[Chris Ric]

I have a Denon 882 which I got through my mom's friend and was told by him it was the same thing as the 1802. I just found out the 882 is a a/v receiver/amplifier thinking it was a home theater receiver like the 1802. What is the difference between a receiver/amplifier and a home theater receiver? Can you use the 882 like a home theater receiver?

[Steve Schaffer]

"AV Receiver/amplifier" and "Home Theater Receiver" are the same thing-a single component that processes incoming signals from various sources and has amplifier built in to power your speakers.

Some mfgs like Denon and Yamaha have 2 lines of receivers, one for mass market outlets like Best Buy or Sears and internet sales outlets, and one for specialized Audio/Video stores. Usually they use separate model numbering systems for each line, though the actual products will be identical.

So a Yamaha 5550 sold at Best Buy will be exactly the same as an RXV-530 at Good Guys, and a Denon 882 sold over the internet will be the same as an 1802 from a local AV store.

Advertised power may be rated at a flat 1000 hz for one line and at 20-20,000 for another, so they will vary in the ads but in fact real power will be the same for both models.

[Chris Ric]

That really clears things up. I'm having processing problems with the 882 and was thinking maybe it was the wrong receiver for the job-so that can't be it. When I'm listening in 5ch stereo and watching cable my rear speakers sometimes go funny. The signal is the same to all speakers in 5ch stereo so why are voices coming out of one, while music comes out the other? This happens all the time. The speaker balance goes out of whack all the time too. I tried engaging the microprocessor and resetting everything but I'm still having trouble. It only happens when I'm watching cable so maybe the cable box is bad right? Well I switched the cable box out with another one and that didn't fix it either. I've only had it for around 7 months so I hope the processor isn't going on it.