marantz a/v receivers

I have connected a run-of-the-mill Sony progressive DVD player via coax for sound and currently connected Quad 11Ls for stereo 2.0 sound. Excellent combination for both music and movies. I plan to add a sub-woofer next followed by a center channel speaker.

The movie experience I described in my earlier post, however was related to my auditioning at the dealer. The connected speakers then were the MS Avant speakers.

If you are interested in sound quality over features, it is a must audition receiver. I selected it over Marantz and others.

Regards,
Prasad.

Thanks to all of you, sorry to interrupt you in your heated discussion.
Could you please tell me the best 7.1 ch av receivers of all these four

Yamaha,
onkyo
marantz and
denon

under 60k.

I started with 40k few days back now after extensively browsing i have increased to 60k.

I need both music and movies.( to use in whatever little time I have and whatever little time I get when the wife is not there)

at present I have yamaha v 450 6.1 ch

I need higher than that.

at the same time two floor standers to go with.

around 60 k for the speakers.

sub 25 - 30 k.

please I am sitting in a small place depending on only av max and now net.


Thanks in advance

Pradski, I may get beaten by a lot of members here, but here goes.

For good music and movies, Denon and Marantz will be better. For good movie sound and reasonable music, Yamaha and Onkyo will be better.

Now a bit of homework for you. Go through the websites of these companies and choose some models that you feel are good. Look for products costing around 750 to 1000 US$. The logic I am using is I US$ = 60INR. So your 60K should get you a 1000 dollar AVR. Come with four to 6 models you like in terms of specs, and we will shortlist the exact model for you to buy.

Fair enough?

Regarding speakers, the safest bet may be to go in for the Wharfedale Diamond 9 series. Sreekanth (Soundsgreat) and I both feel this is good. The combination should be

2 x 9.5 (25K)
2 x DFS for surround (14K)
2 x 9.1 for rear (8K)
1 x 9CS for center (12K)

This comes to roughly 60K. You can also pick up the SW150 or the SW 150 sub within your budget.

I am looking forward to your reply.

Cheers

Hi Venkat :

Have been offered a good deal on Marantz SR8002 AV Reciever, any idea about its capabilities for music as well as movies(future 5.1 upgrade)? This will be paired with Marantz CD7001 CD Player and Quad 12L2. For the movies, have a Samsung DVD Player 250K and don't have any plans of upgrading for the present.

Hi Arun,

In case you do buy the Marantz, could you please post a review of how well it integrates with the Quad 12L2s? I am planning to go in for a similar Marantz-Quad setup in the future, because I feel the warm Marantz sound will balance the detailed and clinical presentation of the Quads. Your impressions will help in deciding whether there is any merit in the combination. I can then go for a critical listening session later.

Thanks in advance.

Arun:

The 8002 is top-of-the-line in Marantz's line up of AVRs. It has the following features

• Crystal 192/24 Crystal DACs.
• Two additional zones
• THX Select2 certification that includes THX Re-EQ to tame brightened soundtracks, Timbre Matching to compensate for the way your hear from different parts of the room, and THX Adaptive Decorrelation that helps a 5.1 system sound spacious. .
• M-Dax to decomp[ress MP3 music.
• Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding via HDMI
• Support for SACD and DVD-A
• Pure Direct and Source Direct for listening to CD music.

The Marantz CD7001 is an award winning CDP, particularly the EISA award for 2006. It also plays SACD. Coupled with the 8002 AVR, you will be able to listen to excellent music from your CD collection. The CDP has better DAC, and you should allow the CDP to do the digital-to-analog conversion.

The AVR will also decode and play all movie sounds extremely well. Some of the reviews I have read say that the movie sounds of the 8002 is top notch.

The Quads are excellent speakers and the combination will really be very good.

The only area that the Marantz AVR is lacking in is video processing. This should not matter much. Just buy a good DVD Player that upscales to full 1080P, and you have really complete system that will serve you well.

Hi Venkat;

Thanks for the prompt response. Am hoping to get them in the next ten days or so. Shall keep you posted then. Thanks again.

Hi Ajinkya:

Yes, Quad and Marantz should make an awesome combination. Keeping my fingers crossed for the electronics!!!

