Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners AVR choices for a Technicphobe

Good ideas are worth repeating.

However, since you have taunted it out of me, I'll add my personal opinion that the URCs are better as they can take a fall off the coffee table with much more confidence.

A couple of things that are considered must haves, have not yet been talked about. Buying as much power as your budget will allow for, and amps that can drive those M80 down to 4 ohms. Check out the pioneer Sc-61 here. http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/SC-61

Check out the pricing and some customer reviews here:

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SC-61-Chan...eer+elite+sc-61

Check out the remote here:

http://www.amazon.com/URC-Universal-Cont...eywords=urc+wr7

This is the remote I'll be trying, it comes highly rated, and is inexpensive as well. Good luck and good shopping.

Speaking of remotes, there was an overview I recently read which was quite high level comparing pros and cons of a universal remote, apps for tablets and high end home automation systems. Here's the link:
http://hometheaterreview.com/goodbye-universal-remote-hello-control-app/

Unless i'm just missing seeing it with the universal remote, i don't see that it has activity buttons, like "watch tv", "play DVD", "listen radio", "play CD". All i see is that it replaces multiple remotes, which won't simplify the process nearly as much because you still have to do every function. You need a remote like the Harmony One which is worth paying a premium price for that added simplicity.

I use the harmony 1100, but don't recommend that one, unless your equipment is in another room, like mine, or behind a closed door, and you like to buy a new one about once a year. I have no experience with the harmony one, but many people here have liked it.

When I want to watch a movie, I hit the touch screen button that says "DVD/blu-ray". This powers on the TV and selects the proper input mode. It powers on the AVR and puts it in the play DVD mode. It powers on the blu-ray player. I open the tray and put the movie in and close the tray. Wait for the menu on the blu-ray and play. When done, I remove the disc, close the tray, then push power off button on the remote. It powers off all 3 devices. If instead of turning it off I want to watch Tv now, it powers off the blu-ray player, but leaves the other components on, and sets them to the settings that's needed to watch TV. I don't have to remember anything.

Easy peasy Japanesy.

CatBrat read some of the customer reviews. They state you can easily program for one button push, to be able to config. one's components to turn on. Weather it be TV/Sat.box/Receiver/Blu-ray/PS3. It's also been stated you can program in for the speaker vol. control through the receiver as well.

I just checked the reviews and still don't see it. It mentioned being able to run a macro to switch inputs on the AVR when pressing a Dvd button, but this a far cry from pressing the DVD button and having it set up the TV, AVR, disc player, and anything else that's needed.


Edit: ok I'm seeing it now, just had to read a bunch more reviews.

I may have to try one of these now that I know that.

Here's an infra red repeater system that I've been wanting for some time. With this I would no longer need a radio frequency remote like the Harmony 1100, or 900, and use any other programmable remote instead, plus the originals, even though the components are in a different room,

I like this one because of the extra small sized pickup that can be just barely poking out of a hole in the wall under the Tv.

Lee, I've been pondering your quest for simplicity, but haven't come up with anything remarkable. As you've found from your research, all modern HT receivers(certainly including the Marantz 5007)are relatively complex and making full use of their capabilities isn't "plug 'n play" by any means. Substituting the complexities of programming a universal remote avoids use of multiple remotes but isn't a solution to the basic complexity issue.

I'm tempted to reach back to my football coaching days and give you a pep talk along the lines of the confidence we have in you to be able to defeat the AVR enemy(Fight!). Really though, if you set up in steps, for example just use the M80s and sub first in basic stereo mode, it should be manageable. These receivers have "default" settings in place which give reasonably good results without making individual adjustments. For example, the Onkyo 709 default setting is sub on and an 80Hz crossover. Connecting the M80s and sub, turning the receiver on and selecting the basic stereo mode(it can be found)gives good basic stereo results which can be expanded upon as you get more familiar with the unit.

So, I don't make suggestions significantly different than those I've made recently. For an $800 budget my pick is the factory refurbished Onkyo 818 for about $780 from Accessories4less. This is probably more than you need though, and more cost-effective would be the 709 from them for about $450. Or even, for a less fully-featured unit, but still with all the power capacity needed(and power shouldn't be a major concern with any of these that you're considering), look at the 360 for about $250.

Thank you all. I'm appreciative of your concern and understanding. I haven't yet looked at the links you all have provided. I will need to take some time to go through them and make a determination. I pretty much expected the answers you all gave, but I am very grateful for your suggestions.

I know there is no simple answer. I believe I can manage to set up a system even with the complexity of today's surround AVR's. I'm trying to avoid a situation that requires me to read a text as thick as some of those I read while in college and written in a language that addresses technical issues which are somewhat foreign to me. After reading so many posts on the poor documentation of Denon manuals and the horrible English used I hesitated, and this hesitation has lasted about three years. Now its time to jump in and get it done. In my small circle I know of no one but me who has had the interest to research these things. They have either bought sound bars and had "Best Buy" come in a set it up, or they had their homes pre-wired and have located their speakers only for convenience. None of my friends can be termed audio enthusiasts. So it will be up to me. I am sure with your help (when questions arise) and perhaps looking at an owner thread (once I purchase) will be all the support I need. I think the years of reading these kinds of forums have given me an understanding of what I can expect. As John says, I want to enjoy the music and not (necessarily) the equipment.

Buy me a round trip plane ticket down there and I will buy it all and set it up for you.

The new avr's are actually easier to set up than they were in the past, the menus direct you to the next step for the most part, it is in the fine tuning that some more expert help might be required and I am sure with the wealth of knowledge available here and else where you can do all of this on your own.