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AV Receiver recommends

I started researching receivers last year. The only place I could actually audition any of them was at the Magnolia room (Best Buy) and they tend to push you towards the Pioneer D Class Amps. Not that anything is wrong with them I actually like the Pioneer SC-91 that just came out.

I wanted to get the boards consensus though before going that route. I think the AV receiver is my next purchase.

Again, I am running a 5.1 system with B&W CM1's all around, Sony XBR-55HX950 TV, JBL-150 (pending upgrade) and my 15 year old Yamaha AV.

Are there other recommendations outside the Pioneer D Class series? I'm sorta an Apple guy so iPhone, iTunes, Apple TV integration is always a plus.
thx-333
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
I, too, like the Anthem products. I would investigate Anthem, Arcam, Cambridge, and Marantz. You should be able to find a very good receiver in that crowd...

-RW-
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knownothing
1,536 posts
 
I ended up with Arcam AVR400. Using with Monitor Audio speakers, but demo 'd it with B&W M1 and PM1 mini monitors and it just killed comparably priced NAD or Marantz IMHO. Sounded absolutely terrific with the revealing PM1's. I have longer term experience with Onkyo and Pioneer, with no reliability problems to report with either. Would steer towards more audiophile solutions listed above (Anthem, Arcam, Cambridge, NAD) if that is your priority. Big Japanese brands have lots of bells and whistles if that is more important.

kn
thx-333 OP
22 posts
 
Thanks for the reccos. I guess Pioneer isn't really a favorite in here? Anyone want to chime in on their ELITE D3 Class AMP Receivers?

I will look into Anthem, Arcam, Cambridge.

Denon and Marantz I've researched already and I am not opposed to going this route.

Anyone here use a YAMAHA? It's what I am replacing but will stay if someone convinces me to!

Appreciate you all taking the time to talk this out with me and helping with the research. HomeTheater is probably the 3rd most expensive things a guy buys after house and car? So careful research is essential.
dweller's avatar
dweller
3,735 posts
 
Just wondering: Is anybody making a class D HT receiver or multi-channel amp?
Oh, and remember, I think 7.1 receivers are obsolete due to "Atmos" processing (what is it now? 10.1? 12.1?).
Finally, you might want to wait for a platform with the new Meridian "MQA" processing for digital music.
I'm just sayin'....
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
I had the pioneer elite (non class d amps) but wouldn't get a new pioneer with d class amps (they suck) so I wetn with NAD and it blew my Poneer Elite AWAY. Thee ar some good class d amps out there but not in any consumer grade surround soun d receiver.
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