Help me find a replacement home theater receiver
October 6, 2010 1:50 PM Subscribe
I have a Onkyo HT-S3200 HTIAB. The speakers are perfect for my needs, but the receiver is lacking one major feature. Help me find a replacement receiver (or help me fix my problem).
Relevant details about my setup:
Onkyo HT-S3200 receiver +
A channel: 5 speakers (plus subwoofer... so 5.1)
B Channel: Two outdoor speakers
Optical audio input from TV
In general, I've been happy with the Onkyo HT-S3200 -- it serves my purposes. When I bought it, however, I didn't realize that anything passed through the optical audio cable would not work on the B channel. How stupid is that? So if I play music from the TV, I can only listen to it inside. The only things I can listen to outside via channel B are things like the radio or my iPod hooked in through the analog AUX input.
I'm looking to replace only the receiver part for under $200. This receiver doesn't need to be amazing, but it does need to accept optical audio in and pass that feed through both the A and B channels, simultaneously and independently.
Also: I've considered converting the digital audio signal to analog, but the devices available seem overly expensive and not very reliable. That said, if you can recommend a converter that can fix my issue, I'm all ears.
Relevant details about my setup:
Onkyo HT-S3200 receiver +
A channel: 5 speakers (plus subwoofer... so 5.1)
B Channel: Two outdoor speakers
Optical audio input from TV
In general, I've been happy with the Onkyo HT-S3200 -- it serves my purposes. When I bought it, however, I didn't realize that anything passed through the optical audio cable would not work on the B channel. How stupid is that? So if I play music from the TV, I can only listen to it inside. The only things I can listen to outside via channel B are things like the radio or my iPod hooked in through the analog AUX input.
I'm looking to replace only the receiver part for under $200. This receiver doesn't need to be amazing, but it does need to accept optical audio in and pass that feed through both the A and B channels, simultaneously and independently.
Also: I've considered converting the digital audio signal to analog, but the devices available seem overly expensive and not very reliable. That said, if you can recommend a converter that can fix my issue, I'm all ears.
Is it just the TV audio that you're concerned about? Most TVs also have L/R RCA line out jacks; on many TVs these will work concurrently with the optical out. Assuming your Onkyo receiver has an available line-in, would this be worth trying before buying a new receiver? Choose the optical input when watching inside, and the line-in when you're wanting to use the B-channel for outdoor listening?
posted by xedrik at 2:02 PM on October 6, 2010
posted by xedrik at 2:02 PM on October 6, 2010
Response by poster: Have you tried hooking up an RCA cable to, for instance, the Cable/Sat input even though the optical cable is already assigned to that source?
Thanks for your response! But I'm not quite sure what you mean. How would I go from a single, optical source (my TV) to an optical and analog input (for both zones)?
posted by nitsuj at 2:04 PM on October 6, 2010
Thanks for your response! But I'm not quite sure what you mean. How would I go from a single, optical source (my TV) to an optical and analog input (for both zones)?
posted by nitsuj at 2:04 PM on October 6, 2010
Response by poster: I see -- xedric, that may work... but running new wires would be a pretty big pain. But it is a solution I haven't thought of yet, so thanks! I might be willing to drop some extra cash to not have to re-run more wiring.
posted by nitsuj at 2:06 PM on October 6, 2010
posted by nitsuj at 2:06 PM on October 6, 2010
When you said you wanted to "play music from the TV" I assumed you meant a satellite or cable box, nearly all of which have analog outputs. If you're using the TV itself as your source (via the cable tuner, or one of them newfangled network media player TVs?) and the TV really does have digital output only, you may be out of luck. I don't think I've ever seen a TV that was set up that way, with optical out but no RCA line out or headphone jack, so maybe double-check the manual.
If you were connecting a TV or any other source that featured both digital and analog outputs, you would do what I'm suggesting by leaving the existing optical cable just as it is, and adding a new analog cable connected from the analog output of the device to the analog input of the Onkyo that is labelled with the name of the source (If you use the "Cable/Sat" button to select your TV as the source for the main zone, attach the new cable to the RCA jacks marked "Cable/Sat" on the back of the receiver.) If it works like the Integra receivers, it will automatically use that cable for the B speakers when you select Cable/Sat.
posted by contraption at 2:15 PM on October 6, 2010
If you were connecting a TV or any other source that featured both digital and analog outputs, you would do what I'm suggesting by leaving the existing optical cable just as it is, and adding a new analog cable connected from the analog output of the device to the analog input of the Onkyo that is labelled with the name of the source (If you use the "Cable/Sat" button to select your TV as the source for the main zone, attach the new cable to the RCA jacks marked "Cable/Sat" on the back of the receiver.) If it works like the Integra receivers, it will automatically use that cable for the B speakers when you select Cable/Sat.
posted by contraption at 2:15 PM on October 6, 2010
Try turning off the surround when you turn on the b speakers. The manual states that the main speakers only support 2.1 when the b speakers are on. Perhaps you have to set this manually. I have a hard time believing the b speakers don't work at all from an optical source.
posted by cosmac at 2:17 PM on October 6, 2010
posted by cosmac at 2:17 PM on October 6, 2010
Response by poster: I tried using the analog RCA output in conjunction with the optical output on my TV, but no go. And a jaunt through the settings didn't reveal a way to turn that feature on. However, I was able to connect the headphone out from the TV into the AUX input and use both A and B zones, so technically: problem solved! It seems like a bit of a hack, but it'll work for now. Thanks for youe help.
posted by nitsuj at 2:31 PM on October 6, 2010
posted by nitsuj at 2:31 PM on October 6, 2010
On preview I see you're limited by the wire in the wall as well, that explains the lack of analog connections and may make a DAC more attractive, if you really need to use the television as a source (is there some other way you could get to the content you're currently playing from the TV?)
