cheap surround sound amp

[RocketR]

Im after a cheapish surround sound amp for home.

What can you reccomend.

pos must have digi optical in for the tv.

 

[Vish]

How much are you willing to spend and is it just to watch TV through or games/dvds/blu-rays etc?

 

[Munson]

Cheap is relative. As above, what's your budget, what do you want it to do?

 

[RocketR]

tv. blue ray. ps3 sky +hd

Budget of around 150 ish.

 

[The Ironist]

Check out the Onkyo ones. Think that's right. Supposed to do some good budget systems, I decided to go with sony strdg820 in the end but had a bit more to spend.

 

[Gavin.]

seems like a bargin for the price, im considering one myself

http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/sony/strdh500/sony-strdh500

 

[RocketR]

^ so how would that work with the sound coming from the ps3/media player/sky hd /tv?

 

[Adam]

Well you would connect the PS3/Media Player and the Sky HD box (if it is a HD box) to the amp via HDMI and that would carry the video/audio to the TV and obviously the audio would go through the 5.1 speakers connected to it.

You wound also be able just to connect audio to it either by optical tos-link or coax digital and keep the video signal going straight to the tv.

 

[theduck]

I'd be tempted sell you 1000watts of Denon goodness for £150

 

[Adam]

I'd be tempted sell you 1000watts of Denon goodness for £150

Keep talking.......

 

[theduck]

Denon AVR 3200, which iirc was 200 watts per channel peak (80/chanel RMS).

Is Dolby Digital 5.1, about 10 years old, but built like a battle ship, have owned it from new (Was approx £1000 retail) so have box and instructions etc. Now living with the missus though it never gets used.

It may be long in the teeth compared to other units, but I guarantee you wouldnt find anything remotely this good elsewhere for that kind of money.

 

[Adam]

Any pics?

 

[theduck]

Denon AVR-3200 DD Receiver 80 Watts/Channel in all Five Channels
Pro Logic and Dolby Digital Decoding w/RF demodulation
Digital Inputs for DVD DD Signals
Size: 6 1/2" H x 17" W x 13 1/2" D
Weight: 31 pounds

^^^ Stolen from google.

Can get pics of the actual unit later if required.

 

[Adam]

Blimey that is one big unit lol. I don't think that would fit on my stand.

 

[theduck]

lol, yep it is, bloody good though. Its standard width, and about the same height as 2 standard size units.

 

[Vish]

seems like a bargin for the price, im considering one myself

http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/sony/strdh500/sony-strdh500

^ so how would that work with the sound coming from the ps3/media player/sky hd /tv?

Well you would connect the PS3/Media Player and the Sky HD box (if it is a HD box) to the amp via HDMI and that would carry the video/audio to the TV and obviously the audio would go through the 5.1 speakers connected to it.

You wound also be able just to connect audio to it either by optical tos-link or coax digital and keep the video signal going straight to the tv.

This model doesn't support sound over HDMI, so you have to connect optical/coaxial cables up for sound from each source.

Your TV to amp will be via optical or RCA analogue cables, since freeview isn't 5.1. There may be a difference in quality between RCA and optical, I'm not sure though.

Sky HD can only do 5.1 via optical/coaxial not HDMI so you'll need two connections to your amp for sound and video if you want to use the amp to switch sources.

PS3 can do sound via HDMI or optical and your blu-ray can do sound via HDMI, optical and coaxial.

So your amp would need at least 2 opticals and a coaxial to do 5.1 for PS3, Sky HD and blu-ray. If you're not bothered about HDMI switching and have 3 HDMI connections on your TV, then I'd go for an older Cambridge Audio amp second hand or graded stock (usually only 3 months warranty though) and run everything via optical.

If you want HDMI switching, then maybe an Onkyo 307, Sony H500 in the link above or Yamaha 365 but none do audio over HDMI so you'd have to connect all audio via opticals/coaxials & maybe RCA for TV. For a little bit more you can get this graded Sony STR-DG820 (very highly rated) for £180 and it'll allow sound via HDMI inc. HD sound but it's limited stock and short warranty http://www.richersounds.com/showclearanceproduct/SONY-STRDG820-BLK/Sony+Strdg820+Blk.html

Personally, I'd pay a bit more and get one that does HD sound for blu-rays(which is only over HDMI so all HD sounds amps do audio via HDMI). I'd get a Sony STR-DH800 for £230ish http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/sony/strdh800/sony-strdh800 which is the replacement of the DG820 so a years warranty minimum and brand new. Again HD sound and expandable to 7.1 or bi-amp your front speakers so gives room for growth instead of having to upgrade in a year or 2 or 3. Other alternatives are Onkyo 507, Yamaha 465 or Denon 1610 (reviews don't rate these as high as the Sonys but reviews are a bit of difficult thing to go by all the time). Or there is the new Onkyo 308 which does HD sound and able to pass through 3D TV signals over HDMI, which may be handy if you're thinking of getting a 3D TV, 3D sky or 3D blu-ray.

That Denon AVR 3200 would do the job also if your Sky has a coaxial because I think that amp has only 1 optical from a quick google.

Personally, I'd get an amp that does HD sound, you can connect everything up to it simply and only have one connection going to your TV and with 5yr warranty for about £100 more. Also, if you don't use Richer Sounds' warranty you can get a refund for it a month before or after it expires so you'll get nearly £25 back.

 

[Adam]

Well there you go, that is a great lesson in never presume anything!