i'm not an audiophile i don't own (or want) a blu-ray player...i currently use an antiquated logitech z5300 system with my HTPC and i've been happy with it

however, now that i have a PBO, i have three components (tv, PBO, HTPC) that have a digital optical audio output (toslink?) and i'm only looking to get a 5.1 system that will accept it

i'm an audio/HT noob (hence the reason i don't REALLY care about getting something awesome) and so i don't even KNOW what i need...the HTPC and PBO connect to the tv with HDMI...i want to be able to use the 5.1 system with my PBO or HTPC without the tv being on (so i can listen to music or something)

cost is key ($200 is my top...let me stress that i was HAPPY with my crappy logitech system)...i'm cool with getting something used, but it needs to be at least 5.1 and needs to do the things i listed above

thoughts? what should i look for? any brands and/or models that are decent values?

2/13/2011 1:21:57 PM

searching craigslist, seems like there are a fair number of used receivers with no speakers (or a sub), but with RCA inputs for them...given that my current logitech speakers have RCA connectors (they plug into the sub, which acts as the receiver, i guess), would one of these receivers work with my speakers? that would be ideal, given that my living room is already set up with the speakers (they've been run through the ceiling and are mounted in the right places)

i'd probably have to get another sub, but that's not a big deal

2/13/2011 2:45:54 PM

Receivers do not have powered RCA jacks for speakers. The speaker RCA jacks are pre-outs that are used when you run a separate amplifier. You would need to cut your wires and strip it to use the binding posts/speaker outs on the rear. You'd also need to make sure that the speakers are 8 ohm (most systems like yours aren't but I can't say for sure). Right now, your sub has a mult-channel amp built in and it's possible that you could re-use it that way. If it has a 6 channel input on the rear of it (6 RCA jacks using 1 for each speaker) then you could possibly use the pre-outs with it and be fine though you may have some volume issues. If it has any speaker-level inputs on it then you'd definitely be good (inputs for bare wire). Does this make any sense?

Also, 3 optical inputs may be a bit much for a sub-$200 receiver so make sure that you double check any that you find. You could do something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882115238 and use it as an HDMI switcher though.

2/13/2011 4:01:37 PM

^ ah, thanks for the feedback...i didn't know that about the powered speakers...the sub does indeed have individual jacks for each speaker

sony STR-DG520 seems like it would work (2 optical inputs and and 2 HDMI pass-through inputs)...found a couple for right at $100

though the yamaha from newegg that you linked to, with the $60 credit, makes it a pretty good price at $170 for something that's new...

2/13/2011 4:51:00 PM

It's been a while since I messed around with this stuff much but when I did, Yamaha receivers were 10x better than Sony stuff until you started getting into the nicer stuff (Sony ES & 1-2 models below ES). I don't know if it's changed but...

When you say the sub does have individual jacks do you mean RCA or speaker-level (bare wire)? If RCA, that Yamaha does not have a 6-channel pre-out so it wouldn't work for you. You could get "6 channel stereo" out of it with the stereo & sub pre-outs but you'd lose all surround sound processing. Sorry but I didn't think to look for that when I linked it. That Sony doesn't have it either.

This is what you need if you only have RCAs on the sub and you want to keep using it:



[Edited on February 13, 2011 at 8:24 PM. Reason : pic]

2/13/2011 8:16:50 PM

Ive gotten some good stuff off cl, (a whole set of klipsch stuff of their higher end stuff) on the other side, of it you have people trying to sell their shit sony htib systems for what they paid for them 10 years ago because their new tv has hdmi.

2/13/2011 9:22:39 PM

Quote :

"When you say the sub does have individual jacks do you mean RCA or speaker-level (bare wire)?"

RCA...this is it:


each speaker (2 front, center, 2 rear) plugs directly into the sub and the PC outputs sound with stereo plugs

i'm noobing all over myself with this home theater stuff

i don't mind buying speakers with the receiver, but how do "real" systems do it if they don't have powered outputs? are the bare-wire outputs usually powered? if that's the case, i don't snipping the RCA end off my existing speakers and plugging them into the bare-wire outs

[Edited on February 14, 2011 at 6:24 AM. Reason : .]

