Which receiver to choose?

[drummer86]

Looking for a new receiver to power a 5.1 HT setup. Used primarily for HT but occasionally 2.1 for music. Speakers are:
2 monitor 60's
CS2
pr. monitor 40s
psw12

Looking at
ONKYO HT-RC260
Yammy RX-V665 or 567
Pioneer VSX-920K or 1019AH-K

All can be gotten around $200-300 new or recertified which is the price range that will keep me happily married. I like the idea of a potential upgrade to 7.1 or a zone 2 and require 3 hdmi inputs (pass-through preferred). I'm tired of reading specs and reviews from people that don't know what they're talking about... which brings me here. I know everyone's tastes differ but I'm really just looking for a good reliable receiver that is better than Sony I've been running since college.
Thoughts/Comments/Opinions/Ownership stories all welcome. Hoping to pull the trigger in a week or so.

[B Run]

I'd go with the Yamaha, it sounds good with the Monitor line and has pre outs if you decide to add an amp later on.

[codyc1ark]

WELCOME TO CP!

I can't comment about any of those, as I haven't heard them. I DO have an Onkyo 607, and love it. I have had a Pio VSX-01THX and liked the sound more then my 607, and have had a Pioneer Elite SC-25 for just a day or so, and liked it the best. I will say Pioneer seems to be the most recomended brand around here, and as B Run said, go with pre-outs, that way if you come across a cheep amp later, you can always add-on. Heres a link you may want to consider, the seller has been great (for me) to deal with, and has good ratings on eBay. GOOD LUCK!!!

http://www.unitedonlineshopping.com/pielvs7chrev4.html

Also - Check out there other receivers, they have a lot of options in your price range.

[m60cs2]

You can get the Pioneer 1020 for around $350. I have the same front stage as you, and it does very well. Sounds awesome. I got mine at Best Buy they had an open box.

[dragon1952]

Definitely the Pioneer 1019, and definitely not the Yamaha. it's personal preference of course but I just never cared for the Yamaha's, especially for music.

[GoBigBlue]

I have a Yamaha that I'm fixing to sell. I replaced it with a Pioneer Elite. The Yamaha is pretty decent for HT, but for music it's just adequate. Most of the Yamahas can be found at a good price and are generally pretty powerful in comparison to other receivers in the same price range.

[DSkip]

I'd take the Yamaha 665 out of that list, if only for the fact that it has pre-outs. That will give you more flexibility in upgrading AND increase resale value. Have you considered a Harman Kardon 254?

If 3D is not a necessity, scour your Craigslist and see what is available. You can get a really nice unit for that amount for at or less than half the list price.

[drummer86]

I'd take the Yamaha 665 out of that list, if only for the fact that it has pre-outs. That will give you more flexibility in upgrading AND increase resale value. Have you considered a Harman Kardon 254?

I know it's probably been said several other places on this forum but can someone please explain to me why/how the HK's 50 watts/ch is comparable to a pio's 100+? I mean the old Sony I'm replacing claims 105 watts/ch. - it can't possibly be twice as powerful as a HK 254 can it? What am I missing here?

Also - can someone weigh in on the overall quality of yamaha/HK/pio? I've not had a single problem with my cheap sony since I got it in '04 and would like to make another worry-free purchase with my next AVR.

[drummer86]

one more thing: all the mentions of preouts has me wondering - would it be worth the money to add external amplification to my m60's? Am I really missing that much from $300 worth of speakers? seems like overkill unless again I am missing something. thanks for the input so far everyone!

(don't get me wrong... I'd buy a set of Rtis in a second but with all of the cuts in education funding it's unlikely I'll be upgrading speakers anytime soon )

[niente]

RMS continuous - or Peak wattage

then again it gets worse .... all channels driven - or just one?

and worse still.......20-20K or at one frequency only

when comparing Amp specs make sure your comparing the same spec

should be checking RMS continuous 20-20k - and hope fully all channels----unlikely at this price point though

Truth is I'm very much a long term fan of Onkyo and have an 803 which retailed at $1k and even then it was rated with one channel driven

[dragon1952]

I know it's probably been said several other places on this forum but can someone please explain to me why/how the HK's 50 watts/ch is comparable to a pio's 100+? I mean the old Sony I'm replacing claims 105 watts/ch. - it can't possibly be twice as powerful as a HK 254 can it? What am I missing here?

Also - can someone weigh in on the overall quality of yamaha/HK/pio? I've not had a single problem with my cheap sony since I got it in '04 and would like to make another worry-free purchase with my next AVR.

Some manufacturers are more honest about their power ratings. HK tends to be more conservative, plus they claim to use high-current amplifiers, and of course current is actually what's being supplied to the speakers as power, not watts. As for build quality, all I know is that my HK AVR 254 weighs about the same as my Pioneer Elite VSX21-TXH and the HK is 50WPC (65WPC stereo) vs 110WPC for the Pioneer. Some of the recent HK models have had various issues with HDMI, but I don't think HDMI issues are uncommon regardless of brand. But don't let the 50WPC scare you off. BTW, my HK AVR 254 is for sale since I recently got a very good deal on the Pioneer.