Does a tape monitor exist within TX-SR605?

I

idunnokyd

Audiophyte
My parents just bought themselves a Sony XBR2 52" LCD and an ONKYO TX-SR605. They wanted me to hook them up to a Bose 901 VI set of speakers and sub, however, I can't find the "tape monitor" function on the ONKYO. Does it even exist?

The 901's come with a "special" equalizer that manage the speakers and, according to the BOSE manual, wont function correctly without the equalizer.

I'm pretty sure that i'm sol with finding a way to hook up the equalizer with the reciever, but I thought that I would ask you all for some advice before i tell my parents to return the ONKYO. If that is the case, what receiver would you suggest?

Thanks for your time.
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
It has a tape loop, but with the monitor activated I don't think the receiver will be very functional, since the loop will only work with the tape input (analog only). It is highly recomended they get new speakers. You won't find B0SE fans on this site.;)
 
I

idunnokyd

Audiophyte
It has a tape loop, but with the monitor activated I don't think the receiver will be very functional, since the loop will only work with the tape input (analog only). It is highly recomended they get new speakers. You won't find B0SE fans on this site.;)
:) Yep... I'm not a fan of BOSE either, but my father seems to be. He is a little hard headed and can't get over the fact that his speakers are way obsolete; however i'm not trying to fight him on this one. If there is a will there is a way. You mentioned that there might be a little hope since there is a "tape loop" available. How do I exploit this? I can't seem to find any reference to a monitor option on any of the manuals or in any of the settings. I want to believe it's in there, but I can't find that option.
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
I don't understand how the EQ for these speakers work, maybe a short explanation will help us to solve the problem. I have no experiance with those B0SE speakers.;)

Depending on how it needs to be connected you may not be able to utilize some of the features of this receiver (like all the digital ones:D) pretty much voiding the purpose of the receiver if your dad is unwilling to upgrade his speakers (not hard to accomplish;)):D
 
Davemcc

Davemcc

Audioholic Spartan
I looked at the owner's manual and I see no form of tape monitor function. However, I would hesitate before taking the Onkyo back. I'm familiar with the 901's and it's eq. My mom has a set of 901's. I think the new reality is that these speakers and their special needs have had their day, although they may still be nice for stereo.

Consider this. The only connections to get proper surround sound from any source is through digital connections, whether HDMI, coaxial or optical (barring, of course the six channel analog). When using the 901's through a tape monitor, you are limited to using stereo analog connections through the tape monitor and you will not be able to use any digitally encoded surround sound format.

My suggestion is to keep the Onkyo and buy a normal 5.1 speaker setup for home theater and consign the Bose to a dedicated analog stereo setup elsewhere.

Or, return the Onkyo and buy an older analog receiver with a tape monitor from a pawn shop or yard sale, because as long as you're using the 901's, you have absolutely no use for any of the modern digital inputs that provide surround sound:

Unless you return the Onkyo and buy a receiver that has 7.1 preouts and additionally purchase a separate multi channel amplifier, then plug the Bose eq in between the FR and FL reciever output and FR and FL amplifier input.

Cliff Notes: time to replace the Bose.
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
My parents just bought themselves a Sony XBR2 52" LCD and an ONKYO TX-SR605. They wanted me to hook them up to a Bose 901 VI set of speakers and sub, however, I can't find the "tape monitor" function on the ONKYO. Does it even exist?
If you really mean 'tape monitor' then the answer is No and that is true of the vast majority of receivers in general. The last receiver I owned that had a genuine tape monitor was an Onkyo TX-SV525 from 1996.

The TX-SR605 has tape inputs and outputs but there is nothing special about it - you could use the audio jacks of the Video inputs/outputs to record audio as long as you also had a video source connected to the input.

If the Bose equalizer requires a true tape monitor you are SOL. Any analog signals input are output by the tape out as well as the audio portion of the video outputs but ONLY if the source is analog. So even using the tape outs to connect to the equalizer is not going to work if using any digital input signals (like DD/DTS/PCM).
 
Davemcc

Davemcc

Audioholic Spartan
I don't understand how the EQ for these speakers work, maybe a short explanation will help us to solve the problem. I have no experiance with those B0SE speakers.;)
Seth,

Certain Bose models, (901 and 802 are the ones I'm familiar with) use an external line level equalizer. When I used the 802's to DJ back in the 80's, I would go from the L/R output of my mixer to the Bose Eq, then out to the amp. In a home system, you just use the tape monitor function and loop the Eq back to the receiver's amp. The Eq really does wonders to what the speakers will do, especially with the 802's which sound awful without the Eq, but with it, will rock a gymnasium size room with great sound.

It seems that this system has had it's day in the modern digital era, but I haven't found the heart to tell my mom that yet. She just got new 901's (free) a couple years ago when trading in an older set of 901's under warranty for deterioration of the foam surrounds.
 
I

idunnokyd

Audiophyte
It seems that this system has had it's day in the modern digital era, but I haven't found the heart to tell my mom that yet. She just got new 901's (free) a couple years ago when trading in an older set of 901's under warranty for deterioration of the foam surrounds.
Yep... That's what my father went through a couple of years back, so he really doesn't want to give up his "new" speakers. I'll do my best to encourage him to make the move to the digital age. It'll be a tough sell, but he may go for it... maybe. :cool:

I appreciate everyones input on this. I'm quite suprised on the quick response i've gotten thus far, and might I say... YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!

