Need advice selecting quality 7.1 ch AVR

[sabertooth]

First of all a big hello to all Hi-Fi visionaries out there..and since this being my very first thread i'll try my best to make myself very clear through my post and hope to have some valuable suggestions from u all.
Now recently i've been in quite a dilemma as to which 7.1 ch AV reciever to go for below 45K and going through all the reviews and feedback over the internet i've finally shortlisted couple of receivers that i seriously consider buying.

1. Denon AVR2113 (recently visited alfa at irla (mumbai) and found this piece upon sale for around 42K and since this model being relatively new in the market didn't find any reviews hence m bit worried whether is should opt for it.

2. Yamaha RX-V671 - price is less compared to denon and also has a decent review overall but since denon's have quite a reputation of having superior soung quality against it competitors m having hard time deciding between the two.


Also Until earlier i was considering the denon avr1713 which many ppl recommended but decided to drop as it doesn't support HDMI upconversion which could only be found in higher end models sporting 7.1 Ch.
Pls suggest if u know any other model that would fit my price range and also the features m specifically looking for are 7.1ch, Multizone support, Analog > HDMI upconversion as i have a dish TV hooked to my TV currently and hope to get better clarity over HDMI.

Thanks and hope someone would guide me to the right direction.

 

[prosenjit]

if dish tv upconversion is the only concern.....a hd dish stb with hdmi output with just 1.5k more is a cheaper option than a high end avr with upscaling feuture.

also think twice do you really need 7.1 Or a 5.1 will do.decide upon the most powerful 5.1 avr without upscaling you can afford.you can use that money in speakers.anyway thats completly my idea.no offence please.

 

[sabertooth]

Hey thanks man for the reply..
Well apparently 've also got a pair of floor standing speakers from savoy, brought it from vijay sales...not that great sounding pair but think i can set them up in the zone 2 space if got 7.1 channel...also now m more inclined towards the denon and will almost be buying it unless some one has some other 7.1 ch recommendation.

...and yes for my dish i think i'll upgrade it to a appropriate HD version.(Thanks prosenjith for ur suggestion)

also wanted to know where in mumbai i can get quality 5.1 speakers for around 25 - 30k.....have been to "the shop" at andheri got recommended for Jamo A200 and Paradigm CT-100 but both are above 40K and at "Alpha" in irla they have got Boston soundwave xs 5.1 for 18k (without bill) and space dual cube speakers (25k)...can anyone tell me are these speakers any good and what other brands can i go for the price range upto 30k..

Thanks.

 

[mav]

now m more inclined towards the denon and will almost be buying it unless some one has some other 7.1 ch recommendation.


also wanted to know where in mumbai i can get quality 5.1 speakers for around 25 - 30k.....have been to "the shop" at andheri got recommended for Jamo A200 and Paradigm CT-100 but both are above 40K and at "Alpha" in irla they have got Boston soundwave xs 5.1 for 18k (without bill) and space dual cube speakers (25k)...can anyone tell me are these speakers any good and what other brands can i go for the price range upto 30k..

Thanks.

You are buying the Denon AVR2113 and thinking of pairing 5.1 speakers in the range of 25- 30k like the Bostons? Thats like buying a Ferrari and then being forced to drive below the speed of 10kmh for rest of life !! Both these AVRs are high powered and would need worthy enough speakers for their mettle to show otherwise you would never know what these machines are capable of.

There is a price ratio of 40:60 or even 30: 70 that people follow while buying their AV gear- The former is for the AVR and the latter for speakers. May I suggest that you read the following link:
http://www.hifivision.com/speakers/23682-list-best-5-1-speakers-below-50k.html

One last thing: You are making a big mistake by buying your setup without auditioning. Every brand has different sound signature.. some are warm, sounding, some on the 'livelier' side while some are neutral. Till you audition you wouldn't know which sound signature you like more. The Yamaha 671 is one of the best sounding AVRs in the market and your assumption that "denon's have quite a reputation of having superior sound quality against it competitors" is totally flawed ! Nowhere have I heard or read about this 'reputation' thing. Audition the AVRs, read threads on the forum and take an informed decision ..otherwise you might be in for a major disappointment !

 

[jithudigitised]

^^ +1.

Also check the onkyo 709 if you can procure it from abroad.

 

[just4kix]

Video upconversion from AVR is not too good as per my experience. Only the top ones do a good job.

 

[aakashr]

video conversion should be the last thing to look for in an AVR, unless you go for the hi end ones. The most common chips in entry level AVR's is Faroudja DCDi. The better ones are Anchor Bay and HQV found in top tier AVRs.

But please remember do not expect breathtaking upconversion results if you feed an inferior composite signal to it.............GIGO (garbage in garbage out).

 

[sabertooth]

@MAV
I did audition the denon and onkyo avrs before at 'the shop' and found denon impeccable out of the 2(personal choice)...but i want to follow ur expertise and audition other brands as well.

Also where else in mumbai can i demo polk, paradigm, wharfedale brand speakers ..need to know the the address and probably will pay a visit during this weekend.

and thanks for all ur reply guys it really helps..hyeah:

 

[ShaQ.Blogs]

Now recently i've been in quite a dilemma as to which 7.1 ch AV reciever to go for below 45K
....
....

Also Until earlier i was considering the denon avr1713 which many ppl recommended but decided to drop as it doesn't support HDMI upconversion which could only be found in higher end models sporting 7.1 Ch.
Pls suggest if u know any other model that would fit my price range and also the features m specifically looking for are 7.1ch, Multizone support, Analog > HDMI upconversion as i have a dish TV hooked to my TV currently and hope to get better clarity over HDMI..

thats not how you should be choosing a receiver.
Choosing a receiver should be with respect to what speakers you have!
Everything else comes secondary...quality apart.

If your speakers require more power, and if your receiver has a moderate power supply, it can cause issues. Most below $1000 receivers have a moderate power supply at best.