Replacement Av reciever

[Earthboundmisfit]

Afternoon chaps,

I am wondering if some of you guys can help with an issue i have regarding replacing my approx 15yr old AV receiver with some more modern kit.

This came about because i am looking for a new bigger TV to watch films on. Anyway, the TV i have (almost) decided on only has an digital optical output for audio. Sadly due to the age of my current set up, the only inputs are analogue RCA inputs.

My previous AV amp is a Kenwood KR-V7050
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3279825/ManualsMania-Ken...

and contemplating replacing this with a Onkyo TX SR309

http://www.scribd.com/doc/83766603/Onkyo-Tx-SR309

Now i understand that i am probably best getting matching output ratings (as nneed to use the same speakers) but i am struggling to compare the two as the language they uses is somewhat techy. I am a bit reluctant to take advice from the likes of richer sounds as although they probably know their stuff, they are also trying to sell me something.

My main concern is the rated power of my mission 731 front floor standers. IIRC they are rated at 125W.

Can someone please offer some advice?

Thanks

Misfit

[TEKNOPUG]

I'm struggling to find the specs for th 731s, only the smaller 731is. But they are rated at only 25w.

The Onkyo is rated 85w per channel at 8ohms. So if the 731s are 125w, I can't see a problem. Even if it was the other way round, it would still be fine, providing you don't crank the amp all the way up.

[bobda]

I would check and then double check that you really want to use the Optical output of the TV - pretty much all of them will only output 2 channels, regardless of what they are receiving via HDMI, internal tuner etc etc. Not a problem if you only want to watch non-HD freeview but if you were planning on feeding it HDMI from a source which gives 5.1 or 7.1 then you won't get it from the optical output.

What you would normally do is route all the HDMI inputs to the amp and then turn on the audio return channel (ARC) within the TV which would output the audio from the TV to the amp. This will also generally only be 2 channel as well.

[Earthboundmisfit]

Thanks for the reply guys. Sorry i couldnt reply till this morning as i left my laptop at work.

Firstly, i made a mistake with my mission model numbers. mine are 734 which are rated 25-125W. Sorry. 731's are bookshelf size.


Using my current amp i can take sound from V+ bx via a RCA audio out to amp. I also have alittle western digital media play which i play movies through from a hard drive. This box only has an Optical Out for audio and obviously a HDMI out for A&V.

Currently i run my audio for both V+ and WD media player from TV using RCA leads. So, using my current amp i will only be missing a audio out from media player, which is why i was hoping to run it from TV.

I am struggling to understand the optical digital out not being 5.1.

To be honest, i may not even be getting full surround from current set up even though the amp is dolby pro logic. (is that even full surround?)

I have been advised by a colleague who recommended the Onkyo that i should run HDMI cabls through receiver to take off sound then an HDMI out from receiver to tv to take the pictures. I imagine thats the best route to get full 5.1 sound. (Onkyo amp only 5.1)

Thanks.

[pmanson]

My setup:

TV <-- HDMI --> AMP (Output)

V+ <-- HDMI --> AMP (Input)

BluRay/DVD <-- HDMI --> AMP (Input)


Amp is an Onkyo 605 (so approx 5 years old) and the TV is an LG approx 2 years old. I don't need to use any optical outputs. The only time you might need use to optical/analogue outputs from the V+ box is if you're planning on using Zone 2 on the amp to send sound into a different room.

[TEKNOPUG]

bobda said:

I would check and then double check that you really want to use the Optical output of the TV - pretty much all of them will only output 2 channels, regardless of what they are receiving via HDMI, internal tuner etc etc. Not a problem if you only want to watch non-HD freeview but if you were planning on feeding it HDMI from a source which gives 5.1 or 7.1 then you won't get it from the optical output.

What you would normally do is route all the HDMI inputs to the amp and then turn on the audio return channel (ARC) within the TV which would output the audio from the TV to the amp. This will also generally only be 2 channel as well.

I think he means that because his new telly only has optical out, he can't connect it to his old AVR, hence the need for a new one.

[TEKNOPUG]

bobda said:

I would check and then double check that you really want to use the Optical output of the TV - pretty much all of them will only output 2 channels, regardless of what they are receiving via HDMI, internal tuner etc etc. Not a problem if you only want to watch non-HD freeview but if you were planning on feeding it HDMI from a source which gives 5.1 or 7.1 then you won't get it from the optical output.

What you would normally do is route all the HDMI inputs to the amp and then turn on the audio return channel (ARC) within the TV which would output the audio from the TV to the amp. This will also generally only be 2 channel as well.

Optical Out will feed 5.1. Indeed, if you have a SKY box, you need to use Optical Out to get Dolby Digital.

[TEKNOPUG]

Earthboundmisfit said:

Thanks for the reply guys. Sorry i couldnt reply till this morning as i left my laptop at work.

Firstly, i made a mistake with my mission model numbers. mine are 734 which are rated 25-125W. Sorry. 731's are bookshelf size.


Using my current amp i can take sound from V+ bx via a RCA audio out to amp. I also have alittle western digital media play which i play movies through from a hard drive. This box only has an Optical Out for audio and obviously a HDMI out for A&V.

Currently i run my audio for both V+ and WD media player from TV using RCA leads. So, using my current amp i will only be missing a audio out from media player, which is why i was hoping to run it from TV.

I am struggling to understand the optical digital out not being 5.1.

To be honest, i may not even be getting full surround from current set up even though the amp is dolby pro logic. (is that even full surround?)

I have been advised by a colleague who recommended the Onkyo that i should run HDMI cabls through receiver to take off sound then an HDMI out from receiver to tv to take the pictures. I imagine thats the best route to get full 5.1 sound. (Onkyo amp only 5.1)

Thanks.

HDMI from all sources - V+, BluRay, Xbox, PS3 etc to the receiver (AVR) and then one HDMI from the AVR to the TV. You then use the AVR to control all images to the TV (so you don't need to change leads - just select the one you want to use on the AVR) and the AVR will also control the volume for all of them. It will also take care of video upscaling and lots of other things depending upon spec.

[nickfrog]

Yes the 309 will be great for your needs and indeed you can go all HDMI, simpler.

You may also want to consider the Sony 820, bit more power, auto set-up, etc... but a bit more money, £200 at RS.

[bobda]

TEKNOPUG said:

Optical Out will feed 5.1. Indeed, if you have a SKY box, you need to use Optical Out to get Dolby Digital.

Not from the TV it won't. From a Sky box, optical is the only way to get 5.1 as they don't support it over HDMI (another reason to not have $ky), but that's not what the OP suggested.

[king arthur]

bobda said:

Not from the TV it won't. From a Sky box, optical is the only way to get 5.1 as they don't support it over HDMI (another reason to not have $ky), but that's not what the OP suggested.

Erm, are you sure? I just bought a new Panasonic plasma and although I'm only using it with a stereo amp via a DAC at the moment, the manual clearly states that to get Dolby digital 5.1 audio you should connect via the optical audio out.

[JimbobVFR]

It does depend on the TV but by far the vast majority only output stereo on the optical output.

Even those that do support 5.1 only tend to output from internal HD tuners (i.e. freeviewHD) so you may find if you connect something via HDMI you'll only get stereo or possibly no sound at all via the optical, again depends on the TV concerned.

I know a mates Sony TV will output 5.1 from Freeview via the optical but any HDMI device will either need setting to output stereo (or automatically set itself to stereo on the HDMI in most cases) or you get no sound at all on the TV or via its optical output as it can't cope with the surround signal nor pass it on to the optical.

On a related note does anyone else get annoyed that its getting increasingly more difficult to get TVs with decent analogue outputs these days.

[GhostDriver]

bobda said:

TEKNOPUG said:

Optical Out will feed 5.1. Indeed, if you have a SKY box, you need to use Optical Out to get Dolby Digital.

Not from the TV it won't. From a Sky box, optical is the only way to get 5.1 as they don't support it over HDMI (another reason to not have $ky), but that's not what the OP suggested.

Think your getting confused. TV will output 5.1. It does it over Dolby Digital.
The only standard you cant get from an optical cable would be DTS. Sky signal only supports dolby. Same with freeview, hence why they provide an optical out.

If the OP confirms make and model of the TV, you can check the specs.
Remember dolby 5.1 has been around for a long time now.

[GhostDriver]

OP,
Get the Onkyo, for £100 no brainer.
Your speakers rated at 125w, is absoultely fine. Just check the ohms, as the amp outputs 8ohms.

Enjoy!