Best AVR setup up on a budget?

[lostone98]

I hope i'm at the right place, I have learning difficulties and this stuff just blows my mind. I have a Panasonic Viera TX-55CX802B bought in 2015 and I think it has HDR but if I remember right its for old movies on 4k.

We got a Marantz pm6004 amp and would like a av amp for music and movies. We like to have a Marantz setup, AVR, 4K and speaker setup that is easy enough to setup. Budget is £1000 to £2000 without the TV of course and needs to be upgradable and last at least 10 years. Want to keep below the diminishing returns.

I am setting up a raspberry pi movie sever too but not sure if I can do that lol so its going to be interesting. I got someone talking to me to do that setup.

 

[RickSanchez]

Trying to get more clarification on what you're looking for. When you talk about the AVR and say:

1. "needs to be upgradable"
2. "last at least 10 years"

So for #1 I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. All modern AVRs allow for firmware upgrades via wifi/ethernet connections. That said those upgrades are rarely anything to get excited about. You won't, for example, be able to buy a 4K capable AVR and eventually get a firmware update that allows it to do 8K.

For #2 this is fine, but this is more about you than the AVR. If you keep your AVR in a well-ventilated space (and/or use cooling fans) the hardware itself should be fine for 10 years, probably much longer than that. But in the course of 10 years you will see numerous new technologies come onto the market related to TV resolution, HMDI, picture enhancements, sound enhancements (like Dolby Atmos), maybe even room EQ enhancements. If you don't care about those things -- or you do care but you're patient -- then 10 years is fine. Like I said, it's more about you than the AVR.

 

[-Matt-]

I guess "upgradable" could also mean... has pre-outs to allow power amps to be added at a later time?

 

[-Matt-]

It sounds like you are asking for recommendations for an AVR AND speakers for £1000 to £2000 and that you are pretty certain that the AVR must be Marantz.

I'm more familiar with the Denon offerings and I'd struggle to recommend anything below the AVC-X3700H. I think the Marantz equivalent is the SR6015 which is £1399. That leaves only £600 for speakers (and a sub?).

Since you are apparently in the UK, I'd have a look at the bundles offered by Richer Sounds. Like this one, for example.

Denon AVC-X3700, Monitor Audio Bronze 100, C150 & W10 6G (Walnut)

Featuring 9-channels of cinematic sound, the Denon AVC-X3700H makes every movie night a night to remember.9-channels deliver your choice of surround soundThanks to the flexibility of 9.2-channel amplification, the AVC-X3700H delivers a wide range of surro

www.richersounds.com

(Not sure if these particular speakers are any good; I'll let others chime in on that).

Or perhaps something like this from Sevenoaks:

Denon AVC-X3700H AV Amplifier Bowers & Wilkins MT50 AV Speaker Pack

The Denon AVC-X3700H AV Amplifier and Bowers & Wilkins MT50 AV Speaker package offers a great saving and a fantastic pairing. Speakers available in Black, and White

www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

I'd be surprised if either of these stores wouldn't build a similar bundle for you based on the SR6015, if you asked.

You don't say how many speakers you want (5.1 is probably the minimum for movies). Or whether you prefer floorstanders, bookshelf or satellites? So some additional info would probably help.

EDIT: Don't forget that you will need to budget for some wires too, so both of my suggestions stretch your budget quite a bit.

As for how easy they are to setup... The automated Audyssey system is very easy to use and should produce ok results.

The main difficulty in setup may depend on whether you have furniture in suitable places to place the speakers. (This would allow you to avoid drilling holes for wall mounting for example). Alternatively speaker stands could make setup a lot easier, but would be an additional expense.

 

[lostone98]

I guess "upgradable" could also mean... has pre-outs to allow power amps to be added at a later time?

I want to be able to add more speakers at a later date, for now I just want right and left speakers, center and sub and more at a later date.

 

[MLaranjeiras]

For a long time I have researched for an 11.1 affordable receiver. Found a Pioneer VSX LX503 in 2019. US$ 549.00 on Amazon USA. Marantz, Denon and Yamaha three times more expensive, at least. Very happy for the achievment, once a have an integrated amplifier for music. Today, an VSX LX 504 used can be found for around US$ 800.00 and a brand new LX 505 costs US$. 1,500.00. A 200% price increase in three years with not that much upgrades! Due the low power for nive channels at the same time, it is clear that the Pioneer will not be able to work in large rooms without external amplifiers helping hands. On the other hand, a friend lost his Marantz SR6011 during a not well made firmware upgrade. Botton line: I strongly suggest to consider this kind of gear with its sensible PCB board as a disposable investiment. The less you spend, the less you suffer. A NAD T778 might be the pacifier, reducing my set from three to two items, removing the need of an integrated amplifier for music. But it is expensive, did not have a good review on ASR and issues on its software was related by many users.

