Need a new home theatre amp/receiver.
So my current 11yr old receiver is dying. It's generating static and tripping the internal speaker protection breaker every once in a while now. I've decided it's probably not worth fixing.
But, my home theatre has evolved over the last year to the point where my TV is now doing all the component switching for me. Essentially what's connected to my receiver is a single optical input, and my 5 speakers/1 sub on the output side. This leaves me with approximately 27,000 unused inputs on the current receiver which naturally leads me to question whether I even need a 'receiver' after all.
Unfortunately, I've not really kept up on audio technology, so I don't really know what's out there. I think all I need is an amp/decoder with one input and a volume control, but I'm not sure if such a thing even exists. Do I have to have a full receiver in order to decode the different potential input types? (Pro Logic/DTS/Stereo/Anything else new that I don't know about)
Assuming that I'm looking for a product that doesn't exist, does anyone ahve any recomendations for a new receiver? My sub is self-amplified, so I would require 5 amplified channels and then a non-amplified sub output (RCA jack style preferred).
-- My Biking Team --
I've been eyeballing the Onky TX-SR605 for a while now. It's $400 but it does pretty much everything a receiver could be expected to do at this point. Full HDMI 1.3 switching, compatibility with all the new lossless audio tracks on HD-DVD/Blu-Ray disc.. there's even an unsupported feature where it will upscale component video to HD resolutions over the HDMI output.
Damn nice. I just keep going back and forth on spending the money when I could put that money to a PS3.
XBLive: Thin J
PSN: Thin_J
I don't imagine master craftsmen leaping away from completed projects and shouting "Done, motherf*ckers! - 1Dgaf
I have the older SR502 and it's very much worth it.
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Just to continue the plug for Onkyo systems - you get a hell of a lot of bang for your buck. I'm very pleased with mine.
I have an SR-601 and the center channel has started cutting out periodically. Damn annoying.
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You kinda don't need a receiver, you need a single-channel digital decoder with an amplifier, but the only things I've seen that would do that are either cheap pieces of crap meant for computer speakers, or else high-end separates, where you buy a pure amplifier and then a DAC to drive it. Unfortunately, those are hideously expensive. Due to the miracle of mass production, you're probably better off just buying a low- to mid-grade receiver.
I like Onkyos a lot. Pretty much any of that series will work fine. I got my 504 for about $250, and use it on the computer. The farther up you go, the more power gets delivered to the speakers, and the better-quality components get used, but even the little 504 (well, 505 now) would probably work just fine. If you like it loud, particularly if you don't have a powered subwoofer, you'll want to go higher up the model chain. With a powered sub, 80w/channel is probably fine.
Thanks for the advice all. I'll check out the Onkyos.
-- My Biking Team --
Curious, what kind of TV do you have that does the audio decoding/switching?
Warrior Asherr
Hunter Ghorin
It's a Samsung LNS4695D. I don't know if it's doing any internal decoding, but it definitely does convert any incoming audio (via HDMI, component, etc) to optical output.
-- My Biking Team --
Ahh ok. Re-read and dont know where I picked up the decoding part. Makes a lot more sense now. Nice TV!
Warrior Asherr
Hunter Ghorin
Have you thought about just getting an HDMI component switcher, with integrated audio switching as well?
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My TV actually already does the audio and video switching, but not the decoding/amplification.
Little update on the situation: After popping and crackling and tripping the circuit breaker for a week, the receiver seems to have gone back to normal operation. Didn't do anything to fix it, not sure what's going on. But I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'll stick with what I've got until the problem comes back.
-- My Biking Team --
Well, my receiver finally died, and I picked up a TX-SR605 to replace it. Just finished hooking it up and it sure seems nice. I'll post again when I have some more experience with it.
