Looking for a 'new' AV receiver

CosItsOneLouder

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Hi Helpful forum.

I'm looking to dip a toe into home cinema and a bit lost on the budget end of home AV receivers. I want to keep my spending sub £500 (i realise on a forum that means the first reply will be a £650 option ;-)) and I'm as happy with buying used as I am new.

I have:
Samsung UE40MU6400 TV
RPi with Allo Digione streamer running Volumio
Netgear ReadyNAS for audio and some video storage
Musical Fidelity X-DACv3
Musical Fidelity X-150 stero amp
PlayStation 3
Nintendo Wii
Speakers are currently a pair of old tannoys, I will probably go ATC SCM7 or build something.

I have a horrible 70s wimpey open plan living/diningroom/ kitchen. This is probably my biggest issue for speaker placement (that and the kids tearing around). TV is mounted on the chimney breast and front speakers on shelves in the alcoves. Yes I know this is acoustically awful but the shelves are VERY solid (40mm thick oak) and stands are just not happening with the kids. Left side is the house front window, right is a wall with walk through to the dining room towards the back, stairs are directly behind.

So the intention is to sell the MF X-150 (which should net about £350-400 then add £100-150ish to this) and buy an AV receiver. Speakers will follow soon after. The consoles need replacing, but that will happen sometime, the kids like the wii so that will probably stay and the ps3 become a 5 or xbox equivalent.

Music is from either the NAS box or streamed over Qobuz, if the new receiver could cover this then all the better, I can re use the current streamer dac elsewhere in the house.
Video tends to be Amazon Prime and Disney+ streamed through the TV, blurays get thrown at the ps3 occasionally.

Realistically I'm looking at 5.1, possibly 7.1 if I can upfire my atmos from the front of the room.
If must be easy to use something that just works 99% of the time off the telly remote would be appreciated. The receiver will be tucked out of sight in a corner, so the main display not immediately viewable.
Music streaming and controlling of the streamer is done through mobile phones. I would consider moving back to Tidal for music streaming if needed.

Thanks for reading and any recommendations? Let me know if any more info/room layout picture help?

Edit: just a thought, we will on occasion run the TV for picture and a music from the NAS box together, basically gaming with some background music. Is it possible to run a second source out of the main front pair and the TV out of other channels (I realise this is an obscure request). I could run the streamer into a hifi amp and relay switch the main stereo speakers when that is turned on.
 
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Something like the Denon X2700H at £599 would probably suit you, quite user friendly with up to date specs. Bear in mind though that it will probably not sound as good with Stereo music as your current stereo amp. You will also need line of sight to operate the remote.

Consider wall mounting speakers if you can.
 
Centre and surrounds would be wall mounted, no room for the front pair, they are just at the front edge of the shelves. IR I could relay from an 'Eye' on the TV to the support if needed. Surely hdmi cec will do volume etc from the TV?
 
Centre and surrounds would be wall mounted, no room for the front pair, they are just at the front edge of the shelves. IR I could relay from an 'Eye' on the TV to the support if needed. Surely hdmi cec will do volume etc from the TV?

You want the AVR to be controlling the volume, not the TV. Use of HDMI CEC is at your own risk! (plenty of threads about it on here). It's basically got a mind of it's own so it's pot luck if it will do what you want it to do.
 
Yes, that lovely concept of a standard CEC protocol looks to have gone to the dogs well and truly.

So my TV has ARC, for the audio, not eARC, so how/can I get DTS and Dobly atmos etc to the receiver, does HDMI cater for the higher bandwidth audio if the optical out does not? Last time I played with home cinema is was dolby digital, and pro logic.
 
Yes, that lovely concept of a standard CEC protocol looks to have gone to the dogs well and truly.

So my TV has ARC, for the audio, not eARC, so how/can I get DTS and Dobly atmos etc to the receiver, does HDMI cater for the higher bandwidth audio if the optical out does not? Last time I played with home cinema is was dolby digital, and pro logic.

so in this case connect all of your devices to the Denon, then one hdmi out from the Denon's monitor 1 port to the TVs arc hdmi port. This will allow the denon to handle all audio directly in addition to receiving audio from the TV if you run apps from that also.

For 5.1 you will be covered, for Atmos, easiest way is to go 5.1.2 and add upfiring speakers on top of your front left & right speakers. The denon supports this config also. You need HDMI for anything other than dolby Digital/DTS, so DTSHD, ATMOS etc.

I would also forget CEC and get a harmony remote to control everything, so much easier.
 
So my TV has ARC, for the audio, not eARC, so how/can I get DTS and Dobly atmos etc to the receiver, does HDMI cater for the higher bandwidth audio if the optical out does not? Last time I played with home cinema is was dolby digital, and pro logic.

You can't. ARC cannot output Atmos. If you want Atmos from Netflix etc, you just need to get an external streaming box that includes the Netflix app, and input it directly into the AVR.

Or buy a new TV with eARC.
 
Yes, that lovely concept of a standard CEC protocol looks to have gone to the dogs well and truly.

So my TV has ARC, for the audio, not eARC, so how/can I get DTS and Dobly atmos etc to the receiver, does HDMI cater for the higher bandwidth audio if the optical out does not? Last time I played with home cinema is was dolby digital, and pro logic.
The TV itself will have to support Atmos. If so and with the correct subscription package to Netflix or Prime ARC will pass a maximum of SD lossy Dolby Digital Plus and any Atmos metadata from those programmes that support it. ARC is not capable of passing any HD audio of any description.
 
OK, so if I bin off the idea or running atmos and go back to 5.1 dolby. That will run simply with HDMI and ARC. That should open up the possibility of older AV amps and receivers being better value than new? This is the main family tv, stuff has to be simple and not require 5 remotes using in the correct order to find peppa pig for the youngest!

Thanks for the comments so far. I don't want to swap the TV out if at all possible.
 
People are getting a little confused about dolby atmos from the streaming services netflix, amazon prime and Disney + all use lossy atmos which if your tv supports it can be sent through arc you don't need eARC.
 
So, my telly does Dolby Digital Plus and DTS, and looking around the room 5.1 is probably the most sensible option speakerwise. So now I have totally shifted the goal posts of my original requirements:

Assuming just DD+ and DTS 5.1 playback, please suggest me a good value not necessarily new AV receiver?

How would a second hand pioneer SC-LX56 or 57 stack up for instance. I'm seeing those around the £200 mark.

Thanks
 
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