He's gonna want to stick to the BOSE brand name, but the feeling I get from reading this site is that it's not really a good idea.

It's like 4am in the East Coast, so many thanks! I'll make him KEEP the ONKYO for the present and future; but most important make him ditch those 901's...:eek:

'nite!
 
zildjian

zildjian

Audioholic Chief
To use such an equalizer set up and still use all digital sources, you'll have to have preamp outs to run to the eq then run the eq outs to an external amplifier since so few receivers now days have preamp inputs. In such case, a decent receiver is needed with preamp outputs for the main LR channels and you'll have to pick up a stereo amplifier, or go the more $$ route and buy a dedicated preamp/processor & multichannel amp if you want a surround sound system.

took me 10 minutes to type this one handed, i had surgery on my right/dominant hand 2 days ago. now even brushing my teeth is interesting and awkward.
-Brad
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
To use such an equalizer set up and still use all digital sources, you'll have to have preamp outs to run to the eq then run the eq outs to an external amplifier since so few receivers now days have preamp inputs. In such case, a decent receiver is needed with preamp outputs for the main LR channels and you'll have to pick up a stereo amplifier, or go the more $$ route and buy a dedicated preamp/processor & multichannel amp if you want a surround sound system.

took me 10 minutes to type this one handed, i had surgery on my right/dominant hand 2 days ago. now even brushing my teeth is interesting and awkward.
-Brad
The Yamaha RX-V661 has preouts and the Behringer A500 is a nice solution for a system such as that. They can be had for under $600 total. Believe me when I say, B0SE was probably their best with the 901s and the 802s, but now they make horrible speakers, I mean awful. Please don't let your dad get stupid Acoustamass system.:D
 
C

caupina

Full Audioholic
The Yamaha RX-V661 has preouts and the Behringer A500 is a nice solution for a system such as that. They can be had for under $600 total. Believe me when I say, B0SE was probably their best with the 901s and the 802s, but now they make horrible speakers, I mean awful. Please don't let your dad get stupid Acoustamass system.:D
Even though I own Bose, my only experience with the little cubes is with a Acoustimass 3 system which doesn't exactly sound that good. However the 701SII that I have, I don't have anything bad to say about.

Seth L, what's up with the Laserdisc logo????. I've been looking for some LDs myself, especifically Pat Metheny's "More Travels" or any other music concert in this format, do you have any idea where I could find them????
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
Even though I own Bose, my only experience with the little cubes is with a Acoustimass 3 system which doesn't exactly sound that good. However the 701SII that I have, I don't have anything bad to say about.

Seth L, what's up with the Laserdisc logo????. I've been looking for some LDs myself, especifically Pat Metheny's "More Travels" or any other music concert in this format, do you have any idea where I could find them????
I would know, I only recently became interested in LD. I have processor with RF AC-3 input that I am lined up to buy and I am still searching for a good priced, decent performance player. Then after that I suppose I will try to get Jurrasic Park 1 and 2 on LD as well as some other LD classics.
 
C

caupina

Full Audioholic
I would know, I only recently became interested in LD. I have processor with RF AC-3 input that I am lined up to buy and I am still searching for a good priced, decent performance player. Then after that I suppose I will try to get Jurrasic Park 1 and 2 on LD as well as some other LD classics.
I stopped by Amoeba Music here in Hollywood last Friday, and they have this huge inventory of movies (probably around 150 to 200) on LD for USD 5-10 each. Unfortunately not that many music LD, some Phill Collins, Mariah Carey, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, among others, but not exactly what I was looking for.
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
I stopped by Amoeba Music here in Hollywood last Friday, and they have this huge inventory of movies (probably around 150 to 200) on LD for USD 5-10 each. Unfortunately not that many music LD, some Phill Collins, Mariah Carey, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, among others, but not exactly what I was looking for.
Have you tried Ebay?
 
B

billnchristy

Senior Audioholic
Dude....why?

Ok, nostalgia and all that is fun and nice, but have you ever watched movies on LD??

Each side is only 30 or so minutes long and a good long movie will have 3-4 discs meaning 6-8 side swaps...it gets very annoying.
 
C

caupina

Full Audioholic
Dude....why?

Ok, nostalgia and all that is fun and nice, but have you ever watched movies on LD??

Each side is only 30 or so minutes long and a good long movie will have 3-4 discs meaning 6-8 side swaps...it gets very annoying.
I'm not into movies. In this case it's a music concert that has not been delivered on DVD (region 1 or 0, I know there's a japanese DVD, region 2), just VHS and LD, so that's the one I'm looking for.
 
F

fmw

Audioholic Ninja
The 901's are what made the Bose brand famous nearly 50 years ago. They were perfectly competent speakers and, unfortunately, the last competent speakers Bose ever made. They have done a wonderful job with marketing but, sadly, not a very good one with engineering.

Let him buy whatever he wants but be sure a tape loop isn't necessary to make it operate properly.
 
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