2. home-theater
  3. 1382462909

Marantz SR700 cost to repair too high... advice?

I purchased my home theater system about 12 years ago. I have a Marantz SR7000, Monitor Audio Silver 5i LR, Monitor Audio Silver 10i C, Cambridge Soundworks surrounds (I forget the model but they are dipole) and sub.

Recently I've been getting crackling and then a large "whoomph" before losing sound in my center channel. I took it to a reputable stereo repair shop and they said that the center channel is fried (my term not theirs) and that the parts and labor to replace the appropriate components would be about $350. They actually recommended that it wasn't worth the repair work since I could get an updated receiver of similar quality for not much more in price.

It's been a long time since I've researched this stuff and would appreciate some advice. What are some mid-fi receivers that I should be looking at? Are Marantz, Dennon, and Onkyo still the brands to be concentrating on ?

I think I paid about $800 for my Marantz but don't really want to spend that now. Maybe I could get the same quality as a 12 year old SR7000 for cheaper now? I'd like to keep it around $500...

I use this almost exclusively for HT but the audio performance is what is most important to me. I know I'd benefit from networking, more inputs, etc, but I want to emphasize that sound performance, not features, is what I'm looking for.

Should I spend $500 for something new or $350 to fix what I already like but which is very out of date?

Thanks for your help!
bsimonssays

Showing 1 response by paraneer

paraneer's avatar
paraneer
818 posts
 
Definitely use the money toward something new and do not repair what is now an obsolete AVR. Most mainstream electronics, especially AVR's, are not worth repairing as the technology changes so rapidly.

Modern AVR's now offer lossless decoding of DTS Master and Dolby True HD, the two sound formats found on all Blu-ray releases. Also up to 7.1 channels of uncompressed audio and video can be carried by one HDMI cable, greatly simplifying the HT tangle nightmare of years ago. These two key features are something your old AVR does not have and why you should consider a modern HT receiver even if your old Marantz was still functioning properly.

Regret to advise that IMO, you will not get the same quality or power as your old Marantz for $500 or even $800. You will get more features. So if sound quality is paramount, make sure you get an AVR with a full set of pre-outs. If you find the internal amps of the AVR are not cutting it, by having a full set of pre-outs, you can consider adding an external multi-channel amp. But try the internal amps first - that may be all you need.

So without recommending any of the mainstream brands you mention (throw Pioneer Elite in there too), I just want to put forth the above caveats and strongly advise you only consider a model that has a full set of pre-outs. Just in case...
More to discover