Nov 13 Podcast #399: Receiver Buying Guide 2009
Podcast Tags: Advice, Buying guide, Receiver 
The HT Guys buying guides have become an annual tradition, and something that we really look forward to putting together. Last week we covered TVs, this week we'll do A/V Receivers. We'll break them down into price categories, just like last year, $500 or less, between $500 and $1000, and greater than $1000. It's become commonplace for receivers to support Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio, so we'll be looking for other features to distinguish each unit this time around.
Listen to the show
Today's Show:
News:
- Redbox Q3 revenue jumps 90%
- Walmart prices Q4 DVD new releases at $10
- ATSC Sets DTV Audio Loudness Guidelines
- DIRECTV Offers HDNet On Demand
Other:
- Interview with Plex Lead Developer Elan Feingold
- Orb for mac is here ... Finally
- MyMovies: Poor Man's Kaleidescape?
Receiver Buying Guide 2009
The HT Guys buying guides have become an annual tradition, and something that we really look forward to putting together. Last week we covered TVs, this week we'll do A/V Receivers. We'll break them down into price categories, just like last year, $500 or less, between $500 and $1000, and greater than $1000. It's become commonplace for receivers to support Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio, so we'll be looking for other features to distinguish each unit this time around.
Onkyo TX-SR607 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Theater Receiver - The 606 made our list last year and cost $320. The 607 is a little more expensive at $370, but you get more for it. Of course you get HDMI v1.3a, 1080p video processing powered by Faroudja, TrueHD, and DTS-HD Decoding. But you get 2 more HDMI inputs (total of 6), 2 subwoofer outputs (7.2), and Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Dolby Pro Logic IIz. Still the best value out there!
Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver - This is a powerful beast with a pretty low price tag of only $649. Of course it will handle analog video upscaling to HDMI 1080p, supports HD Audio decoding, can run 2 zones and HD Radio Receiver, XM and SIRIUS ready. But it also has a fancy Graphical User Interface that can display album art. It has a USB port for external music sources and has Yamaha's own version of a dynamic volume control technology called Yamaha Adaptive DRC (Dynamic Range Control).
SONY STR-DA4400 ES 120 Watts 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver - The Sony ES line is good. No doubt about it. Your $969 will go a long way with this one. It has 6 HDMI inputs that are compatible with 1080 60p/24p, deep color and x.v.color video signals and will upconvert analog video to 1080p using Faroudja DCDi Cinema technology. In addition to TrueHD and DTS HD, supports Direct stream digital (DSD) decoding. It's also a true multi zone receiver, supporting multi-room HD video (up to 2 rooms) and audio (up to 3 rooms). This means you can start a movie in the living room and finish it in the bedroom or listen to your favorites songs from your iPod located in the living room, on the patio in the backyard
Denon AVR4310CI 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver with Networking Capability - We listed the precursor to this model, the 4308, as our "Ultimate Christmas Present" last year because of its whopping $2149 price tag. Here's an instance where waiting may have worked out in your favor. The newer 4310 has dropped in price to $1699. It has everything. For video you've got HDMI 1.3a Repeating (5 in, 2 out) with Anchor Bay VRS processing to HD quality (up to 1080 24p/60p). On the audio side of course Dolby TrueHD, dts-HD, Audyssey DSX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Audyssey MultEQ XT, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ. And for that special touch, networking capability opens up your AV system to audio and jpeg photo streaming and Internet radio. Additionally, subscription music services like Rhapsody and Napster are supported.
Pioneer SC-27 Elite 7.1 Channel A/V THX Receiver - For $1299 we both looked at this with our jaws on the floor. It does everything and then some. At its core, the Pioneer Elite SC-27 A/V receiver was designed to deliver best-in-class sound quality for full-scale immersion into today's new high-definition multi-channel home theaters. It supports HDMI 1.3 on 5 HDMI inputs, uses Pioneers exclusive Direct Energy HD amplifier with ICEpower Class-D technology, will play Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master soundtracks that we all know and love. It has AIR Studios Monitor Sound Tuning Certification and is THX Ultra2 Certified. Quite a deal for under $1300.
One to watch for:
Sherwood R-904N 100 Watt 7.1-Channel Dual-Zone receiver - This one isn't availble yet, but should start shipping soon for around $649. On the surface it looks like a standard 100 watt 7.1 home theater receiver. You get 3 HDMI inputs, support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD, but the future is the network. This unit can connect to the Internet so you can watch stuff like YouTube, Hulu, Amazon, or Netflix directly from your receiver. No need for a Blu-ray player, no need for a separate box. If you think you can get away with just watching video content from the Internet, and considering services like Hulu and Netflix, that really isn't too far fetched an idea, this really would be the only box you'd need.
