Budget Receivers - which is better?

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

If you had a choice between

http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=34519901

and

http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=36700607

Which would you choose, and why?

 

[Slick5150]

That's a good deal on the JVC digital receiver. I haven't heard one personally, but I think they're supposed to sound nice.

Edit: Of course, I'd also avoid ecost if at all possible.

 

[krotchy]

I would go Onkyo on budget stuff. It tends to be the best bang for the buck by far. Even on the mid-high end their bang/buck factor is quite amazing.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I would trust the Onkyo more based on my own experience and what I know about budget receivers. The 574 is OOS though it seems.

I don't know if I'd be buying a used item off eCost though. I've bought new items from them a couple times, but I've seen some scary stories about what happens if you happen to get an incomplete or defective used item from them though.

ShopOnkyo often has good deals on refurb receivers direct from the manufacturer.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I would trust the Onkyo more based on my own experience and what I know about budget receivers. The 574 is OOS though it seems.

I don't know if I'd be buying a used item off eCost though. I've bought new items from them a couple times, but I've seen some scary stories about what happens if you happen to get an incomplete or defective used item from them though.

ShopOnkyo often has good deals on refurb receivers direct from the manufacturer.

I'll keep that in mind. For $124 I took a gamble on the JVC. It appears I could get a 3 yr extended warrant for about $12 for it, and I can always do a chargeback if there's a significant issue with eCost. As I read it, they don't allow returns and they are refurb, but there should be a reasonable expectation it is in working order.


The Onkyo is OOS as you said.

 

[herm0016]

good luck with that one. it will not have near the real power or the onkyo

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

What kind of speakers are you pairing up with them?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
What kind of speakers are you pairing up with them?

nothing special, but they had some decent compliments on AVSForum

http://www.electronics-expo.co...Denon/SYS-76HT/42.html

and I paid a lot less than that.

Wife nor I are real audiophiles, she likes music, and I like movies. Our room sucks for HT though, so I don't intend on spoending too much for it at this time.

 

[Shawn]

Damn, and I thought I got a really good deal getting a used Panasonic sa-xr57s hdmi digital reciever for under $200 shipped. I really like these digital receivers. They are small and don't really give off any noticeable amount of heat. It is great. My room doesn't get as hot now.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i would take that beefy onkyo over the jvc.

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
i would take that beefy onkyo over the jvc.

Indeed. At a glance the JVC looks toyish.

MikeyIs4Dcats, have you checked shoponkyo? They offer amazing bang-for-ze-buckaroo refurbished HTiB's which I'm sure would totally outclass both that receiver and speaker kit at a lower cost.

For example, the HT-S790 is $249 (yes, two hundred forty-nine) shipped when logged in. Simply create an account to see such prices and also get a $10 credit to discount the first purchase. Additional credits are accrued from the purchase for future use. The standard 1-year warranty can be extended to 2-year for $49, if I recall.

See hot deals and fatwallet.

Disclaimer: I've bought a couple HTiB's from shoponkyo and have been nothing but pleased (and may be getting another for my mum soon as her other-brand receiver has developed intermittent power issues).

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Okay, you guys were right, the JVC isn't going to make me happy, even for $124.

If you had to choose between the Onkyo TX-SR505 and TX-SR602, which would you get, and why?

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Okay, you guys were right, the JVC isn't going to make me happy, even for $124.

If you had to choose between the Onkyo TX-SR505 and TX-SR602, which would you get, and why?

I have the 505 myself but i never looked into the older models such as the 602, I can say tho for the price the 505 is nice, you can get it in the 200 range.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I have a 602 just functioning as a crossover basically, but I've tried it with my main speakers and it sounded nice enough

If I was going to buy one now though and the 505 and 602 were the same price, I'd go with the 505... if nothing else, I'd know it's newer even if a refurb. You get HDMI switching as well (although no audio over HDMI, so no big deal there except maybe making handling remotes easier)

Have you tried craigslist yet? I got my 602 along with a good 3.1 setup for pretty darn cheap.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I have a 602 just functioning as a crossover basically, but I've tried it with my main speakers and it sounded nice enough

If I was going to buy one now though and the 505 and 602 were the same price, I'd go with the 505... if nothing else, I'd know it's newer even if a refurb. You get HDMI switching as well (although no audio over HDMI, so no big deal there except maybe making handling remotes easier)

Have you tried craigslist yet? I got my 602 along with a good 3.1 setup for pretty darn cheap.

