Who's running flagship AVRs? Do tell why.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by ronm, Feb 25, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    This is exactly what I'd did for about ten years. As I found I was not doing anything other than two channel for the last couple years I switch to a line stage pre amp. The difference was not subtle.
     
  2. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I haven't seen Rotel mentioned and they are making some very impressive AVR's. If the funds are available, I think McIntosh is still at the top of the list. Reliability is a concern but when it works, it's hard to beat.
     
    scotpagel likes this.
  3. StimpyWan

    StimpyWan Forum Resident

    I still own a Yamaha DSP-A3090, a RX-V3000, and now a RX-A3030. All pretty much top of the line Yamaha. Each one is a beast of a receiver. Excellent sound quality too. And the reason that I went with the newest 3030, instead of a 3040, 50, or 60, is the 3030 is the last of the Yamaha's still sporting analog video inputs. I wanted S-VHS for my laser disc player (don't laugh), and the 3030 had this, the later models don't.

    As to the sound, the RX-A3030 sounds great. Good, wide imaging, very precise sounding. A bit warmer sounding than previous Yamaha's. Excellent detail, with it's ESS Sabre 32 DAC's. Spooky good surround, if that's your thing. In fact, I was watching the movie, "The Professional", when I heard my son yelling during a video game he was playing. The sound coming hard-right from me, in the next room. I paused the movie, and didn't hear anymore screams from him. So, I rewound and restarted the scene, and yelling again. This time I realized it was in the movie's mix! An argument in an apartment, as Leon was walking down a hallway. Very realistic. Fooled me.
     
    Kristofa, ronm and 4xoddic like this.
  4. PhilBiker

    PhilBiker sh.tv member number 666

    Location:
    Northern VA, USA
    I ran both of these. The 828 I had as a refurb from "One Call" that came with the matching ED-901 Dolby Digital processor that connected by the 25 pin connector. A couple years later I found a used 919 for $300 at a hifi/musical instrument store that was clearing out their hifi section to concentrate solely on musical instruments. (They had a pair of B&W Nautilis speakers - I didn't ask the price). Both monsters. The 919 was a beast!!!

    My home theater in Feb 2000:
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I love that Hamm's sign, do you still have it? My last name as well, been looking for one for years.
     
    PhilBiker likes this.
  6. PhilBiker

    PhilBiker sh.tv member number 666

    Location:
    Northern VA, USA
    Yes, I have it. It's in the bar in my basement. It's a classic vintage Hamm's sign that needs refurbishing but still works.
     
    Dennis0675 likes this.
  7. Upinsmoke

    Upinsmoke Well-Known Member

    Location:
    SE PA
    I would agree with this. I was having issues with my last pre (Integra) and ended up getting a Anthem MRX710 for 1/2 off so went with that. I tried using both the AVR to power the speakers and also using it as a pre and my Parasound 2205 as the amp. I felt the Parasound gave a better sound over the AVR alone and just use it as a pre. Mind you, the sound was not that off and I think with less power hungry speakers (currently ML Vistas) I have a feeling the AVR would have been fine.

    The ARC setup and processing sounds amazing. It really is leaps ahead of other sound mgt. software I've tried in the past. I also use the ARC settings for analog also and over defeated it sounds significantly better.
     
    toddrhodes and LarryP like this.
  8. ronm

    ronm audiofreak Thread Starter

    Location:
    southern colo.
    [​IMG]
    Better Onkyo gear from the 90s seems pretty uncommon.The lower end gear was everywhere.At least in my experience.I had a lower end piece and still have a asv-620 int amp.Circa 1996@120 wpc.Almost nothing on the net about it.
     
  9. norliss

    norliss Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cardiff, Wales
    Is the idea behind this that the Yammy becomes performs only pre-amp duties, leaving power-amp to the stereo integrated? Wouldn't a nice stereo integrated amp also contain a better pre-amp too? Also, aren't there likely to be volume-matching issues to contend with?
     
  10. ronm

    ronm audiofreak Thread Starter

    Location:
    southern colo.
    I was considering an avr700 on ebay because I read good reviews and like the looks of these.Didn't work out though and landed up getting a B@K 507.
     
  11. Linger63

    Linger63 Forum Resident

    Location:
    AUSTRALIA
    PM'ed as getting OT!!!
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2017
  12. ronm

    ronm audiofreak Thread Starter

    Location:
    southern colo.
    Picked up local(surprised the hell out of me)an RXZ9.It will be a bit before I can set her up.
     
    rodentdog and Linger63 like this.
  13. Tom Littlefield

    Tom Littlefield Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire, USA
    Yes that is how it works, I do the very thing with my Marantz PM8005 two channel and an Onkyo TX RZ810 AVR. Sound quality is fantastic and when set up this way the volume control on the Marantz becomes null and void. App speaker volumes are controlled via the AVR.
     
    Linger63 likes this.
  14. ljbrandt

    ljbrandt New Member

    I'm following this thread with great interest and looking forward to hearing your impressions of the RX-Z9. I started off in this hobby about 5 years ago with a cheap Lepai T-amp...I now listen to a 300b SE tube amp :) In between, I actually briefly owned an RX-Z9, but felt that at low levels it did not offer any sonic improvement to my little tripath amps. At higher SPLs, the bass and dynamics were awesome. Since all my listening was done in the near-field, I though the Z9 a bit over-kill for my set-up. I used it only in 2ch pure direct mode, feeding it from my USB DAC. This mode employed only the AVR's amp section and shut everything else down to minimize interference (even the display went black!). I thought it sounded good, but a bit on the 'dark' side compared to my t-amp. I regret only using it in this way as I now understand it employed (then) TOTL Burr Brown dacs on all of its channels...I was only using my dragonfly thumb DAC at the time.

