Onkyo tx-nr809

[stape2000]

Just picked up a Onkyo tx-nr809. Replacing a onkyo 602 LOL. I play a lot of xbox games but watch movies and music too.

I obviously move the chair for movies. Trying to figure out what the best placement for speakers would be now that I have some options with the new 809. The receiver comes tomorrow. Pretty exited. I also thought about going with 5.1 and doing zone2 for the upstairs for Spotify or Pandora. Not sure if I can play xbox and use zone2 for the music streaming apps with the receiver.

Here is what I have....considering adding another sub on the other end of the room too.

Sony 55'' SXRD
Onkyo 809
RTI10's
CSI5
4 Fxi3
PSW505
DirectvHD
Xbox360



Let me know your thoughts. (I'll add a diagram when I get home from work)

[stape2000]

[MrBoylan]

Well the main opportunity with the 809 is being able to add a height channel, but if you do that, you'll have to give up your rears, or really move your side speakers to where the rears are. You could install both rears and front height but it will take a trip to the system set-up menu every time you want to switch between a PLIIz (front height) configuration and a standard 7.1 configuration (L/C/R/SR/SL/RR/RL). And if you hook things up that way, then your PLIIz config will not be ideal as you'll have to disable your rear surround speakers to do front height.

In my opinion, since there really isn'y any height-encoded content yet (except a game or two), a standard 7.1-channel (or 7.2 channel) configuration would be best, though those side speakers are a little further forward than ideal. With 7.1, you want to have each speaker roughly equidistant from the sweet spot. Calibration can adjust for this a bit with level and delay adjustments, but ideally equal spacing is best.

And you can still do a zone 2 even with 7.1 main configuration. You will just need to add a separate stereo amp for the second zone. If you're just running a pair of bookshelf speakers in the second zone, then the amp doesn't have to be fancy. Something like this 2-channel AudioSource amp would do the trick:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B00026BQJ6

And I do like your idea of adding a second subwoofer, not because it would necessarily give you "mo bass" but it would give you more even bass around the room as you could compensate for the room's natural acoustics, nulls and standing waves.

Anyway, it's a nice combination of gear and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Regards,

-Chris