Getting rid of my Prologic set up that I've had since I was 16. Thinking about going with a Sony STR-DE945 A/V Receiver & a Sony DVPNS400 DVD Player. Can get 'em both for about $600. I think they'll go nicely with my new 27in Wega. Any suggestions?

My own personal opinion... I would stay away from the typical low-fi, mid-fi receiver brands you find in BB or CC, including Sony. Most of the brands you'll find there, excluding Yamaha, feature below average build quality, fake amps made from microchips, overrated/inaccurate specs, etc.

If you have ~$600 to spend, I would suggest a quality, low-end Denon, perhaps the Denon AVR-1801 ($450) along with a low/midrange DVD player, like a Toshiba SD-1700 ($150).

Don't be fooled by a BB receiver that advertises 110 watts per channel. Quantity does not equal quality. Even if we are talking quantity, I'd put a Denon 70w up against a Sony 110w anyday.

If you have $450 to spend on a receiver, you have a lot more quality options open to you than if you only had $250.

Anyway, just my opinion.

I tend to agree with roark.
You're going to get much better sound performance from a unit such as a Denon or Marantz for about the same money. No, the unit you're getting won't have anywhere near the bells and whistles tally of a comparably priced chain store unit...but when you turn down the lights and turn on the music (or movie) I guarantee you'll appreciate spending your money on quality rather than quantity.

Lol, I'm in the exact same boat. I'm looking for a new receiver to replace my old prologic from high school to go with my new 27" wega

Circuit City does sell Onkyo... What I have, It's sound is very clean.

Onkyo,Denon and Yamaha are the better mainstream units.

I'll never go back to sony, pioneer,jvc, and kenwood again. They just sound muddy.

Warsong how old? I'm 22

I'm 24. Which means my receiver probably sux more than yours

Hi again. I wanted to briefly comment on Onkyo. Onkyo has historically been known has a fantastic brand to buy. I had my eye on an Onkyo a few months back and went to every audiophile store in my area looking at receivers, talking to salesmen, etc. Although I don't have any personal experience owning an Onkyo, I can tell you that the immediate reaction of most, of not all, salemen I talked to was negative toward Onkyo.

They all basically told me the same thing: Onkyo was once a great brand. A few years back they switched component manufacturers and started mass-producing units on a huge scale. When this happened, the quality suffered significantly. So much so, I was told, that Onkyo's reputation as quality hi-fi brand was dropping like a rock. To attempt to resolve the situation, Onkyo launched a new line of units, called "Onkyo Integra" or just "Integra", which is basically a "back to the original, high quality product line" of the Onkyo long since past.

To make a long story short, the overwhelming majority opinion I found was to avoid Onkyo like you would Sony, JVC, <insert BB-brand here>. If you want a quality Onkyo, Integra is what you need to get.

Check for open box items. This is a good way to get better equipment on a budget. Also, don't be afraid to make an offer.

Example: Denon 2700 new price $800. Open box $700. Got it for $600 w/extended warranty - Good Guys. It had never even been used. The remote batteries and documentation were still sealed. This was a few years ago. It is now the 2801. Results may vary.

A few tips:

Most salesmen can't adjust the price very far, so ask to talk to the manager. Also, make sure you know what the highest price you will pay is before make an offer and be ready to walk away if the price is too high. I always pull my c-card out of my wallet and say, "I will take it right now for $$$" - this will get the salesman on your side when you talk to the manager. There is also room to haggle on the extended warranty if you plan on getting one. Say they won't match your price. Offer the price again and offer to purchase the extended warranty - they love selling these. Basically don't be afraid to try. The worst they can say is no.

As you can see from above, I also recommend the Denon. Love that 5 channel stereo. Great for mono and stereo movies too.