So Many Receivers and too many options... Please please please help!!!

[jackdean101]

I am looking for a Receiver in the $500 street value range, but there are just too many to pick from, and they now come w/ so many different options. I guess I need help determining what options I really do need and what is just fluff or not needed for my situation.


Here is my set up.

Front Projector = Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 810 Projector - http://www.projectorcentral.com/Epson-PowerLite_Pro_Cinema_810.htm

Receiver = ???? need your help

Speakers = Canton
Center = LE 150 CM - http://www.canton.de/en-produktdata-archiv-le150cm.htm
Front Towers = GLE 407 - http://www.canton.de/en-produktdata-gleserie-gle407.htm
Rears = LE 130 - http://www.canton.de/en-produktdata-archiv-le130.htm

DVD - Sony Playstation 3

Cable TV - Cox Cable High Definition Cable Box


So what receivers would fit this kind of set up in the $500 price range? What are the different options that serperate them? Which options would I really use??? The only comparasent I have so far is total watts and watts per channel, is this the main factor???

ie. HDMI switching... what is the purpose? To save ports?? I only need one HDMI input for the cable box so do I really need hdmi switching???

ie. HDMI Up Conversion... does this mean that if my cable box is runing 480p the reciever will up convert it to 720p (my projector is 720p)

ie. XM radio - no need for it since I have digital cable which has music stations

ie. Ipod port - maybe, but wouldn't effect my decision between receivers

 

[MDS]

ie. HDMI switching... what is the purpose? To save ports?? I only need one HDMI input for the cable box so do I really need hdmi switching???

ie. HDMI Up Conversion... does this mean that if my cable box is runing 480p the reciever will up convert it to 720p (my projector is 720p)

HDMI switching would allow you to run one single HDMI cable from the receiver to the projector if the projector has an HDMI input. It's the same idea as using one set of composite/s-video/component cables to the projector instead of one from each source device to different inputs on the projector. Letting the receiver do the switching means that you never have to change the input on the TV/projector.

HDMI 'upconversion' usually means 'transcoding'; if say the PS3 were connected to the receiver via component video cables and the receiver to the projector via HDMI, then you'd need the receiver to convert component video to HDMI.

480i -> 720p is deinterlacing (i->p) and scaling. You don't need the receiver to do the scaling as the projector will do it.

XM Radio is worthless in my opinion, but I'm sure many people feel otherwise. If you like the selection on XM and don't mind paying a monthly fee for 'radio' then you might want that feature.

You can connect an iPod to any receiver but those that advertise iPod compatibility provide extra convenience features like the ability to see the song name and artist on the receiver display and use the receiver remote to control the iPod.

The 'features' that I don't care one whit about are dozens of DSP programs.

If you need HDMI switching you could look at the Onkyo 604. If you also need the upconversion, look at the Onkyo 674. Denon/Yamaha/Pioneer all offer similar receivers.

 

[jackdean101]

HDMI switching would allow you to run one single HDMI cable from the receiver to the projector if the projector has an HDMI input. It's the same idea as using one set of composite/s-video/component cables to the projector instead of one from each source device to different inputs on the projector. Letting the receiver do the switching means that you never have to change the input on the TV/projector.

HDMI 'upconversion' usually means 'transcoding'; if say the PS3 were connected to the receiver via component video cables and the receiver to the projector via HDMI, then you'd need the receiver to convert component video to HDMI.

480i -> 720p is deinterlacing (i->p) and scaling. You don't need the receiver to do the scaling as the projector will do it.

XM Radio is worthless in my opinion, but I'm sure many people feel otherwise. If you like the selection on XM and don't mind paying a monthly fee for 'radio' then you might want that feature.

You can connect an iPod to any receiver but those that advertise iPod compatibility provide extra convenience features like the ability to see the song name and artist on the receiver display and use the receiver remote to control the iPod.

The 'features' that I don't care one whit about are dozens of DSP programs.

If you need HDMI switching you could look at the Onkyo 604. If you also need the upconversion, look at the Onkyo 674. Denon/Yamaha/Pioneer all offer similar receivers.

Thanks... I will take a look. What do you think of the Yamaha RX-V661? I think 90 watts per channel might be light though

 

[jackdean101]

According to the specs below for my tower speakers, Power Handling is 110/170 Watts... does this mean I need a receiver w/ at least 110 watts per channel???

