have a plasma TV soon. I've got the DVD changer & will buy a Blue Ray player. I also won't give up my SVHS VCR yet. That's about it for equipment after I downsize some. We also have most every game system ever made & it's a big part of our lives. Just some info incase someone asks.

Also a BIG stipulation to my system... It has got to do double duty with music. Loud heavy metal type music lol I like using what I have now playing music on the 2.1 setting so I can use my subwoofer (amp for the 6 1/2"s turned off).

I hope my novel wasn't too long? I tend to add too much info when I post on a forum.


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## Tbagg (Mar 15, 2008)

Take a look at the Pioneer 1019. I have the 1018 (1019 replaced the 1018 this year) and absolutely love it. Only draw back to this reciever was the OM was a hard read and complicated.


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

I read a little bit about it. Nice suggestion. Thanks! It's a little lacking on inputs if I were to add more components (wait I forget I'm downsizing lol) but the ipod input is cool since I just got an iphone a while back. But I really don't use it for music. I hate mp3s, compressed music. I'm adding it to the top of my list I think.

Anymore suggestions? After 4 or 5 years since that Sony ES I listed was built, surely at it's used price there's a newer receiver now that's close to matching it?


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## BlackLac (Aug 8, 2005)

Sorry, I cannot comment about that Sony, but in that price range, I recommend Pioneer or Denon. Myself, I use Denon. Had a 1908 and now a 1909 and I love them both. Denon uses Audyssey and I really like it. Pioneer has it's own version of room correction EQ and I have not tried it.

That said, the Sony _sounds_ like a good buy. Usually the ES line is highly regarded.


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

BlackLac said:


> Sorry, I cannot comment about that Sony, but in that price range, I recommend Pioneer or Denon. Myself, I use Denon. Had a 1908 and now a 1909 and I love them both. Denon uses Audyssey and I really like it. Pioneer has it's own version of room correction EQ and I have not tried it.
> 
> That said, the Sony _sounds_ like a good buy. Usually the ES line is highly regarded.


I've never owned any Denon & I always thought of them as great but their only receiver I have found in this price range gets terrible reviews for sound quality compared to the Pioneer above. I forget what the model # was. The reason I looked it up was because I was at best buy looking at the Pioneer.

The Sony is a no go. The guy decided not to sell right now. I'm still looking for now. I hate to jump into something & then later kick myself. Truthfully the only reason I haven't pulled the trigger on the Pioneer is because everything I've ever owned by them has failed. I'm looking at a Yamaha right now & decided to up my budget to around $700 - $800 but Yamaha to me always seemed like cheesy stuff. Again personal experiences & both of these brand experiences were many years back & none was upper end stuff. I really wish I could find a store that had several brands & models in stock so I can check them out in person.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Onkyo and Yamaha have some nice options. I REALLY want to get a 707 to replace my 674 but it's hard to justify unless my 674 dies or my wife understands the benefits of DTS-HD MA and TrueHD sound.


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## otis857 (Feb 12, 2008)

Marantz SR6004. I just bought it this year and love it. Great sounding receiver with 2 extra zone options as well as bi-amping off the extra receiver channels for L&R mains. You can buy last years models and save about 200-300 bucks (under $1K). The only real difference is the curved face, bluetooth capabilities and 10wpc.


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## stalintc (Dec 6, 2007)

Great piece for the money Outlaw Audio 1070. I did a quick search and it seems $300 is now par for the course used. Ugly IMO, but they sound great (I have some experience with their products.


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

stalintc said:


> Great piece for the money Outlaw Audio 1070. I did a quick search and it seems $300 is now par for the course used. Ugly IMO, but they sound great (I have some experience with their products.


I love that! You're crazy, the looks are one of the best features. The only issue I'd have is the lack of HDMI inputs/outputs & upconversion. Though I'd maybe sacrifice if I could find one in good shape for the price you mentioned provided I knew for sure about the DVI stuff. Can I still get adapters if the TV I buy doesn't have inputs?


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## stalintc (Dec 6, 2007)

This will sound odd, but I _Like_ that it is ugly. They are a good value because they didn't add a $300 billet face plate to it. DVI to HDMI can still be purchased at box stores.


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

Woohoo! I just got a sweet deal on a Yamaha RX-V1900 at Best Buy. It was an open item so I got it for $900! I also got a 42" Panasonic 1080p plasma screen for almost half off. I love haggling


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## stalintc (Dec 6, 2007)

Congrats! Enjoy the gear!


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks! I haven't even set anything up & already it sounds better than that JVC did. Of course it cost more than 3 times what the JVC did as well. I've been trying to figure the thing out but so far it's smarter than me lol.


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## Austin (Mar 12, 2009)

That is a sweet deal, considering it is $1299 at amazon. nice little $400 savings right there.


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

Austin said:


> That is a sweet deal, considering it is $1299 at amazon. nice little $400 savings right there.


Yep. It was one of those right time, right place things. Same with the plasma tv I got. I almost changed my mind on the receiver at the last minute because they had a badass Pioneer Elite with the same power specs for $999 that would have actually been new in the box but I knew for a fact this Yamaha met all of my needs & then some from my research. I remember reading up on some Pioneers but at the time couldn't remember why I was wanting the Yamaha over it so I felt it was better safe than sorry. Though I think the Pioneer was a much better looking receiver.

The only bad part is that printing the manual that was missing used up all my printer ink. Now I have to refill that. Also I can't seem to get the HDMI upconversion thing to work. I finally figured out how to turn it on but still no image. I'm hoping it's a bad cable. I've had a few bad cables from my old install, I've learned.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

ghostmechanic said:


> Woohoo! I just got a sweet deal on a Yamaha RX-V1900 at Best Buy. It was an open item so I got it for $900! I also got a 42" Panasonic 1080p plasma screen for almost half off. I love haggling


Niiiiiice. I looked at that same reveiver but decided to wait until I get back to the states in a few years to get a new receiver and tv.


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

quality_sound said:


> Niiiiiice. I looked at that same reveiver but decided to wait until I get back to the states in a few years to get a new receiver and tv.


Well, I know why I got such a great price on it. The friggin HDMI section is bad. No upconversion. No through HDMI I've been on the phone with Yamaha all week trying to figure out what's wrong. Finally the guy told me to take it back to Best Buy & make them exchange it. He thinks it's got a bad processor in it. One good note... Their customer service is top notch.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

And now you end up with a new receiver at that price.  Or was it the last one?


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## ghostmechanic (Mar 2, 2009)

Well I got great news! I had to drive 100 miles AGAIN, but Best Buy stepped up & exchanged the receiver out. It was a horrible experience because they didn't seem to give a **** that I had just spent $1,600 in there the week before but I got a different receiver. I brought it home & it works! I've been watching HD for the first time at home! Hell even watching my old VCR has a decent picture through this with the upconversion. It is a super VHS though.

I'm pretty happy with the whole setup. It shows me how little power my old jvc receiver really had. I thought I had speakers going bad but I realize it was just the receiver.


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