Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,452
431
Canada
Can anyone give me any suggestions for a quality surround receiver for someone on a budget. All I'm really looking for is digital surround sound for my movies and games (PS3). Any recommendations?
 

ThemacNub

macrumors regular
Aug 26, 2010
230
0
Australia
Do you have the speakers already?
Do you want 5.1 or 7.1?

Also what is your full budget for the receiver and speakers, it will make it easier to recommend the optimum set up for you
 

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,452
431
Canada
Do you have the speakers already?
Do you want 5.1 or 7.1?

Also what is your full budget for the receiver and speakers, it will make it easier to recommend the optimum set up for you

Well I have discussed this on an AV forum already so I might have just come to my conclusion. Nonetheless here it goes.

I have my speakers and subwoofer already (5.1) but would like the option to add speakers later so I would prefer a 7.1 system. Also I'd like to stay within $400 (Canadian) if possible. I'm not made of money. ;) But I may have just settled on the following system.

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/prod...spx?path=27b715a830edd1e48b5ee5f746776dd2en02

Although I'm still considering this one:
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=1e2b40c0defa9d343d6ca35368c5be99en02

If you can suggest anything better for about the same price I'd love to hear it.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,559
1,671
Redondo Beach, California
Can anyone give me any suggestions for a quality surround receiver for someone on a budget. All I'm really looking for is digital surround sound for my movies and games (PS3). Any recommendations?

What you really need are quality speakers, then after that worry about what to power them with. Speakers matter a LOT more than an amp. I really doubt you can tell the difference between one low cost amp and another just by listening.

Whatever your budget place about 2/3 to 3/4 of it in speakers
 

BigRed1

macrumors 6502
Dec 13, 2011
291
63
I'm partial to Onkyo receivers. Here is the Amazon (US) model that suits your needs:
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-NR51...ef=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1341333583&sr=1-5

I have the 8255 which is a simple stereo receiver (all that I really wanted), and I really love how Onkyo (and Integra) receivers/amps sound. I didn't realize until looking at this one how well they seem to integrate with Apple products (the remote is preprogrammed to work with Apple TV!).

Speakers are a big variable in this equation, of course.
 

TwoBytes

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2008
3,091
2,037
I second onkyo. Cheap, loads of feature. You want a good receiver, it's the hub of your sound and will do all the decoding. Had some great features that will help level the sound ;)
 

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,452
431
Canada

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,452
431
Canada
Which speakers do you have? How big is the room? Lets us know this and how well you thing the combination works

My 5.0 (not 5.1) speakers were bought used on Kijiji. They are Panasonic. Each about the same size as those Bose "double cube" speakers. I bought a Polk Audio powered subwoofer PSW10 on sale at Future Shop. Just waiting on the receiver which I hope comes in tomorrow. I don't want to wait until Monday. My room I'd say is around 20' x 12'.
 

EvilC5

macrumors 6502a
Sep 22, 2010
504
0
Hanover MD
I'm partial to Onkyo receivers. Here is the Amazon (US) model that suits your needs:
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-NR51...ef=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1341333583&sr=1-5

I have the 8255 which is a simple stereo receiver (all that I really wanted), and I really love how Onkyo (and Integra) receivers/amps sound. I didn't realize until looking at this one how well they seem to integrate with Apple products (the remote is preprogrammed to work with Apple TV!).

Speakers are a big variable in this equation, of course.


X2 on onkyo. I have the 414 in my basement and 509 in my living room and they both have great features. Amazon has great prices on them too.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.