Canton GLE 407
Technical Data
Type - Floorstanding speaker
Engineering Principle - 2½-way Bass reflex system
Nom. /Music power handling - 110 / 170 watts
SPL (1 watt/1m) - 89.5 db (1 W, 1 m)
Frequency response - 25...30.000 Hz
Crossover frequency - 300 / 3.200 Hz
Woofer - 2 x 180 mm (7''), aluminum
Tweeter - 1 x 25 mm (1''), Fabric
Nominal impedance - 4...8 ohms
Dimensions (WxHxD) - 19 x 95 x 28 cm
(7.5'' x 37.4'' x 11'')
Weight - 14.9 kg
Color 1 - Beech decor
Color 2 - Ash decor black
Color 3 - Cherry decor
Color 4 - Silver matt decor
Color 5 - Walnut decor

 

[MDS]

The power rating for a speaker is how much power it can handle - not how much it needs. According to those specs, the speakers can handle 110 watts on a continuous basis and 170 watts peak. Most speakers are actually conservatively rated and can handle much more than their rating.

A more important spec is sensitivity (shown as SPL 1W/1M) and 89.5 is quite sensitive. It means that if you feed it 1 watt of power, it will produce 89.5 dB sound pressure level measured 1 meter from the speaker. Higher sensitivity speakers require less amplifier power to reach very loud listening levels.

A speaker rated 87 dB/1W/1M will produce the same SPL with 100 watts as a 90 dB/1W/1M speaker will produce with 50 watts - because double the power == +3 dB. (10 * log(100/50) = 3.01 dB).

Don't get too hung up on 90 wpc vs 100 wpc. Using the formula above you can see that the difference is neglible. Besides, the majority of the time the receiver will be delivering only a few watts.

 

[jackdean101]

The power rating for a speaker is how much power it can handle - not how much it needs. According to those specs, the speakers can handle 110 watts on a continuous basis and 170 watts peak. Most speakers are actually conservatively rated and can handle much more than their rating.

A more important spec is sensitivity (shown as SPL 1W/1M) and 89.5 is quite sensitive. It means that if you feed it 1 watt of power, it will produce 89.5 dB sound pressure level measured 1 meter from the speaker. Higher sensitivity speakers require less amplifier power to reach very loud listening levels.

A speaker rated 87 dB/1W/1M will produce the same SPL with 100 watts as a 90 dB/1W/1M speaker will produce with 50 watts - because double the power == +3 dB. (10 * log(100/50) = 3.01 dB).

Don't get too hung up on 90 wpc vs 100 wpc. Using the formula above you can see that the difference is neglible. Besides, the majority of the time the receiver will be delivering only a few watts.

MDS - wow thank you... this information was so helpful.. thank you for taking the time!!!!
So when comparing recievers what specific things do you mostly look at to determine what is the best value. Do you think it is worth me buying this years models vs. last year or year before. In other words are the is the new technology really needed and worth the difference in price??

Thanks again!!!! Jack

 

[AVRat]

How big is your room? Does the PS3 require an HDMI connection? The cable STB could be connected using component video/digital coax audio without loss of PQ.

 

[jackdean101]

How big is your room? Does the PS3 require an HDMI connection? The cable STB could be connected using component video/digital coax audio without loss of PQ.

No the playstation 3 doesn't require an HDMI connection.

I converted my garage into a room so it's a 19' by 24' room w/ concrete floors.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[AVRat]

I just made a list for another member with similar requirements. This should help to narrow things down.

Between $500-$600
Yamaha RX-V661
Denon AVR-887
Pioneer VSX-80TXV
Onkyo TX-SR674

Less than $500
Denon AVR-1907
Denon AVR-787
Yamaha RX-V659
Pioneer VSX-1016TXV
Onkyo TX-SR604

 

[Nick250]

MDS - wow thank you... this information was so helpful.. thank you for taking the time!!!!
So when comparing recievers what specific things do you mostly look at to determine what is the best value. Do you think it is worth me buying this years models vs. last year or year before. In other words are the is the new technology really needed and worth the difference in price??

Unless you have a specific need for a particular feature, last years models are often great values.

Nick

 

[jchag]

Check out Accessories 4 less. They currently have the Onkyo SR804 for $599. I have this receiver and it works fine. I paid $679 in December at CC.

http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi