Looking for a new receiver for home theater

[Highgear]

First let me start by saying that I'm new to this forum. I look forward to learning more about home theater. I recently purchased a new Panasonic TH-42PX5OU HD plasma TV.
I have an older Onkyo SR-500 receiver in 5.1. I want to get the most out the surround and home theater experience. Everything is hooked up with Monster and AR cables. I'm using the HDMI for my HD sat. box. I plan on getting a upconverting DVD player.....maybe an OPPO DVD player when they come out with a HDMI connection next month. My main question is the reciever. I'm looking at the Onkyo TX-SR803. This will let me connect both DVD and HD box via HDMI. Do you guys think the the new receiver will make a big difference in the quality of surround? I'm not a real music listener but more of a movie watcher. Thanks in advance.

[westcott]

What speakers and subwoofer are you using?

[Highgear]

I'm using the speakers that came with the home theater system. They are larger than the norm, not the small cube type. A 10" powered sub came with the system.

[westcott]

I'm using the speakers that came with the home theater system. They are larger than the norm, not the small cube type. A 10" powered sub came with the system.

I really think you would gain better sound with a speaker\subwoofer upgrade, especially for home theater movies. That would be my first upgrade.

[Geoffcin]

First let me start by saying that I'm new to this forum. I look forward to learning more about home theater. I recently purchased a new Panasonic TH-42PX5OU HD plasma TV.
I have an older Onkyo SR-500 receiver in 5.1. I want to get the most out the surround and home theater experience. Everything is hooked up with Monster and AR cables. I'm using the HDMI for my HD sat. box. I plan on getting a upconverting DVD player.....maybe an OPPO DVD player when they come out with a HDMI connection next month. My main question is the reciever. I'm looking at the Onkyo TX-SR803. This will let me connect both DVD and HD box via HDMI. Do you guys think the the new receiver will make a big difference in the quality of surround? I'm not a real music listener but more of a movie watcher. Thanks in advance.

I think your gettign some good advice here. If you've got a decent budget then I would look into a new 5.1 speaker system first. A HDMI switching reveiver would be nice, but unnessassary unless you got a new HD-DVD or BlueRay player where you would NEED another HDMI input. Even then it would not make anything sound better.

Upconverting DVD players have NO better resolution in HDMI than component. The only advantage would be a single HDMI cable vs. 4 RCA cable.

[Highgear]

I'll take your advice guys. What would you suggest for a room size of 11'X22' with many opening/doorways? I would like the two fronts to sit on the TV console. My two fronts are aprox 16"X8". The rears are 8"X6.5" and are mounted to the upper back corner of the back wall as seen in the pic. I would like suggestions for a five speaker system just good enough for high quality surround and not overkill, since I'm not a music listener at home. Thanks again for your input.

[Geoffcin]

I'll take your advice guys. What would you suggest for a room size of 11'X22' with many opening/doorways? I would like the two fronts to sit on the TV console. My two fronts are aprox 16"X8". The rears are 8"X6.5" and are mounted to the upper back corner of the back wall as seen in the pic. I would like suggestions for a five speaker system just good enough for high quality surround and not overkill, since I'm not a music listener at home. Thanks again for your input.

You got some limited options there because of space. Still, I would first look into placing the surround speakers to your left and right. The speakers mounted to the rear wall is not a good location for the primary surround speakers. You could actually leave those speakers on the back wall, and place an addition set left and right and have a 7.1 system.

[Highgear]

I have a 20 mo. old that get into everything. Are you saying the fronts are too close together and the rears are too far away and up too high? What would you suggest for my situation.

[L.J.]

Here is a nice diagram to try and follow as far as placement goes:



Here's an article on the subject also.

[westcott]

I'll take your advice guys. What would you suggest for a room size of 11'X22' with many opening/doorways? I would like the two fronts to sit on the TV console. My two fronts are aprox 16"X8". The rears are 8"X6.5" and are mounted to the upper back corner of the back wall as seen in the pic. I would like suggestions for a five speaker system just good enough for high quality surround and not overkill, since I'm not a music listener at home. Thanks again for your input.

I love to spend other peoples money so give me a budget and I can suggest some mfgs that I respect and would consider.

[Highgear]

Thanks for the help friend. My budget for a receiver or speakers is $700-$800. I'll be purchasing off e-bay or a discount place like Vann's. If it is speakers that you suggest. Do you think buying used is a bad idea? I could save big and have more for the receiver. I don't think I would buy a used receiver though.

[westcott]

Thanks for the help friend. My budget for a receiver or speakers is $700-$800. I'll be purchasing off e-bay or a discount place like Vann's. If it is speakers that you suggest. Do you think buying used is a bad idea? I could save big and have more for the receiver. I don't think I would buy a used receiver though.

Speakers are a personal thing but there are several mfgs that can provide a cost effective solution that will allow you to upgrade in the future.

You are going to need 2 front speakers and a center channel first. I would suggest three RB 35s or RB75s by Klipsch. Any similiarly priced bookshelf from Axiom, Paradigm, Revel, PSB, B&W, etc. will provide good sound. E Bay has some for sale, as well as others if you look. The nice thing is that you can move these to the rear for surrounds if you decide to get nicer towers in the future.

