Looking for new reciever

[treiz]

Hi, I was hoping that I could get some leads on receivers for my home theater. I need a receiver that not only has HDMI but will also pull the audio off the HDMI instead of just passing it through. I don't want to have to run an HDMI cable AND an audio cable, my setup is cluttered enough already.

I've already bought and returned two systems, it's frustrating as the boxes don't mention this ability as far as I can tell.

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

 

[cjl]

What's your budget? I have a Denon AVR 2808 that I love (and it definitely does what you are talking about). A newer version (the 2809) is out now with more HDMI ports and a few more features, but it is around $1000, so it is in the more expensive range of receivers.

 

[treiz]

I'm not looking for top of the line, I just want one that will actually take the audio from the HDMI. I was told that the Yamaha 665 would do it, but I haven't been able to confirm that. I'm just looking for a decent entry level receiver that will do it.

 

[cjl]

So you're budget is around $500-$600 then (based on the price of the 665)?

If so, I'd go for the Denon AVR 1909. You can get it for $500 here, including free shipping (Listen up is a great place - I got quite a bit of my audio equipment there). It will do all that you are asking for, and besides, I've always liked Denon. Also, if you can wait a bit, Denon has a new model (the AVR 1910) coming soon with an MSRP of $550. It's basically just an updated 1909. It adds Dolby Pro Logic II capabilities, as well as an extra HDMI input (4 instead of 3). Other than that though, they're pretty similar, so if you don't need the extra port or the Dolby Pro Logic II, it probably isn't worth the wait or the extra $50.