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Home Theater help

stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,001
7,882
Colorado
So the new house has built-in speakers (ex-sub) that I want to start using. To do so, I need help identifying which receiver to get. My end goal is to have the receiver be the center point of my a/v to make my life easier.

Current specifics:
- Xbox 360
- Cable box
- Chromecast
- Firestick
- Vizio E470VL
- 5.1
- Ability to receive broadcast from my phone for Pandora or other audio

I want to do everything in the simplest way possible. As I see it, I need a receiver that has/does:
- 4 HDMI inputs and one out.
- 5.1 capability
- Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capability

I'm not an audiophile, so I don't need anything knock your socks off good, jist something that gets it done and is reasonably priced. Any suggestions welcomed.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,966
22,011
Sleazattle
A receiver is one component in a system. Do you have any information on the speakers? It is important to match the power of the amp to the speaker. Solid state amplifiers become rather nonlinear at higher percentages of their peak power. If your speakers have a low sensitivity (85db/watt) you may want to go with a 200 watt or larger amp. For that sized amp 100 watt output may sound great but there could be a fair bit of distortion at 180 watts. If your speakers have high sensitivity (97db/watt) you can use a much smaller powered amp and not push it into the range where it will cause distortion. The decibel scale is logarithmic so a speaker with a 3 db lower sensitivity will actually require twice as much power to produce similar volume levels. A 85db/watt speaker will require 12 times as much power to achieve the same volume as a 97db/watt speaker.
 
Last edited:
KenW449

KenW449

Thanos did nothing wrong
Jun 13, 2017
2,717
334
Floating down the whiskey river...
Westy said:
A receiver is one component in a system. Do you have any information on the speakers? It is important to match the power of the amp to the speaker. Solid state amplifiers become rather nonlinear at higher percentages of their peak power. If your speakers have a low sensitivity (85db/watt) you may want to go with a 200 watt or larger amp. For that sized amp 100 watt output may sound great but there could be a fair bit of distortion at 180 watts. If your speakers have high sensitivity (97db/watt) you can use a much smaller powered amp and not push it into the range where it will cause distortion. The decibel scale is logarithmic so a speaker with a 3 db lower sensitivity will actually require twice as much power to produce similar volume levels. A 85db speaker will require 12 times as much power to achieve the same volume as a 97db speaker.
Click to expand...
When you are not shit posting, you are very helpful.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,711
8,730
stoney said:
So the new house has built-in speakers (ex-sub) that I want to start using. To do so, I need help identifying which receiver to get. My end goal is to have the receiver be the center point of my a/v to make my life easier.

Current specifics:
- Xbox 360
- Cable box
- Chromecast
- Firestick
- Vizio E470VL
- 5.1
- Ability to receive broadcast from my phone for Pandora or other audio

I want to do everything in the simplest way possible. As I see it, I need a receiver that has/does:
- 4 HDMI inputs and one out.
- 5.1 capability
- Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capability

I'm not an audiophile, so I don't need anything knock your socks off good, jist something that gets it done and is reasonably priced. Any suggestions welcomed.
Click to expand...
Receiver: https://smile.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V483BL-5-1-Channel-MusicCast-Receiver/dp/B06XY9J6BQ/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Figure out your optical cable from TV to receiver business for the Chromecast and Fire Stick, or plug them into the receiver itself.

14 ga wire from Monoprice. Enough banana plugs for the receiver side (likely 10--sub probably RCA), wall plate side (10), speaker side (10).
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,001
7,882
Colorado
Ordered the one Toshi found. I managed to get a speaker out: http://www.inwallstore.com/Ceiling_Theater_Package_Kevlar_Titanium_7_1_p/hd650atheater71.htm He took two and set them up as a second zone.

I also got a Polk sub while I was at bestbuy getting the receiver (open box, way cheaper). I got this for $100 on sale https://www.bestbuy.com/site/polk-audio-psw-series-10-active-subwoofer-black/9154073.p?skuId=9154073

I need to use a Wi-Fi sub setup because of my power outlet limitations.

If any of the Denver area monkeys want to buy a Vizio sound bar with wireless surround and sub for cheap, let me know. My basement will be continuing to run off the Sony system so my Vizio will go unused now.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,711
8,730
stoney said:
He took two and set them up as a second zone.
Click to expand...
Wait, so you have 5.1 + another zone? Or someone else does? If you have a second zone then you need a slightly higher model receiver. If not then that 5.1 one will work fine.
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,001
7,882
Colorado
Toshi said:
Wait, so you have 5.1 + another zone? Or someone else does? If you have a second zone then you need a slightly higher model receiver. If not then that 5.1 one will work fine.
Click to expand...
It's in the same open space kitchen & family room. I doubt I'll be using both at the same time.
How about this unit? Came across it about 5min after I ordered the other one: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FA9g5oI1cQiZtn3v1

This is the inside of the closet: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EPEfvEypSsuw3iAI2
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,711
8,730
stoney said:
It's in the same open space kitchen & family room. I doubt I'll be using both at the same time.
How about this unit? Came across it about 5min after I ordered the other one: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FA9g5oI1cQiZtn3v1

This is the inside of the closet: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EPEfvEypSsuw3iAI2
Click to expand...
Yeah, something like that. That's similar to what I have with different model names for the year: can run 7.2 or 5.1 + 2 channel zone B, and both are independent of each other (can have AirPlay in Zone B and a Blu-Ray on Zone A).
 
StiHacka

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,508
In hell. Welcome!
Westy said:
I run a DIY tube amp for the stereo in the basement, for pocket protector status.

Click to expand...
Cool albeit lacking on brushed aluminum. I only run toobs in guitar equipment, I am too cheap and in the world of bluetooth and YT playback for proper hifi isht. But one day, I might build a kit, too.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,966
22,011
Sleazattle
StiHacka said:
Cool albeit lacking on brushed aluminum. I only run toobs in guitar equipment, I am too cheap and in the world of bluetooth and YT playback for proper hifi isht. But one day, I might build a kit, too.
Click to expand...

It definitely has a warm playful sound, especially when matched with my old set of giant Technics speakers.

Seriously considering a tube phono pre-amp for my nice upstairs system, sadly no reasonably priced DIY kits that I could find.
 
StiHacka

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,508
In hell. Welcome!
SkaredShtles said:
What... does Technics not make decent hifi any more? My receiver from 1988 finally shit the bed a couple years back.
Click to expand...
IIRC, the running joke in my neck of the woods was that Technics was a monocle brand - all about the looks (screw the audio qualities).

When I was young and as stupid as today, I never had enough $$ to afford one so I have no direct experience, but my nerdy friends favoured NAD, Pioneer or Marantz.
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,774
14,138
In a van.... down by the river
StiHacka said:
IIRC, the running joke in my neck of the woods was that Technics was a monocle brand - all about the looks (screw the audio qualities).

When I was young and as stupid as today, I never had enough $$ to afford one so I have no direct experience, but my nerdy friends favoured NAD, Pioneer or Marantz.
Click to expand...
Odd... it was definitely cheaper than those options back when I bought mine. Fuck - I think I bought it at Sears. :confused: It was a LONG time ago, so I may be misremembering all of it.
 
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