Good AV receiver for Music??? HELP!

[ghoti]

I see that there has been no activity on this thread for some months. I hope that some folks will see this and respond.

I am looking to get an AV tuner/ amplifier to ALSO use for listening to classical music sourced from FM radio and CDs. I have presently an OLD Sony STR-AV710 (two channels) that has performed reliably for at least twenty years. I also have a set of Bose Aoustimass 5, Series 2 speakers, comprising two very small tweeter/ midrange units, and a subwooker, all fed with one set of speaker wires (wires run from the subwoofer to each of the two twweter/ midrange speaker units. I have grown increasingly unhappy with the performance of my present system, primarily due to poor sound. Midrange is lacking and the treble sounds piercing and irritating to my ears. The sound lacks fullness, particularly for my music. It improves if I turn the volume up beyond what my wife wil tolerate.

I am ready to go for as much as $1500 for the new tuner/ amp and probably new speakers. I am about to downsize to new living space, and expect to be satisfied with 2.1 sound. I am CERTAIN I will never want to run more than 5.1. I want to connect the AVR to a home network so as to be able to stream music and video from internet sources. I presently have a DVR (vintage 2002) capable of outputting 480p/ 480i, via one component video/ audio output. The DVR also has two S-Video outputs and inputs, two sets of RCA connector video and audio inputs and outputs. (I expect I'll want to get a TiVo, Roku (or similar) in the future. I have a nice Sharp 37" LCD TV (~ 6 years old), which though presently situated in a large rooom with HIGH ceilings, will, when we move, be situated in a more 'normal-sized' room (perhaps 14' x 16' with 8' ceilings. I expect to continue with CDs as long as they are made; I don't expect to ever use the highly-compressed modes such as MP3.

I live out in 'the country," and will not be able to go to listening studios to audition a buch of different setups. I have looked seriously at the Yamaha RX-V673 based upon reviews. It was, until the other day, priced on Amazon.com at $399. Amazon just raised the price to $499 (amazing to me for a discontinued model), but I am hoping the price will drop again. Does this AVR have a 2 or 2.1 channel switchable option? How decent is the sound in stereo mode? How is the tuner? I never "crank up" the volume and am not interested in exaggerated, booming base that some 'rockers' enjoy. I don't want a booming home theater experience for war scenes and the like.

I will very much appreciate suggestions and comments.

Thanks in advance from 'ghoti.'

 

[Leeps]

I get good musical results from my Pioneer AV receiver (and I'm comparing this with my previous Cambridge Azur / Ruark stereo set-up). I noticed Richer Sounds had a few VSX-2021's still for £500, although they are 2011 models, their original RRP was £800.
Its modern equivalent is the SC-2023-K.
It's reasonably fast has a beautiful midrange and definitely rewards your ears when the source is of good quality (a noticeable transformation with DTS-HD for example).
One proviso: after trying most settings / crossovers etc, I've settled on the following for best stereo source musical listening:
Crossover from speakers to sub at 80hz
Speakers set to "small" (helps remove any flabbiness, keeps the main speakers fast & tight and passes all the bass to the active sub)
Sound setting on receiver: "Extended Stereo" (plays stereo signal through all channels).
Fader adjust (using iOS app) about half way towards the front (but ONLY with stereo sources. Music blurays that deliver 5.1 signals, I adjust this back to the centre point).

I thoroughly enjoy listening to music this way (classical, jazz, latin, folk, electronica, funk).

 

[npoguy]

I see that there has been no activity on this thread for some months. I hope that some folks will see this and respond.

I am looking to get an AV tuner/ amplifier to ALSO use for listening to classical music sourced from FM radio and CDs. I have presently an OLD Sony STR-AV710 (two channels) that has performed reliably for at least twenty years. I also have a set of Bose Aoustimass 5, Series 2 speakers, comprising two very small tweeter/ midrange units, and a subwooker, all fed with one set of speaker wires (wires run from the subwoofer to each of the two twweter/ midrange speaker units. I have grown increasingly unhappy with the performance of my present system, primarily due to poor sound. Midrange is lacking and the treble sounds piercing and irritating to my ears. The sound lacks fullness, particularly for my music. It improves if I turn the volume up beyond what my wife wil tolerate.

I am ready to go for as much as $1500 for the new tuner/ amp and probably new speakers. I am about to downsize to new living space, and expect to be satisfied with 2.1 sound. I am CERTAIN I will never want to run more than 5.1. I want to connect the AVR to a home network so as to be able to stream music and video from internet sources. I presently have a DVR (vintage 2002) capable of outputting 480p/ 480i, via one component video/ audio output. The DVR also has two S-Video outputs and inputs, two sets of RCA connector video and audio inputs and outputs. (I expect I'll want to get a TiVo, Roku (or similar) in the future. I have a nice Sharp 37" LCD TV (~ 6 years old), which though presently situated in a large rooom with HIGH ceilings, will, when we move, be situated in a more 'normal-sized' room (perhaps 14' x 16' with 8' ceilings. I expect to continue with CDs as long as they are made; I don't expect to ever use the highly-compressed modes such as MP3.

I live out in 'the country," and will not be able to go to listening studios to audition a buch of different setups. I have looked seriously at the Yamaha RX-V673 based upon reviews. It was, until the other day, priced on Amazon.com at $399. Amazon just raised the price to $499 (amazing to me for a discontinued model), but I am hoping the price will drop again. Does this AVR have a 2 or 2.1 channel switchable option? How decent is the sound in stereo mode? How is the tuner? I never "crank up" the volume and am not interested in exaggerated, booming base that some 'rockers' enjoy. I don't want a booming home theater experience for war scenes and the like.

I will very much appreciate suggestions and comments

Thanks in advance from 'ghoti.'

if you're not in a hurry, keep watching the 673. It seems to go up and down every few days. I've seen it as low as $349 and a high of $499.

 

[pyrrhon]

Hi,

that is my system:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9jFFebj6yeDNDIyejVHZnJuSEk/edit?usp=sharing

Using apple tv a lot, hdmi input was the biggest problem to suit my stereo taste. I dont like 5.1 system but need a few hdmi.

Its a marantz nr1403 with the preout output going into the preamp. On the preamp you can use the fixed or variable output wich allow you to bypass the volume control if need be.

The sound is awesome but more expansive than i first intended my system to be.

This thing could solve your problem, its an avr pre and you only need a 2 channel power amp to get the best of both worlds:

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/processors/products/umc200

I cannot recommand cause I dont know anything about emotiva, just came on it a few months ago and liked the design.

In the long run going seperates will allow you to upgrade and pick really good parts.

good luck

 

[fristi]

Has anybody checked the CA Azure 351r ?

They claim it is a AV receiver with special care for HIFI stereo. altough it has lesser features than others in it`s kind...