Need a new receiver for 6.1 and two zones

[thehunters]

Hi there, I have been enjoying the forum for a while as a lurker, now I have a question that I hope you all can help with.

I'm in the market for a new receiver. I currently have a 5.1 setup with a Sony STR-DG800. I have had a rear center speaker mounted but never hooked up since I didn't have the receiver for it. I want to incorporate that extra rear center speaker (which is the same make and model as my 2 fronts and 2 rears) now with a wired networkable receiver that can also handle 2 outdoor speakers as a second zone or even B speakers. Odds are I'd never use the outdoor speakers while using the main 6.1 speakers. I guess I'm looking for any recommendations for a new receiver that can drive 6.1 speakers and handle the 2 outdoor speakers as well and handle wired internet for streaming internet radio. I'd also like it to have an Android/Apple app to control from my phone/tablets. Airplay would be an added bonus as well. And finally...price. Of course I'm looking to do this on the inexpensive end. I'm not really looking to spend more than about $300 or so and am willing to sacrifice sound quality to stay within that price range as long as it meets my tech needs mentioned above.

Thanks for any help you all can provide here.

 

[3db]

Most mid priced (between $600 and $800 ) receivers from the likes of Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, etc will do 7.1 or 7.2 with 2nd zone capabilities to drive your outdoor speakers.

 

[thehunters]

Most mid priced (between $600 and $800 ) receivers from the likes of Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, etc will do 7.1 or 7.2 with 2nd zone capabilities to drive your outdoor speakers.

Thanks for your reply. So you think I'm looking at a minimum of $600 for a decent receiver to handle this? Is there some feature I can omit to get down to my price range? Internet radio?

 

[thehunters]

Another thought, if I can use my outdoor speakers as the B speakers, I don't need a zone 2 right? Can I stay in my price range without a zone 2? Thanks again.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum! I looked yesterday morning after you posted but didn't see anything that met your criteria...so I just kept quiet.

There certainly might be receivers out there that meet your requirements, but I'm not aware of them (but, I haven't researched it extensively). The challenge, I think, it that you want the internet capabilities that have come into being in the past year or two, combined with a receiver that has at least eight powered channels...all for about $300. There probably aren't many, if any, receivers with eight powered channels, but there are several with seven or nine. You might be able to find a used receiver with the power than you want in that price range, but it'll be more difficult to find one used in that range with both the power and that's new enough to have the internet capabilities that you want. It's easier to find a 7.1 receiver that can be set up as 5.1 plus a set of "B" speakers, but then you don't get the 6.1 experience that you're after.

Have you considered using your Sony for the outdoor speakers? That will lessen the requirements for your new receiver. Also, you could use the Sony simply as an amplifier if you get a receiver that can power six speakers in your main room and has pre-amp outputs for a second zone.

For a network receiver that can handle 6.1 in your main room and that can power two speakers in a zone 2 - but not at the same time - the Onkyo TX-NR626 may be a good place to look. I own that model and have reviewed it here and on Amazon. It's full price at $500, but it goes on sale and should start dropping in price between now and summer when then new models come out. It also has pre-amp outputs for zone 2 if you want to use your Sony (or other amp) to power your outdoor speakers. The nice thing about the 626 is that, even though you can't power six speakers in your main room and two outside at the same time, it has speaker connections for all eight speakers. You do have to go into the menu system to toggle between using the second zone speakers or not, though...might be more of a hassle than you want, but maybe not.

 

[crossedover]

Agree with Adam as to using the Sony to power zone two. That seems to be you best bet with your budget and avr requirements

 

[thehunters]

Great info Adam, thanks for you reply! What if I don't need that zone 2 and just use the "B speakers" for the outdoor speakers. Like I said, the main 6.1 and outdoor wouldn't get used at the same time? Wouldn't that be a simple 7.1 setup (with my rear center as one of the 7) with a pair of B speakers? Does that help?

 

[thehunters]

BTW, I currently use my Sony just like that with 5.1 in the main room, but speaker B is the outdoor. It's just missing the extra speaker and the internet capabilities. (And proper HDMI switching of course).

 

[crossedover]

You shouldn't run speaker be at the same time as speaker. You would be reducing the speakers impedance and putting a lot of stress on the amp

 

[Adam]

Great info Adam, thanks for you reply! What if I don't need that zone 2 and just use the "B speakers" for the outdoor speakers. Like I said, the main 6.1 and outdoor wouldn't get used at the same time? Wouldn't that be a simple 7.1 setup (with my rear center as one of the 7) with a pair of B speakers? Does that help?