 

[lostone98]

Trying to get more clarification on what you're looking for. When you talk about the AVR and say:

1. "needs to be upgradable"
2. "last at least 10 years"

So for #1 I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. All modern AVRs allow for firmware upgrades via wifi/ethernet connections. That said those upgrades are rarely anything to get excited about. You won't, for example, be able to buy a 4K capable AVR and eventually get a firmware update that allows it to do 8K.

For #2 this is fine, but this is more about you than the AVR. If you keep your AVR in a well-ventilated space (and/or use cooling fans) the hardware itself should be fine for 10 years, probably much longer than that. But in the course of 10 years you will see numerous new technologies come onto the market related to TV resolution, HMDI, picture enhancements, sound enhancements (like Dolby Atmos), maybe even room EQ enhancements. If you don't care about those things -- or you do care but you're patient -- then 10 years is fine. Like I said, it's more about you than the AVR.

Its just for 4K not interested in 8k, when I say upgrade I mean I can add more speakers in the future. I got the TV and need small speakers as I don't have lots of room, Just need right and left center and sub. Also need 4k player and AVR.

 

[lostone98]

It sounds like you are asking for recommendations for an AVR AND speakers for £1000 to £2000 and that you are pretty certain that the AVR must be Marantz.

I'm more familiar with the Denon offerings and I'd struggle to recommend anything below the AVC-X3700H. I think the Marantz equivalent is the SR6015 which is £1399. That leaves only £600 for speakers (and a sub?).

Since you are apparently in the UK, I'd have a look at the bundles offered by Richer Sounds. Like this one, for example.

Denon AVC-X3700, Monitor Audio Bronze 100, C150 & W10 6G (Walnut)

Featuring 9-channels of cinematic sound, the Denon AVC-X3700H makes every movie night a night to remember.9-channels deliver your choice of surround soundThanks to the flexibility of 9.2-channel amplification, the AVC-X3700H delivers a wide range of surro

www.richersounds.com

(Not sure if these particular speakers are any good; I'll let others chime in on that).

Or perhaps something like this from Sevenoaks:

Denon AVC-X3700H AV Amplifier Bowers & Wilkins MT50 AV Speaker Pack

The Denon AVC-X3700H AV Amplifier and Bowers & Wilkins MT50 AV Speaker package offers a great saving and a fantastic pairing. Speakers available in Black, and White

www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

I'd be surprised if either of these stores wouldn't build a similar bundle for you based on the SR6015, if you asked.

You don't say how many speakers you want (5.1 is probably the minimum for movies). Or whether you prefer floorstanders, bookshelf or satellites? So some additional info would probably help.

EDIT: Don't forget that you will need to budget for some wires too, so both of my suggestions stretch your budget quite a bit.

As for how easy they are to setup... The automated Audyssey system is very easy to use and should produce ok results.

The main difficulty in setup may depend on whether you have furniture in suitable places to place the speakers. (This would allow you to avoid drilling holes for wall mounting for example). Alternatively speaker stands could make setup a lot easier, but would be an additional expense.

Its fine just to have 5.1 and small speakers are needed. They will be up on the wall cant put them anywhere else, I dont need a Marrantz but I have had good luck with them for music.

 

[TheBatsEar]

I hope i'm at the right place, I have learning difficulties and this stuff just blows my mind. I have a Panasonic Viera TX-55CX802B bought in 2015 and I think it has HDR but if I remember right its for old movies on 4k.

We got a Marantz pm6004 amp and would like a av amp for music and movies. We like to have a Marantz setup, AVR, 4K and speaker setup that is easy enough to setup. Budget is £1000 to £2000 without the TV of course and needs to be upgradable and last at least 10 years. Want to keep below the diminishing returns.

I have a Marantz NR1609. Got all the important audio codecs, Audissey room correction, measurement microphone and all that, also looks like all Marantz devices. Important for me was the pre-out for the from channels, that then goes into my more stereo setup main-in for the front left and right. No need to switch cables if i want to watch a movie.

It will be hard to get, because it's a few years old. The current version is the Marantz NR1711, which i suspect will be as usable. It looks exactly alike. It just works, as far as i can tell, i don't dive too deep into the specifics.

As for speakers, i have no center at the moment, an active subwoofer, my usual stereo speakers and 4 tiny Canton satellite speakers from an older system. Works for movies.

I am setting up a raspberry pi movie sever too but not sure if I can do that lol so its going to be interesting. I got someone talking to me to do that setup.

Easy enough with some fiddling, enjoy.

 

[lostone98]

I have a Marantz NR1609. Got all the important audio codecs, Audissey room correction, measurement microphone and all that, also looks like all Marantz devices. Important for me was the pre-out for the from channels, that then goes into my more stereo setup main-in for the front left and right. No need to switch cables if i want to watch a movie.

It will be hard to get, because it's a few years old. The current version is the Marantz NR1711, which i suspect will be as usable. It looks exactly alike. It just works, as far as i can tell, i don't dive too deep into the specifics.

As for speakers, i have no center at the moment, an active subwoofer, my usual stereo speakers and 4 tiny Canton satellite speakers from an older system. Works for movies.


