Thank you everyone. I just confirmed my order for the Emotiva XPA-5 G2. That should take care of my power needs for decades to come and I'm going with the Outlaw 975. That should be a substantial upgrade over my HK AVR 7300. Now I just have to find someone to gift my old receiver to.
What receiver should I buy?
I need some help my fellow audio fans. I need to replace my beloved Harmon Kardon AVR 7300. I just want something that has HDMI. I want to spend under $2000.00. It doesn't have to be new technology. I just want to be able to continue enjoying my 5.1 Klipsch set-up at high volumes. Does anyone have any suggestions? My 7300 is old tech but a high current monster. I need something close. Speakerwise I run Klipsch, RF 82s, an RC64, RS52's and an RW12D. I just use it for watching movies and the occasional rock concert video (AC/DC) and the like. I'm not an audiophile. My hearing sucks but I do need good clean power. The Integra DTR 70.4 has the weight and the stats but the reviews say it's under powered. I'm willing to buy refurbished models and "new in the box" stuff that several years old. What should I get and where can I get it.
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I'll stick with my recommendation of the Outlaw with the Emotiva mentioned above. It's not all about features Paraneer. A cheap receiver will not have the same quality of parts/shielding/switching and more. FYI I'm using the Emotiva UMC-200 and am quite happy for theater. Since they stopped making it the next closest thing is the Outlaw. My amp is 100 wpc (Mac) and drives my 92db speakers with no issues at all. You Klipsch will ROCK with the Emotiva amp. |
Your speakers are highly efficient, so you really don't need to be concerned much with power output as almost any decent receiver can easily drive them. I assume you're not streaming music and such, but if you upgrade to a 4k HDTV at some point you might want a preamp or receiver that has more current HDMI processing if you will be using the AVR or pre for video switching and/or processing. If you are not using the AVR/pre for video you can get something like the Anthem MXR710 AVR (which might even be upgradable) and probably live happily ever after. If you use your AVR for video processing/switching and upgradability is a concern and your current AVR has main inputs, the easiest thing may be just to buy a decent prepro and use your HK for amplification and upgrade the prepro if/when necessary. Best of luck. |
The problem with cheap AVR’s is that after the processing, the first stage of amplification for the analog signal takes place in its preamp section, If you look at my initial post, I said get the cheapest AVR that has a full set of pre-outs. This automatically implies that your looking at a mid to top of the line unit in just about everyone’s line up because the real cheap ones don’t have pre-outs. This would still be cheaper than a pre-pro - unless there are now some good ones that have come down in price. Back when I was really engaged in HT, a pre-pro was 2-4K and models did not change every year. So I found it more effective to buy an upper level AVR as cheap as possible when they were closed out every Fall. I agree that a superior analog preamp section is where its at for proper musical reproduction. That’s why I am really a 2 channel guy having true stereo components in my system. After a ten year affair with the HT mistress always to be left unsatisfied with music, I went back to stereo and have never been happier. And that was using flagship AVR’s and even HT separates. And it was the pre-amp in every unit that I objected too in addition to the power amp sections in AVR’s. I couldn’t find one that sounded right in either an AVR or a pre-pro. Never found any fault in a good multi-channel power amp though and liked the fact that they never went obsolete. Perhaps the OP should have posted his question in HT sub forum because when he said receiver in the title of his thread, he really meant AVR. |
I found this while doing some research. It certainly looks more beastly then what I have now. Does anyone know anything about it? The price looks great. http://emotiva.com/products/amplifiers/xpa-5 |
I completely agree with tls49. In fact, I believe the weakest part of a cheaper AVR is the preamp section, not the power amp section. We're not talking about the processing at all. An external power amp attached to an inferior AVR will give you more power, but still poor sound. The Integra mentioned should have absolutely no problem whatsoever driving the Klipsch to crazy high levels with ease. The Klipsch are not a difficult load and their sensitivity is very high. However, a older prepro and power amp can give you flexibility for the down the road where you can replace the prepro and keep the power amp. |
Sorry gents but I disagree. A pre-pro is far more expensive than an AVR having the latest features and both will go obsolete in a few years anyway. So why waste the money on a pre-pro when an AVR will offer the same performance from its processing section. It's the power amp sections that are the most severely compromised on AVR's - not the codecs or DSP. AVR's are nothing but features. You can get the latest and greatest of these in an AVR that will sound just as good as pre-pro for less money too. Put the money in a good power amp. That will never go obsolete! But to each his own I suppose. |
Using a cheap AVR has been discussed quite a lot. A quality amp will only reproduce the low quality signal from the cheap AVR, not improve it. A quality amp needs a quality front end to perform to its maximum potential. I second elevick's recommendation for the Outlaw Audio 975. No bells and whistles, but high quality sound. http://www.soundandvision.com/content/outlaw-model-975-surround-processor http://hometheaterreview.com/outlaw-audio-model-975-71-av-surround-sound-processor-reviewed/ |
I'm really confused with Paraneer's suggestion? Why get an AVR and an amp? Buy a pre-amp/processor and a power amp. Same theory but you aren't wasting extra money on unused features and will probably get a cleaner sounding unit since an AVR will have a built in amp too. Go look at something like Outlaw Audio 975. It will get you through many years. They do have a matching 5 channel power amp that should outperform most receivers in that price range. Or, buy a used 5 channel amp from Audiogon and blow your doors off: ATI, Rotel, Emotive and about 100 more... |
IMO, get the cheapest AVR you can that has a full set of pre-outs to drive a 5 channel power amp. Then you'll never have to worry about power again. Also when the AVR becomes obsolete or breaks in a few years, you won't be out a lot of money. Just replace it with another cheap AVR as the mainstream manufacturers seem to change models every year. There always closeouts or demos, especially in the Fall when the new models come out at discounts at 50% or more off MSRP. Meanwhile that 5 channel power amp will keep pumping out the watts and be ready for that next AVR. And the next one. And the next...Well you get the idea. Good luck! |
My buddy is running a full RF-7 system(RF-7's, RC-7. RS-7's, RSW-15) in an 18W x 23L x 8H with an Onkyo TX-NR5009(same as the Integra 70.4) and believe me it is not lacking grunt. Very dynamic with action movies and never seems to break a sweat. Try the 70.4 and if it is not enough oooomph then just add an outboard stereo or 3 channel amp to the mix later on. http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/intdtr704/integra-dtr-70.4-thx-9.2-140-watt-networ... Bill |