# Recommendations for Future-Proof A/V Receivers?



## Canis Lupus

Onkyo TX-SR705 looks pretty attractive - 6-700 bucks, 3 HDMI and TrueHD and DTS-HD Audio. 

Denon looks amazing, but pricey. 

Anyone like Onkyo? I've never owned one but need to upgrade the old Sony.


----------



## Stuart Sweet

From what you say that's not bad but what about component inputs? How many digital inputs, optical vs. coax?


----------



## Mike728

There is nothing "future proof" in the A/V world. :nono2:


----------



## Nick

There are a very few technology devices I can think of that would be "future-proof",
particularly an A/V receiver with so many combinations of input/output connections,
not to mention the possibility of completely new surround-sound schema.

Television is a classic example, with consumer video connections going from 300Ω
bare antenna screws to 75Ω coaxial RF to baseline composite (RCA) to S-video to
component (RCA) to DVI-D&I to A/V combo HDMI and subsequent versions, thereof.

What's next? All you can do is buy the latest, greatest cutting-edge technology, then
sit back and worry about a newer, better gizmo hitting the market, but, then, the early
adopters will always pay a premium for the latest toys.

The real question, with most technology advancements being evolutionary rather than
revolutionary, is how much is it worth to you to always have the latest and greatest a/v
toy in your rack?


----------



## Canis Lupus

Stuart Sweet said:


> From what you say that's not bad but what about component inputs? How many digital inputs, optical vs. coax?


3 comp in, 3 each toslink and coax audio, built-in upconvert for all SD video resulting in single hdmi output to tv for all devices


----------



## Canis Lupus

Nick said:


> There are a very few technology devices I can think of that would be "future-proof",
> particularly an A/V receiver with so many combinations of input/output connections,
> not to mention the possibility of completely new surround-sound schema.
> 
> Television is a classic example, with consumer video connections going from 300Ω
> bare antenna screws to 75Ω coaxial RF to baseline composite (RCA) to S-video to
> component (RCA) to DVI-D&I to A/V combo HDMI and subsequent versions, thereof.
> 
> What's next? All you can do is buy the latest, greatest cutting-edge technology, then
> sit back and worry about a newer, better gizmo hitting the market, but, then, the early
> adopters will always pay a premium for the latest toys.
> 
> The real question, with most technology advancements being evolutionary rather than
> revolutionary, is how much is it worth to you to always have the latest and greatest a/v
> toy in your rack?


Totally agreed Nick. By futureproof I'm talking 4 years, and for today's needs, better decoding for bluray and simple a/v switching for multiple hdmi and legacy devices, which makes the onkyo look good for the price.


----------



## bonscott87

Mike728 said:


> There is nothing "future proof" in the A/V world. :nono2:


No kidding. I seem to have to get a new A/V receiver nearly every 4-5 years. My last purchase was a Yamaha 5960 and in less then a year I've already maxed out all the inputs. I'm tapped out already!


----------



## Canis Lupus

Funny you mention that bonscott. I've notice I've only used fewer inputs/outputs as time as gone on. Maybe I had the last of the analog behemoth A/V receivers. This Onkyo I'm looking at double what my current Sony has :lol:


----------



## John in Georgia

Canis Lupus said:


> Onkyo TX-SR705 looks pretty attractive - 6-700 bucks, 3 HDMI and TrueHD and DTS-HD Audio.
> 
> Denon looks amazing, but pricey.
> 
> Anyone like Onkyo? I've never owned one but need to upgrade the old Sony.


I used an Onkyo-Integra SV-919THX for years and really enjoyed the sound quality and features. However, this model did not have DD/DTS decoders in it. That's the main reason I upgraded to the Denon (excellent as well!)

As a matter of fact, the Onkyo is still on my equipment shelf as I intend to use the audio amplifier sections in the future.


----------



## pete4192

I've got the Onkyo 605...a step below the one you are looking at, but I thought the savings discount was worth it.


----------



## Cholly

If you are looking to future proof your system, you might also want to take a look at Yamaha products. They cost quite a bit more than Onkyo, but they are well worth it.
The RX-V1800 lists for $1299 -- upscales to 1080p, has 4 HDMI 1.3a inputs, 3 component video, 6 A/V inputs (all with S-Video), 5 optical and 2 coax digital audio inputs and 2 optical outputs, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS Master Audio decoders, neural surround THX, XM ready, with XM HD surround.