Reader Comments (12)
Wow! The Pioneer SC-27 for less than $1300! What you don't know is that the seller is probably not an authorized Pioneer dealer. This means that the Pioneer Warranty will not be honored should you need it. However, the savings are incredible, making this worth the gamble. CAVEAT EMPTOR (Let the buyer beware)
z3540i,
That price is through the HT Guys store which is a front end for Amazon. The receiver is fully warranted.
Ara
Careful comparing Denon models to last years models as they're not direct replacements like the model number would leave you to believe.
4308 is replaced by the 4810
3808 is replaced by the 4310
2809 is now a 3810
1909 is now a 2810
new model? 1910
One would think they can replace their 3808 with a 3810 (and hey, look at that it's cheaper!) but they'll really get a new equivlent of a 2809. Instead of upgrading, they're downgrading.
This show so makes me want to get a new receiver, but I need a new TV for my office first. Plus, DLNA capability is a must for me in any receiver, and that jacks up the cost above $1,000, unless I'm missing a cheap receiver somewhere. So I must wait.
Also heard your comments about modulating an HD signal to an ATSC channel, and this is something I've wanted to do for quite some time now. Back in the low-def days, it was pretty easy to modulate a video signal to a cable channel and feed that back into your cable distribution so all the TVs in the house could watch that item. For instance, you could use a zone 2 output from a receiver, pick anything hooked up to that receiver, and then watch it on a cable channel like 86, or whatever you chose, on any TV. You can't do that now, as far as I can find. I have seen an ATSC modulator that would convert a VGA signal from a computer, but so what, and it was around $500. And if copying was the reason it's not being done, couldn't the device turn on the digital no-copy flag in the modulated signal? I wouldn't want to watch a blu-ray on my best screen via ATSC because you'd limit the stream to 19Mbps and MPEG-2, but it'd be cool for so much else.
Speaking of copying, that's also something I miss from the SD days: archiving. It's damn near impossible to get HD video off a DVR and save it for later. There is some content, like local news or a live political event, etc., that will never be on disc. I managed to get a clunky solution on a PC where the Firewire output from my DVR fed into the PC and was recorded with some really ugly drivers and software and it was NOT easy to use. Lately it stopped working and I haven't had the patience to troubleshoot and fix it.
A show feature about the missing functionality from the low-def days, and how to get it back, would cool.
I heard the podcast item about Wal-Mart.com blu-ray dvd pre-order releases. Some of the dvd's I cannot order in California, with the message that Calif. law prevents this purchase.
Bad link to Orb. Link to mymovies.dk instead.
Thanks for the bad link report Alan. It should point to the right URL now.
Ara
Few quick notes for information
1) Orb will do live tv for the pc not sure about mac as I don't use that
2) You can backup blue ray movies though replay options are limited
3) My movies is just like kaleidoscope (though I have never owned a kaleidoscope system) but to get all the features it either takes a bit of work (donating information) or buying points. But now you can simply add the dvd (I believe DVD only) and auto burn it to storage and play back whenever which was I believe one of the biggest point of the kaleidoscope ease.
doh remembered what else I wanted to add there is a couple other options to my movies including media portal and media browser I believe
I am getting ready to buy a replacement for an old receiver to anchor a small basement setup. Budget and tin ears limit me to a less than $500 one. The Onkyo TX-SR607 you mention would do the trick but I don’t need 7:1 or two room capability. Therefore the TX-SR507 would do the trick for me. Was contemplating Denon advertized in Sunday’s “Best Buy” add for $349 as it’s relatively inexpensive, has Dolby True HD/DTS Master Audio.
On line content is really important to me and I’d like to have even a better connection to the display than I do now. I’ve been a four at a time Netflix guy since they first started, but have probably watched more downloads from Netflix than I have disks. I’ve got an old laptop plugged into my 52” Sharp, but the setup is clunky in the extreme. What I really want is one box to do it all. If someone would marry a pc (Mac or windows), blue ray player, and a receiver, I’d spring for more. I’d give the Samsung BD-P2500 Blue Ray I bought off of your last year’s recommendations to my kids and my wife might be able to operate the system.
The Sherwood R-904N you show at the end of the review is closer to what I want. I don’t know why someone doesn’t put a hard disk into one of these things, power it with Linux, include a wireless keyboard and declare convergence victory.
BTW, I’m a monthly subscription contributor. Love the show. Keep up the good work.
What i thought Braden's answer would be...
Ara "Do you know why our iPhone app was rejected?"
Braden "Because I dropped the F-Bomb last podcast?"
Hey if you check over at the AVS Forums, in The Onkyo TX-SR606 Owners Thread, you will find several users that experienced there HDMI Board in there receiver dying. Mine died about 4 months ago. When this happen you normally lose OSD, HDMI up conversion, ability to send 1080P of any kind over Ethernet to name a few things.