With a 2-channel system what do you need to setup on the AVR? Are you saying that you can't just plug in the speakers on a freshly unboxed brand new AVR? I'm not sure there is a reason to setup anything if you don't want to. I haven't tried it but it should have the mains set full range out of the box - if so you're good to go. Sure it would be nice to run the autosetup but is it a requirement? By default the listening mode is stereo. Basically a draw with a 2 channel receiver. When you add a subwoofer the trophy goes to the AVR because of the ease of integrating the sub.
Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about -- in our gym room, I am running an old Onkyo TX-SR600 surround AVR from an old system of mine, powering some small Polk R15s on stands...I needed to go into the receiver's setup menu, assign the only TWO speakers in the system as full range, then I HAD to set channel levels for those two speakers (because it's a surround AVR) unless I just wanted to leave them at "0dB" as a default (which is possible, I suppose, but I didn't want to) and needed to do some other random settings. There is NO WAY a novice to 2-channel using a surround AVR is going to have the wherewithal to set something like this up when they can just plug two speakers into a stereo receiver and be done with it, save for adjusting a physical balance knob, if necessary...
I
still continue to not understand the logic behind a simple stereo receiver versus a surround AVR for music only applications...
You assume that everyone has your musical tastes and/or has speakers that play down to 40hz with any authority. For someone that likes jazz content between 40 and 80hz is pretty critical and for those that enjoy electronic or organ music 20hz may not be low enough.
What does it have to do with my musical tastes? I made no assumptions on that behalf; I'm simply saying that for MOST two channel applications, if good full range speakers are being used, a subwoofer isn't AS critical as it is when running a multichannel 5.1-plus system, as there is information in those soundtracks which should be handled by a sub, ideally. I'm not saying a sub in two channel applications can't or shouldn't be used, as the kinds of music you cited can benefit, I'm merely saying it's not as crucial when considering features for a two channel receiver shopping spree...
Then it's either going to have too little bass or sound like a kid's Honda.
That's not true -- I set up my two channel system without sub, and didn't need to use a Radio Shack SPL meter to set these speakers up...and my system sure doesn't sound like a "kid's Honda."
I've explained it to you twice.
And there's still no logic to it, regardless of how many times you have seemingly explained it -- there's no sense in purchasing a multichannel surround AVR when the user is intending to
simply run a stereo system in a room in which they know will never be used for surround applications. The much more straightforward, simple route is to buy a two-channel product, whether that be a receiver, integrated amplifier or full-bore separates, depending on a given budget.
So, the sub gets a full range signal? Even via preout level? And then what...the adjustments are made on the sub itself? This seems contradictory to everything that has come before in home theater, in which a sub's crossover knob is completely out of the loop when using a preout signal from a receiver or processor; perhaps it is because the 8555 in question does not do bass management, is that what you're suggesting?
I have emailed Onkyo support about this and will share their findings when I receive an answer...
The "override" has nothing to do with the AVR. Some subwoofers override their own crossover control when they detect a signal through the RCA input - but not all subs do that. Other subs offer a switch to override its crossover manually.
That's interesting -- it was my understanding that all preamp level signals automatically take the subwoofer's control out of the equation, no matter the brand or type of subwoofer so long as there is an LFE input jack...
At any rate, we'll assume you're correct about that (for the record, as far as I know, my Polk PSW350 does do this "auto override" thing when receiving a preamp level signal from an AVR) and move on to this:
That depends on where your speakers need to crossover.
...but you're suggesting that the TX-8555 does NOT "fix" a rolloff due to its lack of bass management via the sub preout, correct? If so, the sub's crossover knob itself would have to be adjusted for this, which leads me to questioning the best cutoff for my Polk R20s which are set up in this two channel rig...
What would you suggest for these large bookshelves...80Hz? That's what I was using when I was running these in my home theater...
Apparently, this is all I have been doing because I don't understand your insistence on ramming home the theory that a stereo receiver is "as complicated" as a multichannel AVR in terms of setup, or can be as complicated, and that a surround AVR should be used even in a stereo setup...
choosing a 2-channel receiver is a perfectly valid choice and the extra challenges can be fun.
I'm still at a loss in understanding how a stereo receiver can pose "extra challenges" but I suppose I never will get that angle; to me, I simply plugged the unit in, connected TWO speakers to the terminals out back, adjusted the stands so placement and angling/toe in is correct and plugged in my sources...to ME, that is a heck of a lot simpler than adjusting menus in a surround AVR, assigning inputs, balancing (even two) channel levels...
Not that I don't enjoy that tweaking in my HOME THEATER system, but to me, that's where that kind of "tinkering" belongs...
After all it's a hobby for you and I. People that can happily spend hours obsessing over speaker placement and toe-in can have a ball fiddling with blending a sub.
That's true -- it is indeed a hobby; but to me, I see the logic in fiddling with sub blending when it comes to home theater applications, and if one needs a two channel system, I feel a product oriented for such a task (i.e. integrateds, stereo receivers) is the more logical choice.
