How good are recievers these days?

I think it is the only way to get the
lossless sound off a blu-ray digitally. Also, no SACD
players output their signal digitally except on HDMI.

The future is DSP. Roomperfect, Dirac, just the beginning of
the future.

Sorry sport, initial Blu-ray players had 7.1 analog outputs
to obtain lossless sound into legacy, non HDMI equipment.
My friend still does this into his non HDMI Sunfire HT
system. Further, I happen to own an old Pioneer DVD player,
DV578A (in mothballs), that outputs 5.1 SACD via analog
outputs. In fact, you may not know this but SACD was out
long before HDMI.

But if you're actually talking about outputting the signal
from the player, digitally, then yes, I suppose you need
HDMI. So it can only converted to analog somewhere else
down the chain.

Better be careful or you'll date yourself as a newbie with a
digital agenda. Why I'll bet you also believe that all amps
sounds the same too. Have a good one pal.

Wow...lots of vitriol on this thread. Let's remember these are mostly opinions, and thus subject to personal taste.

I have the Pioneer Elite SC-57, that I had modified by Stereo Dave's. I run Mirage OMD-28s (bi-amped & tri-wired) fronts and the OMD-C2 (bi-amped & wired) center channel. I am no longer using surrounds. I also have the fantastic Harmon Kardon HK990. My audiophile friend and I did an A/B on the two amps, and the Pioneer won hands down...on these speakers. The amp presented a much cleaner sound in the upper range. In addition, the class-d amps offer a higher dampening factor, so the bass is much tighter.

Both these amps are great, but I would recommend the Pioneer Elite receiver, especially the newer ones with upgraded DACs and amps. When mine dies, I will get another one. Now I had the Tannoy Definition DC8s in my bedroom with the HK, and it was an incredible setup. So a lot of it boils down to system synergy.

Every Magnepan dealer I've ever been to demos them with class-d, and the desktop mini-mags even come with the class-d Wadia 151 if you buy as a set. There seems to be a good synergy with them. I think the Pioneer Elite would be a great fit. BTW, What HiFi regularly awards them as the best receivers to buy, if you are looking for a professional review.

One last option for you is to check out Music Direct. They currently have the Wadia 151 PowerDac discounted to $500, and a pair of Music Direct M1 Mono-block amps for $800. Worth a look.

Hope this helps,
Mot

Hi Slappy:

In re-reading your original post, it seems that you already bought another receiver, the Denon 3806 and you were asking which 2 channel amp would mate with it. I don't know your receiver but can you de-couple the preamp and amp sections? And are you looking to use the new amp with the preamp section of the Denon?

It seems the recommendations above, although all good, all of them might not be answering your question, with the except of mofimadness' answer.

Just wondering....

My father just picked up an Anthem MXR510 and it's awesome. Great feature set with no gimmicky stuff you'll never use. Easy to set up and use and it sounds great driving his Sonus Faber Concertos and solo center. I'm strictly 2 channel but if I ever did surround in another room I would not hesitate to pick one up.

Actually a good question especially if one keeps a reasonable perspective that we're discussing Home Theater which is essentially a digital media that will pass through more of your systems digital conversions before it gets to your ears.

I was never able to maintain the level of sound stage and imaging from my two channel system with a big ass display between the main speakers. Likewise, I found the surround effect suffers when dissimilar speakers, even from the same manufacture, are used in a 7.1 system. You end up using more EQ and/or room correction to compensate. In both cases speaker placement is critical and any deviation requires more digital tailoring.

In most cases the room needed to evenly space home theater speakers around the listening position is impossible so the quality and adjustability of the room correction within consumer receivers becomes more important than the amplification circuits.

So, if you maintain the perspective that its simply TV, even todays economical consumer receivers actually do a pretty good job of increasing one television experience.

I enjoy music videos and usually at loud volumes. Along with all the digital conversions I mentioned earlier I've found that finding higher sensitivity speakers a bigger bang for the buck than spending money on high powered separates. This is were switching (class D) amplification technology trumps linear A/B amplification in a receiver. The power supplies required for seven channels of 100 watt A/B amplification is simply impossible for a consumer receiver. With class D its not a problem.

I can crank my class D Pioneer Elite receiver all the way up without any discernible congestion or fatiguing shrill through my Triangle Comete Speakers. I could never do that with with my old A/B Denon or Integra receivers. Now, comes 4K. Isn' it easier to upgrade a receiver than separates to accommodate the higher resolution?