Denon or Marantz? Home theater beginner.

Unless Marantz has dchanged a few things in the past couple years, their video section did not upsample video resolutions over HDMI. I recall 480p being their standard when I was shopping. I wasn’t thrilled with their service and support dept. either.

I settled on Onkyo 805. I didn’t want a digital amp section, and I did want a good sounding unit for stereo listening opportunities. Some of their sales info however was nearly misleading if not in fact. Additional zones past the main one are all analog only. No digital connections are conveyed into the second or third zones.

It also does not convey info onto the screen if HDMI is used as the interface. With component, S Vid, and RCA (composite) it will. Of course one can go into the menu and that will appear very well indeed, regardless the interface in use.

Despite these subjective shortcomings, the 805 does a great job sonically, and with video. It does require adequate cooling though and some other receivers do too… so bare that in mind when shopping.

J River, among other online dealers sell new and closeout models all the time. Check the Onkyo usa website for authorized online dealers, or any other maker’s site for that info.

I wanted new at that time, with no aspirations of adding to or stepping up from it…. That idea lasted about 2 months. It is now only partially a processor as outboard amps are now connected to it. So do think about this a bit…. It seems new receiver line ups come out twice a year. Buying new is nice and all that… but if you are the sort that usually can’t leave well enough alone, perhaps buying a recent pre-owned & more upscale unit may be the ticket for you. You’ll get more for your $$$ that way of course and overcome the depreciation of new all in one fell swoop.

AS for speakers the more efficient and easier impedance curve they have the better. Much depends here on room size and listening levels though. I have a Sony 110wpc 10 yr old HT unit which drives speakers of 85 & 87db and both reputedly are 8 ohm units… in a 14 x 12 room and it can be made uncomfortable very easily.

Good luck.

Schwegs99

One point you make in your request for input here is that this effort is geared towards a 90% video involvement, and 10% music.

Films provide a lot of content that coincides with music, yet it adds to that with real world noises. Meaning speed and presence is key. Amps with good power reserves provide that result. So do speakers with good sensitivity.

The biggest or most additive piece to the HT puzzle, besides the image size and a cohesive sound field, is the subwoofer. Somehow you gotta figure in a very good sub for a more involving experience, into the speaker budget… if not immediately, very soon thereafter..

So some decision as to the degree to which you want the audio recreated is in order too, along with the interface options available now. Namely I’m speaking of HDMI.

Marantz/Denon, Onkyo/Integra, are IMHO more musically oriented appliances. Machines like Pioneer, and Sony in my exp, owning and selling them, are more adept at the HT aspect. They seem to possess more snap and sizzle than do the formers. More jump factor if you will.

Many people here are a bit more musically oriented and the posts to that effect are well represented by their voices on the receiver choices listed here already.

Warmth in the audio region can become a subtractive element if too much is added within the mixture.

Personally I feel you’re pretty hard pressed to go wrong with what ever you wind up selecting by way of receiver & speaker combos. I’d listen to as many setups as I could. Read as much online via the dedicated AV mags & forums, and look for flexibility, interface options, and local support if possible, along with items that fit into your budget to make your final picks.

The sub, the display, and the sound field are the key elements. Of the sound field, the front mains and center ch speakers (if a center is to be used) should be as congruent or seamless as possible. In fact if the prospective receiver will allow for a virtual or ghost center ch that will enable some funds to be freed up for say a better sub.

It will all work out for you I’m sure… so just put what you can now, where you can. BTW my first decent HT rig was Sony es AV receiver + BW 600 series speakers and Velodyne sub….. things have since changed as they always will.

Features and power are the normal added attractions as you move up in the line.

...and six months from now or less... there'll be another model taking the place of the one you buy now with still mo' stuff on or in it.... or so say the manufacturers.

Is a Porsche better than a Jaguar? A BMW better than a Lexus?

It all depends on how they feel to me and what I can afford at the time.

Past the esthetics their performance differences at that point will be measured usually in fractions.... not night and day lengths.

Please do get what you feel is best for you and not what some other person likes. That's always a very good approach... with just about anything. it's not life or death or anything near it, and I do understand the trepidation. IN the budget disclosed, good to very good is about all one can expect.