Old reciever, could use some help

[Hundred]

Hi everyone,
I would like to hook up my components to an older reciever but the reciever does not have HTMI or even component. So if you guys can help me with the best set up so that I an enjoy 5.1 surround that would be awesome. Below is the equipment I have and how it is currently setup.

TV - Samsung LN46A550
HDD/DVDR recorder - Phillips DVDR3576H - hooked up to tv via HTMI
Xbox 360 - hooked up to tv with Component video and RCA audio. I believe it has a TosLink optical out?
PS2 - hooked up via S-video to tv

I would like to add a Denon AVR-1801

So I have had some mirage fronts/center/surrounds and sub. The fronts are OM-9's and the center is a OM-c3. Which I have not been using because I
Didn't think my reciever would work with the equiptment I have. But now I figure I may as well ask if it is possible and how I can do it before I shell out a few hundred dollars for a new reciever.

So of you can tell me from which components to hook up together and how ( what kind of cables). That would be sweet.

If it's better that I just get a new reciever let me know.

One other question is, what kind f wireso I need to hook upnte sub to the reciever?

Also. My fronts have a total of 4 spots for speaker wire. 2 reds and 2 blacks. How should I hook those up?

I have tries to do my own research but before I order wires from mpnoproce I wanted to be sure what I ordered would work with what I need to do. Any links to them w/ the specific wires I need would be awesome too.

Thanks for reading through all this and I really appreciate your time and help ok this. You'll be saving me a chunk of change.

Jt

 

[Tiguron]

Looks like your system is off to a nice start. For the speakers you only want to connect to one pair of the connectors. One black and one red to the matching channel output from the recevier. This assumes the gold bars are in place on the om-9s. Are there two gold peices connecting the blacks and reds together?

There are two sets of post for those people with plenty of power that want to drive the high and low drivers of the speaker with different channels. Unless you have a separate amp, very little is gained by doing this. I tried with my receiver and ended up going back to using one set only with the bars back in place.

For the sub it will help you give a model number. Most likely you will use an RCA subwoofer cable to connect to the sub out connection.

 

[Hundred]

Thanks for the reply Tiguron. The front speakers do have the gold plate connecting the reds and blacks.

the surrounds i have are Mirage OM-R2's and the Sub is a Mirage FRx-10. It has a couple connection types but the RCA -> RCA would be the best connection?

As for the wiring. My rear speakers are about 18 feet back so would i want to use 14g or 12g to wire those? I was just going to use 14g speaker wire for everything.

If i am running Optical out on Tv to the Reciever, do i need to run Analog as well or i sthe optical enough?

thanks again,
jT

 

[lsiberian]

Thanks for the reply Tiguron. The front speakers do have the gold plate connecting the reds and blacks.

the surrounds i have are Mirage OM-R2's and the Sub is a Mirage FRx-10. It has a couple connection types but the RCA -> RCA would be the best connection?

As for the wiring. My rear speakers are about 18 feet back so would i want to use 14g or 12g to wire those? I was just going to use 14g speaker wire for everything.

If i am running Optical out on Tv to the Reciever, do i need to run Analog as well or i sthe optical enough?

thanks again,
jT

For an 18' run for surrounds. I think 14gauge is overkill. I suggest you use 16 gauge. It's much easier to run and usually much cheaper. Even for a 4 ohm speaker you can go 24 feet. On an 8 ohm you can easily go 36 feet. If your doing an attic run to the rears I might see the justification for 12 or 14 gauge wire, but for a short run like that don't waste your money.

Make sure you buy your speaker cable at a hardware store(cheaper) and go for the cheap stuff not the stupid monster cable. You can also use lamp wire(useful if you need a thick sleeve to protect from chewing animals.

Plus if you need a wire stripper you can get it there. If you want to go online. Antonline or monoprice are the way to go.

Read this article to understand more about speaker wire. And use the table to determine what gauge you need. Don't forget to include the rise and fall of the cable in your calculation.

And don't buy monster they put plastic in the middle of the wire.
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable


http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable

 

[popotoys]

One thing to watch with speaker wire is whether or not it is fire rated. For me, I had to run wire that was fire rated if it was to be in the walls.

 

[Tiguron]

Glad to help, although I am pretty low on the totem pole of experience and knowledge compared to alot of people here. If you need more info you may want to try throwing some questions into other areas (the General AV or Amps, pre-pros & Receivers). More people keep their eyes on those ones.

For the sub, yes RCA to RCA is the best connection. This is assuming the sub has a 'sub in' or 'xover bypass' or something similar type of RCA connection. When you use this connection the sub simply plays what the receiver tells it. The bass management, volume, crossover, etc, is all handled by the receiver. This is why you want to use the sub out connection from the receiver. Take a look in the subwoofer section. You can get more info about how to set everything up within the recevier. I am not that familiar with you receiver so I don't know how to properly set everything up.

For 18 feet, yes 14g is fine. Some people run 10 or 12 because they want to make sure they don't degrade the signal, but this is overkill.

Running optical out from the TV to the receiver should get you the best audio you can, assuming the TV is set properly. Another option is to also run a digital coax from the DVR and a toslink from the 360 to the receiver. I am not sure if your DVR can send audio to the TV via HDMI and send audio via the digital coax at the same time. Most likely it can.

Your receiver is fine for now. All you are missing is the ability to decode the newer formats (7.1 as well as the two lossless HD version) and the auto setup functions. There are other small changes, but these two are the main ones. If you can live without these there is no need to update. Newer receivers also work as video scalars and switches. Most TVs do as good or better at handling video, so this is a nice to have but not needed.