Received dead..Need help getting a new receiver (1 Viewer)

[stubborn]

Yesterday when I came back home, my router was switched off and I saw that the gfci had done it. So I switched it back on the main panel and it came back on. Then I realized that the AV receiver had also stopped working. No signals to the TV. Unlike the router, this was downstairs and the GFCI hadn't tripped and the receiver was indeed connected to surge protector. Because of the router incident , I am assuming something similar also happened here. Isn't the surge protector supposed to save equipment from such issues? After diagnosis, it looks like it is the outout HDMI of the router that is not working (tried using diffferent cables and connecting to different displays). Does anyone know if this is easily fixable? Model is Onkyo TXSR606 Also what is a good cheap equivalent model to buy now? I don't need 7.1. But need to have front Audio aux inputs, Front HDMI input will be a nice to have. No Zone2 etc. needed. No S-Video, Multiple digital Audio inputs etc. also needed. Atleast 4 HDMI inputs and shd be able to do HDMI decode and passthrough. Also shd be good enough to drive a 2 Polk floor standing RTI8 tower speakers, a polk CSI5 center channel, Infinity tower rear speakers and an elemental design A2-300 subwoofer.

 

[stubborn]

Thanks! I shopped around and came up with few choices. Of course If I can get a perceivable difference I am willing to go up in price. All below models do 5.1 surround, support 3D, have at least 4 HDMI Inputs. What I'm not sure is if any of these will be under powered to get the best out of my speaker system when I play 1080p with good sound effects. And whether there is any significant quality difference in Audio/Video due to the chip used for decoding those etc. Like for example Onkyo TX NR509 and Onkyo TX NR609 seems to have Watts/channel difference and chip differences in addition to 509 being just 5.1. Also if Denon 1712 is good for me, then 1612 should also be good right? It only seems to be a 5.1 version of the 1712. I honestly don't know why the Pioneer 521K is that cheap. Looking at the specs here - http://imgur.com/tx1w2 , I don't see any difference that matters to me except upscaling to 1080p. Taking about which is Upscaling a big deal? If I play content using Western Digital Media Player or Laptop, wouldn't those be able to upscale the content to 1080p rather than rely on the receiver to do the job? Which of the below will you recommend and do you have any other suggestions..sorry for the looong response! Onkyo TX NR509 Onkyo TX NR609 (has better video chip etc...has a front HDMI input which is very nice) Pioneer VSX-921-K for $230 at Walmart Pioneer VSX-521K for $150 at Walmart differences between models here - http://imgur.com/tx1w2 YAMAHA RX-V571BL $250 at Frys and usually $199 on sale Denon AVR-1612 (5.1 version of 1712) Denon AVR-1712 ( 1712 has gone as low as 250 on newegg ) And one last question..In HDMI passthrough, how does the receiver know which connected device to accept the input from if the receiver is in switchedoff/standby mode? Or does it always take input from a specific input HDMI port among those available or we set that in the menu?

 

[Blackdevil77]

Take a look at Integra receiver's as well. Integra is a higher division on Onkyo, as Marantz is to Denon. I used to have an Onkyo receiver myself that became victim to a power surge. I'm not sure in the home audio world, but in the world of professional audio gear, to protect our gear we need more then a power strip/surge protector. We purchase things called power conditioners. A good one can cost as much as your receiver, but those that have spent thousands and thousands on their home theater, their is no reason why you shouldn't be able to use one of these in your home. Not only does it protect against voltage spikes, but it also cleans up the power coming through your wall, and displays the voltage reading from your actual outlet. Many of these devices can operate from voltages between 90 volts to 140 volts, which may be what your outlet is doing, but will deliver a constant, clean, unwavering 120 volts of clean, consistent power to your electronics. Something like this: http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=PL-PRODMC Not cheap, but should definitely protect your investments.

 

[gene c]

Thanks! I shopped around and came up with few choices. Of course If I can get a perceivable difference I am willing to go up in price. All below models do 5.1 surround, support 3D, have at least 4 HDMI Inputs. What I'm not sure is if any of these will be under powered to get the best out of my speaker system when I play 1080p with good sound effects. And whether there is any significant quality difference in Audio/Video due to the chip used for decoding those etc. Like for example Onkyo TX NR509 and Onkyo TX NR609 seems to have Watts/channel difference and chip differences in addition to 509 being just 5.1. Also if Denon 1712 is good for me, then 1612 should also be good right? It only seems to be a 5.1 version of the 1712. I honestly don't know why the Pioneer 521K is that cheap. Looking at the specs here - http://imgur.com/tx1w2 , I don't see any difference that matters to me except upscaling to 1080p. Taking about which is Upscaling a big deal? If I play content using Western Digital Media Player or Laptop, wouldn't those be able to upscale the content to 1080p rather than rely on the receiver to do the job? Which of the below will you recommend and do you have any other suggestions..sorry for the looong response! Onkyo TX NR509 Onkyo TX NR609 (has better video chip etc...has a front HDMI input which is very nice) Pioneer VSX-921-K for $230 at Walmart Pioneer VSX-521K for $150 at Walmart differences between models here - http://imgur.com/tx1w2 YAMAHA RX-V571BL $250 at Frys and usually $199 on sale Denon AVR-1612 (5.1 version of 1712) Denon AVR-1712 ( 1712 has gone as low as 250 on newegg ) And one last question..In HDMI passthrough, how does the receiver know which connected device to accept the input from if the receiver is in switchedoff/standby mode? Or does it always take input from a specific input HDMI port among those available or we set that in the menu?

Conversion from Analog to digital in a receiver is mostly just a convenience thing. Good for vcr's and the like and lets your receiver act as a switcher so you don't have to switch the tv's input. And your tv will probably do just as good a job of converting things to 1080P anyway. People seem to make too big a deal about video conversion in a receiver. The biggest difference in sound quality will be due to the room correction. Audyssey vs MCACC vs YPAO. Audyssey is thought to be the best (especially the MultEQ version) but I like MCACC for it's 6 presets and user adjustability. I'm a tweaker . The Denon 1612 is a very good little receiver with Audyssey MultiEq a big bonus at that price point. The 521 won't have nearly the amp section the other receivers you mentioned have, despite the specs. I'd pass on it and focus on the Denon's and Onkyo's or maybe the 921. BTW, Walmart isn't listed as an authorized on-line retailer. Better watch that warranty coverage.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by gene c

BTW, Walmart isn't listed as an authorized on-line retailer. Better watch that warranty coverage.

Also be very careful purchasing from them if their price seems "too far" below market. Low-cost retailers (like Wal-Mart, Costco, Sam's Club) have been known to get very slightly modified versions of hardware to offer at lower prices.


Sometimes the differences are not that big (some menu options disabled, and such) other times they may be more significant. The manufacturer makes these slight modifications to exempt other retailers (like Best Buy or Amazon) from price matching with their full-featured receivers.