Spec me an AVR - not in the UK

[andybird123]

I'm not in the UK but looking at getting a new AVR, I want atmos to run 5.1.4 so looking at 7.2 receivers mainly and also want 4k120 as an option

my options in my price range are basically;
Denon X2700H, X3700H (is only about £60 more for the 3700)
Marantz NR1711
Yamaha V6A or A2A

Looking at reviews of all of the above, the denon is good looks good for movies but people are saying the soundstage for music is very limited, the marantz is only 50w per channel where as the yamaha and denon are both around 100w. I also gather that I will need to check the V6A firmware before buying as the earlier manufactured ones don't support 4K120 but the later firmware updateable ones do. I want it primarily for movies obviously, but I also plan on using it to play music, I was pretty much dead set on getting the Denon but then checking a couple of reviews and they say its not good for music as the soundstage is limited but then that doesn't exactly sound great for movies either.

What says OCUK?

 

[lucid]

The Marantz is only a contender if you need to save space.

The Denon has all the bells and the whistles, but you've now realised where they cut the corners. How much that matters to you depends on the speakers you're running. If you have something good for the front pair that would be equally at home with a pure 2ch stereo system, then it's going to be important. But if you're running lifestyle-type mini cube- or flat panel- speakers then they're going to be the bottle neck on sound rather than the amp itself.

One possible solution to the stereo performance of the Denon is to run a pure 2ch Hi-Fi amp from the Denon's pre-out Front L&R sockets. This won't suit everyone though. Aside from the extra space required for an additional 2-channel stereo amp you've also got complications such as managing two volume controls or looking for an amp with unity gain so it can run as a stereo power amp when you're working in AV mode. There are also considerations such as the additional signal cabling.

The Yamaha's have historically held the advantage in sound quality and were pretty close to Denon on features. The newest models aren't trying to compete toe-to-toe on features with Denon any more. You want to run 5.1.4 That means 5 ground channels (+sub) and then 4 ceiling speakers, so 5+4 = 9.... you need a 9.1 or 9.2 amp. The V6A is a 7.2 amp. If you want four Atmos speakers then you can't have the V6A. It's the same situation with the RX-A2A. It's a 7.2 amp. That rules out both the Yamahas for you.

 

[andybird123]

I was looking at JBL stage speakers, so like A130's or A170's for fronts
Yeah Yamaha 9ch is nearly double the price of the denons, so a separate hifi amp might be the answer

 

[lucid]

I was looking at JBL stage speakers, so like A130's or A170's for fronts
Yeah Yamaha 9ch is nearly double the price of the denons, so a separate hifi amp might be the answer

To get 9.1 from a 7.1 amp by using a Hi-Fi amp for the front L&R channels, then those channel amps in the receiver would have to be assignable so they could be tasked with running say ATMOS fronts. But they're not assignable.

With one or two minor exceptions, all the mainstream AVR manufacturers follow the same pattern. FL, C, FR, SL, SR are fixed to the channels that they drive. This is the basic 5.1 layout. The rear surrounds are often assignable. They can be RL, and RR in a 7.1 configuration (Dolby EX / DPLIIx), or front height effects (DPLIIz), or Zone 2 speakers, or as Bi-amp for the front stereo pair, or as an ATMOS pair in a 5.1.2 layout.

In a 9.1 amp then it's two sets of stereo speaker channels that can be reassigned. This would give you 5.1.4, or 7.1.2, or 5.1.2 + Z2, or the ability to flick between 7.1 Dolby Ex and 7.1 DPLIIz without rewiring, or maybe even 5.1.2 with the front stereo pair bi-amped. But all of that requires a 9.1 amp, and even then those main front channel L&R amps are dedicated just to driving the front stereo pair.

 

[andybird123]

To get 9.1 from a 7.1 amp by using a Hi-Fi amp for the front L&R channels, then those channel amps in the receiver would have to be assignable so they could be tasked with running say ATMOS fronts. But they're not assignable.

With one or two minor exceptions, all the mainstream AVR manufacturers follow the same pattern. FL, C, FR, SL, SR are fixed to the channels that they drive. This is the basic 5.1 layout. The rear surrounds are often assignable. They can be RL, and RR in a 7.1 configuration (Dolby EX / DPLIIx), or front height effects (DPLIIz), or Zone 2 speakers, or as Bi-amp for the front stereo pair, or as an ATMOS pair in a 5.1.2 layout.

In a 9.1 amp then it's two sets of stereo speaker channels that can be reassigned. This would give you 5.1.4, or 7.1.2, or 5.1.2 + Z2, or the ability to flick between 7.1 Dolby Ex and 7.1 DPLIIz without rewiring, or maybe even 5.1.2 with the front stereo pair bi-amped. But all of that requires a 9.1 amp, and even then those main front channel L&R amps are dedicated just to driving the front stereo pair.

I meant get a denon 9.1 as AVR and a seperate 2ch amp for hifi (with the extra hassle that would entail swapping stuff about), I wasn't talking about trying to wire the whole lot together to make a 7.2 in to a 9 ch.

Edit; I'm looking at pictures of the V6A and it does have 9 sets of speaker posts on the back - its actually listed as a 7.2.2 amp, but the extra surrounds from the 7 can be assigned as height atmos, so it can be 5.2.4

 

[melmac]

I'm not in the UK but looking at getting a new AVR, I want atmos to run 5.1.4 so looking at 7.2 receivers mainly and also want 4k120 as an option

my options in my price range are basically;
Denon X2700H, X3700H (is only about £60 more for the 3700)
Marantz NR1711
Yamaha V6A or A2A

Looking at reviews of all of the above, the denon is good looks good for movies but people are saying the soundstage for music is very limited, the marantz is only 50w per channel where as the yamaha and denon are both around 100w. I also gather that I will need to check the V6A firmware before buying as the earlier manufactured ones don't support 4K120 but the later firmware updateable ones do. I want it primarily for movies obviously, but I also plan on using it to play music, I was pretty much dead set on getting the Denon but then checking a couple of reviews and they say its not good for music as the soundstage is limited but then that doesn't exactly sound great for movies either.

What says OCUK?

I tried 4 of those when I was picking myself up a new AV receiver a couple of years ago. The two Denon's, The Yamaha V6A and the Marantz. By far the worst of the three was the Marantz. It just didn't have the power.

I honestly couldn't hear any difference between the Denon X2700 and the Yamaha V6A.

The Denon X3700H sounded better than both. So after talking with Richersounds, I went with it for the extra power and that it has better room correction(Audyssey MultEQ XT32) I don't have any problem with the soundstage in music or movies.

I don't know anything about the Yamaha A2A. It was only released last year I think.

 

[andybird123]

I tried 4 of those when I was picking myself up a new AV receiver a couple of years ago. The two Denon's, The Yamaha V6A and the Marantz. By far the worst of the three was the Marantz. It just didn't have the power.

I honestly couldn't hear any difference between the Denon X2700 and the Yamaha V6A.

The Denon X3700H sounded better than both. So after talking with Richersounds, I went with it for the extra power and that it has better room correction(Audyssey MultEQ XT32) I don't have any problem with the soundstage in music or movies.

I don't know anything about the Yamaha A2A. It was only released last year I think.

Thanks!