Happy to help if I can!

The key aspect is how many amplifier channels the receiver has. Most 7.1 receivers have seven amplifier channels. As a result, they could power seven speakers in a 7.1 setup, or five speakers in a 5.1 setup and a set of "B" speakers (or Zone 2 speakers if it has zones). So, they won't be able to handle a 6.1 setup and "B" (or Zone 2) speakers at the same time. That Onkyo has the added convenience that it has a second set of speaker connectors that let you keep a 7.1 (or 6.1 in your case) system hooked up and Zone 2 speakers hooked up at the same time...even though you have to toggle between the two setups in the menu to tell it which speaker connectors to use. A lot of receivers only have seven sets of speaker connectors, so you'd have to connect/disconnect them...ugh.

Another option is a 7.1 receiver (or 6.1 if you find one, but probably not with internet capabilities) and a speaker switch box. You could hook the front speaker terminals up to the switch box, and then connect your main room front speakers and outdoor speakers to the box. You'd then just toggle between speakers using that box. As a note, you'd want to either only play stereo sources or set the receiver to stereo mode when you do that because the other four speakers in your main room would still be active.

You could also get a receiver (new or used) without internet capabilities and get another streamer (if you don't have one already) to handle that part of it. Always easier to get everything in one package , but I thought that I'd mention it as an option.

 

[thehunters]

What about this item on sale today from Newegg?

Harman/Kardon AVR2650 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver

 

[Adam]

What about this item on sale today from Newegg?

Harman/Kardon AVR2650 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver

Based on the reviews, I'd pass on that one. It also won't power eight speakers...but have you decided to use the Sony to power your outdoor speakers, or maybe use a speaker switch box?

 

[thehunters]

Adam, thanks again. I really don't want to involve the Sony to drive the outside only because the source of what I'd want to play would be on the new receiver. The speaker switcher is interesting. Would I loose any quality if I connect the fronts to it and switch when I want outside? I think I was getting confused between zone 2 and Speaker B. It is basically the same thing and different companies use different terms? Right?

 

[Adam]

Zones and B speakers are a little different, at least for receivers with multi-zone/multi-source capability (meaning that they can play different sources in the different zones). If you aren't ever going to play both zones at the same time, then having a set of "B" speakers (or just the ability to set up some of the speaker terminals to bi-amp the front speakers...which is essentially the same thing) is just fine.

Again, the key is having enough amps. A 7.1 receiver with seven internal amps isn't going to help you run eight speakers, no matter if it let's you set up one set of terminals to "B" speakers or a second zone. The Onkyo 626 is cool because it lets you hook up all eight speakers (six in a 6.1 and two in another zone), but it can't power a 6.1 and Zone 2 at the same time, and you have to configure it in the menu.

The speaker switch box shouldn't affect the quality of the sound. It's just a mechanical switch that either connect the wires coming from your receiver to one set of speakers or the other. This is just an example of one, but it let's you connect up to four pairs of speakers to one set of inputs for under $20. There are several others available.

-------------------

Now, a question for you - this whole time, I assumed that your Sony couldn't do what you wanted. I might be missing something, but it looks like it can drive a 6.1 system while still running your outdoor speakers on the FRONT B terminals. You're saying that you've never tried that? I know that it doesn't have internet radio, but I think it has the speaker hookups that you want. You can at least try out your rear center speaker on that Sony.

 

[3db]

If you don't require 6.1 and zone 2 capabilites at the same time which is what I understood, then the following Yamaha models will give you this capability: RXV 675, RXA 730, and the RXA 830. You can have your system wired up for 6.1 and have zone 2 speakers wired up. However, when you switch to zone 2, the models all switch themselves to 5.1 until you turn off zone 2.

 

[thehunters]

Thanks again for the replies. To answer your question Adam, my Sony can drive my 6.1 and zone two, what it can't do is network connectivity, phone/tablet control or most importantly...HDMI switching. It requires you to run audio cables in addition to HDMI. So 3db, thank you. I see I can get the Yamaha RX-V675 for $380 at Newegg and the Yamaha RX-V575 for $350 at Amazon. Do you guys know the main differences between the two? Looks like they both have 7.2, but the 675 looks like I can hook the Zone 2 speakers up without the need of a speaker selector box. For just an additional $30, seems worth it. Am I missing any other difference between the two?