Noobie Receiver questions

[cactus snatch]

I’m checking into surround sound options for my new house. We moved in and there are built-in Bose speakers in the side walls, mounted speakers in the sun room, which is off the main room. There are front speakers. There is a 63-inch Pioneer TV, which is big and decent, but probably ten years old. The room in question is about 14- by 20-feet. The adjoining Florida room is about 14- by 14-feet.

I want to (1) be able to have surround sound while watching movies and television, and (2) be able to listen to music through all the speakers. I don’t want to spend a fortune and I’m not an audiophile.

I need an A/V receiver and a subwoofer. I’ve checked into my best two options, which are the Sony STR-DG710 and the STR-DG810. For my desires, I really can’t tell there is a significant difference between the two. For a subwoofer, I’ll probably go with the 100-watt Sony SA-W2500.

I read the reviews on the two receivers and, despite some negative comments, I feel these appear to be solid, decent receivers that will provide what I want.

I am confused with a few things. For example, I have a pretty basic DVD/VCR player, which is not HD or BluRay. Will this be a problem with hooking it up or just a audiophile quality issue? I need to check and see if HDMI outlet is even on the DVD player, but should I have one of these?

Any other thoughts? This is my first venture into any surround sound or receiver purchase and it’s exciting, but a little daunting considering all of the options and formats.

 

[Alex2507]

Nice User Name. Anyway you say you're looking at this rec'.
http://reviews.cnet.com/av-receivers/sony-str-dg810/4505-6466_7-32331246.html
I briefly looked at the spec's and THD stood out but you asked about hdmi and the answer is that you will be able to hook up your DVD/VCR to the TV with no problem. The TV won't have hdmi anyway.

In response to the thoughts part let me suggest that you ask around about the things you intend to purchace. Maybe some here will be able to recommend items that don't have negative remarks as part of their reviews.

 

[Halon451]

You don't have to be an audiophile to enjoy good sound. What you may find is that the more money you start spending on things, the more you're going to look for in sound quality, because who wants to spend their hard-earned $$ on junk that they will end up not liking?

Still, with that said, sounds like you want to keep it basic. I'd say any receiver in the price range you're looking for is going to be adequate. Yamahas and HK always seem to review quite well in the $300-$350 range. One thing you can keep in mind is upgrade ability for later on down the road if say, you do decide to get that Blu-ray player, or decide to use HDMI switching for your components, get 7.1, etc.

HDMI is not necessary if you have a standard DVD player, and it most likely does not have a connection as such. Try to stay with the superior connection as much as you can, providing all your components support it.

In this order:
HDMI or DVI
Component video - Y, Pr, Pb
Composite - the single yellow video connection

As for audio - digital always works best and is the simplest to hook up. Optical or digital coax is fairly equivalent in most applications. It is essential if you want true surround sound format to be input into your 5.1(7.1) receiver, unless you plan on using discreet 6 channel input.

I'm sure someone will post some links up here for you in a bit, so stand by.

The audiophile bug is easy to catch, so watch out.

 

[cactus snatch]

Good feedback

I just read this Web site's recommendations for home theatre systems under $1,000. They suggested the Pioneer VSX-817-K Home Theater Receiver, which is MSRP about $270, and in my price range. It offers the features that I want and would be the same brand as my TV and front speakers.

Any thoughts about a good basic subwoofer to top it off?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You just need a basic 2 zone AVR. The best one is IMO the Yamaha RX 659 which you can find for about 300 bucks or get the newer model (661) for around $350.

The 100-watt Sony SA-W2500 is just going to be throwing away 100 bucks. I would look into one of the Dayton subs from Parts Express which will not fill up your room with deep bass but will run circles around the Sony.

 

[Halon451]

I agree with Greg - as you can see in my signature I've got the Yamaha lowest end model, the V361. Still it performs quite well on its own, and has lots of features (no HDMI, but I don't need it at this point). The setup menu can be a little tricky at first but it's easy to get the hang of. I think you would be pleased with his recommendations overall.

 

[mazersteven]

The 100-watt Sony SA-W2500 is just going to be throwing away 100 bucks. I would look into one of the Dayton subs from Parts Express which will not fill up your room with deep bass but will run circles around the Sony.

Dayton SUB-120 12" 150 Watt Powered Subwoofer
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-635

 

[cactus snatch]

thanks

OK. I'm going with the Pioneer, recommended by this Web site, and with the Dayton 150-watt subwoofer, which I just saw on Amazon for $148. Good, quick feedback. Many thanks.