When I bought it, however, I didn't realize that anything passed through the optical audio cable would not work on the B channel. How stupid is that?
...
I've considered converting the digital audio signal to analog, but the devices available seem overly expensive
Stupid like a fox, is how stupid it is. A miserly fox. You can buy a whole surround sound system for $300 because they cut corners in this way. DACs are expensive regardless of whether they're bought as components inside the receiver or as little outboard boxes you pick up on Amazon.
If you end up buying one, make sure you get one like this and not one like this. The latter will not decode 5.1 signal, meaning that if you send it a surround stream it will simply not pass audio. This won't technically limit your listening (since if you have the B speakers turned on the amps that normally serve surround speakers are re-routed to serve them instead) but it would be annoying; you'd have to remember to change your DVD player (for example) to 2-channel output each time you turned on the B speakers, then change it back when you want to listen to surround sound. Gefen does make high quality gear, I would recommend their stuff generally and have used both the units linked above with success.
posted by contraption at 2:35 PM on October 6, 2010
When I bought it, however, I didn't realize that anything passed through the optical audio cable would not work on the B channel. How stupid is that?
...
I've considered converting the digital audio signal to analog, but the devices available seem overly expensive
Stupid like a fox, is how stupid it is. A miserly fox. You can buy a whole surround sound system for $300 because they cut corners in this way. DACs are expensive regardless of whether they're bought as components inside the receiver or as little outboard boxes you pick up on Amazon.
If you end up buying one, make sure you get one like this and not one like this. The latter will not decode 5.1 signal, meaning that if you send it a surround stream it will simply not pass audio. This won't technically limit your listening (since if you have the B speakers turned on the amps that normally serve surround speakers are re-routed to serve them instead) but it would be annoying; you'd have to remember to change your DVD player (for example) to 2-channel output each time you turned on the B speakers, then change it back when you want to listen to surround sound. Gefen does make high quality gear, I would recommend their stuff generally and have used both the units linked above with success.
posted by contraption at 2:35 PM on October 6, 2010
Response by poster: And in case anyone cares, here's my full setup:
Apple TV / DirectTV (via HDMI) to TV (via HDMI and optical audio) to Receiver to A speakers only
with my new hacked solution, it changes to this:
Apple TV / DirectTV (via HDMI) to TV (via HDMI and analogue 1/8th stereo) to Receiver (AUX) to A and B speakers
I'm pretty sure this is the only way to do it without 1) buying something expensive or B) rewiring completely
posted by nitsuj at 2:39 PM on October 6, 2010
Apple TV / DirectTV (via HDMI) to TV (via HDMI and optical audio) to Receiver to A speakers only
with my new hacked solution, it changes to this:
Apple TV / DirectTV (via HDMI) to TV (via HDMI and analogue 1/8th stereo) to Receiver (AUX) to A and B speakers
I'm pretty sure this is the only way to do it without 1) buying something expensive or B) rewiring completely
posted by nitsuj at 2:39 PM on October 6, 2010
That looks a little confusing, ordinarily you'd connect your sources to the receiver via HDMI, then the receiver to the TV via its HDMI out. Did you try it that way and run into problems, or is the source gear physically far from the receiver?
Note that your current setup doesn't support surround sound unless you change inputs on the receiver back to the original one with the optical connection. If the TV has both RCA and headphone outputs and the RCAs seemed dead for some reason, you may still be able to plug the headphone output into the back of the receiver on the appropriate source and have it work seamlessly (digital surround audio on the A speakers, analog on B) though it's also possible that you simply can't have both those receiver inputs active at the same time on that Onkyo the way you can on an Integra. You can buy a simple passive adaptor to go from stereo mini to RCA for a couple bucks to try it out, or you could test it by routing the TV's RCA out to an unused input on the back of the receiver. If you get B speaker sound that way but not when you move it over to the input with the optical jack assigned, you'll know that the problem is with the receiver and not the TV.
posted by contraption at 2:55 PM on October 6, 2010
Note that your current setup doesn't support surround sound unless you change inputs on the receiver back to the original one with the optical connection. If the TV has both RCA and headphone outputs and the RCAs seemed dead for some reason, you may still be able to plug the headphone output into the back of the receiver on the appropriate source and have it work seamlessly (digital surround audio on the A speakers, analog on B) though it's also possible that you simply can't have both those receiver inputs active at the same time on that Onkyo the way you can on an Integra. You can buy a simple passive adaptor to go from stereo mini to RCA for a couple bucks to try it out, or you could test it by routing the TV's RCA out to an unused input on the back of the receiver. If you get B speaker sound that way but not when you move it over to the input with the optical jack assigned, you'll know that the problem is with the receiver and not the TV.
posted by contraption at 2:55 PM on October 6, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks, contraption -- the setup is a bit unnatural due to the reasons you stated.
And you are correct: the surround doesn't work on A when B is engaged (via analogue AUX), but that's not too big of a deal. I still might try what you suggest though. Thanks for all the info!
posted by nitsuj at 3:10 PM on October 6, 2010
And you are correct: the surround doesn't work on A when B is engaged (via analogue AUX), but that's not too big of a deal. I still might try what you suggest though. Thanks for all the info!
posted by nitsuj at 3:10 PM on October 6, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by contraption at 2:01 PM on October 6, 2010