Piecing together my HT....looking for opinions/recommendations/comments

[Blu-Benny]

Alright, I’ve started to do a lot of reading and research on building my HT w/hopes of having the basement done and some/most of the components in place by next fall/winter.

I’m hoping to use this thread to continue to get feedback on equipment and find out pros/cons any other members have had w/units. I’d like to get into more online shopping for things like this but am nervous about buying w/o trying things first.

I’ve decided to start w/a receiver b/c I’ve got some small bookshelves that will get my by until I actually get a nice tv and 2nd blu-ray player in my basement.

My sister and brother-in-law are cleaning out some of their old equipment and they are selling an Onkyo TX-SR706 receiver for $400.

I’ve read a couple threads on this unit but they’ve mostly been sale/hot deal threads. The unit needs a new HDMI board…..(I believe that is what he said, it’s giving him some digital blocks when he games through it but there’s nothing when he’d watch movies)…..but it s/b covered under warranty he said.

Almost everything I’ve read about this unit is positive but am a little concerned about any issues w/it.

Does anyone have any comments on it or recommendations of a similar/comparable unit??

[Infrared Sight]

If your brother in law can get that fixed, i would definitely get that receiver. Onkyo makes a great receiver. That can decode all the lossless audio so you will be great on that end. I have the 605 and its been great. They do run hot so be sure not to enclose them in a cabinet and make sure they have a couple inches of space overhead of them.

[Kryptonic]

$400 seems a bit rich for a broken receiver. You can get a new Onkyo, Denon, or Pioneer that decodes HD audio for less than that.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by Infrared Sight

If your brother in law can get that fixed, i would definitely get that receiver. Onkyo makes a great receiver. That can decode all the lossless audio so you will be great on that end. I have the 605 and its been great. They do run hot so be sure not to enclose them in a cabinet and make sure they have a couple inches of space overhead of them.

i read about them running warm so that i would def. plan for.

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

$400 seems a bit rich for a broken receiver. You can get a new Onkyo, Denon, or Pioneer that decodes HD audio for less than that.

it still works it just does that when he runs a video game through it, it still works when watching movies & what not.

i'd have to check into the warranty and make sure it would be covered 1st.

but good, this is what i'm looking for.....keep it coming!!!

[sterryo]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i read about them running warm so that i would def. plan for.



it still works it just does that when he runs a video game through it, it still works when watching movies & what not.

i'd have to check into the warranty and make sure it would be covered 1st.

but good, this is what i'm looking for.....keep it coming!!!

if purchased from an authorized dealer you should be alright, Onkyo's come with 2 year warranty and I don't believe it has been out for 2 years yet... could be wrong though..

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by sterryo

if purchased from an authorized dealer you should be alright, Onkyo's come with 2 year warranty and I don't believe it has been out for 2 years yet... could be wrong though..

authorized dealer s/n be a problem....he got it from new egg.

[DougMac]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

My sister and brother-in-law are cleaning out some of their old equipment and they are selling an Onkyo TX-SR706 receiver for $400.

Does anyone have any comments on it or recommendations of a similar/comparable unit??

This raises a question. If the unit is under warranty, why hasn't it already been fixed?

I'd ask them to get it fixed, then if it functions properly, make an offer. I guess it's me, but I'd rather buy a new unit (Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha, etc.) for about the same or maybe $110 more than the Onkyo.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by DougMac

This raises a question. If the unit is under warranty, why hasn't it already been fixed?

I'd ask them to get it fixed, then if it functions properly, make an offer. I guess it's me, but I'd rather buy a new unit (Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha, etc.) for about the same or maybe $110 more than the Onkyo.

i asked him about it today, he said he'd have it sent out and fixed before i buy it.

i figured $400 for a unit that is going for almost $600 right now and it's only year old was a pretty descent deal.

[blarneyrubble]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i asked him about it today, he said he'd have it sent out and fixed before i buy it.

i figured $400 for a unit that is going for almost $600 right now and it's only year old was a pretty descent deal.

I have a few questions for you. How much do you want to spend on a receiver--max? How big is the space it will be going in? Any specific features you looking for(ie 2 hdmi outs for a tv and projector)? Are you going to feel bad if you don't buy your brother-in law's?

BTW you can get the 806 for $600 new and the 706 for $500 new.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by blarneyrubble

I have a few questions for you. How much do you want to spend on a receiver--max? How big is the space it will be going in? Any specific features you looking for(ie 2 hdmi outs for a tv and projector)? Are you going to feel bad if you don't buy your brother-in law's?

