Future Proof AV Amp/receiver

[mondeoman]

Following on from the Surround Sound question, I got to thinking about maybe upgrading our home system.

We've got an old analogue Sony AV receiver (STR DB930) that powers a pair of 12 year old Sony speakers and an Eltax 8" active sub, taking the analogue stereo feed from a combined HDMI splitter/switch that allows me to have a Sky HD box and PS3 playing through an HD TV for daily use and/or a projector for when we want the cinema experience, or a big screen for playing games on. (SWMBO loves The Michael Jackson Experience!!)

At the moment we have the speakers either side of the TV, and move them when we get the screen down, as thats on the adjacent wall. I don't have surround wired up yet, although the amp does have centre, front and rear connections for 'A' speakers (it does support 5.1 decoding) and front only for 'B' speakers. I can add a second sub if I want to. I have to say I have no issues with the sound quality and no-one has noticed any issues with lip-synching.

I use the PS3 to connect to the Home Server to play ripped movies and music and with the HDMI switch I can plug in a laptop as well and an iPod/phone can also be connected to the amp (analogue again). I'll be adding a network cable to the Sky HD to get Anytime + in the next few days.

So, with that as the background, am I missing anything by NOT having a current, all singing, all dancing, HDMI, USB, networkable A/V Receiver like this Onkyo TXNR509 from Richer Sounds and if so, what am I missing?

If I bite the bullet and upgrade, what features should I be looking for as a minimum to future proof the purchase as much as possible?

[Gingerbread Man]

I've got a Denon 1910. Passes HDMI through it up the TV. Plays many audio formats. When I got it a few years ago now, HDMI 1.4 (?) and 3D capabilities were coming into the mix.

I don't personally feel that I'm missing anything.

Has it got enough inputs for your current/ future needs? Most will probably be HDMI, if not now in the future.

[mondeoman]

The switch has got 4 HDMI inputs, its just the amp which is totally analogue: I suppose the question is do I need to upgrade (?) to digital sound?

[Adrian W]

I use an Onkyo 876, it was future proof when i bought it...............then the future happened

[rix]

Funny, I am wondering the same, and I also have the same amp - it was very highly rgarded in its day - think i got mine in 2000!

The lack of HDMI inputs and the ability to control it from an ipad app (or similar) are the things i'd like most. It sounds great to my ears. Incidentally i use only digital (optical) inputs from blueray / appleTV / skybox. I just have a separate HDMI switching box to feed the video to the TV

[mondeoman]

Oooh hadn't thought of going down the optical route!

Whats the difference in sound quality between analogue and optical, or cant you tell?

[rix]

to be honest i can't really tell, however it depends on the the quality of of the DAC in the source if you're using analogue/phono leads, vs the quality of that in the amp if using the amps DAC. benefit of using digital is the the amp detects the signal - eg dolby digital etc and switches to the correct mode automatically. IIRC the strb930 has one coax digital in and around 5 ish optical ins (and one optical out)

[remedy]

After a bit of research I'm going for this AVR:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/y...

To power these + my bookshelf Denons as rears and my Gale sub:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/...

With the associated centre BX.

I'm told this will sound good with my Marantz 6003 and the amp is 3D capable so will suit my Sony KDL723EX.