Any advice would be appreciated:
I am looking for a good sounding, 5.1 channel AV receiver. Do they exist? It seems all are now 7 channel. I may be missing something, but 2 fronts, 2 rears, a center, and a sub seem like enough for me. I'll be watching movies (Sony DVD "Multimedia 1080p Upscale") and listening to digital and analogue music via Ipod source. The listening/watching room is pretty large, with a 14 foot vaulted ceiling and maybe 900 total square feet (though the TV area is half that). Historically, I have liked the sound of some Yamaha amps (a little more than Onkyo). I am not a Sony fan. I don't like what I've seen from Yamaha this year in regards to what appears to be increased AV functionality at the expense of quality (heavy) audio components. Thus, I would consider, though not necessarily prefer, a dated model. FWIW, my front speakers are Klipsch R-5800 (in-wall) and I have not selected a sub yet (but suspect that may be critical, given the in-wall compromise). Reliability and longevity are also important to me.
I have looked at many Yamaha choices, such as the RX-V863, 663, DSP-A1, even an Outlaw audio rr2150.
I am looking for a good sounding, 5.1 channel AV receiver. Do they exist? It seems all are now 7 channel. I may be missing something, but 2 fronts, 2 rears, a center, and a sub seem like enough for me. I'll be watching movies (Sony DVD "Multimedia 1080p Upscale") and listening to digital and analogue music via Ipod source. The listening/watching room is pretty large, with a 14 foot vaulted ceiling and maybe 900 total square feet (though the TV area is half that). Historically, I have liked the sound of some Yamaha amps (a little more than Onkyo). I am not a Sony fan. I don't like what I've seen from Yamaha this year in regards to what appears to be increased AV functionality at the expense of quality (heavy) audio components. Thus, I would consider, though not necessarily prefer, a dated model. FWIW, my front speakers are Klipsch R-5800 (in-wall) and I have not selected a sub yet (but suspect that may be critical, given the in-wall compromise). Reliability and longevity are also important to me.
I have looked at many Yamaha choices, such as the RX-V863, 663, DSP-A1, even an Outlaw audio rr2150.
