[Baba booey]

So, I got  Zenith TV from Sears(Z50PV220)...it's a great TV, but when I watch a blu ray or something similar, the sound sucks(obviously).
I have a PS3, and I have Rokit KRK5's.
I want to know if I should just get a stand-alone Blu-Ray player, or get an HDMI Receiver?
For a receiver, idk...let's say 180-200 limit new, and for a stand-alone, maybe...120-140.  If I can spend on the lower end, or less, that would be nice.  New or used...no preference, as long as it's well built and will last me a while.
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[Astrozombie]

Is there a reason for another BD player? SACD support or something? I would get the receiver, entry level pretty much is $200 and brand is up to new. IMO they're all basically the same, some just have different color LEDs on the front

Make sure it has some sort of sound calibrating software. Then look into a $200 subwoofer and possibly center channel, but that makes things tricky as you'll want matching L-C-R.......so new speakers?

 

[Uncle Erik]

For an amp, I'd pick up a used NAD, Rotel, Adcom, or Marantz off Audiogon. Good quality and in your budget.

I recommend the Blu-Ray player I have; it's the $100 Panasonic one. Works great and the price is right.

Maybe pick up an AppleTV, too. Netflix is nice and it'll stream music and video off your computer. It has optical out, too, if you want to feed it into a DAC. I think the refurbs are $79, which is a great deal for the functionality.

 

[DaveBSC]

I'm a bit confused... you're talking about powered KRK Rokit 5 monitors, right? What do you use them for? If you want to hook them up to the TV, you don't need either a Blu-ray player or a receiver or integrated amp for that, you just need a volume control.

 

[Baba booey]

Ok, so let me update you all...
I'm NOT getting Netflix.
I have the active KRK 5's.
I can't hook them right into my TV or PS3, as it doesn't have RCA out's.
I own some blu-ray concerts, and games I'd like to have the added luxury of using my speakers to.
I'm not looking to add additional speakers(yet...).

 

[DaveBSC]

I see. Your best option then IMO is to buy a receiver with at least one pair of pre-amp outputs. Entry level AV receivers generally don't have this, but you should be able to find something on eBay that's a year or two old with HDMI and pre-amp outs in your budget. Connect the KRKs to the pre-outs, and the receiver will serve as DAC and volume control.

 

[Baba booey]

Can you suggest a few models, brands to go for/avoid?

 

[DaveBSC]

This Denon will work. Any of the usual suspects (Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer) should be fine.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Denon-AVR-1610-5-1-Ch-375-watt-Home-Theater-Receiver-/190515964114?pt=Receivers_Tuners&hash=item2c5ba2e8d2

 

[barleyguy]

If you're going to go with a receiver, you need something with preamp outputs, because that's how to hook powered speakers to a receiver.  Another simple solution is to hook up an analog cable to your PS3 (there was probably one in the box).  That will give you analog RCA outputs to hook directly from the PS3 to the Rokit speakers.  That won't give you a volume control though, so they will probably be too loud.  So you do need something in between such as a passive volume control, a preamp, or a receiver with preamp outs.
 
 

 

[Baba booey]

What do you guys think of the AVR 254-Z(Harmon+Kardon), and the RX-V371(Yamaha)?

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

What do you guys think of the AVR 254-Z(Harmon+Kardon), and the RX-V371(Yamaha)?

The HK has a full set of 5.1 channel preamp outputs, so you could hook up additional powered speakers if you want. That's a nice feature that you don't normally see at the low end. I'm not really a Yamaha fan.

 

[sterling1]

Or, how about a used A/V Control Amp. The Sony TA-E9000ES comes to mind, perhaps because I've got one. You can generally pick up one off ebay for about $300.00. It's a 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS unit. It's very quiet, too. It will accept 24/96 from all coaxial inputs and one Toslink input. This was Sony's last component preamp, manufactured through 2003. Today, they only make receivers. At any rate, It had a retail of $1700.00 back in 1999. Connected to a current BD player, it does not show it's age. And, once again, it is sooo quiet. It has quite a following, achieving cult status on the Sony forums. Some say this preamp holds its own with any. I don't know about that, I have not heard all preamps out there. But, for sure, plenty of folks like it; and, it's typically a bargain on the used market.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Or, how about a used A/V Control Amp. The Sony TA-E9000ES comes to mind, perhaps because I've got one. You can generally pick up one off ebay for about $300.00. It's a 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS unit. It's very quiet, too. It will accept 24/96 from all coaxial inputs and one Toslink input. This was Sony's last component preamp, manufactured through 2003. Today, they only make receivers. At any rate, It had a retail of $1700.00 back in 1999. Connected to a current BD player, it does not show it's age. And, once again, it is sooo quiet. It has quite a following, achieving cult status on the Sony forums. Some say this preamp holds its own with any. I don't know about that, I have not heard all preamps out there. But, for sure, plenty of folks like it; and, it's typically a bargain on the used market.

No HDMI switching. I don't know of any surround processors with HDMI that can be had for $200.

 

[sterling1]

Keep in mind, with a current BD player, it's HDMI output can be input to TV for HD video; and the BD player's Toslink or coaxial output can be sent to a preamp. The BD player's HDMI setting could then be set for video  output only for a great picture, while the Toslink or coaxial to preamp connection would permit  enjoyment of  bitstream DTS and Dolby Digital on the non-HDMI  legacy digital audio equipment. My Sony TA-E9000ES is connected in this manner to a Panasonic BD-80. Both the audio and video are as good as I've seen or heard on any  HT out there. Interestingly, since my BD-80 also has multi-channel analog output, and I have a Sony TA-P9000ES multi-channel analog preamp, I can also enjoy Dolby Digital and DTS decoded by the BD-80. If the OP has, or can acquire a BD player with multi-channel analog output like mine, then, of course, any  receiver or preamp like mine  with multi-channel analog inputs would work out quite well. Such a receiver or preamp, other than the TA-P9000ES, can easily be found for under $200.00 on ebay.

 

[Baba booey]

But you're saying my PS3 would be no good and I'd NEED to get a different blu-ray player on top of that TA-E9k?