2/14/2011 6:23:18 AM

Those are powered outputs. They just put the RCA style connectors on the end for ease of use, color coded and shit. 'Regular' receivers have line level (low voltage) INPUTS that typically use RCA (or coax or toslink style for your digital 5.1) and have screwed or spring loaded terminals for your high voltage speaker outputs.

I only half scanned this thread but its likely you could use your existing speakers by doing what someone mentioned and stripping the RCA connector off (actually, I'd probably get a handful of female RCA ends with bare wire on the other to use in case you ever want to re-use these speaks with the old system and not have to put the male ends back on).

2/14/2011 7:06:59 AM

okay, so, just to clarify...in the picture below (just a random receiver picture i found, not one i'm actively looking at buying), the round, multi-colored connectors on the right-hand side are POWERED? i like your idea, Chance, of getting some cheap female connectors and stripping those, instead, so i could do that, strip the wires and hook up the speakers using those round connectors and they'll be powered by the receiver?



if so, awesome...and if that's the case, is there any way i can use the existing sub? i figure not considering how it's arranged, but i'm okay buying a separate sub

[Edited on February 14, 2011 at 7:51 AM. Reason : derp derp, helps if i post a picture]

2/14/2011 7:50:55 AM

Track down a Creative DDTS-100 Decoder and it will probably do what you want.

http://www.amazon.com/CreativeLabs-CREATIVE-DECODER-DDTS-100-51MF8000AA008/dp/B00013JUA2
http://tampasportbikes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46864

Dec 12th 2010 for 20 bucks, lol.

2/14/2011 8:44:01 AM

^ hah, i looked for one of those for a while and couldn't even really find one...and the few i did were something like $150 (which seems like a lot compared to a real receiver)

2/14/2011 9:36:34 AM

i found a sony STR-V333ES for $100...it's a 5.1 system with 5 optical in and RCA pre-out (which means it's powered, right?)

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/strv333esfront.pdf (couldn't find a picture, but this spec sheet has an image of the back)

decent deal? seem like it'll do what i want?

2/14/2011 10:24:42 AM

No, I think you misunderstood me. Pre-out is pre-amplifier and is not powered. Pre-out is designed to let you use another amplifier.

bare-wire = amplified & direct to speakers
rca = pre-out, not amplified

With the Sony you posted, you should be able to use your existing speaker set up. You want to get 2 sets of stereo RCA - 3.5mm stereo cables & 1 mono RCA - 3.5 mm mono cable. You'll use the 2 stereo cables to run front L/R to the "Front" input on the sub & the rear L/R/ to the "Rear input on the sub and then the mono input will go from the center output to the center input on the sub. Then your sub is going to use a built-in crossover to grab the low frequencies from the front channel. (Most decent receivers will allow you to "cut off" the subwoofer output and make the front outputs full frequency). The only issue you may run into is with volume but it shouldn't be anything major and shouldn't require more than playing around with the gain or possibly turning the volume up a bit louder than normal.

*edit* Actually, does that last input on the sub say "Center/Sub"? If so, you need only 3 of the stereo cables instead of the 2 stereo/1 mono.

I also forgot to add that you should need only one of those sub outputs. Subs are mono and I'm going to assume that it has 2 outputs for a nicer dual-sub set-up rather than an actual stereo output. Worst case you'll have to get a y-adapter to combine them to one signal though I really don't think that would be the case with an ES receiver.

[Edited on February 14, 2011 at 11:03 AM. Reason : misread sub inputs?]

