Foo - hifi q (onkyo)

I want a two speaker stereo set up. I know you will tell me to get a stereo amp but hear me out.

I want to connect a 3D TV. I know you can connect this to a stereo amp (i was looking at Yamaha AS500). the thing is I want to connect using hdmi (i just 'geek's its better/easier). the Yamaha formats have hdmi. Therefore I'm looking at an AV Receiver, an Onkyo TXNR515 and use it in stereo mode.

Later I might want to add a centre speaker for movies. Does this Onkyo support that (the sales guy says no, only 2 or 5 speakers)?

The Onkyo is 130W per channel. if I have two speakers connected, does that mean 130W goes to each of the front speakers?

Suppose I had all 7 speakers injected including 2 subs, does that mean 130W RMS go into each channel.at th same time, so.it can potentially give 130W x 7 = 910W RMS? That sounds ridiculous to me, I think there is no way it can make that kinda power.

Suppose I bought that Yamaha stereo amp instead. How would I connect 3D TV, playstation, ipod?

Believe it or not, with good speakers you can get damn good sound with as little as 20W per channel... unless you are trying to fill a stadium with sound.

Later I might want to add a centre speaker for movies. Does this Onkyo support that (the sales guy says no, only 2 or 5 speakers)?


LOL! Sales guy fail.

The onkyo works just fine in TriField mode, or 5.1 with nothing connected to the surround speaker terminals. It'll still put out Left, Center, & Right (plus LFE) in either case.

Find a new sales guy.

That's what I figured, just not have anything connected to the rear channels.

That sales guy isn't my sales guy of choose :) and its unlikely I will buy from that shop.

If you have some questions remaining or as you get to know your equipment, you may find more information in this forum (http://www.avsforum.com/f/90/receivers-amps-and-processors) or this NR515 thread (http://www.avsforum.com/t/1416703/the-official-onkyo-tx-nr515-owners-thread)

Also, you could go to the Onkyo web site and download the manual. It should show various speaker setup, ohm limitations on speakers etc. While I have a yamaha, Onkyo was on the short list. With the HDMI, make sure it can also function as a pass-through where you don't have to have the full system on and can do straight cable box - tv on the same input whith the same cable as when you use the receiver.

Believe it or not, with good speakers you can get damn good sound with as little as 20W per channel... unless you are trying to fill a stadium with sound.


Correct - doubling of amp power adds only 3 db. No sales guy will ever tell you that!.

My Sansui 350A (20 WPC) sounds wounderful driving these vintage Electra-Voice Aristacrats but if I want the neighbors to enjoy my music I'll crank up the Harman Kardon AVR 750 with the Infinity IL50s

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l278/kdl2525/Electrovoice001.jpg

If you're not going to use rear speakers and if you're sitting within the boundaries of the left and right speakers, don't buy a home theater receiver, period - for the money, you'll get far better audio performance from a 2-channel integrated amp - not only are you spreading your dollar more thinly with a HT rec (7 amps, digital audio processing boards, video processing boards, etc vs good preamp and L/R amp) but all of that extra circuitry actually adds noise and reduces dynamic range and detail. Going the 2-channel route will require that you have a sufficient number of HDMI inputs on your TV or that you buy an external switcher, but it'll be well worth it.