Dear Venkat,

Thank you for your reply and advice.
First of all I am an amateur in this, and all I can do is appreciate music and I listen to all types.
I have few queries.

I have browsed for quite some time. And I have read quite a lot, of course lot of your opinions also.

< I basically wanted to have receivers and speakers who can give a clear sound in the lowest possible volume. What i mean is for eg: my yamaha 450 with a claimed 100w/ch, has a reading of vol of -70 to +25dB. But when i give vol, min I have to increase to -45 to be audible. The spectrum of 25dB from -70 to -45 is not audible.
I was thinking avr is not capable of driving the speakers at such low vol. Like you asked me in other thread why particular about 150 w/ch. I was thinking higher the power better they can sound in lower volumes. ( Don't they all cost more if they are more powered ?). Who can produce this type of sound. OR which combination can achieve this. ?? >

Now the other ? is

You have Onkyo 875 which is more than 90 k. And Wharfedale 9.5 which is around 35k.

Why you have not bought something equivalent to your higher avr.

The question is a mid segment avr can reproduce good music if only we have good speakers, which will come in high end.

so what is the secret behind your setup.

I saw matsuri today only after I read your post.

Like you asked me I did find 6 to 8 avr s.

Like Denon 2308 and 2808
Pioneer 1016 and 2016 and some of yamaha, marantz 6001 and 7001

I felt for basic guys like us who are like entrant models in av market. Economy and features matter more than the very detailed perfomance of a real audiophile's standard. We may not be able to appreciate to that depth. So mid range should work for us like you suggested.

I found marantz is the ultimate in music segment. yamaha and denon coming next. But not much mention about pioneer which i read good reviews with lot of features. Some are very critical about onkyo.

All these I know just by reading.

Finally I thought of getting the best of the cheap.

Grow up with all you and learn ( which may take at least five years and go for the best at that time )

I did consider pioneer 2016e and denon 2808, with dali ikon 6, polk lsi, b&w cm 7, they are all very expensive and I can as well wait and learn to upgrade few years later.

finally I have decided on Onkyo 606 and

Wharfedale 9 series like you suggested.

Thanks a lot. YOu have been a great help with lot of knowledge and questions for the future.

Pradski,

You are welcome. It gives me real pressure to help someone by sharing my knowledge.

Regarding my choice - well that is a long story. For some time I was torn between Onkyo, Yamaha and Denon. When Onkyo came out last year with their 2007 series of receivers, I wanted to see what their models provided. I auditioned the 875, and I was just floored by their video capabilities, and their sound. Though I could have brought a lower model, I bought the 875 specifically for their video processing capabilities.

In terms of speakers I always had my eyes set on B&W. I had heard their DM303, a diminutive bookshelf that sounded absolutely wonderful even with equipment costing 20 times their prices. Then B&W brought out matching floorstanders called 309 which, in spite of their small size, pumped out base like I have never heard before.

Unfortunately I could not buy the speakers then and had to wait or some time. By the time I was ready to buy, the B&W had been overtaken in technology for that price point.

I started looking around in earnest and came across an US brand called Aperion Audio. I auditioned them and purchased a pair of bookshelves and their center channel. Unfortunately though I was ready to buy their floorstanders I could not find an easy way to bring them to India.

A couple of months ago, I auditioned the Wharfedale 9.5 with a two channel amplifier (Pulz) and a Yamaha CDP. I was immediately stuck by the capability of the speaker to create a holographic image of the sound particularly with Indian music. I can never forget the way the speaker floated the sound of the Veena right next to my ear. I immediately ordered for the 9.5, and that is how I have my set up.

In terms of a sub I had already purchased a Hsu Research sub woofer. At 500$, there are very few subs that can beat the Hsu.

I am now in the process of replacing the Aperion Audio's with an all Wharfedale set.

I am not bothered much about brand or price. I just buy what my heart tells me.

Mitsuri is good, is it not? You should listen to other albums of Kitaro's. He is really very very good.

Cheers

Venkat, you've put it spot on! I have the 9.5's hooked to a Yamaha 661, and all Classical music we listen to in pure-direct mode, is sheer bliss. Its like sitting in a live concert! Any specific CDs you auditioned in Indian music ?

cheers!
Srini