Need some advise on a possible upgrade. (Nobbie) (1 Viewer)

I recently moved into a new house so before running all of my wires and hooking my system up. I wanted to come here to get some opinions if I should consider possibly upgrading my reciever. About 4 years ago I bought a HT system off my neighbor who was moving. I have this for my speakers system. Please dont crinch when you read bose. I hace see the reviews on here now. I was a total young noobie and at the time got the speakers for a good price. However mine is this system but my center channel speaker is also just a two cube it is not the vertical center channel that is now more of a standard. Do you think getting a newer style center speaker would be worth considering?
Here is my main question though my system came with an Onkyo TX-SR603X. I hook it up to my tv by optical. My question is should I consider upgrading this unit to a newer one with HDMI, wireless BT ect. If so what would be a decent model and could I get anything for this older model? Thanks for you help sorry it got a bit lengthy.

Onkyo went HDMI with the 604. The 605 is when lossless processing came aboard.The number progression stayed till the 609. Anything 605-609 is worth buying. 70X and 80X even better.NR models (NR807/708) contain networking (X07 and prior are limited).Depending on your budget, you should be able to snag anything for $200-$450.You might be able to get $75. There is no market for entry level AVR after 5 years...and that one is 9.

Thanks for the detailed response. Do you think that upgrading to a newer style unit is worth it? I know once reason I would like it is becasue of making use of DLNA and some other new technology features and then of course only having to run one wire to my tv is another plus. As far as a performance increase im not sure if there would be one.

Henningfeld said:

I hook it up to my tv by optical.

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Henningfeld said:

...and then of course only having to run one wire to my tv is another plus.

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Just to be clear - upgrading to an HDMI-enabled receiver does indeed mean only one cable connecting the receiver to the display, but that cable should be for video signals ONLY - from the AVR's "monitor out" to an input (any input) on the display.

All of your various sources (cable/satellite, DVD/Blu-ray, game system, etc.) should be connected directly to the receiver (NOT the TV) so the receiver can switch both audio and video for you - that's what they are designed to do.

If you are used to connecting all your sources to the TV, then running the TV's optical audio output to your receiver - you need to rethink that when you step up to a more modern receiver.

Performance wise, no...Features wise...yes.The 636(the newest one) will contain anything you'd ever want. Of course there is the 737, 838....upcoming 1030 and 3030...

Jason Charlton said:

If you are used to connecting all your sources to the TV, then running the TV's optical audio output to your receiver - you need to rethink that when you step up to a more modern receiver.

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If i connect all my sources to the TV , then run digit audio out from the TV to the receiver, does that mean any 5.1 from your external sources gets lost and downmixed to stereo? If that's true that could make an upgrade worth while. I'm fine with having to run the addition hdmi to tv as long as the surround sound will remain true

If you've been running sources to the TV, then Toslink to the 603, you never had 5.1.All you had was 2.0 with DPL.

Just to make sure im thinking correctly. It would then be worth it to upgrade to get true? I know early we said it'd be more for new features but not for performance. Would this not be a noticeable performance increase? I am asuming the DPL is what allows sound to come out of all 5 channels. My TV is a Samsung UN46C7000

The TV is irrelevant. We always assume, till we find out(like now), that AVR are connected correctly...Ie, you are using component/composite video and coax/toslink.So yes...if you've been doing it wrong, yes...there is a performance increase doing it the right way.When "right"...your TV does nothing, except get turned off and on. Most AVR even have picture settings that are input specific that are "wider control" than the TV has.

So I believe im understanding. It sounds like I have 3 options.

1) Run all component's to TV then use optical out to AVR. Down side is not getting true 5.1 and not really correct?

2) Run compoent's to TV however use the optical out of the component's to the AVR and just need to change the AVR source when using different component's. I think this will give me True 5.1...

3) Get a newer AVR and have everything go through the AVR and use HDMI from AVR to TV.

Option 1 shouldn't even exist.

schan1269 said:

Option 1 shouldn't even exist.

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For option 1 My Tv has an Optical out that I can use to send the sound from the tv to my AVR to play through my surround sound.

Sam are you saying it should exist cause it is terrible way to do it?

Henningfeld said:

For option 1 My Tv has an Optical out that I can use to send the sound from the tv to my AVR to play through my surround sound.Sam are you saying it should exist cause it is terrible way to do it?

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"Terrible" isn't the correct way to say it...this is."If you run TV to AVR with the TV as the hub, there is no reason at all for you to have bothered asking about upgrading your AVR."

AH sorry for the confusion sir. Option 1 and 2 is to use my current AVR that does not have HDMI. The Option 3 is option where I would be getting a newer AVR. Does that make sense?

Option 1 still shouldn't exist.

Would you recommend doing option 2 with my current 603? If I do option 2 can I still run say my blueray player to the tv using HDMI and then have the optical going from the BR player to the AVR as well. Or going the extra mile and going option 3.

Your choice. New AVR makes this much easier.

Roger thank you for all the help

If I buy the 636 is it okay that my system is only a 5.1 and this is receiver is a 7.1 I'm pretty sure you can configure it but I just want to be sure. After our lengthy conversation you talked me into an upgrade

Yep, you have to tell it you want 5.1 anyway.Out of the box...it is 2.0.