Easy enough with some fiddling, enjoy.

If I get the Marantz NR1711 Slimline AV what 4k player should I get?

 

[TheBatsEar]

If I get the Marantz NR1711 Slimline AV what 4k player should I get?

I play BD disks with a Xbox Series X, i have no experience with other devices.

My TV has Android on it and i installed VLC there, that seems to work for most pirated content, but for 4k content it's hit or miss since my TV is seems to have a slow CPU. I was thinking buying a NUC to install VLC there, should have enough power.

Hope someone with some experience in those matters can chime in.

 

[MLaranjeiras]

If I get the Marantz NR1711 Slimline AV what 4k player should I get?

At US$ 200.00, the Sony UBP- X700M 4K Ultra HD Home Theater Streaming Blu-ray Player might be a great choice. Plays also SACDs and you can stream musics stored on a PC or NAS (not sure if it is able to pay musics from TIDAL or Spotify from your mobile phone. Probably no) https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Theater...6065259&sprefix=sony+700+blura,aps,459&sr=8-4

 

[TheBatsEar]

At US$ 200.00, the Sony UBP- X700M 4K Ultra HD Home Theater Streaming Blu-ray Player might be a great choice. Plays also SACDs and you can stream musics stored on a PC or NAS (not sure if it is able to pay musics from TIDAL or Spotify from your mobile phone. Probably no) https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Theater-Streaming-Blu-ray-Player/dp/B08ZFYVS9T/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3R2H5W5YD552A&keywords=sony+700+blu+ray&qid=1646065259&sprefix=sony+700+blura,aps,459&sr=8-4

I think the NR1711 has some streaming capabilities as well, just in case.

 

[MLaranjeiras]

I think the NR1711 has some streaming capabilities as well, just in case.

That is correct! "Music Streaming in every room - HEOS Built-in is your key to an unlimited music experience, anywhere in your home. Play songs stored on your smart device or personal media server, and stream your favourite hits from leading streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music HD, TIDAL, TuneIn Internet Radio and more, even in high resolution. Pair your HEOS enabled AVR with any HEOS Built-in product or wireless speaker, and distribute any music source or TV sound anywhere in your home." - https://www.marantz.com/en-za/shop/avreceiver/nr1711

 

[Spocko]

At US$ 200.00, the Sony UBP- X700M 4K Ultra HD Home Theater Streaming Blu-ray Player might be a great choice. Plays also SACDs and you can stream musics stored on a PC or NAS (not sure if it is able to pay musics from TIDAL or Spotify from your mobile phone. Probably no) https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Theater-Streaming-Blu-ray-Player/dp/B08ZFYVS9T/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3R2H5W5YD552A&keywords=sony+700+blu+ray&qid=1646065259&sprefix=sony+700+blura,aps,459&sr=8-4

I have the X700M and used it extensively in my reviews - just remember to enable/disable Dolby Vision discs as it doesn't automatically recognize DV content.

 

[Chrispy]

Hard to know what will be "future proof" for audio/video codecs/bandwidth. Mostly its likely not all that important if you have good display/audio capabilities to begin with. Can you really use ceiling mounted speakers to best effect? Kf you want to play catchup with greatest/latest things who knows. That said, depends what features/connectivity would be best for your setup/hardware. Speakers aren't 4k/audio, that's a display thing and of limited use. An avr with decent speakers/sub should be possible, but weigh the lower end on the avr and the higher end on speakers/subs. Be specific about room details and budget to help. Don't overspend on electronics, concentrate on speakers/subs.....that's where the larger differences lie rather than electronics. Ask a lot of questions before purchasing....

 

[MLaranjeiras]

Hard to know what will be "future proof" for audio/video codecs/bandwidth. Mostly its likely not all that important if you have good display/audio capabilities to begin with. Can you really use ceiling mounted speakers to best effect? Kf you want to play catchup with greatest/latest things who knows. That said, depends what features/connectivity would be best for your setup/hardware. Speakers aren't 4k/audio, that's a display thing and of limited use. An avr with decent speakers/sub should be possible, but weigh the lower end on the avr and the higher end on speakers/subs. Be specific about room details and budget to help. Don't overspend on electronics, concentrate on speakers/subs.....that's where the larger differences lie rather than electronics. Ask a lot of questions before purchasing....

Here in Brazil, Cable TV bla bla bla about 4k Dolby Atmos, but barely reaches full HD and 99% is ancient 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Maybe in countries like the USA "future proof" make more sense. Some Nad and Accuphase products have slots for future boards with new features, but we are not talking about this range of price. A life spam for a 4K TV is maybe five years nowadays. So, here I consider that if an AV receiver with its PCB board inside lasts for six or seven years, is ok. On the other hand, an vintage analogic Sansui will last for decades, like mine, from 1990.

 

[TheBatsEar]

Here in Brazil, Cable TV bla bla bla about 4k Dolby Atmos, but barely reaches full HD and 99% is ancient 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.

Same in Germany. I don't think anyone knows the future, so there is no proofing for it.