Budget replacement for old Kenwood amp

admin_exported

New member
Aug 10, 2019
2,556
4
0
Visit site
Afternoon all. My old Kenwood amp finally gave up the ghost after 23 years of faithful service and things have changed a bit since I bought that! So I wondered, seeing as the amp did have a (Panasonic) DVD player, an old Marantz CD player, my ipod touch (via Cambridge Audio dock) and a budget Sony HDTV going through it and out to some old (but not as old as the amp!) Mission speakers, would I be better advised going the AV receiver route, (especially as I may upgrade to blu-ray and 3D at some point in the future)? (Or am I better just sticking with a more "old-fashioned" Hi-Fi amp?)

As this was an unexpected event (even after two decades), my budget is very limited indeed, only around £150 so I was thinking of the cheaper Yamaha to Onkyo receivers but I noticed Richer Sounds are doing a Yamaha YHT-294 (receiver and speakers) for £200, to which I could maybe stretch to try my first surround system if it would be worth it? Is there a better alternative?

If I did buy the YHT-294 package or similar , would I be able to use my old Mission speakers as the front ones and not bother with the Yamaha front pair that come with package and would that be the best set-up?

All advice gratefully received!
 

f1only

Well-known member
Apr 7, 2010
278
0
18,890
Visit site
Hi Peggars

The Yamaha system you mention is OK ish, one of the downsides of it is NO HD audio decoding. The actual AV receiver of the system i believe is the Yamaha RXV367 @ £149.95. You could buy it & use your missions, i think you would be dissapointed though, there would be a tonal missmatch across the front with Centre Yamaha speaker.

If you were going to stretch to £200 for that package, how about buying the Sony STRDH810 @ £179.95 or less, which IMO a vastly superior AV amp to start with. As money is tight, you could keep the Missions & add a 2nd hand Centre Mission speaker to match it from ebay, therefore slowly building yourself up a better system as finances allow.

Regards ....
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hi f1only,

Thanks very much for that great advice, which I'm almost certainly going to go with. I've seen the Sony STRDH810 for £179.95 on Richer Sounds website but they don't have any available near me (oop north in Yorkshire!). Have you or has anyone else seen that model at a similar price anywhere else?

Thanks again.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
It just about is worth a trip to Stoke even if the train/petrol costs me £50 or more as no other prices seem to come near!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
If I don't make it to Hanley/Stoke in time or dip out of the trip entirely ;) but could get my hands on a Yamaha RXV467, Onkyo TXSR308 or Pioneer VSX520 for approx £150, would any of those be a decent alternative to the Sony STRDH810 for me. If so, which one do people reckon would be the best choice?

Thanks again!
 

f1only

Well-known member
Apr 7, 2010
278
0
18,890
Visit site
Any of the 3 you mention would be better than the Yamaha RXV367. The Yamaha's are better generally with music, but still do a fine job with surround. Where as the Onkyo is more of a dedicated movie machine & i would put the Pioneer about 1/2 way between the two.

For me having auditioned all 3 of the brands & more, from last years models i preferred the Yamaha, thats not to say it will suit your taste. If possible see if you can get a demo / audition of each amp on a set of mission speakers to give you some idea of which you prefer, your the one who's going to be listening to it after all.

Regards...
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Very sensible advice once more! I'll try to get a demo of each of them and take my pick - if I can find any! Thanks again.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts