Is it worth while buying an older av receiver without and HDMI input and using an optical input instead to save money?

[jamie_h92]

I have currently got an onkyo tx-sr307 but the quality is not amazing and I was wandering that for my budget it would be better to buy an older, second hand amplifier that doesn't have the HDMI inputs and use an optical input coming from the tv instead.

By doing this surely I can get a better quality amp for music and film and use the money for better tv that can do the processing that newer amps do?

 

[simonlewis]

I would say no, for an older model without hdmi you are talking pre 2007.

 

[laserman16]

Whats your budget?

 

[John Duncan]

You can't get the higher res soundtracks from bluray over optical.

 

[Big Chris]

Depends just how old and how much money you want to spend. As John has said, you're not gonna get any HD soundtracks without HDMI (I'm gonna skip over multi-channel inputs/outputs for now else it'll get confusing)

Decent amps with HDMI input started popping up about 7/8 years ago, so you've got the issue of buying something you're not gonna know just how much it's been used and/or abused in that time. If the price is right you might well consider a punt but you'll have no recourse if anything goes bang.

Even though I bought all my Arcam gear second hand, I'm not sure I'd do the same with anything as complex as a modern A/V receiver.

I'd stick with what you have, save your pennies and wait until you can afford a brand new receiver.

 

[jamie_h92]

I have about 150 for something second hand. Missing the HDMI audio might be an issue that is true but I don't often have blu ray dvds due to how expensive they are but I was looking at something like a cambridge audio 640r or something like this?

 

[jjbomber]

Only if you can get a naim N-Vi. Nothing else of the older stuff gets close. A lot of Tvs output PCM stereo for their optical output, so it may be a false benefit.

 

[ellisdj]

If you are only looking for somehting to play normal DVD's Dolby Digital / DTS and Prologic / Dolby Digital from the tv/sky/verigin etc then yes you can still get very good sound from older av recievers.

There is a Arcam AVR300 on the bay for the sort of money you are looking at - they were £2k new when £2k for a receiver was a lot.

Thats a good receiver and will do proud for sure, Pretty good for music as well.

However I dont think you will get any new TV to do any processing that receivers do so it might not work for you on that front!

 

[f1only]

I have about 150 for something second hand. Missing the HDMI audio might be an issue that is true but I don't often have blu ray dvds due to how expensive they are but I was looking at something like a cambridge audio 640r or something like this?

For £150 you could get this Clicky in the clearance sales, obviously depending on where you live. It had 5* on whathifi Review

Regards ..

 

[Paul.]

I've seen onkyo 805 and 875 go for less than £150 on the Bay, and they have hdmi as well as master audio support.