Need help buying receiver for "simulated surround sound"

[zaylyn]

I am definitely a newbie and non-technical person. I am looking for a new AV receiver for my music (classical) and home theater system (plasma TV). My movie taste is primarily arts / foreign, and I personally prefer only speakers in front of me, next to my TV! I do not need to play music or TV at loud levels. What is the best receiver for simulated surround sound? I plan to use small Orb speakers and am considering the NAD L53, the HK AVR 240 or 340, and the Panasonic SA-XR55K.

Other questions: is the base with the HK AVR 240 and other receivers good enough from 2 speakers, or do I need a sub? For movies, should I use Vmax or Dolby Virtual speaker, or should I get a front Right, Left, and Center speaker + Sub instead?

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[j_garcia]

For convincing performane, you will definitely want a sub if you go with those tiny speakers. They will not have enough bass. 2 speakers is fine, 3 will be a bit better. ANY of the receivers you listed should do the job just fine and give you plenty of simulated surround options, though it will never be as good as having the extra speakers.

 

[Herr D]

I don't know what your budget is but Denon makes a very goog virtual surround package: amp, 2 mains and a sub if I'm not mistaken.

Having said that, I would always stick to a 5.1 speaker setup.

 

[jcPanny]

2 channel listening

If you are a 2 channel fan, you should consider floorstanding speakers that can play down to the 30-40 Hz range. For HT and Music, a sub will be a necessity with bookshelf or satellite speakers.

Check out the deal on the last couple pairs of Onix Ref 1.5's from AV123.com. They also have a B-stock pair for $650. They will look and sound much better than the Orb's. These are 4 ohm speakers, so you will need a pretty good receiver to drive them.
http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=stock&product=77.1