Good AV Reciver + Amp

[TheAnimus]

Hey hey,

I'm in the market for an entry level AV, mainly for watching films, but also i want to be able to output my computer too it, i plan to do this via spdif co-ax.

the sony looks very tempting at £200
http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/p...roduct_ID/2422
also has an optical spdif out.

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/conten...de=DEN-AVR1706
the denon isn't a bad choice and whilst it seams to have a better rep than sony i can't help but feal underwhelmed. No digital out really pisses me off too.

Advice please, also quick headsup i've just finished a degree with EE components and i've done a-level electronics, so no comments about buying gold plated power leads or twisted pair cable thx

[kushtibari]

What about the Denon 2105 from the Superfi open box

[TheAnimus]

whilst it looks like a really good bargin, its £50 more than i was hopeing/can really afford to spend.

big question is it worth it? nice to have the three optical ins, but i'd sooner have co-ax for my digital!
Switching video isn't *that* important either, don't need that many inputs.

Whats the major advantage over the £50 cheaper sony? The speakers i'm going to be buying aren't going to be that expensive too remeber!

[kushtibari]

I'd always go for the most expensive I could afford at the time for whatever I'm buying - then upgrade the weakest section later and so on.

The Yamaha's get great reviews in the cheaper end - less than £200

AVForums is a great place to pick up cheap stuff as the folk on there are always upgrading.

[TheAnimus]

yeh but i don't want to burn money needlessly!

I'm tempted to go for:
http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/conten...-STRDB895D-SIL
as its 7 * 135w with DAB which is always handy!

its got some great reviews, and for the money is quite a good start, i don't want to get drawn into paying obsene amounts thou

[Alex]

Get one of these. You will not be disappointed. It is only 6.1, wont do any fancy video conversion, and has no on-screen display, all of which it sound like you don't want, but it has the advantage that in sound quality it will do over amps at twice its price.

You really can't go far wrong with one of them, the only reason I'd change mine is if I wanted an amp that could convert s-video to component (and I don't ) Comparing this to the Sony you posted - its 6.1 rather than 7.1, has no DAB, has PLII instead of PLIIx. It will sound better and cost £40 less.

[TheAnimus]

hmm intresting point, i like the co-ax digital out (optical digital standards piss me off, i mean we're dealing with a 10mhz max signal here!

the review slates its stero performance, would you say thats going to be strikingly better than the sony? Also the lower whattage, i'm guessing at a say 45w RMS 8ohm impedance it will sound better than the sony at the same power output levels too?

The sony i'm comparing it with is a £300 amp at most places (like superfi) and is quite barginlisious at £240..... dab is nice too (but admitedly hte quality is terrible, and i can always just boot the media box to get my music fix).
argh spending money is so hard :'(

[Alex]

The problem is that all AV amps have bad stereo performance relative to stereo amps, but I personally have felt this amps stereo performance is on a par with my Dad's budget Marantz stereo amp. The power/loudness is largely irrelevant, it goes louder than will burst eardrums, and sounds quite powerful to me. I would happily have reccomended the CA even if it were the same price as the Sony, unless you feel you want any of the extra features of the Sony one.

Having said that, I haven't heard the Sony. the only other amp I have listened to in this class is the Denon 1906, against which, in sound quality terms, I think the CA comes out slightly better. The Denon has most of the same features of the Sony, but, as I said, I can't compare without having heard the Sony. I don't think you'd go far wrong with either, but the Cambridge Audio would be what I would buy.

[Alex]

Oh yes, and look at AVForums and the like for personal opinions - they are so much more value than magazine reviews who are obviously 'persuaded' to give good reviews to some people, and will always imply you need to spend £10k to get good sounding kit. Not only that but people's ears are different, so it is far better listening to a lot of people who don't know as much than listening to one person who knows a lot. What sounds good to him/her may not to you.

[Clingy]

From my limited listening and experience I would suggest Yamaha and Denon as being good value buys at the cheaper end of the market. I steer clear of Sony (putting their recent "spyware" issues to one side) as I had a very poor one a few years ago.

Alex is correct....AV receivers and Amps are not a patch on stereo amps for music. My Big Yamaha is supposed to be one of the best AV amps in it's range for music, but isnt close to the cheap Arcam stereo amp it replaced.

[TheAnimus]

hmm, i think i might put this on hold for a few months, see if i can save up some more money and mabye get a better AV reciver.

Might drop by the local richer sounds thou, and see if i can hear the difference there.

(thanks guys!)