Help a guy out? Renovating home theater system after 10 years and have a few questions.


I am going to modernize my family's TV situation.  We have a 60 inch Pioneer 1080p plasma. My speakers are Paradigm Millennia with two MIllenia 20 Trio as towers and then Millenia 30s for center and surrounds.  The subwoofer is a Paradigm, but not sure what model.  The Receiver is a Denin AVR 2807. I have not done anything with it in a decade. 

I am getting an LG 86SJ9570 because why not.  The receiver definitely need to go, and I have settled on the Yamaha Aventage for no good reason. I was looking at Onkyo, but I get the sense the Yamaha may be easier for me to figure out.  My inclination is to look for more receiver than I need but buy something maybe a few years old. Whatever it is will be a learning process.

I have figured out that the model numbers reflect the series or the date.  When the Aventage came out in 2010, it was 60, 700, 800, 1000, etc.  Then they have the 810, the 820 and so on.  So we now have the 70 series.  I suspect that if I bought a 7 year old receiver, I would be missing some things that I really want or need, but I have no idea how far back I can go safely.  I cannot find a chart of the changes by series.  An RX-A1070 is $1,199 at Amazon, and an RX-A2060 is $929.  I can get a 1040 for $550 and a 1030 for $450. But I have no idea what a good cutoff point would be.  If anyone has an idea, I would really appreciate the help.

I also would be curious if my speakers make sense.  We sit about 18 feet from the TV, and I sometimes feel like there is not enough mass to the noise if that makes sense. For some reason, it seems to me like that might be more of an issue with a bigger screen.

Thanks, I really appreciate any help. 
vasubandu

Showing 2 responses by alkaloid

Vasubandu I would start with a reciever from Anthem. The same company that makes your speakers. I am using a 58 inch Samsung plasma still since 2010. I was reading an article in Widescreen Review from Joe Kane about the UHD 4K displays, and the manufacturers are still using different standards. I would strongly advise you to wait a little longer on the display. The content is not there yet either. I have gone crazy on the audio end and got an Anthem P5 Statement to drive my large mains and surround rears. I built a center channel to match since the factory no longer exists. All the same drivers and crossovers. Tweeters and midrange all at ear level in the same plane. Using 2 Nikko Alpha 440s to drive smaller height speakers for Atmos. My large speakers are ADS L1290/2s and small speakers 4 of them are ADS L300s. I am using 1 HSU sub VTF-MK4. All my stuff was used and I purchased the speakers on Ebay and Craigslist. I had them all rebuilt by Rich So. The P5 I got used for half price of a new one. I bought the subwoofer online and had it shipped from the factory by UPS. I had the 2 Nikkos rebuilt as well. I bought an Anthem AVM 60 new at the dealer where I got the used P5. I have been into audio all my life since a teenager, now 61 yrs old so I know my way around setup and calibration. Even with yrs of experience when I ran the room correction ARC, that was in the preamp the sound was vastly improved. I used to use Spears and Munsil 2nd edition disc to calibrate the sound with a sound pressure level meter but the ARC system with the calibrated mic is much more accurate. Get one of Anthems recievers and you will be very happy. Get as much power as you can afford. Go slow as the budget allows but get good quality and it will last decades.
willemj. All your posts seem well informed and accurate. I guess I am more audio than video. I started the good video with a Proton  and finally got into High def with a 1080p  Plasma. Am now into the object based Dolby Atmos but waiting to pull the plug on new display.