    Well fast forward a few years and I'm debating on getting another Z9 to try. I still love my Gemtune Chinese 300b amp, but 300b tubes are expensive and a tube amp isn't ideal for quick on/off listening sessions. I know one would have to pay huge sums to come close to singe-ended tube sound from solid state, but I can live with compromises that come from less expensive SS knowing it would serve a different function in my listening (i.e. driver control and slam).

    I've come to believe that buying older/used hi-end speakers and components yields the best results. Therefore, I've narrowed down my choices to the Z9 and a McCormack 0.5 (un-modded), which both can be had for about $800 used. I like the idea of the built in pre-amp and high-end DACs on the RX-Z9, plus, the Z9 amp section is supposedly class A biased....but the McCormack is king of the under $1k SS from the forum scouring I've done. The choice is tough I think...the lack of comparisons between McCormack DNA's and the RX-Z9 are frustrating, but not unexpected (given that they are very different pieces of equipment). I considered some higher wattage class D options and even tried a Crown XLS amp, but wasn't particularly impressed.

    Good luck and let us know what you think!
     
    PhilBiker likes this.
  15. rodentdog

    rodentdog Senior Member

    I just got a RX-Z9 this week. Had to have my stereo installer set it up as 1) it appears to be smarter than me and 2) I don't have an external monitor to hook up to it for set up.
    Running it in 2ch stereo mode, A+B with a sub (haven't needed to turn the sub on yet).
    Loving the sound vs. my old Nakamichi receiver.
    My installer was jealous of the way my system sounds now. Not a bad recommendation.
     
    ronm and PhilBiker like this.
  16. rl1856

    rl1856 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SC
    Research the current market and determine your priorities. Then purchase the best you can afford. I used a Marantz SR19ex for a long time until it stopped working. When considering a replacement, I wanted an all in one box solution (aesthetics in the family room), with an excellent DAC, HDMI upscaling, media streaming and multiroom functionality. Purchased a Marantz SR7009, the TOTL model in 2015; however it is now 2 generations old.... That said, the AVR does everything I need and want it to do. Sources are HD cable box, Roku for video steaming, NAS/Ethernet for stored content streaming, wifi for internet radio. Speakers are B&W 685 S2 and HTM61 S2 across the front, and paradigm in wall speakers for the rear channels and other zones. App software is primitive and crashes from time to time. Otherwise I am satisfied and will continue to use the box until it breaks (hopefully several years from now).
     
    ronm and PhilBiker like this.
  17. ronm

    ronm audiofreak Thread Starter

    Location:
    southern colo.
    I've heard of McCormack and heard very good things about.I've been auditioning a Yamaha RXV1 from about 2000.I like what I hear and am looking forward to even better with the z9.Given a choice not hearing either the 0.5 or the Z9 I would be inclined to go with the separate Mc but who knows these Yamahas are pretty damn good when you want to give it some gas.
     
  18. lonelysea

    lonelysea Ban Leaf Blowers

    Location:
    The Cascades
    Just today I replaced my old Sunfire TGR-401 with a new Yamaha RX-A3060. The Sunfire was a beast with power to spare but it didn't support 4K. Will report back on the Yamaha when it's up and running.
     
  19. mdm08033

    mdm08033 Senior Member

    The what generation of HDMI is your Sunfire?
     
  20. lonelysea

    lonelysea Ban Leaf Blowers

    Location:
    The Cascades
    An early one - 1.3 I think?
     
  21. mdm08033

    mdm08033 Senior Member

    When you try sell that piece, it would be great for someone like me who is interested in high resolution audio, Blu-ray, DVD-Audio, SA-CD, but not UHD or Atmos.
     
  22. lonelysea

    lonelysea Ban Leaf Blowers

    Location:
    The Cascades
    I plan on selling it, hopefully locally - shipping a heavy unit like that might be cost prohibitive. I also replaced the old Oppo 83 that fed it. DVD-As sounded incredible through this unit (Sunfire ribbon speakers, Triad stereo subs).
     
  23. lonelysea

    lonelysea Ban Leaf Blowers

    Location:
    The Cascades
    Update: the big Yamaha is great - much higher level of accuracy and detail than the Sunfire. Lacks a little of the latter's low end grunt, though. That might change with some hours on it, I expect.
     
    ronm and mdm08033 like this.
  24. ronm

    ronm audiofreak Thread Starter

    Location:
    southern colo.
    Yamahas are good.I had nothing really high end but what I had, Yamahas pretty much showed them the door.
     
  25. BigGame

    BigGame Forum Resident

    I am using Yamaha DSP A2 (it is not flagship but it is nice unit) for movies and multi ch audio.( tis combo is connected only once in month)
    Combination is :
    Yamaha DSP-A2 (center) SF Solo
    Krell KSA 200S (front L R) - SF Cremona M
    Yamaha M2 (back L R) - SF Concertino
    Sub Martin Logan (i forgot model)

    For stereo Im using Audio Research LS27 and Krell KSA 200S
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine