Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 714

Recommend a Home Theatre Reciever?

We (sorta) helped Toby out with his Sony CD Changer so I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I'm looking for a home theatre reciever, under $400, which must have component switching. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on what to purchase.

Right now I'm looking at:
Pioneer VSXD710S
JVC RX-8010VBK

The JVC seems to have more features but up until today (When I discovered the JVC) I had been pretty much set on the Pioneer.

Also, if anyone can recommend some speakers, please chime in! I need those too (Under $250).

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Matt Nichols
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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Phoenix Arizona
Posts: 74

About a week ago I purchased the JVC. I'm looking at the manual and it says: RX-6010VBK / RX-6018VBK.

I'm not sure which one I bought but I bought the one with the 12" sub-woofer. I paid $499 for it.

For the most part I'm very satisfied. It works great with both regular Tv, digital TV and CD's playing either Dolby or DTS stereo.

You'll need to be aware that the cords / wires are also important. I spent almost $100 for monster cables that ran the digital signal and S-Video from my DVD, as well as spending about $40 for special 'flat-line' cables to hook my rear speakers up (so that there wasn't a huge cable running up the wall. The cable is very very flat and is paintable.

The remote seems to work quite well -- no complaints.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 714

Heh, you don't even know what model you purchased? I presume you get a set, reciever & speakers together?

Monster Cables are notorious for being over priced and adding very little to the quality. But if they were for you, I guess thats all that matters.

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Matt Nichols
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

quote:

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You'll need to be aware that the cords / wires are also important.

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Only on very high end systems. Most consumer systems don't benefit from the high-end cables, as the components simply aren't that High of a quality.

I can't make a specific recommendation, but I've found the Pioneer products to always be of a fine quality, though they seem (at least to me) to only have a lifespan of about 10 years. Which is probably long enough.

As for features, I don't use half of the features on my Pioneer, so you may want to think twice about going after the one with more features.

As for speakers, I don't think you will find a decent high-end surround set up for under $250.

Right now there are basically two ways to get surround speakers: buy a package deal with receiver + speakers, where both the receiver and speakers tend to be closer to low-end systems, or get them seperately. If you get them separately, you are probably starting at around $400 for a decent suround speaker package.

I found a nice set of JVS close-out speakers for $350.

Keep in mind that the speakers are one of the most inportant components...so you may want to get a less expensive receiver, and more expensive speakers.

One thing to check is ALL of the big-box stores. They sometimes have price differences of $100 or more, and most will price-match each other.

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Registered: Nov 2000
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Any decent cable should work for most systems, as long as you don't buy the cheapest, usually you have to upgrade from cables included in the box since they are of lower quality.

Yes, its been my thought that once you get into the Middle to High end of recievers the speakers are the most important. Right now I've decided to get the Pioneer, which can be had for $300 at ETronics online, and I'll likely spend another $300 on speakers (have to be satellite because of space restrictions), if I can't afford nice enough speakers w/ a good sub right now, I may buy just the speakers now and go for a sub later.

The only difference between the Pioneet & JVC are that: JVC had: 1 more S-Video (4 vs 5), 1 more Optical In (2 v 3), a USB port, LCD remote, and a lower THD level. The Pioneer has a learning remote. From advice on other forums I've learned that Pioneer is indeed better quality, they tried to convince me to purchase an Onyko or Yamaha but none of those recievers in my price range have component switching - I don't think I'll be dissapointed with the Pioneer.

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Matt Nichols
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

quote:

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a USB port

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We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: Nov 2000
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Posts: 714

The USB port is really stupid, it allows you to simply stream all the sound to the reciever. I've been doing that for a while using a cable from radioshack which converted the Mic size out on my laptop which split into 2 normal RCA plugs, cost like $5. The worst thing is that they put the USB on the front of the reciever, who wants a thick USB cord stick'n out the front of their reciever? Usually computers don't move & if you're hooking one up to your HT system, wouldnt you want it in the back where no one could see it

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Matt Nichols
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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

We're very happy with our Onkyo DSX575x (make sure you get the one with the little x if you do!). We have all B&W speakers plugged into it and have been very satisfied.

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