I know what you are thinking. But, I recommend quality over quanity. Make sure you get speakers from a mfg that have a complete 5.1 system available so you can add on as your budget allows. A subwoofer would be my next acquisition for home theater, then the rear surrounds. Believe me, with 3 quality speakers up front, you will be more than happy until you can complete the system.

Good Luck and post pictures when you have it setup and calibrated.

[Highgear]

I found a dealer that carries both Klipsch, Paradigm and maybe others. They sounded very down to earth over the phone. I was very discouraged after going into a audio store near by yesterday. I was made to feel that it wasn't worth their time to talk to me. I guess my Panasonic TH-42PX5OU is crap compaired to the Meranze (spelling?) plasmas they had in store and not worth building a home theater around. Bring these A holes down to earth. I understand audiophiles can be very snooty just as us cyclists can be at times. Someone walking into a bike shop would get taken under the wing and have a product sold to them. I felt like I didn't belong in the Audio store. Well, enough of the crying. Thanks for passing on your hard earned knowledge and wanting to help us newcomers on this forum. If you have any question regarding high-end race bicycles feel free to ask me at the brother forum to the audioreview at www.roadbikereview.com. By the way, can anyone explain THX and how it relates to home theater and what does biamped speakers means?

[paul_pci]

I found a dealer that carries both Klipsch, Paradigm and maybe others. They sounded very down to earth over the phone. I was very discouraged after going into a audio store near by yesterday. I was made to feel that it wasn't worth their time to talk to me. I guess my Panasonic TH-42PX5OU is crap compaired to the Meranze (spelling?) plasmas they had in store and not worth building a home theater around. Bring these A holes down to earth. I understand audiophiles can be very snooty just as us cyclists can be at times. Someone walking into a bike shop would get taken under the wing and have a product sold to them. I felt like I didn't belong in the Audio store. Well, enough of the crying. Thanks for passing on your hard earned knowledge and wanting to help us newcomers on this forum. If you have any question regarding high-end race bicycles feel free to ask me at the brother forum to the audioreview at www.roadbikereview.com. By the way, can anyone explain THX and how it relates to home theater and what does biamped speakers means?

Marantz is the correct spelling. Yes, I've felt that way a number of times at audio stores and it is unfortunate and you'd think with the shrinking high end audio market that such personnel would be more cautious toward their potential clientle. THX is a standard for audio and video output and being THX certified means that that particular piece of equipment meets a certain set of criteria and has been examined by a THX technician. Others on this board can give you more exact specifications. It usually comes with a price and many say that other good equipment would meet that criteria but choose not to pay the liscensing fee to be certified. Biamping refers to speakers that that two, not the traditional one, speaker terminals, where one terminal is for the higher frequency signal and the other terminal is for the lower frequency signal and you connect one terminal to one amp and the other terminal to another amp, thereby "biamping" (two amps). Such speakers can also be biwired, where you have, on the speaker end, speaker wire going to both terminals and on the other end, the wire going to just one amp terminal. Some claim improved sound with either biwiring or biamping, but if you don't have the money or equipment for it, don't bother.

[westcott]

Marantz is the correct spelling. Yes, I've felt that way a number of times at audio stores and it is unfortunate and you'd think with the shrinking high end audio market that such personnel would be more cautious toward their potential clientle. THX is a standard for audio and video output and being THX certified means that that particular piece of equipment meets a certain set of criteria and has been examined by a THX technician. Others on this board can give you more exact specifications. It usually comes with a price and many say that other good equipment would meet that criteria but choose not to pay the liscensing fee to be certified. Biamping refers to speakers that that two, not the traditional one, speaker terminals, where one terminal is for the higher frequency signal and the other terminal is for the lower frequency signal and you connect one terminal to one amp and the other terminal to another amp, thereby "biamping" (two amps). Such speakers can also be biwired, where you have, on the speaker end, speaker wire going to both terminals and on the other end, the wire going to just one amp terminal. Some claim improved sound with either biwiring or biamping, but if you don't have the money or equipment for it, don't bother.

As an OCLV user, I can understand your analogy. I was just blown off by a high end Revel dealer yesterday. Fortunately, their is a second dealer here in Houston that I will visit with today. He was much more accomodating.

Biwiring - using two sets of wires instead of one to connect a speaker. (not necessary IMO if you use large enough grade of wire to begin with)

Biamping - This is adding power to a speaker(s), usually using extra receiver channels not being used to add power to usually the floor standers. Your speaker should be designed for this use to really take advantage. Some speaker\receiver combos do not work flawlessly in this configuration so testing is usually necessary.

Good Luck and hope this helps!

[GMichael]

I'll take your advice guys. What would you suggest for a room size of 11'X22' with many opening/doorways? I would like the two fronts to sit on the TV console. My two fronts are aprox 16"X8". The rears are 8"X6.5" and are mounted to the upper back corner of the back wall as seen in the pic. I would like suggestions for a five speaker system just good enough for high quality surround and not overkill, since I'm not a music listener at home. Thanks again for your input.

Hi Highgear,

Nice room. Congrats on the new TV.

Good luck with your upgrades. It looks like others here have the best answers for you already.