Looking for advice - new to the forums, not new to audio. (1 Viewer)

[brycelarson]

Hi guys,

I'm an audio guy at heart - I work in entertainment and have a good ear. I regularly do live sound and tun and design sound for theatre. I'm looking for a new HT receiver.

I'm currently running an Outlaw 1050 - but I'm looking to upgrade to something that will do HDMI. I've also got a couple of nice older HK 2 channel amps laying around. My current mains are DIY boxes that I built a few years back. They really like power - so the 250w a channel that the HK amps will feed them is great.

I'm buying a pair of Norh 5.1s. I've listened to and loved the 3.0s, 4.0s - so I'm terribly excited to get the 5.1s in.

The Norh speakers are moderatly efficient - but from all that I read they do really solidify when you give them some power "overhead" if you know what I mean.

So, here's my list - let me know what you think.

I need HDMI - currently just a single source, but since it's standardized I would prefer to be future proof.
I would really prefer preamp outputs - to give me the option to feed the mains with those amps I already own.
I'm looking to keep this on a budget - so let's say sub $500. And optimally less.
I need something that will give me something like the musicality and smooth, accurate sound that my Outlaw does.

I've owned and enjoyed Onkyo in the past - I've always been impressed with their amplifier build quality and the fact that you get somwhere near the advertised output. I've been very ahppy with my Outlaw receiver - and would upgrade, but their newer processors are a bit out of my price range.

thanks guys,

-Bryce

 

[Ed Moxley]

The Onkyos are good. You have to get the minimum of the TX-SR707 or the HT-RC180 to get pre-outs. http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR707-7-2-Channel-Surround-Receiver/dp/B002DSMNPC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=aht&qid=1261456353&sr=1-9 or here: http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-RC180-7-2-Channel-Surround-Receiver/dp/B002L6GEKG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1261456404&sr=1-1
To stay under the $500, you'd need the TX-SR707. That receiver should serve you well.
Good luck!