looking for reciever 7.1 with extra 2 channels

[cronick]

Hello,
I am new here, hope i can get some help. I'm setting up a home theater in my basement. I have 7 in wall speakers and 1 sub. Things were going pretty good and then we decided to add a bar to our new project. So what i would like to do is have 1 reciever that i can watch tv and use my 7.1 surround sound, however if the tv isn't on that i can shut off the surround 7.1 and switch to my other 2 stereo speakers by my bar. Do they make a reciever like this? If so what am i looking for. Thanks in advance

 

[mayho]

Most new receivers have multipile zone options. This should suit your needs.

 

[MDS]

The Zone 2 feature is what you need but you'll have to also get an extra amp unless you want to go into the setup menus of the receiver and re-assign the rear amps from 7.1 to Zone 2 every time you want to listen in stereo at the bar.

 

[markw]

Many receivers offer the option of running a second set of stereo speakers. this shouldn't be too hard to find. Look for a speaker A/Speaker B selction on the front.

 

[AVRat]

Ditto MDS's comment.

 

[WeAreSurrounded]

Try Denon 4306 !

Hello,
I am new here, hope i can get some help. I'm setting up a home theater in my basement. I have 7 in wall speakers and 1 sub. Things were going pretty good and then we decided to add a bar to our new project. So what i would like to do is have 1 reciever that i can watch tv and use my 7.1 surround sound, however if the tv isn't on that i can shut off the surround 7.1 and switch to my other 2 stereo speakers by my bar. Do they make a reciever like this? If so what am i looking for. Thanks in advance

There are many solutions here, I'll offer 3:
Most of the medium-level receivers (like mine - Denon 4306) offer 7.1 with amplified ZONE2 (sometimes also ZONE3) :
1) You can use amplified, independent ZONE2 (bar speakers), connected to the Surround Back/ZONE 2 terminals, but then your Main Zone would be reduced to 5.1
2) You can use amplified ZONE2, interchanging your ZONE2 cables with SB cables (when not in use), but then you would need to adjust the 4306 setup each time
3) You can use non-amplified PRE-OUT ZONE2 terminals, connect them with RCA cables to external amplifier, which would drive your ZONE2 speakers.
That would make your ZONEs completely independent and it's definitely the best solution

On the other, you can buy some really expensive (around $5K), high-end 9.1 receiver,with ZONEs (like Denon 5805 series), which would address all your needs

 

[jcPanny]

Receiver features

My $300 Yamaha receiver has A and B speaker terminals. If you don't need to listen to the bar at the same time as the 7.1 HT, this would work for your application. If you want 9 speakers at once, you could hook up an inexpensive AudioSource, Behringer, or Emotiva amp to the tape or zone 2 output of any receiver to power the bar speakers.

As suggested above, some of the new $2k receivers have nifty features to simplify the switching process. The new Yamaha RX-V2700, for example, will change from 7.1 to 5.1 + powered Zone 2 when you turn on the Zone 2 speakers with the remote.