Do I need to buy a A/V receiver?

[Clownfish]

Why do I need to buy a A/V receiver?


I have a 50" panasonic TV, a new LG BD 390 Blue Ray disc player.

I'd like to add (2) speakers, and perhaps a sub. I'd like floor monitors, large, and place them on each side of my fireplace, under the TV, which is mounted above.

I have a very large room, 30' x 25' that is all open, with a kitchen, dining area, etc. I am not able to do any type of surround sound systm. We just don't have any place to mount them, or any power access, and to hang them from the ceiling would look really darn ugly, IMO. The room just doen't cut it.

So, I'd like to play movies on the Blue Ray, and listen to music. I have my old, woofer rotted JBL's set up in this configuration right now, and it isn't too shabby, IMO. Actually, I watched Transformers the other night, and it was better the the TV only sound, or the Bose we used to have in it's place.

Anyhoo, why spend the $$$ on an A/V receiver if I can't do 5:1, 5:2, 7:2 etc? Why not just buy a decent amp?Why pay for all of these options, if I'm not going to use any of them?

As for the decoding, the Blue Ray does that, right?

If I HDMI connect the TV and Blue Ray, then connect the Blue Ray to a 2 channel amp, would this work? Then, just add a sub that has it's own internal amp?

Or, am I missing something here, that I don't understand?

 

[markw]

You're thinkng is sound*.

If all you ever want is two speakers and a subwoofer, then you don't need an AV receiver.

As you noted, you can run the video directly from the source to the TV.

Likewise, most sources allow an analog output (generally red & white RCA jacks) that can be run to virtually any stereo receiver or amplifier. If you've got a vintage stereo receiver available, this would be a fine time to drag it out.

AS for the subwoofer, just make sure that whichever one you buy has speaker-level inputs. Speaker level outputs are nice, but not essential.

One note.. "powered" subwoofers provide power to only the subwoofer, not the other speakers so there's no way around a receiver or amp.

FWIW, this is how my setup in the gym/office/man-cave is set up and I have no complaints.

* sorry, I've been dying to use that one.

 

[Adam]

Depending on your TV, you might need a volume control on whatever you buy to power your speakers.

Do you need an A/V receiver? Nope - which is what you suspected and Mark confirmed. However, you might not find it any cheaper to get an amp instead, and you might find some of the features of the receiver to be quite convenient (remote volume control, for example). Mark was alluding to a crossover for the bass signals when he mentioned speaker level inputs on the subwoofer, which is something that can be handled in more than one way (a lot of subs can do it, but every A/V receiver that I've seen can also do it).

 

[Clownfish]

Depending on your TV, you might need a volume control on whatever you buy to power your speakers.

Hummm. Good Point.

If all I play is Blue Ray discs, DVD's on the BR, and jack my iPhone into the Blue Ray player, can't I use the volume control on that?

I don't use any type of tape deck anymore, and I don't own any records, either. I have a lap top, that will link to the BR player, so I can stream off the internet for any other type of media (music, movies) I want. I think. I've only used Netfix streaming via wifi so far.

Doesn't the TV do decoding, also? And upconversion? Depending on the make and model.

I have the BR player hooked to my old vintage Kenwood, with analog connections, and JBL's with Infinity's stacked on top. Silly, I know, but OK while I save money. Plus, the spouse thinks it looks like shi+, so perhaps the funds will flow mor freely, now. My bad, or what?

I was thinking about an Emotia Upa-2 $ 299.00 (125wx2 into 8 ohms, 185wx2 into 4 ohms)

OR...

Behringer Reference A-500 (2x230w into 4 ohms, 500w into 8 ohms) $200.00

In order to get that kind of power with a a/v receiver, I'd really need to dump a lot of cash, just to power 2 or 3 channels, if I include power to the sub.

 

[Adam]

If all I play is Blue Ray discs, DVD's, and jack my iPhone into the Blue Ray player, can't I use the volume control on that?

Are you asking about the volume control on the blu-ray player? Does it have one? I can't find one in the owner's manual, but I certainly could be missing it. The only volume control that I see on the remote control for the BD390 is to control the volume on a TV set.

 

[markw]

Perhaps I should have been more specific and specified an "integrated" amplifier, which is a preamp and a power amp on one chassis. ...add a tuner and you have a receiver.

I strongly doubt you need all that power that those power amps provide. the subwoofer should be doing most of the heavy lifting.

