Help me - need an AV Receiver

[kfied13092]

I need an AV receiver to handle the following - any suggestions:

5 surround sound speakers built in wall in Family Room
2 speakers built in ceiling in neigboring kitchen
& finally 2 speakers on my deck

I want to be able to watch surround sound in family room while listening to music in my kitchen and deck. I would also at points - like to utilize ALL of the speakers to listen to music if I am having a party.

I would like to do this utilizing ONE AV receiver if possible.

NOTE: I do have buit in wall volume switches for the kitchen and deck.

I have a 50" plasma Panasonic TV
Comcast HD Cable Box
DVD player
XBox 360
and most importantly I want IPOD integration.

If possible, I would like a receiver that is HD compatible.

Since I an new to this - I am not sure what the real difference is between HD switching and HD upconversion capabilities in an AV receiver. Which one should I be looking for.

Any help you can give me in deciding on a receiver would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[Jutsuka]

Anyone ever test the Sunfire Ultimate Receiver II?

[jcPanny]

I think that the mid-fi receiver options from Yamaha and Denon in the $1k price range will meet your needs. Check out the Yamaha RX-V2600 and Denon 3806 and 2807 models. You will have to pay an extra $100 for the Ipod dock.

These and many other receivers will allow you to assign the receivers amps to run a 5.1 main system and powered Zone 2 speakers. Since you will run 4 zone 2 speakers, make sure that you have impedance matching volume controls (they will have a small jumper with 1x, 2x, 4x, etc.) or add an impedance matching speaker selector box to protect the receiver.

Here is a summary of some of the current HD features:
HD compatable: Will pass 720p and 1080i signals (maybe 1080p) over the component video and HDMI connections.
HD upconversion: Will convert component video, svideo, and composite video to 480p HDMI.
HD upscalling: Will convert a 480i/480p signal to 720p or 1080i output over HDMI.

You may need to wait a couple months if you want the receiver to pass a 1080P signal. I think that the soon to be released Yamaha RX-V2700 will have this feature.

[muncybob]

In the Yamaha(at least on my older 1400) you can attach speakers to the "presence" speaker jacks on the receiver and enable the interal amp for zone 2 which allows you to listen to a different material other than what is running through the 5.1 speakers(something I just discovered, sometimes pays to read the owners manual!:D ). I'm hoping to connect my Niles speaker selector to the presence jacks and then listen to my deck, game room and other areas speakers playing different material(or even the same material) of the 5.1 speakers once I get my set up reconnected. I'm assuming the newer receivers can do the same thing?

[jcPanny]

Bob,
Make sure that your speaker selector or VCs have some type of impedance matching circuitry. Otherwise, you will overload the Yamaha's amp. Even with this protection circuitry, the receivers power is devided amoung all of the zone 2 speakers. So if your yamaha is delivering 60-80 watts to the zone 2 amp than each zone 2 speaker is getting 15-20 watts.
If you don't get enough volume, add an amp like the Behringer A500 to deliver more power to Zone 2.

[pbmpharmacist]

Most mid to higher end receivers will meet your needs. Just off the top of my head:

Yamaha (HTR5990, Rx1600, RX2600)
Denon (2807, 3806 +)
Pioneer (82 and 84 forget the full names)

[kfied13092]

Thanks guys for the recommendations.