home audio reciever?

Question

I like to buy a stand alone audio reciever for my house.
I need 5.1, 2 HDMI, about 500 Watts and great sound with minimum distortion. Preferebly brand name. My budget tops out around $400

Any suggestions?

Make that 7.1 not 5.1

ok, i don't really know much about details. Please tell me what's the best reciever i can get for $400-$500 and the best 5.1 speakers that i get for $400-$500.

thank you

Basically I have $1000.00 to spend on reciever and 5.1 speakers.

thank you

my hdtv has 2 HDMI. Current speakers are DCM. They sound great but are 14 years old. Used to cost $2000.00
They're going into the bedroom hence need new 5.1 speakers.

Answer 1

Need More Info.

Were do you live? (Country/ State) This will help find out what brand names have support in your area.

What speakers are you using. You might want to look at a receiver that has more power than features. Then again You might want to get the most features. It depends on the quality of audio you want.

Does your TV have multiple HDMI inputs?
Why buy a receiver to switch HDMI when you have enough on your TV to do it alone? You can hook up your device to your TV, have your audio from your TV to your receiver, and you're switching one component and taking care of everything at the same time.

I really don't suggest the Panasonic. It's great for power at the lower end, but it's short on features. If I were you, look into Yamaha, particularly they're RX-V series, which start within your budget.

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/avreceivers/rxv_rxz.html?CTID=5000300

Answer 2

Check out the Denon DHT-588BA for about $999.

It is a home theater in a box, but it's a good one because you can upgrade the subwoofer or speakers and keep the good receiver. It's also a 7.1 system.

The DHT-488BA is $699 (only a 5.1 system), but add a Toshiba HD-A3 for $200 for HD-DVD movies and you have a great system.

And Circuit City is offering the DHT687BA for internet only price of $500. It's a 7.1 receiver, but a 5.1 speaker system. It's last years model but I suspect it is better than either of the other two.

Answer 3

Panasonic SA-XR57K
CircuitCity.com 329.00
I know it only has 1 HDMI but you can get a switch to add another.
Features

Powerful sound: 100 watts per channel brings all of your music and movies to life with clear, powerful sound. With 7 .1-channel surround sound, you'll feel like you're in the front row at your local multiplex.

Digital amplification: The Panasonic SA-XR57K is a high-quality amplifier that features digital technology. Digital amplifiers are much more efficient than traditional analog amplifiers, generating less heat and taking up less space. You'll get great sound quality with minimal distortion and extremely low background noise.

Rear wireless-ready: With the SH-FX60 (sold separately) you can enjoy quality surround sound from the rear speakers without the hassle of wires.

HDMI connection: Experience high-quality digital audio and video with a single cable connection.

Digital recording enhancement: When MP3s and movie soundtracks are compressed it doesn't quite sound the same as the live performance. The multi re-master feature examines the audio signal and helps compensate for these lost frequencies, providing sound quality closer to the original performance.

Multiple A/V inputs: This receiver has multiple audio/video inputs to handle all your source devices—TV, VCR, DVD player, cable box, and more. It even functions as a source selector, allowing you to connect multiple video sources to the receiver and run a single audio/video connection to just one of your TV's audio/video inputs.

Universal remote: The included universal remote control, which can command many different brands and types of components, lights up so you can see the buttons in the dark.

Front input: The front audio/video input makes it simple to temporarily hook up an additional source component, such as a camcorder or video game system.

Answer 4

Denon has a great receiver choice with the AVR1508 for about $349 retail 7.1 Channel 75 x 7, HDMI 1.3 switching, XM ready, 2-Zone multi-source capable, power amp assignable for Zone 2, MultiEq auto setup, dedicated remote for Zone 2.

also you could go a little up the ladder with the AVR 1908 for about $599 retail 7.1 Channel 85 x 7, HDMI 1.3 switching (inputs & outputs), auto surrond back channels, (2) HDMI inputs, XM ready, 2-Zone multi-source capable, power amp assignable for Zone 2, MultiEq auto setup, dedicated remote for Zone 2.