It's several steps from Yamaha's high end (the RX-Z11, a 11.2 receiver listing at $5499.95)

For mor info, see: http://www.yamaha.com/yec/


----------



## funhouse69

I agree with the other posts saying that nothing is "Future Proof" with that said I have been a Yamaha fan for many, many years. Before getting in to Yamaha I bought a Sony Receiver and I have to say I was very disappointed with its performance. That was many, many years ago. 

Recently I wanted to revamp my entire surround sound set up so the research began. I talked to friends and checked various website. This prompted me to give Sony another chance, I figured what the heck I can always return it if need be. I decided on the Sony STR-DG1000 but that was kind of hard to find so I went with the STR-DG1100 and I have to say that I am thrilled with it's performance. I would suggest checking this out to anyone that is considering upgrading or jumping in to the Home Theater arena. 

Also worth mentioning is that I also upgraded my surround speakers to Cambridge Soundworks S300's (2 pairs) to give me a 7.1 setup and I have to say that the price / performance was WELL worth the money. I got 2 Pairs of their S300's for under $300 during their recent inventory reduction sale and to say that they are impressive is an understatement. While I know that this VERY subjective I would highly recommend checking them out to anyone that is looking to upgrade.


----------



## Carl Spock

Cholly said:


> If you are looking to future proof your system, you might also want to take a look at Yamaha products. They cost quite a bit more than Onkyo, but they are well worth it.
> The RX-V1800 lists for $1299 -- upscales to 1080p, has 4 HDMI 1.3a inputs, 3 component video, 6 A/V inputs (all with S-Video), 5 optical and 2 coax digital audio inputs and 2 optical outputs, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS Master Audio decoders, neural surround THX, XM ready, with XM HD surround.
> 
> It's several steps from Yamaha's high end (the RX-Z11, a 11.2 receiver listing at $5499.95)
> 
> For mor info, see: http://www.yamaha.com/yec/


I have an RX-V1800 and am very pleased with it.

Agreed, nothing is future proof. You'll be lucky if it stays up to date for five years.


----------



## bonscott87

Canis Lupus said:


> Funny you mention that bonscott. I've notice I've only used fewer inputs/outputs as time as gone on. Maybe I had the last of the analog behemoth A/V receivers. This Onkyo I'm looking at double what my current Sony has :lol:


LOL

I got this model because of the component inputs and number of optical inputs. It had 3 which I thought would be more then enough. I only needed 1 at the time and couldn't foresee a time I'd need more then 3. Well in less then 6 months I had all 3 filled up and I could use another. :eek2:

But the real wall was Dolby Digital inputs. It had 3 optical and 2 coax (1 coax shared with 1 optical). If it weren't for the ability to assign/mix-n-match video and audio inputs I'd be dead. I've maxed these out as well.

So my advice...get a receiver that has at least 1 or 2 more inputs then you need today.....then double it and get that model. 

And I highly recommend Yamaha as well. Love it. Can't believe how long I had Sony crap. I just didn't know any better!


----------



## steve053

Canis Lupus said:


> Onkyo TX-SR705 looks pretty attractive - 6-700 bucks, 3 HDMI and TrueHD and DTS-HD Audio.
> 
> Denon looks amazing, but pricey.
> 
> Anyone like Onkyo? I've never owned one but need to upgrade the old Sony.


I have the TX-SR674 and really like it. I've been an Onkyo owner for 20+ years. They build quality products at decent price point.

One thing, they do tend to run hotter than other receivers (even if you don't push them). So it's best that they are out in the open, or have a lot of breathing room if in a cabinet.

Steve


----------



## Tom Robertson

And consider a unit that can handle every single device you have as HDMI, even if they aren't today. With copy protection (crap) coming, all your component enabled devices today will be replaced with HDMI next go around.

Ouch. I'd need 5 minimum right now. (and if I double that...) 

Happy Holidays!
Tom


----------



## Canis Lupus

Great posts and advice guys thanks! 

The reason I'm looking at the Onkyo (was it the 705 model I said?) is 3 HDMI (which would leave 1 open today - lower models of Onkyo have only 2 HDMI), True HD and Master Audio/DTS-HD, and the price. 

The Yamahas and Denons look awesome. My only concern is the cost against the technology changes, as mentioned above with all the responses to "future-proof". 

At half the cost of Denon and Yamaha, I think Im leaning towards the Onkyo, but I'll look around a bit more in that price point. 

Anyone else found good prices against features in that 600-700 range? 

Also - those with 7.1 setups. is there anything I need to add to what I have now?:
2 Main
Center
Sub
2 Rear

Thanks again.


