A few questions regarding AV receivers

[yonyz]

Hi,

I've been looking to get a used AV surround receiver, and most of the offerings in my budget are old models with no HDMI inputs, so they don't support DTS-HD or Dolby's equivalent format.

I wonder what this means if I hook it up to a PC. If I used an optical/coaxial cable, and the file I play has uncompressed audio, will the receiver not be able to process it into an analog signal?

Also, if it does work with uncompressed audio, then I'll need recommendations for the cheapest sound card with such an output.

Lastly, my onboard audio has interference when using its analog outs, will the noise be present if I were to use a digital out, or does it get filtered?

Thanks.

 

[TLS Guy]

Don't even think of getting a receiver without HDMI for AV use. It will be very awkward and limiting. You will likely run into a lot of issues like synchronizing audio and video. In addition analog outputs are rapidly disappearing.

Just don't go down that rabbit hole.

 

[yonyz]

I found a used Pioneer VSX-519V-K for $100. It has HDMI, but not 1.3, so there's no DTS-HD or TrueHD support. However, it does support "PCM via HDMI" - does that mean I can get a lossless signal from the GPU to the receiver?

 

[everettT]

Probably would be helpful if you included your speakers, gear, room size, goals, etc

 

[yonyz]

I have ordered a pair of JBL Studio 230.
Room size is 3 x 4 meters.
Goals? To connect my bookshelves (230s) and active subwoofer for now, and add rear speakers in the future.
I'd like to be able to output an uncompressed signal to the speakers. Can the Pioneer 519 do that? It's the cheapest modern AV receiver that I've found.

 

[everettT]

Depends on you computers video card and the hdmi spec possibly having handshake issues.

And a quick look at pioneeers website says it will do pm over hdmi.

 

[yonyz]

Depends on you computers video card and the hdmi spec possibly having handshake issues.

I have a Geforce GTX 960, if it helps.

 

[everettT]

It should work .

 

[yonyz]

I've finished going through all the pages on the used boards, and I found these two:

denon AVR-1311
pioneer vsx 821

Their price is very similar - $172 for the pioneer, and $186 for the denon. These are used so I could probably negotiate a better price like $140 or so. These two have DTS HD and TrueHD support, and are newer of course. Should I go for the Denon?

 

[everettT]

I've finished going through all the pages on the used boards, and I found these two:

denon AVR-1311
pioneer vsx 821

Their price is very similar - $172 for the pioneer, and $186 for the denon. These are used so I could probably negotiate a better price like $140 or so. These two have DTS HD and TrueHD support, and are newer of course. Should I go for the Denon?

It's a toss up. At entry level between pioneer and denon, I'd take pioneer. If your looking to take advantage of lossless audio, I'd make sure my speakers and sub can handle it. The JBL seem a good bargain just get a sub that will allow for the 105+ peaks to start with.

 

[yonyz]

It's a toss up. At entry level between pioneer and denon, I'd take pioneer. If your looking to take advantage of lossless audio, I'd make sure my speakers and sub can handle it. The JBL seem a good bargain just get a sub that will allow for the 105+ peaks to start with.

I have a DIY sub that I've just finished building a few days ago. It should be able to handle up to 110db. Also, I received word from the seller of the Denon that it was actually sold already. Still waiting for a reply from the Pioneer seller. By the way, do all receivers come with mics for calibration?

 

[everettT]

I have a DIY sub that I've just finished building a few days ago. It should be able to handle up to 110db. Also, I received word from the seller of the Denon that it was actually sold already. Still waiting for a reply from the Pioneer seller. By the way, do all receivers come with mics for calibration?

The levels of calibration are different between models, between manufacturers . I'd manually calibrate your sub and in your room I'd use placement as your best resource.

 

[yonyz]

The levels of calibration are different between models, between manufacturers . I'd manually calibrate your sub and in your room I'd use placement as your best resource.

There's no room for placement changes of the subwoofer (pun intended) in my room. The sub is big and can only go in the corner. By calibration, do you mean adjusting the gain of the subwoofer, or do you mean like the calibration of speakers where the receiver uses EQ to flatten the frequency response?

 

[everettT]

If you can't move your sub around your room you may and all likelihood have an issue; realized or not. Most room eq benefits the lower octaves . Your JBL speakers would benefit from say about 1000hz down, maybe a little higher. Your sub albeit capable, might be in a location that no room correction can fix. So I'd be open to placement

There's no room for placement changes of the subwoofer (pun intended) in my room. The sub is big and can only go in the corner. By calibration, do you mean adjusting the gain of the subwoofer, or do you mean like the calibration of speakers where the receiver uses EQ to flatten the frequency response?

 

[lovinthehd]

I have a DIY sub that I've just finished building a few days ago. It should be able to handle up to 110db. Also, I received word from the seller of the Denon that it was actually sold already. Still waiting for a reply from the Pioneer seller. By the way, do all receivers come with mics for calibration?

If the avr has a routine requiring a mic, it came with the avr. Replacements can be had but will add to your cost if the seller didn't keep it...

You might think about a measurement mic purchase and using software like REW to really see what your sub and room are doing....

 

[yonyz]

If the avr has a routine requiring a mic, it came with the avr. Replacements can be had but will add to your cost if the seller didn't keep it...

