Which receiver for Ascends? HK or Denon?

[sharerware]

I'm mostly ignorant of everything audio. I always had other places to put my money. Now that I'm nearly done building a dedicated Home Theater (big jump from nothing to something), I want to get quality components, like Ascend and HSU, both of which I just ordered. Call me stupid, but I bought them completely based on testimonials, customer service, and price. Since I have a completely untrained ear, I may never realize how good they are.

That being said, what features or aspects of A/V receivers would a novice appreciate? What would a novice not notice or have a need for? I feel like I'm drowning in features...

[bikeman]

I'm mostly ignorant of everything audio. I always had other places to put my money. Now that I'm nearly done building a dedicated Home Theater (big jump from nothing to something), I want to get quality components, like Ascend and HSU, both of which I just ordered. Call me stupid, but I bought them completely based on testimonials, customer service, and price.

Wish I had been that "stupid" when I was starting out.

That being said, what features or aspects of A/V receivers would a novice appreciate?

Don't spend a lot on your first receiver. Even a $200-$300 receiver will have all the bells and whistles a novice will need. One thing to look for is an easy to use remote. Some remotes are very poorly laid out and not all functions can be accessed from the remote. My Panasonic XR-55 would not be a good choice solely because of the remote.
After you've had the receiver for awhile, you will come to appreciate what's important to you. Then you'll be ready for your first bout of upgraditis.

What would a novice not notice or have a need for? I feel like I'm drowning in features...

We are drowning in features. Keep it simple, especially when it comes to the remote. Let us know your decision.

David

[drewface]

Many, many years ago, Yamaha got a reputation as a bright receiver. And like so many things in so many hobbies, once something gets ingrained, it won't ever go away. I had a 1980 Yamaha receiver that was not bright in the least but everywhere I went that didn't sell Yamaha, it was portrayed as overly bright.
The only thing I know of Yamaha today is it's feature rich.

David

interesting. thanks for that insight. i vaguely remember reading some pages that said yamahas are bright, which i can't comment on since i haven't compared my yamaha next to some other receiver, but i don't think it sounds any brighter than other setups i have heard... that's too bad that they have to carry that reputation, cause i really enjoy mine.

[Lizard_King]

Get the Outlaw Audio 1070!!!!!!!

[sharerware]

Ok. I'm nearly scared off of HKs due to their QC issues as discussed in multiple threads on the AVS forums. I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on a refurbished Denon AVR2307ci from Dakmart. I like that it converts 1080p from component to HDMI as well as the other features it promises. The price on the refurbished receiver is great, too. I just hope they have it in stock. Before I commit, does anyone have any additional comments for me? If there's a better value, or otherwise, I'd like to hear it.

BTW, thanks to everyone that's given their opinions. The feedback on this forum is terrific!

[bikeman]

Is Dakmart authorized?

David

[Gov]

Is Dakmart authorized?

David

They are

[sharerware]

They also include a 1yr warranty rather than the standard 90 days for refurbished items. So, it seems like a good deal.

[bdfin]

I have a Marantz 110 watt A/V receiver that is a joy to listen to. It is now going on 5 years old and still very sweet. I plan to try some Ascends with it in the near future. You can find an authorized reseller for them by just doing a web search for Marantz. I think their line of the last few years is easily comparable with Denon, Yamaha, HK etc. as far as a nice sounding unit that should last a while....

[Lizard_King]

Shareware,

I own the Denon 3930CI Reference DVD player. This is an audiophile grade DVD and I could easily use a denon Receiver and benefit from the Denon Link. That would allow me to pass multi-channel, music and Movie sounds over a Cat-5 cable.

When I went to listen to Denon A/V receivers, I was really not liking there sound when music was playing. The sound seemed dry, and not what I call good, sound to enjoy. When playing Movies through the Denon, that was a whole new ball park.

Wnat the best of both worlds? I say go a try an Outlaw Audio 1070 A/V . Outlaw is the pioneer in making and selling amps, preamps/processors/receivers and selling them direct via the WWW.

They are like Ascend you a larger firm and their support is second to none! They have a great online forum and supedrb pre sales support. You can even get their Director of sales and marketing on the phone, his name is scott.

The use of Outlaw withg Ascend is one that many people are know to enjoy!

Outlaw Audio 1070 guy, enough said.

Liz