 

[Clownfish]

Are you asking about the volume control on the blu-ray player? Does it have one? I can't find one in the owner's manual, but I certainly could be missing it. The only volume control that I see on the remote control for the BD390 is to control the volume on a TV set.

Yeah, that one. The BR player remote. I'm not sure if it controls the TV, i've been using my TV/DVR remote to control the volume, until I just hooked in the old Kenwood. It has a remote, and it still works!

I'm at work, or I'd go check.

How about a universal remote? Would this control the volume on the BR player?

 

[Adam]

How about a universal remote? Would this control the volume on the BR player?

I highly suspect that if the BR player had variable audio output, then it's own remote control would be able to control it. I'll be happy to be wrong, but I believe that it has fixed audio outputs.

 

[Clownfish]

I strongly doubt you need all that power that those power amps provide. the subwoofer should be doing most of the heavy lifting.

I dunno.

I have a large room, and when I listen to music, I like it really loud. Plus, some of the speakers I liked needed a lot of power.

When test driving some B&W's with a Dennon a/v receiver, there was serious clipping, when I cranked up the volume.

At first I thought my CD was damaged, but then here on this site, it was explained to me what clipping really was. I don't remember the model, but it was in the $800-1000 dollar range. It wasn't cheap, IMO.

I placed the same CD into a $2,500k Rotel, with a fancy-smanchy Rotel CD player, and wow, the speakers and CD sounded great.

 

[Clownfish]

I highly suspect that if the BR player had variable audio output, then it's own remote control would be able to control it. I'll be happy to be wrong, but I believe that it has fixed audio outputs.

Here's a link to the BR player, about half way down, there are the picures of the audio outs, and component outs. Are these what I need?

Oh, and thanks, it's a very valid point, to be able to control the volume, that is. I'm really not sure.
http://reviews.cnet.com/blu-ray-players-recorders/lg-bd390/4505-9991_7-33488056.html

 

[Adam]

Here's a link to the BR player, about half way down, there are the picures of the audio outs, and component outs. Are these what I need?

For two speakers and a sub, that player has what you need. You could use the two-channel analog outputs in a system that uses the crossover in the sub to filter the bass frequencies from the main speakers, and you could use the multichannel analog outputs in 2.1 mode (explained on page 30 of the owner's manual) if you want the blu-ray player to do the bass management. If it were me, I'd go the 2.1 route.

Are you going to want to play audio from the TV itself through this system, or will the blu-ray player be the only source?

 

[Clownfish]

Are you going to want to play audio from the TV itself through this system, or will the blu-ray player be the only source?

I was planning on using the blu-ray for DVD's, CD's, plug in my iPhone into the back imput, for internet streaming, or music.

I can use a usb and plug in my laptop computer, if I wanted.

So, yeah, I guess just one source. I can't think of any more I might want/need.

I did check into this player, before I bought it, on this site, and a few others. It got really good reviews, plus, there was a price drop at BB, so I paid just under $300. I tried to make a smart purchase.
.

 

[Adam]

I think that you made an excellent choice on the blu-ray player. I was just wondering if you wanted to listen to television shows (cable, satellite, over-the-air) over your speakers, too, because that would represent another source. If you had multiple sources, you wouldn't need to go the receiver route - you could simply get a selector box (like this one from Monoprice) if the other source has analog audio outputs.

 

[Clownfish]

Are you going to want to play audio from the TV itself through this system, or will the blu-ray player be the only source?

Oh, you mean regular TV?

Not really. Just use the stereo speakers and sub for movies, I guess. I don't need to watch Opra Winfrey in full stereo sound. Guiding light, either.

 

[Adam]

I don't need to watch Opra Winfrey in full stereo sound.

You don't need to, but you haven't truly lived until you do.

 

[Clownfish]

If you had multiple sources, you wouldn't need to go the receiver route - you could simply get a selector box (like this one from Monoprice) if the other source has analog audio outputs.

Yeah, that's a great idea, thanks! It does solve several problems, regarding the remote, and HDTV to speakers.

I can watch House, and hear him yell at everyone in full stereo! J/K

Thanks, again, I hadn't thought of one of those.

 

[Clownfish]

You don't need to, but you haven't truly lived until you do.

True, true.

And that switcher box can make that happen, even if I don't buy a receiver.

With a 50" HDTV, I can really notice every time she gains or loses a pound!