Question for Denon people.

[hocaltar]

This is a two part question...

We are building a new home. In the ceiling I have four Polk Audio RC80i On the floor I have two: Polk Audio RTi12 and my center channel is a Polk Audio CSI A6 Center Channel Speaker

The receiver is I would like to put in is a Denon AVR-2308CI

Question 1: The Denon receiver is capable of 2 zones. Can I run the 7.1 system with an additional 2 outdoor speakers on the patio? As a noob I would think that would require a 9.1 system. Or, does the backside of the Denon have more than just 7.1 channels?

Question 2: Basically I want an indoor 7.1 + 2 outdoor patio speakers (on zone 2) running off of this Denon, is it possible?

 

[bandphan]

not without an external amp. 5.1 + 2nd zone fine internal, 7.1 + outside nope,

 

[Haoleb]

When you do the zone 2 operation you have to run your Ht system in 5.1 so your are correct that you would need a 7.1 system plus another 2 channel amp. You could wire up your surrounds in parallel so that even though its only 5.1 you would have more coverage as you would be using two surround speakers. I dont know if the denon is capable of 4ohm operation for its rear channels though.

One thing you might be able to do, I am not real sure on this but if there are zone2 preamp outputs on it and they are still active even when the zone 2 internal amplifiers are set to 7.1 operation you could get a seperate 2 channel amp and run the outdoor speakers off of that.

 

[hocaltar]

So, if I had a 7.1 set up and 2 speakers outside, would I be able to toggle between 7.1 and (5.1 + Outside) with a remote? Or, would I have to physically change cables everytime I wanted to switch it?

 

[jcPanny]

Receiver zone 2.

So, if I had a 7.1 set up and 2 speakers outside, would I be able to toggle between 7.1 and (5.1 + Outside) with a remote? Or, would I have to physically change cables everytime I wanted to switch it?

I know that some of the high end Yamaha receivers do this. When you turn on zone 2 it reroutes the rear surround channels. If you had a receiver without this feature, you would simply connect a stereo amp (<$100) to the Zone 2 line level out on the receiver to power the speakers on the patio. If possible, install a volume control on or near the patio.