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Budget AV Receiver with Magnepan

I'm looking to build a 5 channel home theater/music system using Magnepan MMG-W's and CC2 (or possibly MC1's for FR and FL) with a Monitor Audio sub. Now I'm looking at inexpensive used high end AV receivers to tie it all together:

Rotel - 1055 75x5

NAD - T744 (can be had refurbished with warranty) 5x50W, not sure if this is enough to drive the Magnepans?

NAD - T754, a bit more power, can be had with warranty

B&K AVR 202 - 105 x 5, I've heard one of these and liked it, it's a bit older than the rest

Cambridge Audio 540R - 80 x 6, nice looking unit but haven't heard much about them compared to NAD/Rotel/B&K

And advice/experience on any of these would be greatly appreciated. I'm happy with 5 channel DTS, don't need HDMI (although would be nice), want something that can drive the small Maggies without struggling (don't need ground shaking volume here), and I want something that sounds *good*. I'm coming from a small Denon 75w x 5 Dobly Digital surround receiver (driving Monitor Audio Silver 5i's). I know seperates are better, but I'm trying to keep the wife happy ($$$). Thanks!

Brad
bfrank1972
bfrank1972 OP
15 posts
 
Hey great ideas! I didn't even think about the preamp outs with an outboard amp - that way I can stage going to seperates over time. Not a bad idea at all. I'm also interested in looking at the Marantz av receivers, as I've heard good things about them but never really considered them. The thing about reading reviews about A/V receivers is that there is a sliding scale - one person will say X receiver is amazing, because they only have used low end receivers. Another person will say X receiver is trash, because they usually use high end seperates. It's a sliding scale :)

Eventually I plan to retire the Denon even as a preamp, because I want at least component video switching (just grabbed a new Samsung 42" plasma) if not the new fancy HDMI stuff. The guy at Circuit City poo-pooed component and said HDMI was the only way to go for HD, but I'm not so sure I believe him.
ekobesky
259 posts
 
My Blu-Ray player only outputs 1080p through the HDMI, and I think that's the case with all players. So if you want HD, you have to use an HDMI connection. Otherwise, you'll have to live with 480p.
bfrank1972 OP
15 posts
 
Yeah as far as HDMI goes, my new Samsung has 3 HDMI 1.3 inputs. Instead of going with a switching receiver as a central hub, I'm just going to connect direct to the TV (though it's a little more complicated for my wife to udnerstand :) ).
sufentanil's avatar
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sufentanil
776 posts
 
Component video connections CAN transmit HD signals; they will easily to 1080i and 720p. I'm not sure if they're do 1080p, but on my Samsung 1080p LCD, I cannot tell the difference between the HDMI and component video inputs. Of course, if you want to decode the AUDIO HD signals from a Blu-Ray disc, then you will need to use HDMI connections.

Michael
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 
It's my understanding that component video goes up to 1080i, and can't do 1080p. I can also see where this might be hard to detect on a 1080p flat panel display, because flat panel displays don't interlace. Ever. So when they see a 1080i incoming signal, they automatically convert it to 1080p so they can display it. If a 1080p display receives a genuine 1080p signal, there should be some improvement in tracking fast-moving action, however.

The only true 1080i displays are CRT-based, whether a direct-view tube or CRT-based front or rear projector. All DLP, LCD, and plasma-based displays are progressive.

For example, my LCD-based rear-projection Hitachi will accept a 1080i signal, but the TV's native mode is 720p, and it downconverts a 1080i signal to a 720p display.
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