Is it a bad idea to use a lower quality speaker on an Onkyo TX-SR705? Will it effect the quality of the sound I get when I upgrade? I have a basic set of Onkyo speakers for the front, and center and Athena Technologies for the left, right and rear left and right surrounds.
I really do not think that asking if using cheap speakers could have an adverse effect on your receiver is such a giant stretch of the imagination. Thanks for your input HC, that is very enlightening....
The amplifier will not retain any "memory" of the old speakers once you upgrade. There can be permanent damage from a variety of bad wiring practices and you can also fry your speakers in some rather imaginative ways but I think the only thing you will hear when you upgrade is the improvement you will have made.
Within limits you get the biggest bang for the buck with speakers. In other words the most dramatic improvements to your system come from the speakers. Bad speakers always sound bad no matter what you drive them with while good speakers, again within limits, sound good even with a cheap amplifier.