----------



## funhouse69

I know everyone has their preference as to which brand they like and as I mentioned in a previous post I have been a Yamaha fan for many, many years however I did a lot of research when it came time for me to upgrade and I decided to give Sony a chance and I have to say that I am not disappointed at all.

My suggestion is to go to www.jr.com and order the Sony STR-DG1100 it is normally around $1000 but they have it on sale right now for $699 which is in your price range. I think you will find that it fits right in the Spec Range you are looking for. You could also try and find the STR-DG1000 for under $500 but it is NOT 1080p it is only 1080i.

Check out the specs of the 1100 here.
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4192500


----------



## funhouse69

Sorry I forgot to mention, you can use everything that you have now speaker / subwoofer wise. If you want to upgrade to 7.1 then all you will need to do is add another set of surround speakers (identical would be best). These will give you a much better "Steering Effect". I tested my new setup in both 5.1 and 7.1 and 7.1 is much more impressive so it was well worth the money for the additional surround speakers.

Also keep in mind that the placement for 7.1 might be a little different then for 5.1. Check out the placement guides on www.Crutchfield.com or even in the Sony Manual which you can download from their website. I found that moving my rear surrounds made a huge difference as well.


----------



## Steve Mehs

I have the DG1000 and love it, only thing I wish I would have waited 2 months for the DG1100. I could careless about most of the features, but the 1100 offers an extra HDMI input, an intergrated Sirius tuner and a digital media port to connect an iPod. I don't care about component, composite or Svideo inputs, the only two video sources I have are my DVD Player and cable box, both which have HDMI, but a third HDMI input would be nice for a game system maybe.

BTW - The DG1000 supports 1080p.

"Capture the excitement of the digital world with the STR-DG1000 7.1 A/V receiver. This device is designed to be a centralized hub for television, home theater, music and radio that can be transmitted to multiple rooms. The STR-DG1000 captures input from your audio and visual sources, including Blu-ray discs™, DVDs, CDs and portables, and optimizes each signal for the best possible aural and visual quality. *The STR-DG1000 features two High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) inputs that are capable of transmitting resolutions up to 1080p*, so every last bit of visual intelligence from a Blu-ray or DVD disc is vividly displayed."

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...51&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11035461


----------



## funhouse69

I stand corrected what I was referring to is the "Upconvert / Upscaling" which is only 1080i on the STR-DG1000 and 1080p on the STR-DG1100


----------



## Cholly

I should have added to my earlier post that I've been an Onkyo user for about 30 years. I have 3 Onkyo receivers (One of which is part of a Home Theater in a Box 5.1 surround system, now residing in my den. I upgraded the center channel to an Infinity C25 -- a definite improvement. In my bedroom, I have an Onkyo TX-8011 stereo receiver, driving a pair of 47 year old AR-3 speakers that still sound great.
The oldest Onkyo is currently retired.

Whatever receiver you buy, it pays to have good speakers to get the best sound. As noted in my signature, my home theater system has all Paradigm speakers in a 6.1 configuration. The family room was prewired for 6.1, so I couldn't take advantage of the 7.1 capability of my Yamaha receiver.


----------



## chris0

Canis Lupus said:


> Onkyo TX-SR705 looks pretty attractive - 6-700 bucks, 3 HDMI and TrueHD and DTS-HD Audio.
> 
> Denon looks amazing, but pricey.
> 
> Anyone like Onkyo? I've never owned one but need to upgrade the old Sony.


If one of your main concerns in getting a "future proof" receiver is the new lossless codecs in HDM (True HD and DTS HD MA) things may go in reverse a bit in the near future. Right now people are getting receivers that can decode those codecs. (I just got a Sony 5300ES for that very reason.) But BR and HD DVD players are probably going to move to Advanced Audio Decoding. Basically that means that the sound may be a seperate track from the voices, so that any number of alternate voice tracks could be mixed in. Those tracks could be additional languages, commentary, both PG-13 and R rated versions, or anything else. Those separate tracks can't be bitstreamed and the same time, so they'll have to be mixed in the player and sent as PCM. In other words, decoding in the receiver may be unnecessary in the future.

For right now, though, to enjoy DTS HD MA you need a player to bitstream it and a receiver that can decode it.

Some additional things to think about.


----------



## Altcool

Check marantz out I have the 8500 and its awesome My parents have an analog Marantz thats 25+ years old and its still working like new. Their receivers are quality. 3 year warranty.

http://us.marantz.com/Products/172.asp


----------

