Just put together 7.1 set of VM speakers; need a good AVR

[AKS]

Thanks to some incredible online deals, I was able to finish putting together a very nice set of speakers I otherwise would not have been able to afford.

All my outputs are Polk. I have two VM30s for the fronts, a VM20 for the center channel, and 4 VM10s for the surround and rear speakers. I'm very happy with these wonderful speakers. I also have a Polk sub.

But I have a problem. I need a better receiver, and I'd like to try to find a really good deal on it as well. I guess I am hoping to get something from Marantz (1st chioce if I can afford it) or Denon, but I'm open to other brands as well (such as Onkyo, Yamaha, and Pioneer). I suppose a ballpark figure I had in my head would be $600 to $1000, but I am hoping to find a bargain on an AVR similar to what I found for my speakers. I need a 7.1 AVR obviously. I will be using this HT setup for both movies and gaming, and I'd like to have HDMI inputs and 1080p switching for my PC, PS3 (pulls double duty as my Blu-ray player), and 360. Any suggestions for a nice receiver for what I have? Thanks.

[Toolfan66]

How bout a yamaha RXV 863 for $550

Welcome to club Polk

[obieone]

Welcome to Club Polk.
Look around Audiogon, ebay for Pioneer Elite. Just make sure if new, that it's from an AUTHORIZED dealer. Those warranties can come in handy.

[AKS]

Thanks for the welcomes and the suggestions so far. I was just checking out some Pioneer Elite models. There appear to be many excellent choices from all the brands that interest me.

[CaligulaPolk]

onkyo 805 with 125wpc amp built in
or u want amp seperately from avr?

[AKS]

I read very good things about the 805. I read that thing weights 61 lbs. That's fine with me, but I'm curious to know why it's such a heavyweight. I'll have to do some more reading about it.

I think built-in will be OK for me.

[comfortablycurt]

The 805 has a very beefy power supply, and big toroidal transformers. That's the main reason that it's so much heavier than the 806. I think the 805 weighs more like 50 pounds though. IIRC the 806 is about 31 pounds.

The 805 has a better amp section and better DAC's, but the 806 has a better video processing section.

Either of the two are great choices though.

FWIW, I've never found Onkyo's to be very musical. They're a bit sterile sounding, a bit on the bright side, and possible even a little harsh at times. Other people say they sound great for music though, so it could just be my tastes. For movies and gaming, they're stellar AVR's though.


Congrats on the VM setup...those don't get a whole lot of press here. There are only a few people around here that have them. Most of the people 'round these parts are in the "bigger is better" sect of the audio crazies.;)

I've never gotten my ears on VM's, though I am in line to demo a pair of VM20's(if that demo ever get's rolling again).


By the way, welcome to Club Polk!:) We'll gladly help you drain your wallet by helping you select an AVR. Once you get that, we'll talk you into getting an external amp.

Then comes the 2 channel rig and SDA's.;)

[AKS]

I see.

I started with buying VM10s and kept adding until I ended up buying a couple of VM30s to complete my stereo setup. These should last me for quite some time.

There are so many temptations with all this great gear! I lived like a monk for years as a graduate student, and now that I'm wrapping things up and have a chance to earn some decent cash, I find tons of goodies that can just drain it away. I don't think I'm going to be any richer with as a professional with a doctoral degree than I was as a student; my movies and games will just look and sound a lot better! :)

[jimsvm]

:)hi,good choice with the VMs.I am using the pioneer 1018ahk with my 30's 20's. Not a bad entry level amp at 110x7 with preouts.Can't wait to amp up the 30's.:D:D. Anybody out there useing real power on there VM's' 200+amps

[AKS]

For those of you who actually have owned a VM series speaker setup for awhile, what are the things you've liked most and least about them? I actually had a difficult time even finding reviews of these speakers before I bought them. They really seem to be under the radar. They are easily the best speakers I've owned, so I don't have a reference point regarding what I might have liked better about other speakers. Of course I've heard better speakers, such as a setup of Dynaudio speakers that were beyond belief, but that was for only a few minutes in a store, not long-term personal use. What are your opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of these speakers compared to other speakers in it's class/ price range?

