2. home-theater
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which Brand of Reciever produces the Best Audio?

Have rec'd numerous suggestions from Arcam to Sunfire to you name it---Ideas? I want something warm for the system--not cold, lifeless digital---like some of the Pioneer or Onkyo or Denon products I have audtioned--I am used to vintage equipment and sound quality---your thoughts? I want great audio, but also something that will work well into the future for the video side of things (I haven't a clue about this video thing--will be running a Pioneer Elite Plasma)-- thanks
bluesnbike1954
tpreaves's avatar
tpreaves
2,686 posts
 
You will get better responses if you include a list of your equipment and a budget.Be aware,what someone else says is "best",might not work for you at all.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
If you are accustomed to vintage, buy a reciever to do the HT and surround, and a 2 channel preamp with Home Theater bypass, and a seperate front channel amp. Best of both worlds. Denon and Onkyo are great for HT, if you want hi-end stereo sound you are not going to get there with any reciever, even an Arcam or NAD (I have had lots of problems with NAD's, but they sound good)
audiojan's avatar
audiojan
402 posts
 
If your #1 concern is sound quality, I would recommend sticking to a good pre/pro (the older and quite inexpensive Krell HTS sounds awesome) and a good 5 channel amp. It will probably end up costing you close to the same as a new receiver, but sound quality will be superior. You will probably give up some of the lossless decoding capabilities (quite a few BluRay players can do that for you though), and very likely HDMI switching (connect video directly to Plasma with audio going through coaxial and/or 5.1 analog input for lossless decoding in the BluRay player).

Arcam does make some very good sounding receivers and the Sunfires sound decent but can deliver lots of power and will drive almost anything.
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