-- My Biking Team --
Please do. I still haven't pulled the trigger and any impressions I can get from someone that isn't one of the crazies on AVSforum will be much appreciated
XBLive: Thin J
PSN: Thin_J
I don't imagine master craftsmen leaping away from completed projects and shouting "Done, motherf*ckers! - 1Dgaf
Thin, I don't think of myself as an avsforum crazy... and I really like the Onkyo units. I'm using a 504 on the computer, and a 901 up front, and I think they're just fantastic units. The 901 was a little obsolete when I picked it up, so I got it for a Super Bargain Price, but boy is it good, obsolete or no. And the 504 is highly competent and does exactly what I ask of it. Nice DAC, too. Sounds excellent when driven directly by a S/PDIF cable.
The interface is a bit weak on the 504, but it's good enough to do the job.
BTW, for anyone confused about Onkyo naming: they have several overall receiver lines. The more expensive/featureful the product, the bigger the first number. Thus, 5XX, 6XX, 8XX, 9XX... I don't remember a 7XX offhand. Then the rev of the product is the last digits... my 504 would, therefore, be both a cheaper line and an older rev than a new 605. My 901 was one of their best, but being an 01, is quite old.
They also use some different names for big box stores and HTIBs, but they're mostly based on these core lines.
I'm really very pleased with the 504. It's much better than I expected for $250. I bought it for the 7.1 analog inputs, but I could actually see it driving a pretty competent small home theater. And, of course, I love the 901, but for what it retailed for, I'm supposed to.
My initial thoughts are pretty positive. I was able to get it all set up and running without cracking the manual, always a good sign. The HDMI switching is working perfectly between my HR20 and my 360.
The sound is... different than my old system. I lived with the old system for something like 12 years, so it's understandable that a new receiver is going to sound different to my ears right off the bat.
I watched Mr. Brooks last night on DVD through my 360, and the "big sound" scenes with shooting and car sounds, etc were significantly louder than the vocals, but I'm not sure whether the audio on the DVD was just craptastically mixed, or whether I'm using the wrong DTS setting...
For the time being I'm reserving judgement on the system as I'm still in the learning stage and have been out of the loop on audio gear for quite some time. As I play with it some more, I'm sure I'll get a lot of stuff figured out and tweaked appropriately.
-- My Biking Team --
Definitely sounds like a bad audio Mix.
Have you tried any other movies that you know have great mixes?
My favorite "I just bought new stuff and have to watch a movie" movie is Master & Commander. Still think it's the best sound mix to ever hit DVD.
XBLive: Thin J
PSN: Thin_J
I don't imagine master craftsmen leaping away from completed projects and shouting "Done, motherf*ckers! - 1Dgaf
Tossed in Benders Big Score, but I'm not sure that's an adequate test. I'll toss some stuff in tonight. I agree though, I think it's just the audio mix on that DVD.
-- My Biking Team --
I had very bad luck trying to use my 360 as a DVD player. Things just didn't sound right. I stayed with a cheapo standalone unit instead.
I bought myself an Onky TX-SR705 for Christmas and though I haven't had it very long, I've been very happy with it. I had a Yamaha that died about six months ago and was working without for too long. It has three HDMI inputs and one HDMI out which was very important for me. I bought my from www.vanns.com but lots of places were running good deals on them.
-Jayavarman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayavarman_VII
Vanns is a good site.. but Amazon has the 605 $100 cheaper.
The 705 is way up in the $650-700 range though. Far, far above what I'm willing to spend.
XBLive: Thin J
PSN: Thin_J
I don't imagine master craftsmen leaping away from completed projects and shouting "Done, motherf*ckers! - 1Dgaf
I picked up a Sony STRDG910 back in June.
Our previous receiver only had one optical input reserved for the dvd player, so the hdmi inputs have come in handy. Sounds great and does its job switching between the Motorola pvr and ps3 and there's still a 3rd slot open for future fun. There's only been a couple of times where a connection has been lost between the TV and PVR but I'm not sure it's the receiver's fault.
Yeah, turns out the mixing on the Mr. Brooks DVD is crap. I ran through a couple different DVDs and HDDVDs last night and not a single one had the same problem.
-- My Biking Team --