BTW you can get the 806 for $600 new and the 706 for $500 new.

max i'd probably be looking @ $750 but i'd like to stay around $550-$600 if possible.

space isn't a problem b/c i will probably end up w/an open shelf/stand w/the back and sides open. nothing will be built into any cabinets or the wall or anything like that.

no specifics i have in mind @ this time.

i plan on having a pretty basic set up.....tv, ps3, recv'r, full surround set up, possibly cable box or satellite @ some time.

feel bad, no....but if it's avail. and works good and is a good price, i figured why not take advantage of a good deal??

[blarneyrubble]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

max i'd probably be looking @ $750 but i'd like to stay around $550-$600 if possible.

space isn't a problem b/c i will probably end up w/an open shelf/stand w/the back and sides open. nothing will be built into any cabinets or the wall or anything like that.

no specifics i have in mind @ this time.

i plan on having a pretty basic set up.....tv, ps3, recv'r, full surround set up, possibly cable box or satellite @ some time.

feel bad, no....but if it's avail. and works good and is a good price, i figured why not take advantage of a good deal??

If heat is not an issue and he can get it fixed I would say it is a pretty good deal. $350 would be what I would offer somebody for that receiver. If you want a little bit higher quality receiver in that price range I would check this one out:

http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=MARSR5003

What did your brother in law get to replace the 706?

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by blarneyrubble

If heat is not an issue and he can get it fixed I would say it is a pretty good deal. $350 would be what I would offer somebody for that receiver. If you want a little bit higher quality receiver in that price range I would check this one out:

http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=MARSR5003

What did your brother in law get to replace the 706?

he's still looking for something to replace it. they are also finishing their basement and also looking to upgrade everything.

i've also read about that marantz and is another one i'm gonna look into....thanks for the info.

[Blu-Benny]

well, i've confirmed that my brother in law is a tool and i will not be giving him my money!!!

so the used onkyo is out of the question.

any other recv'r suggestions??? i'm looking to not spend more than $700-$750 on a recv'r.

[callas01]

look at the Marantz 6003 or Denon 2309, both should be about the money you want to spend and are about the best you can get in your price range, IMO.

[Blu-Benny]

ok, not really a question about equipment per-se, but based on what others have encounted....do i need to know what speakers i want BEFORE i do all of my wiring???

all of my wiring will be in wall and i've decided on using terminal plates rather than pass throughs....i want a clean look with the only wires exposed being the ones from the actual equipment.

i have to read up on this yet so please excuse my ignorance!!

i was @ my brother in laws last night and he was talking about bi-amp'ing his fronts and was having to run extra speaker wire to do so. and then his subs came into play somehow.

so do i need to know what speakers i will be using before i run all of the wire in-wall in case i miss something and miss out on a better HT???

i've hooked up "stereo's" in the past but this is the 1st time i'm tackleing a "home theater."

as always, thanks guys!!!

[callas01]

it would be a very good idea to know what speakers you want. Most speakers that are going to be 8 ohm or 6 ohm can be powered by just about any receiver. If you get into 4 ohm speakers you are going to want to make sure that you have an amp and a receiver with pre-outs or a Pre-processor. Also are you going with a TV or a Projector? Will your speakers be behing your screen? If so then you need to have an acoustically transparent screen? Then I would suggest that you get 3 identical floorstanding speakers. This will help in the dialog coming straight from the actor/actresses mouth not above or below the screen.

If the screen will be wall mounted can you fit a floorstanding, or do you need a standard horizontal Center Channel?

Also, for rear and side surrounds, do you need to have in-wall or in-ceiling? or are you going to add bi-pole backs, or di-pole surrounds?

I would definetly look into speakers so that you plan accordingly.

[Blu-Benny]

I don’t have the room for a projector, so the tv will be between 50-60” even though a 42” would be enough…..i want that movie theater effect!!!

I was thinking, whatever brand I go with, the fronts will be floor speakers and then any surrounds will be mounted on the wall or ceiling and the center I was thinking of getting a nice shelf for under the tv and have it a horizontal speaker.

Again, I haven’t done much reading, but di-pole/bi-pole??

[callas01]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

I don’t have the room for a projector, so the tv will be between 50-60” even though a 42” would be enough…..i want that movie theater effect!!!

I was thinking, whatever brand I go with, the fronts will be floor speakers and then any surrounds will be mounted on the wall or ceiling and the center I was thinking of getting a nice shelf for under the tv and have it a horizontal speaker.

Again, I haven’t done much reading, but di-pole/bi-pole??

remember di-poles are typically the side speakers and bi-poles in the rear. Some brands make them where they can be switched between bi/di/mono, mono being standards speakers.

Read this too... https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=66471