Confused about receivers & set up

[admin_exported]

I'm tired of budget "home cinema" kits which can't play a decent sound range, so I've been advised to get an amplifier to hook everything into: TV, PS3, and CD/DVD player.

I spent a few days researching amplifiers and was literally about to buy a Yamaha AS500 and Wharfdale Diamond 10.1 speakers when I suddenly realised I'm probably looking supposed to be looking for "AV receivers".

I'm now looking at the Onkyo TXNR609 and figure I'll need the diamond speakers as well.

However, is this all I'd need? Not quite sure, or what extra cables I'll be needing as well.

Also - there's no possibility of sync issues playing DVD's through an amp like the Onkyo, is there?

Anyway, looking to take my first steps into upgrading into an entry level real sound system for the home, but just need a little guidance.

Any helpful replies much appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

are you only planning on using two speakers? if so either a stereo amp or av receiver will work, but if you want to get a centre speaker, rears and a subwoofer, then you'll want an av receiver (if you just want two speakers and a sub then a stereo amp will be ok)

a stereo amp will usually sound better with music than a similarly priced avr, and often better than more expensive avr's.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers for the reply, maxflinn - I'm not too worried about a 5.1 set up, unless I could get something wirelessly. I'd be happy with a great quality stereo system as the room isn't set up for a proper 5.1 experience.

The main concern with the amps I've been looking at is that I'm not sure they can handle TV/CD/DVD/Sky connections, hence why I thought I'd need a specialist AV receiver. Like I said, though, I'm a beginner with this so am still feeling my way around.

A general apology all round for the newbie questions, but I've searched through the forums and existing threads tend to be by those who know what they're doing.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Provided everything you want to connect through the amp has a stereo analogue output, you won't have any problems doing it all with a stereo amplifier, though you will have to run separate video connections from DVD and Sky to your TV, and select both the right input on the TV and the right one on the amp to get sound and vision at the same time.

CD, DVD and Sky will all have analogue stereo outs, but it's no longer a given on all TVs. Mind you, if you use the Sky box as 'tuner' for all TV watching, that shouldn't be a problem, as the sound will come from the Sky box and the TV will really only be acting as a monitor.

An AV receiver will make all the switchery simpler, and there are some good-sounding receivers out there these days - yes even in 'just' stereo – but a stereo amp may be all you need.

5.1 wirelessly - at least fully wirelessly - is still not doable, though there are some systems in which the surround speakers are wireless, and one or two systems designed to add wireless rear speaker capability to conventional wired set-ups.

Fire away with any more questions – after all, it's what I'm here for!

 

[hammill]

Cheers for the reply, maxflinn - I'm not too worried about a 5.1 set up, unless I could get something wirelessly. I'd be happy with a great quality stereo system as the room isn't set up for a proper 5.1 experience.

The main concern with the amps I've been looking at is that I'm not sure they can handle TV/CD/DVD/Sky connections, hence why I thought I'd need a specialist AV receiver. Like I said, though, I'm a beginner with this so am still feeling my way around.

A general apology all round for the newbie questions, but I've searched through the forums and existing threads tend to be by those who know what they're doing.

All I would say is that going to a 5:1 sound system from stereo increased my enjoyment of movies more that going from an old CRT to a 50 inch Kuro. I appreciate that fitting in 5:1 can be difficult, but you could consider 2:1, especially as your chosen speakers are not huge.

 

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for the reply, Andrew, much appreciated.

I just checked the TV, and it has dual analogue out and a single digital audio out.

Could set-up be as simple as having a single pair of phono plugs going out from the TV and into the back of a normal stereo amp?

Otherwise, it's the case of getting an AV receiver, plugging everything into the back of that, and then connecting it via HDMI to the back of the TV?

 

[Andrew Everard]

The TV may not output audio from all inputs via those analogue and digital outs: it varies from set to set and brand to brand, but more often than not the sound output from the TV's audio outs is only that from the internal TV tuner or tuners.

Otherwise yes, everything through an AV receiver, with an HDMI connection to the TV for video, would work fine. Otherwise you're going to need separate video connections from each video source to the TV, and analogue connections from all sources to a stereo amp.

 

[Anonymous]

this also answers some of my questions. thanks

One further question that has not been covered is the following:

I have set up my tv on a tv support attached to the wall with the cables running behind the wall down to where my av receiver will be. that is not visible. however after all that work i have just had a doubt as to whether the aerial cable goes directly into the tv ( in which case no problems) or first into the av and from there via the hdmi to the tv... which is the better option... if the latter I have not had an aerial socket installed near the av and so is my only option now to have a visible cable going back upto the tv...

If I connect directly into the tv, then will the av still be able to send the sound out to my 5.1 speakers ( that is, sound from the aerial signal not dvd etc)

many thanks again

 

[Anonymous]

Just to let everyone know got the Yamaha amplifier and CD player and new speakers today - connected the TV audio output to the amplifier and now Sky, PS3, and DVD player are all playing through the amp with just that. Good old Panasonic I guess.

In the meantime, many thanks for the helpful comments, and especially the great reviews which directed my choices - very happy with my new system, and can finally listen to music with real sound. OMG, the details I'm hearing again - great stuff.