home cinema av/amp features

[jokerpaulonline]

Right, you lot have talked me out of getting the bose lifestyle 48 system.

As I am new to the home cinema market I need lots of help,

Firstly to start of with the av/amp. can you let me know all the different features that you can get on different types of amps, so that I can see which of these features I would want the most to help me in choosing the right amp. Do you get different amps for 5.1 and 7.1 set ups, Is there much difference between the 2, as when look on dvd's most of them say 5.1 sound.

also would i be able to run my exsisting stero through it, or would i be able to run my excisting stero through the same speakers that i am going to run my home cinema through?

 

[Frank Harvey]

The more expensive amp you buy, the more features you will get, and once you get to the level of a DSPZ7, the only thing you don't really get is THX, which isn't a necessity anyway. From there, it's just more power, better quality, and a stupidly more expensive version of THX! For me, the Z7 offers the best value for money of any AV receiver based on it's features and capabilities at it's rrp (£2k), and the fact that it's about £500 less at the moment just bangs that fact home!

Virtually all amps are capable of 7.1 nowadays. There are more and more movies coming out with 7.1 soundtracks - I've seen quite a few on Bluray recently.

You can add your AV receiver to your hi-fi system, or if your AV amp turned out to be better than your hi-fi amp, you could plug all your hi-fi sources into that instead.

My last post on your other thread stands as a strong recommendation.

 

[d4v3pum4]

Why don't you visit the manufacturer's websites, where you can click on the button to compare the models? On the whole, more expensive receivers have more inputs, better audio processing, better components inside (that you don't see), perhaps added video processing features but most importantly more clean power. I never really go by features or specs on an AV receiver, providing it has the right number of inputs for my current and future needs and the power and price level is appropriate for the speakers I'm using i.e. not pairing a cheap bottom end amp with mid-level speakers etc. then I go and compare them. Do you have a dealer near you where you can go and compare a few setups and get an appreciation of the features, how you use them but most importantly, how the amp/speakers sound together?

Providing the receiver has pre-outs, you can hook up your existing hifi setup. I used to have my Arcam hifi amp connected to the pre-outs on my Denon AVR. The Arcam drove the fronts and the Denon took care of the rest, giving me the best of both worlds for music and movies.

 

[Big Chris]

Don't forget that even if you don't want 7.1 in your home cinema, many amps (such as my Onkyo TX-SR875) can use the extra unused channels in a 7.1 amp to give you sound in another room (Most commonly known as "Zone 2").

A convenient feature if you want to use the receiver as a hub, and have sounds in a kitchen or dining room.

 

[jokerpaulonline]

so if i was to use the 5.1 on my tv system then could i run the other 2 speakers wireless in another room?

on my old stero system i have got a pair of b&w dm110 speakers, would these now be outdated and need to upgrade them or are they still a good speakers to todays standards?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

jokerpaulonline:
so if i was to use the 5.1 on my tv system then could i run the other 2 speakers wireless in another room?

on my old stero system i have got a pair of b&w dm110 speakers, would these now be outdated and need to upgrade them or are they still a good speakers to todays standards?

They would still need to be connected to the receiver.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerrardasnails, you are a celebrity now. Got my magazine and saw you featured. I figured you to be a big chap, but you're kinda little, eh?

That Soprano avatar and all...anyways, good read.

 

[Anonymous]

jokerpaulonline:

Firstly to start of with the av/amp. can you let me know all the different features that you can get on different types of amps, so that I can see which of these features I would want the most to help me in choosing the right amp. Do you get different amps for 5.1 and 7.1 set ups, Is there much difference between the 2, as when look on dvd's most of them say 5.1 sound.

To reiterate some of the points above, some features you may wish to consider include:

Power per channel (although different manufacturers may quote this differently);

Number of inputs / outputs (to make sure you can plug all of your components in); relating to this is the ease of input assignment to your remote or renaming of the input;

Pre-amp output (if you wish to add a stereo amplifier to your setup)

Video upscaling to 1080i or 1080p (if your source can not do this)

HD audio decoding / sound modes (e.g. direct mode for listening to music only)

Other features depending on your needs: internet radio / phono input (for turntable)

Also check you like its appearance and sound ok to you with your speakers.

 

[jokerpaulonline]

what is best to buy first, the amp then get the speakers to suit or the speakers then get the amp to suit.

I was thinking of getting the av/amp first, would you agree?

 

[Big Chris]

jokerpaulonline:

so if i was to use the 5.1 on my tv system then could i run the other 2 speakers wireless in another room?

on my old stero system i have got a pair of b&w dm110 speakers, would these now be outdated and need to upgrade them or are they still a good speakers to todays standards?

Sorry no. As Mr Snails has mentioned, you'd still need to run speaker wire to the speakers in the 2nd location.

If you like the sound the B&Ws give you, who are we to tell you to change them?

 

[jokerpaulonline]

I was asking about my old excisting speakers as I have not been out to listen to any others yet, so wanted to know how much they have been improved nowdays, I am just trying to do a bit of research befor i go out looking and listening to them