You might think about a measurement mic purchase and using software like REW to really see what your sub and room are doing....

So can I get a cheapo receiver that does DTS-HD and TrueHD and do the calibration with PC software, instead of Audyssey?

Also, opinions on these would be appreciated:

RX-V1800
htr-3065
TX-SR577

The RX-1800 was $1300 new at 2009 so it's the most expensive here. Is it also the best one?

 

[lovinthehd]

So can I get a cheapo receiver that does DTS-HD and TrueHD and do the calibration with PC software, instead of Audyssey?

Also, opinions on these would be appreciated:

RX-V1800
htr-3065
TX-SR577

The RX-1800 was $1300 new at 2009 so it's the most expensive here. Is it also the best one?

DTS HD and TrueHD use a combination of HDMI connections and a bluray disc that uses those lossless codecs; if you have a player that handles the decoding you don't even need such in your avr really (as long as you have the connectivity to take advantage of the player's processing). Calibration is somewhat a separate subject, not sure if you're connecting them.

Not really as far as having REW help with the eq, was just putting that out there as an idea, not really thinking of your budget at that moment. You can see what you're hearing with such so to speak, but to implement the eq solutions that REW can come up with need to be implemented with other dsp than the typical avr provides (or provides access to).

You can perhaps implement the most important eq typically, that for your sub, depending what dsp you're using for eq'g the sub. The iNuke DSP series can accept such, or a minidsp unit https://www.minidsp.com/applications/auto-eq-with-rew

DIY and use of measurement mic and REW is a good combination for the long haul; perhaps with your current budget a simple avr will be fine for now but think about it for the future. Audyssey in my opinion will do the best job of the major basic avr auto eq programs (YPAO or MCACC) to eq your sub; not 2EQ but any MultEQ version http://www.audyssey.com/technologies/multeq/flavors

Are those first two Yamahas and the third an Onkyo?

 

[yonyz]

DTS HD and TrueHD use a combination of HDMI connections and a bluray disc that uses those lossless codecs; if you have a player that handles the decoding you don't even need such in your avr really (as long as you have the connectivity to take advantage of the player's processing). Calibration is somewhat a separate subject, not sure if you're connecting them.

Not really as far as having REW help with the eq, was just putting that out there as an idea, not really thinking of your budget at that moment. You can see what you're hearing with such so to speak, but to implement the eq solutions that REW can come up with need to be implemented with other dsp than the typical avr provides (or provides access to).

You can perhaps implement the most important eq typically, that for your sub, depending what dsp you're using for eq'g the sub. The iNuke DSP series can accept such, or a minidsp unit https://www.minidsp.com/applications/auto-eq-with-rew

DIY and use of measurement mic and REW is a good combination for the long haul; perhaps with your current budget a simple avr will be fine for now but think about it for the future. Audyssey in my opinion will do the best job of the major basic avr auto eq programs (YPAO or MCACC) to eq your sub; not 2EQ but any MultEQ version http://www.audyssey.com/technologies/multeq/flavors

Are those first two Yamahas and the third an Onkyo?

I will be connecting my PC to the receiver, via HDMI from the GPU. It's a recent GPU, a GTX 960, so it should be able to do all the necessary decoding. To use miniDSP with surround, I'll need its expensive version which I can't afford. MultEQ is not available in my budget either.

However, I use JRiver Media Center which has many DSP options, including a parametric EQ, and they allow you to choose to which channels each "effect" (filter or whatever) should apply. So will this work with REW and a calibration mic? I know that the 2EQ version of Audyssey doesn't work with subwoofers, so I'm wondering whether REW could help with that.

And yes, the first two are Yamahas and the third is an Onkyo. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me which of them would be the best buy. Used, their prices are almost identical.

 

[lovinthehd]

I will be connecting my PC to the receiver, via HDMI from the GPU. It's a recent GPU, a GTX 960, so it should be able to do all the necessary decoding. To use miniDSP with surround, I'll need its expensive version which I can't afford. MultEQ is not available in my budget either.

However, I use JRiver Media Center which has many DSP options, including a parametric EQ, though I don't know if these work for surround as well.

And yes, the first two are Yamahas and the third is an Onkyo. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me which of them would be the best buy. Used, their prices are almost identical.

Not a computer guy for audio/video, but first result when I was starting to search what a graphics card had to do with audio....https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/932003/-solved-nvidia-driver-issue-dts-hd-and-dolby-truehd-audio-formats/

Heard nice things about Jriver but don't use it (except maybe a brief trial a long time ago?).

An avr is a best buy depending on what features are important to you....a decision you'll have to make as not sure overall what that is...

 

[yonyz]

Not a computer guy for audio/video, but first result when I was starting to search what a graphics card had to do with audio....https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/932003/-solved-nvidia-driver-issue-dts-hd-and-dolby-truehd-audio-formats/

Heard nice things about Jriver but don't use it (except maybe a brief trial a long time ago?).

An avr is a best buy depending on what features are important to you....a decision you'll have to make as not sure overall what that is...

Yes, I WILL buy an avr as I need amplification for my passive speakers. It just seems that I don't need to spend on it too much, because the features I look for are mostly available on the software I use to play my media.