ADVICE!!!

[admin_exported]

Hi,

Im looking for some advice, I want something to power up my ceiling speakers (5 off) and an active sub which I will buy soon. I want the following to be played through the ceiling speakers and sub in 5.1 format:

Samsung series 7 LED TV
Xbox 360, PS3
i phone
Radio
Sonos wireless music station.

I am looking at Pioneer VSX-819H-K which is not yet released in the UK (apparently). Will this system do the job for me? I like the high gloss black that matches my TV but apart from that I dont know much about AV receivers!!

Any advice would be great!!

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Big Aura]

Sorry - have not heard of that amp before, but judging by the US price, it seems an entry level machine. Pioneer are generally a class act, but you should definitely arrange a demonstration (and preferably listen to some of the other well-regarded budget amps too). Please don't buy solely based on the "I like how it looks" criteria!!

I'm very interested in the iPod digital uplink offered - not sure if any other reciever does this - have What Hi-Fi any info on this/is it on the review hitlist?

Also do the what hi fi team have any visibility as to whether that iPod connectivity is going to feature in the 2009 higher-end amps?

Cheers

EDIT: One other thing to bear in mind: Sound moves in waves, and it (obviously) is very directional. Using ceiling speakers might make for a pretty confusing effect - imagine a train cutting across the screen - the sound should build up from the left side of the screen, get louder than move across to the centre speaker (just beneath the screen), then to the right speaker and fade away. You will have all that happening over head - the train will essentially fly over you. It's not entirely ideal, so something to bear in mind when considering how your home cinema will sound.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply, the amp is on the pioneer website and to me (no expert) it sounds good. Im not looking for perfect cinema sound, I just want a nice sounding system which sounds better than a TV!

Ive currently got an old Sony amp connected up, and it sounds good, but it does not support HDMI or iPod/iPhone therefore im looking for something else.

You have answered my question in a way by saying about the iPod uplink, I've looked at hunderds of amps and this is the only one i've seen that does this.

I will probably hang fire until the amp is launched, and look at the reviews.

Thanks again