[AKS]

Update:

After doing a lot of checking around, I'm currently leaning heavily towards the Marantz SR6003 at the moment. I found that a Sound and Vision review actually found it delivered more power per channel (about 96W/ channel on a bench test) despite consuming less electricity for a 7.1 configuration than the 7002, another more expensive model I was considering. The features were similar as well. Given that the Marantz 6004 will soon replace the 6003, my thoughts are that I may be able to get a great deal on a 6003 as we approach the holiday season. I'm finding the 6003 as low as $700 right now, and I'm hoping that by Christmas I will find it for even less.

I saw some nice very deals for Onkyo receivers online, but I unfortunately kept seeing recurring issures with HDMI/ 1080p even with some of their higher end models in customer reviews. That happens to be a very important issue to me, as I'll be doing a lot of gaming and movie watching with this receiver. NAD makes some awesome receivers, but I get the impression that their sweet spot is above the $1000 price point I'm trying to remain under and may not be the best choice for the way I plan to use it. I'm aware Marantz seems to have a more "musical" reputation and may have less home theater features than other models, but the SR6003 offers pretty much everything I would be likely to use.

My decision isn't final yet; I'm still going to be reading reviews and listening to any advice I get on this matter. Thanks for the feedback I've received any for more you might provide in the future. I plan on visiting some of the higher end audio shops in my area to see if anything suits my tastes better. For example, I haven't listened to any Pioneer Elite models recently.

I am also probably going to pick up a PS3 Slim eventually, as it allows you to bitstream and consumes quite a bit less power and is quieter than the launch model I have.

[rallyshark]

My experience is nowhere near as vast as most on here, but I can tell you that I absolutely love my SR6003. It continues to impress me. Just when I think I'm going to do something to push it's limits, it doesn't even blink. I have found it very good in my meager set up. I think the term I would use is dynamic. It is very composed during vocal or quiet scenes, but when the action comes, it let's it rip without hesitation. I've had receivers that seem to "strain" when the action gets heavy, but the SR6003 does it with ease and seems to have plenty in reserve. Of course, you get that nice musical Marantz sound in the music department as well. I have no complaints with it what so ever. That's just my .02:) Good luck, and PLEASE give a review on how it sounds with the VMs! I along with many others would like to hear more about the VM series. The VM is next on my list for now:D

[AKS]

My experience is nowhere near as vast as most on here, but I can tell you that I absolutely love my SR6003. It continues to impress me. Just when I think I'm going to do something to push it's limits, it doesn't even blink. I have found it very good in my meager set up. I think the term I would use is dynamic. It is very composed during vocal or quiet scenes, but when the action comes, it let's it rip without hesitation. I've had receivers that seem to "strain" when the action gets heavy, but the SR6003 does it with ease and seems to have plenty in reserve. Of course, you get that nice musical Marantz sound in the music department as well. I have no complaints with it what so ever. That's just my .02:) Good luck, and PLEASE give a review on how it sounds with the VMs! I along with many others would like to hear more about the VM series. The VM is next on my list for now:D

Well, I probably won't have this setup together for a few months, as my top secret plan is to try to grab a 6003 for a steal of a price just before the 6004 rolls in to replace it, but I'll post my opinions whenever I get the job done. :D

Thanks for your thoughts on the 6003. I've read many positive things about it and was shocked to see it can evidiently put more power down per channel in 7.1 than the 7002.

If you are looking for some VM30s, it might be a good idea to check out newegg right now, although the price has gone up a bit over the last few days. Still, it's shockingly low compared to most places. I'm pretty sure they are going to be gone soon.

[AKS]

I finally pulled a trigger and ordered a Marantz SR6003 receiver online. I will have it in maybe a week I guess. I am eager to hear my VM series speakers playing uncompressed audio through this setup. Thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions.