Good audio receiver review site?

[rjensen11]

Anyone know of any good sites for A/V receivers? I don't like CNet too much, maybe it's because it doesn't have all the models I want to look up. If nobody knows of some good sites, then I guess I'll have to check out AudioKing sometime(A local audio/video store, very nice equipment, but more than I can afford...)

Basically I want a receiver that can decode DTS, DVD-A, SACD, and the bunch. It also needs to have composite video input and output(at least 2, preferably 3 input, then preferably 2 output), as well as digital optical input(for devices like PS2). Maybe I'll be better off waiting until the PS3 specs are out before I go out buying a receiver, though... I'm still in highschool, so I guess maybe I should also wait until I'm nearing the end of college... Oh well, what can you do, I like to dream....

 

[risingson77]

May I recommend a Harman/Kardon receiver for you? They are, hands down, the best sounding receivers for the money. Their surround receivers start around $400. That includes Dolby Digital, DTS, Logic 7, Dolby Pro Logic II, etc. If I recall correctly, it also has a six-channel analog input for SACD and DVD-A.

Currently, no DVD-A or SACD player puts out a digital SACD or DVD-A signal. You'll have to use the six channel analog connection for any hi-res audio listening. Unfortunately, "universal" players (those that decode both SACD and DVD-A) will run you roughly a grand. I expect that to change in a year or so.

Hope I solved more problems than I created...

 

[rjensen11]

I ended up getting a receiver from my aunt, it's by no means the best, but it's not too horrid. It's a Sony from 1991, I think, but it has S-Video in for Vid 1 & 2, and out for 1. It also goes up to Vid 3 and also lets me hook up my dad's old record player(which definately is a plus). The only downsides that I've found so far is that if I want any bass from all speakers, I have to have them hooked up to the front A and B, that means no "rear" speakers, which kills the true surround and makes it act more stereo. The equilizer also is pretty bad, control-wise. It only lets you adjust the bass, mid, and treb from one spot each, not very customizeable, like on my dad's old equilizer, where each major frequency could be adjusted independantly and very tediously. But hey, I got the receiver for free, with 3 speakers(2 for the front, they're smaller speakers, and one center channel speaker), so I guess I'll take what I'm given...

 

[risingson77]

Kewl...it must be one of the higher-end Sonies (?) from that era. S-Video switching wasn't all that common back then, I think.

It sounds like you could use a powered sub. Your speakers probably have very limited bass reproduction - that's what it sounds like to me, anyway. A powered sub would help a lot, and you could keep your rears hooked up to the surround output.

 

[rjensen11]

Originally posted by risingson77
Kewl...it must be one of the higher-end Sonies (?) from that era. S-Video switching wasn't all that common back then, I think.

It sounds like you could use a powered sub. Your speakers probably have very limited bass reproduction - that's what it sounds like to me, anyway. A powered sub would help a lot, and you could keep your rears hooked up to the surround output.

The problem isn't the speakers, but the receiver's connection to them. They have plenty of bass when hooked up to the front channels... Maybe a sub would help, though... It would have to be a passive sub though...

 

[risingson77]

The problem with the setup is that it is most likely Pro Logic. Pro Logic sends very little information to the rears. It's a mono signal containing frequencies from 200 Hz to 7 kHz (something like that). In other words, the rear channels are not designed to reproduce bass.

I guess the solution is to leave the receiver set up for what you do most. That is, leave it in "dual stereo" mode if you're listening to music most of the time, or leave it in true surround if you're playing video games or watching movies.

 

[rjensen11]

Originally posted by risingson77
The problem with the setup is that it is most likely Pro Logic. Pro Logic sends very little information to the rears. It's a mono signal containing frequencies from 200 Hz to 7 kHz (something like that). In other words, the rear channels are not designed to reproduce bass.

I guess the solution is to leave the receiver set up for what you do most. That is, leave it in "dual stereo" mode if you're listening to music most of the time, or leave it in true surround if you're playing video games or watching movies.

I do both about the same, so I guess the best thing for me to do is leave it as is until my brother leaves for college(for some reason he thinks it's HIS receiver, even though he didn't earn/get it, I did... So once he goes off to school, I configure with it some more, and maybe pick up a passive sub...

 

[risingson77]

Don't bother with a passive sub. It places a BIG additional load on your receiver and gives you very little in return. You're a hundred times better off with a powered sub. Even if it means saving for a longer time....

 

[rjensen11]

Originally posted by risingson77
Don't bother with a passive sub. It places a BIG additional load on your receiver and gives you very little in return. You're a hundred times better off with a powered sub. Even if it means saving for a longer time....

Perhaps I got my terminoligy mixed up... By passive sub, I ment having it hooked up to either the front or rear channels, and then having those speakers hook up to the sub. I didn't mean having the sub get all of its power from the reciever, because my reciever doesn't even have a subwoofer channel, it's only a 5 channel, not 5.1....

Maybe I'll just get another reciever sometime...

 

[risingson77]

A powered sub will have its own power cable to plug into the wall. That means it has its own amp to produce bass. A passive sub has no power amp (and no plug, natch) and uses your receiver's power amp to produce bass.