HI-FI Receiver

They can be.

It stands to reason that if you spend £350 on 2 channels of amplification pr £350 on 7.1 channels of amplification you are going to get better quality with the 2-channel product. There is also some truth in the fact that stereo amps are set up for music, whereas multi-channel receivers have a different job to do.

However, some of them can sound very musical. The Sony £1k+ STR-DA2400ES is an extremely musical piece of kit and would certainly stand up against a £300-£400 integrated for music whilst doing a superb job for home cinema duties. Similarly there are products from Yamaha and Denon that can achieve similar standards.
 
jockey.wilson:NO, nowhere near hi-fi. Well not the Japanese-made ones I have listened to anyway.

And the Chinese-made ones...?
 
What about the Chinese ones? i'm new to this and in the near future i would like to buy a better sound system...thanks
 
First thing to do is decide on a budget.

Also post the sort of room you are in ie. dimensions and if your going to be able to place speakers far away from walls etc. In home cinema the majority of your sound comes from the front. It is rare that you will be able to appreciate and get the real surround effect in a home cinema unless it is set up correctly.

Most of the time a stereo set up will give you a more enjoyable and more authentic reproduction of sound.
 
Some av receivers are good for hi fi. for example, an Arcam AVR500 is very good at reproducing music. it's also fairly expensive...
As has been stated, spending £350 on two channels of amplification is going to get you better sound per channel than spending the same amount on eight channels. Decide on your budget and your priorities. If you want surround sound, concentrate on an amp that does just that. If you want two channel music get a good stereo amp. If you want both, and your budget is limited, look at getting an AV amp where their are pre-outs for the front pair and send these to a stereo amp, so that your two channel music benefits. Also look at older models and even secondhand amps - there are some bargains to be had, especially for older stereo receivers. For example, a secondhand Arcam A85 (like mine) can be had for around £250. It cost £1000 new and is still a cracking amp.
 

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