2/14/2011 10:57:36 AM

Quote :

"I think you misunderstood me."

i did

thanks for the instructions...i might pick it up at lunch and give it a try

2/14/2011 10:59:33 AM

okay! i picked up two units on monday...not because i really wanted two, but i wasn't sure i could haggle the second "nicer" one down far enough to be worth purchasing, and i wanted the first one just in case...each one was $100, which probably isn't a spectacular deal, but it's not too bad

anyway, the first is a sony STR-DG520 (100w/channel and HDMI pass-through) that is (literally) new in box (the guy had a receipt and everything)...picture and specs:



http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665360001

the second is a sony STR-V333ES (120w/channel) that is used, but looks to be in great shape (though it's freaking HEAVY) and everything works on it

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=STRV333ES



i think both will work, but if i'm understanding this correctly, only the ES model will do what dave421 suggested, while i'd have to do what Chance recommended if i use the newer one with HDMI

thoughts? which one should i keep? i imagine i can get rid of the other for what i paid

[Edited on February 16, 2011 at 9:00 AM. Reason : .]

2/16/2011 8:37:35 AM

Need to find out what the impedance is on your speakers. If they're 8-ohm then you're good to go either way (may have to rig the sub up with a mono-stereo rca adapter or something). If they're 4-ohm then you'll likely kill that new one pretty quickly.

edit: Actually, looks like they are 8-ohm so you should be good to go. If you go with the newer receiver, a mono to stereo adapter running from the subwoofer output on the receiver to the front channel input on the sub should get you up and running. I didn't check but if there's a tape/md input on the receiver then it should have a monitor out as well that's in stereo that should be full time if you want to use that instead of the sub-out & adapter. Difference is using the receiver's crossover with the sub-out vs. the sub's crossover with the monitor out.

another edit: Personally, I'd keep the ES. It's several orders of magnitude higher quality imo. It is older but I think you have as good a chance of it still working in a year or two as you do with the newer one. You'd probably have an easier time reselling the new one on CL as well.

[Edited on February 16, 2011 at 10:30 AM. Reason : opinion]

2/16/2011 10:16:25 AM

yeah, i believe the satellites are 8ohm and are 32.5w RMS (if that matters)

so, would you recommend keeping the older unit?

read your edit...i think i'll probably keep the older one...it was the second "nicer" one that i wasn't sure i could get (he wanted $150, which was too high, obviously), but i figured the first one would work if necessary

[Edited on February 16, 2011 at 10:39 AM. Reason : thanks for advice!]

2/16/2011 10:36:10 AM

the wattage in RMS is like the average power it should have going through it. you want to match this up to your amp, and err on the side of having your amp higher. speakers have an RMS, and a max wattage.

if your amp gives too much power to the speaker (it exceeds the max wattage), and does this too much, it blows the speaker.

but what's more damaging is if you push the amp too high (thinking the speakers can handle it). the sine wave of power coming out of the amp gets clipped at the top of the wave, and it delivers pure DC power to the speaker. the speaker is designed to go back and fourth, not stay constantly at the a limit.

2/16/2011 11:34:37 AM

bump

11/30/2011 8:57:53 AM

^ thxu

Quote :

"Personally, I'd keep the ES. It's several orders of magnitude higher quality imo. It is older but I think you have as good a chance of it still working in a year or two as you do with the newer one."

well, 9 months, anyway

i turn my receiver on and off several times a day (no reason to keep it running when i'm not there, right?) and it makes that deep electronic click (i don't know how better to describe it) every time i turn it on...i believe this is a relay?

turned it on this morning and it won't power up (no lights, nothing), just clicks constantly, so...bad relay? is this hard/expensive to fix?

i was very happy with the unit as it did exactly what i wanted

11/30/2011 9:04:33 AM

COME ON, GUYS, I NEED MY SOUNDZ

11/30/2011 12:35:15 PM

so i had unplugged it yesterday when it started clicking and when i got home last night and plugged it in and turned it on, it worked just fine

it worked turning it on this morning, too, though it made that electronic clicking noise twice (whereas it usually just makes it once when turning on)

so...what's going bad on it?

12/1/2011 8:08:08 AM