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New member Username: Raptor45Post Number: 1 Registered: Aug-08 | I'm a college student living in an apartment. I've got an old set of 5.1 speakers, but need a receiver. Basically, I'm looking for a cheap 5.1 receiver with all the basics to get me going. I was thinking of a Yamaha HTR-6130 for $184, since it seems to be decent/cheap. Any better suggestions in the $200 range? EDIT: I just found the Onykyo TX-SR304 for $150. Would that be a good alternative to save some cash? Also, the subwoofer I have has Left/Right speaker jacks as opposed to sub-out most receivers seem to have. Can I just buy/make a cable to hook this up? |
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Silver Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 101 Registered: Jan-08 | they're both good brands though i would prefer the onkyo. if the power requirements suit youre speakers go for it. am not sure about the sub, but make sure it powers itself |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1301 Registered: Feb-07 | Your sub may be a passive one. Does it have an onboard amplifier on the back? |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1302 Registered: Feb-07 | Also, I've never heard the Onkyo, but I have owned the Yamaha 6130. It's really not bad if you're just going to be using it for watching movies. |
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New member Username: Raptor45Post Number: 2 Registered: Aug-08 | I have the JBL SAT2's: http://www.jbl.com/home/product_support/default.aspx?ProdId=SAT2&Buy=N. From 1993 apparently, but they suit my needs. I assume they will be fine? They say 8 ohms/10-120 watts. The sub must be plugged in so I assume its powered. It also has left/right line-in's. Should I get a Y cable for the sub-out on the receiver? Or does it just need to be plugged in on one channel. Any more comments on which receiver to go with? |
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Silver Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 102 Registered: Jan-08 | both receivers will match your speakers. from what i've heard the onkyo's will be better when it comes to music. ht wont be so much of a difference. i would go for the onkyo |
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New member Username: Raptor45Post Number: 3 Registered: Aug-08 | I'm kind of leaning towards the Yamaha, because I just find it more ascetically appealing than the Onkyo, and it has the front inputs for convenience. |
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Silver Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 103 Registered: Jan-08 | go for it. they're both good receivers |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3168 Registered: Sep-04 | The sub is powered with a 100w amplifier, but unlike most subs it cannot take a line level input from the Sub Out of a typical AV receiver. (It can do this only with the JBL Magic Wireless option from what I read in the manual.) This means two things: 1. Connection is different. 2. AV receiver is different to the usual. 1. Connection: In this system you should have something called a WireManager. The WireManager is a little box with leads coming out at its base. Each lead has two bare wire connections. On the top it has eight spring clips in pairs for Left Sub, Right Sub, Left Sat and Right Sat. You connect the AV receiver's Main left and Right speaker terminal outputs to the WireManager which has flying leads for this purpose. You now need a pair of speaker wires to go between the WireManager's Left Sub and Right Sub connectionsand the connections at the base of the BassWave subwoofer. (There's a tight door that needs to be opened where the power lead exits the subwoofer.) Then you need another pair of speaker wires going from the WireManager's Sat Left and Sat Right connections to the left and right satellites respectively. Each speaker wire should not be terminated, bare wire connections only since the units use spring clips. 2. AV Receiver setup: In the menu system, tell the AV receiver you only have two main speakers and no subwoofer. Tell it to direct bass to the Main or front speakers. This is really an elaborate 2.1 stereo system. You do not need an AV receiver for this application since its output is just going to the Main fronts. However, if you have plans of going to a full surround application in future, then I guess it's worth getting an AV receiver - not really sure though! Good luck! |
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New member Username: Raptor45Post Number: 4 Registered: Aug-08 | Picked up the Yamaha at Best Buy, seems to be working out well; including the subwoofer. The only issue I seem to be having is with getting the surround mode right. For watching DVD's, I have both my PS2 and Computer (Vista) hooked up with digital connections, but either way it only ever shows that its getting stereo signal. None of the DTS or Dolby Digital lights come up. Am I doing something wrong? I unfortunately don't have the money for a dedicated DVD player at this time. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3174 Registered: Sep-04 | Probably, your PS2 and computer have been configured to output two channel. Reconfigure them to output bitstream instead and you should find the lights come on. Of course, you're still only going to get 2-channel (well, 2.1) since you only have a stereo speaker setup. |
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New member Username: Raptor45Post Number: 5 Registered: Aug-08 | I do have a 5.1 setup. I'm not sure, but I think you were talking about a different package of speakers than what I have. The SAT2's are just ordinary speakers with regular red/black wire hookups, and the subwoofer doesn't have a problem with the line in. I got the PS2 working; there's an option in the Setup menu where you have to enable DTS and DD specifically. I still can't seem to get it to work on my desktop. The format "test" works, and properly sends DD and DTS signals, but when I try to play a movie WMP still sends PCM even though it detects that the movie is DD. |