readd skarlett wrote:
Aizle wrote:
the real weak link in sound reproduction is usually the speakers.
this is a very incorrect statement
the receiver is the "heart" of your system....picture any athlete with a bad ticker.....they're not going to be performing at optimum levels....
while it is true you need descent speakers in any system...the receiver is the single most important part of your system.
In the price range you're looking in, go with the Onkyo, you'll be very happy.
I have to disagree with you here. While it's obviously preferable to have high quality components all around, you will typically get better (more accurate) sound reproduction by spending 250$ on a receiver and $750 dollars on speakers than you would by spending $750 on your receiver and $250 on your speakers (of course, this is dependent on what you're getting. If you're buying crap, you're going to get crap sound regardless). While your analogy is apt, also think of it in that same athlete spent 500 dollars on his jersey, but only 10 dollars on his shoes, he also wouldn't be performing at his optimum level.
One last note, it is typically much more cost effective in the long run to spend the bulk of your money on good speakers. While I have probably gone through 4-5 receivers in the last 10 years due to changing technology, speaker tech has changed very little, and the good quality speakers I bought 10 years ago still sound great.