Surround sound

Guys, please note the OP's stated budget, and stated lack of experience.

I'm starting to think of a couple.

@SandAndGlass and @Vinny123 you guys have nice setups, but they are extensive. And you know exactly what you're doing. But you've got a GOB of gear in there. Most households can't bear that kind of tonnage.

A bigger concern is whether there are family members who will access this setup. Painting a broad stroke here, but most wives and kids aren't up to this task. Especially with the labyrinthian level control ritual you guys (rightly) take for granted. Modern households are conditioned to use a soundbar and a smart phone for HT.

Heck, even I wouldn't do this anymore. I've gone down that cram-the-new-gear-into-the-old-gear route. Unless there are proper (ie, newer, costly) bypass products in place – with their enhanced ease-of-use – Normal Families won't enjoy their HT system very much.
If he's unattached, all bets are off.

$500? Really? Got a link?

Don't wanna dissuade the OP, but budget and newbie status call for modest, negotiable suggestions.

Sez the Forum Cheapskate.

 

My wife just needs to push a button of the Roku remote and the TV, preamp and amps all would turn on automatically. All she need to do next is to use the Roku remote to watch whatever. Same for my setup in my living room. This is what I had to do when my wife refuses to learn how to turn on/connect anything related to HT.....

And yes, if one is patient, it is possible to get excellent used Marantz preamp for a low cost. I got my AV8801 for less than $900. It was originally retailed for $3K just a few years ago..

 

Yeah, really. There's one on Audiogon right now for $456.

 

From a August 2016 post of mine.

Check out this preview of a Marantz AV receiver SR5008 on Audioholics. These are not the half size, but the full size AVR. The parent company also owns Dennon, but the Marantz is a step up. This is a $899 receiver that was introduced back in 2013. My processor died due to an electrical surge. I bought this receiver off of eBay, because, at that point in time, they did not have a Emotiva replacement available.

This is a top shelf product with a retail price of $899. I paid <$300 for it. It has every feature you can possible think of and it is only a three year old product.





The remote does not have back lighting, but the buttons are glow-in-the-dark. There is no phono input. The next model up does have a phono and retail's for $1,199.

Marantz '08 SR Receivers Conclusion
Marantz's new 2013 receiver lineup stays true to the company's long lineage of audiophile products. Many other AV companies tend to focus on offering as many features as possible, at as low of price as possible, usually at the expense of build quality (checkout our article on Marantz has resisted that urge, and has chosen to focus on high quality internal components in pursuit of the best sound quality possible. This also means that you might have to pay more for a Marantz to get the feature set you want. So, is one of the new 08' SR receivers right for you? Well, that depends on what type of consumer you are. But, we're confident that between Marantz's and Denon's offerings, there's sure to be a receiver for most anyone.

There is one on eBay right now for a Buy-It-Now price of $300. Plus $26.45 Shipping.

These are far better than to half size AVR's.

As it turns out. Who ever owns it is in Fort Lauderdale (no, it is not the one I bought), where I live. If you think this is something that you might be interested in, PM me. I would be happy to speak to the seller and take a look at it myself. We can get on the phone with you at the same time.

I gave mine to a friend who lives in Tennessee and was down visiting a couple of weeks back, along with a complete set of Polk speakers for a 5.1 HT system.

I tried to make it work for me, but it does not have any digital outs, like coax or optical, just HDMI. The way my system is hooked up, I require a processor. I bought two processors, so I have extra. My new eBay processor is back in my system.

Everything is well engineered with this Marrantz, DAC sounds nice, late model technology. Pay with PayPal and you have eBay's guarantee that the product will be as shown and advertised, or your money will be refunded.

I don't think you will beat this for the money. It really is a nice unit.

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A solution like this is completely workable for the OP and well within any AV budget.

Mine came to me, in its original box, you couldn't tell it from a brand new unit.

 

Good thing you have the speakers. I once made the mistake of buying a Denon system out of a box. Receiver & 7 speakers. Problem was, musically they sounded like crap because they were all plastic little speakers. This was a considered mid-grade system, not a cheap $200 system. Returned it for my Yamaha surround receiver and bought better speakers and a Sub. Much better now.

 

I'm putting surround on hold right now. I'm on disability and my income is pretty low. I might try using the clunker Pioneer thing that I have but no rush. My 2 channells sound excellent. Using my toob integrated amplifier these days, giving the McIntosh gear a rest! Thanks all for the excellent information!

 

Here is a link to some Marantz AV receivers that are currently listed on eBay.