Receiver


Upgrading from Onkyo sr 606. Any suggestions for moderately priced 5.1? For use with five Gallo satellites and sub. I have a seperate dedicated music system so it doesn't have to cover music just movies. Thanks

Brian
brianwillson
Upgrade to B&K much cheaper second hand. More than enough power for Gallo sats.
Go to audio advisors web site. They have some really good options (NAD, Cambridge, Marantz).
If you want HDMI handling and latest codecs, the B&K won't work for you. There are some great deals on refurbished NAD receivers (search Agon classifieds), although some people have had reliability issues. One nice thing is the amps are good for a receiver and the video boards are upgradeable. Likewise, the Anthem receivers are nice, but have had some QC problems Otherwise, maybe a Marantz or Pioneer Elite. What's your budget and what features are you looking for?
I'm still using my Onkyo 805. Bulletproof. Handles every codec except the newest like Atmos. When I upgrade if ever I'm sticking with Onkyo. Make sure you can drive at least 100 W/ch all channels driven. Check out audioholics for recent reviews. I use outboard amps to take the load off the AVR. Then you can use it for processing when money allows. Look into Emotiva as well.
I did some research about a year ago, and Yamaha seemed to be a nice combination of good sound quality, reliability, and ease of use. Wasn't top notch in features (although not bad either), but if it has enough for your needs that's a non issue. Of course a lot changes in a year so fwiw, but worth putting on your list I'd think. Best of luck.
I just got a Denon AVR X3100. It is extremely capable...good sound....fabulous picture pass through from HDMI inputs, highly recommended. Has tons of bells and whistles...get Pandora, Spotify, et al.