new speakers and AVR

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helinut

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#25951 7-Sep-2008 19:04

Well I got the 50 inch plasma and have the PS3 as well as the remote and a copy of Transformers on bluray.

I have a dolby prologic sony receiver. Yep shes a bit old. I need a new AVR. How many HDMI connections should I look for and what would be a good AVR to fit the bill. I don't want to overdo the budget thing but don't want the cheapest and nastiest either.

I would like to keep my front speakers if i can but I understand i have to match the other speakers for tonal quality. I have the Valdus floorstanding speakers. Yep they have been around a while too.

I can replace the whole lot if i have too and judging on reviews may stick with the wharfedale range as they seem to fit my requirements as a reasonable speaker set for home theatre. I have other hobbies so home theatre audiophile i am not but i'd like to have reasonably good sound so which speakers would be a good recommendaton?

Also HN has 18 months deferred/interest free and 12 month interest free on top of that. They do wharfedales.

Thanks for any help and yes i am a newbie.

Cheers
Glenn

Dingbatt

6758 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#163008 8-Sep-2008 09:57

Hi Glenn
Now is possibly a good time to be looking for a new AVR as Pioneer, Denon, and I think Yamaha, are running out their current models ahead of their new models.
As someone who was caught out only two years ago by getting a higher model Pioneer receiver that now will not pass through 1080p signals I agree with you in not going for 'overdoing the budget'. However some future-proofing is in order, such as;

Decode of the new high def sound formats - make the most of blu-ray,

Upscaling of analogue video inputs to 1080p via hdmi - only one connection required to TV,

Discrete input selection (by remote) - useful for universal remotes and macros,

3 hdmi in - PS3, MySkyHDi, dedicated Blu-Ray or HTPC.

I also found the auto EQ feature of my current receiver useful to set up for my room although I have manually tweaked a little since.

I have a hotch-potch of speakers at the moment so can't give a steer on that.

Bear in mind that you will be paying for the cost of interest free / deferred payment in the purchase price of the goods.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

helinut

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#163017 8-Sep-2008 10:27

Ok cheers I'll list those requirements down and look for something in that brand range.

Yes about the interest free stuff......we did the same with the TV over 4 year interest free. We just don't have the cash in hand to buy outright without making things difficult but you only live once so i am not going to wait too long to have these things.

I usually wait till the newer stuff is a bit older and therefore cheaper.....the TV was only 4K yet a few months ago it was a damn sight more than that. I also push HN for more stuff till they are prepared to walk away from the deal.....

No ones spending as everyones struggling so they are doing a lot of deals to move stuff out the door....It's a bit of a buyer market so now is the time.
We did the same with a 4 K bed package. used their money for 3 years and paid it off a week before the interest bearing date. They have made no money out of interest from us and never will except for the overinflated prices at checkout time.
I'm rather brutal with my requests for discount's and sometimes it works and others it doesn't. Like 20 to 30% off is what i start at and they say the same things....oh we can't drop the price for terms!!!! But it's GE finance that makes the money on interest when people fail to pay off within the interest free period.....HN gets their money from GE finance so even with discounts they make money straight away.
I state my terms....negotiate....and be prepared to walk away.
When you look at the prices of the speakers up here in the states (leaving for home today) we get ripped at home so I am happy to pay more but want a deal. If i can be within 10% of waht i could get it for in cash then I'll walk out the door with it.

Cheers for your help.

Glenn

helinut

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#163330 9-Sep-2008 15:49

Hi again.

So I have narrowed my search down to the pioneer VSXLX60 avr or the Yamaha RXV863.

Any comments on these two avr's as to wether one is better than the other?

HN has an Onkyo for about $1563 that has 4 hdmi and 90 watts per channel.

I have decided to go with the wharfedale home theatre speaker set. $1388. Sounded pretty damn good to me on display. I sat in front of a klipsch system as well and wasn't any more impressed with it over the wharfedales? Must be my age!

Cheers
Glenn

beddy

93 posts

Master Geek

#163350 9-Sep-2008 17:43

I recently purchased an Onkyo TX-SR606, which I'm more than happy with.
I was trying to decide between that and the Yamaha, but ended up going with the Onkyo.
I got it for $1150 from Harvey Norman.