I'm stuck with eCost unfortunately, they agreed to take the return on the refurb so long as I took it in credit.

So based on those choices, I guess I'll order a 505 tomorrow then. Good thing I asked...I had guessed the 602 was newer and probably nicer, so i was leaning that way.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I have a 602 just functioning as a crossover basically, but I've tried it with my main speakers and it sounded nice enough

If I was going to buy one now though and the 505 and 602 were the same price, I'd go with the 505... if nothing else, I'd know it's newer even if a refurb. You get HDMI switching as well (although no audio over HDMI, so no big deal there except maybe making handling remotes easier)

Have you tried craigslist yet? I got my 602 along with a good 3.1 setup for pretty darn cheap.

I'm stuck with eCost unfortunately, they agreed to take the return on the refurb so long as I took it in credit.

So based on those choices, I guess I'll order a 505 tomorrow then. Good thing I asked...I had guessed the 602 was newer and probably nicer, so i was leaning that way.

The 605 is the current 6XX model from Onkyo.

The last number refer to how recent they (5 being the current generation) with the first number being where it falls in the lineup.

Roughly
3 being entry level
5 being basic
6 being middle
7-8 being fuller featured
9 being flagship

I think 6 is the sweet spot for most people looking for the majority of the latest features.

As you go up the line, you get features like better video processing, more inputs, pre-outs, etc.
Of course wattage ratings get higher up the higher you go too.

Down the line, you mainly lose audio processing over HDMI (which is important if you care about the new HD audio formats)

Features tend to creep up the line from the upper units down to lower units as model years progress (Component video inputs were hard to come by several years ago... HDMI switching has made it down the line... audio processing over HDMI is getting down the line, etc.)

If you're not going to care about HD audio formats in the near future, the 505 offers good bang for the buck with most of the 602's features available at the 505 level now with the 505 offering you some new tricks.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I have a 602 just functioning as a crossover basically, but I've tried it with my main speakers and it sounded nice enough

If I was going to buy one now though and the 505 and 602 were the same price, I'd go with the 505... if nothing else, I'd know it's newer even if a refurb. You get HDMI switching as well (although no audio over HDMI, so no big deal there except maybe making handling remotes easier)

Have you tried craigslist yet? I got my 602 along with a good 3.1 setup for pretty darn cheap.

I'm stuck with eCost unfortunately, they agreed to take the return on the refurb so long as I took it in credit.

So based on those choices, I guess I'll order a 505 tomorrow then. Good thing I asked...I had guessed the 602 was newer and probably nicer, so i was leaning that way.

The 605 is the current 6XX model from Onkyo.

The last number refer to how recent they (5 being the current generation) with the first number being where it falls in the lineup.

Roughly
3 being entry level
5 being basic
6 being middle
7-8 being fuller featured
9 being flagship

I think 6 is the sweet spot for most people looking for the majority of the latest features.

As you go up the line, you get features like better video processing, more inputs, pre-outs, etc.
Of course wattage ratings get higher up the higher you go too.

Down the line, you mainly lose audio processing over HDMI (which is important if you care about the new HD audio formats)

Features tend to creep up the line from the upper units down to lower units as model years progress (Component video inputs were hard to come by several years ago... HDMI switching has made it down the line... audio processing over HDMI is getting down the line, etc.)

If you're not going to care about HD audio formats in the near future, the 505 offers good bang for the buck with most of the 602's features available at the 505 level now with the 505 offering you some new tricks.

cool, thanks for the help. I'm not too concerned about the HDMI pasthrough. I figure this is a good start and in a few years once we get a new house, I'll get a better system based on my needs at that time.