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Just Curious - About using a AV Receiver as main unit

Just curious about something.

I know it is preferable to use a Integrated Amp or Pre-Amp+Amp combo as your main unit in the system but sometimes I see used AV's receivers see from manufacturers who make really good high end 2 channel equipment and these receivers sell for less then say a 2 channel component from the same manufacturer (units from say Rotel, Anthem, Arcam, Marantz, etc). Also, since we are talking about AV Receivers, I guess it's fair to compare them to SS Amps. If your into Tubes, then that is whole different story.

I wonder sometimes if you start a build using one of the AV receivers instead of the 2 channel component, would that be a good system to build off of.

I will say for myself, I started with a Denon AVR-5700 (which I still have and was a beast in it's day) and I think it was an excellent piece of equipment and had a great 2 channel section.

Last year I bought a Integrated amp but honestly, I could have easily stayed with the Denon and build off of that.

Sure, these AV's receivers wont compare to components that are way up there in the thousands but if your budget is bit tight I think these components would be great to start with and I am not talking about your $400 dealer receiver from best buy, I mean AV's receivers that were top of the line in their day and now can be had for much cheaper. 

Well just curious and my opinion.

Thanks
128x128jay73
jay73's avatar
jay73 OP
219 posts
 
@dweller 

Thanks, I am doing ok. 

@noble100 

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

Actually, I am not looking to incorporate a AVR as I already have a 2 channel system with a Integrated Amp.

I had just brought up the subject because I thought it would be beneficial to talk about in case someone out there was looking at building their first 2 channel system but were on a tight budget and so I thought starting with quality AVR might not be a bad idea.

As they build their system around it, they could simply replace the AVR with a good Integrated or Separates. 

That's the only reason I brought up the topic but to be clear, I was not trying to get advice on incorporating a AVR for my own system (I had started that way but moved on).

Sorry for the all the confusion, perhaps I started a bad topic.
dweller's avatar
dweller
3,792 posts
 
"quality AVR" is the key. The giants pop out crap because 90% of people think spending more than $500 for an AV receiver is foolish. My Onkyo full retail is close to $1800. For that much they can afford good parts. Don't worry about your topic. I'm sure it was interesting and inspiring to more than a few people.
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
jay73:
" I had just brought up the subject because I thought it would be beneficial to talk about in case someone out there was looking at building their first 2 channel system but were on a tight budget and so I thought starting with quality AVR might not be a bad idea."

Hello jay73,
     Okay, so you decided to make up a pretend and hypothetical post without stating so right from the get go?  Then I, never even considering another member would display such poor judgement as to think this was a good idea, spend about an hour of my life describing in detail how using an Oppo 105 is an excellent and much higher quality method to avoid using an AVR?  WTF? Really Jay, as if making up a pretend and hypothetical post was not a dumb enough idea, you took it to a super-uber-dumb knuckle-headed level idea by not stating it was a hypothetical post right from the beginning.  
     Please don't do this again.

Tim
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,210 posts
 
If you can find an old high quality AVR with multi channel analog input for cheap, pair it with miniDSP, you can build a 2/3 way active system for not much money.
soix
9,665 posts
 
If I’m building a 2-channel system only, I’m gonna start with 2-channel components.  Period.  I’d rather spend $500 on a good used stereo integrated like a Rega Brio R or Peachtree Decco 125 that I’d enjoy and actually want to keep around for awhile than on an older jack of all trades/master of nothing AVR I’d like to get rid of ASAP. 
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