Replacement for Pioneer VSX-1016 AV Receiver

[mjh1234mjh]

Hi guys,

I currently have a Pioneer VSX-1016 AV Receiver.

Ive have been asked very nicely to put all av equipment in cabinet and the Pioneer is a rather large beast. Also, I am not using it to full capacity as it all goes over my head a bit.

I need a compact i.e. sky box size av receiver/amp, i thought something like a cambridge audio 540r v3. I am a bit confused though. I could connect a sky hd box to the pioneer and then to the tv and the sound plays on the tv. I understand the 540r v3 hdmi socket doesnt receive sound on hdmi. I want one that does but compact size.

Sorry to sound simple but I dont understand why it wouldnt.

Please help

Cheers

 

[MarkTaylor]

Just to be clear, the HDMI inputs on this amp will route sound and video from the source to the TV but what they won't do is let the amp process the sound so you'd only hear that on speakers connected to the TV not the amp.

However, if your only HDMI source is the Sky HD box then you'll need an optical cable for sound to the amp anyway as Sky only puts stereo over HDMI so even with an amp that will process the sound from an HDMI input you'd be no better off.

It is only if you think about other HDMI sources that it would be helpful to have an amp that will process sound via HDMI as well, but I think you will struggle to get one as small as you want.

 

[mjh1234mjh]

Thats really helpful thanks.

Ive currently got

Sky HD (HDMI)
PS3 (HDMI)
Upscaling DVD (HDMI/Component)
Wii (Component)
CD Player (Optical)
Ipod connection (Phono)

So need something that can handle all of those inputs!

It may be that for the moment at least, the 540r v3 will at least transfer the sound in stereo to the tv and if I want dolby etc, will have to bide my time for a compact version.

Any other suggestions welcomed.

Thanks

 

[MarkTaylor]

Just checking, but I assume then that your TV has it's own speakers connected to it and not to the amp and you also have speakers (5.1?) that will be connected to the amp?

The PS3 for example is capable of decoding most of the new sound formats but it can only pass the HD versions over HDMI so the amp you propose couldn't make use of them but you could have it send a 5.1 stream via an optical connection to the amp.

Also you have 3 HDMI devices listed but the amp only has 2 inputs so you'll either have to consider an HDMI switch/splitter or use component for the DVD.

You'll need to run both HDMI and Component to the TV anyway as the amp doesn't convert between video signal types and the component sources will only have audio out through the amp unless you can run another signal type to the TV from the amp assuming the TV can handle it.

Which TV is it anyway?

 

[mjh1234mjh]

Thanks.

I think I understand a bit better now.

TV - Yes internal speakers, AV Receiver - Yes will also have 5/6/7.1 speakers.

I have a Panasonic TH37PX60 Plasma which has 2 HDMI itself so if I get an AV receiver with 2 inputs, I will have 3 in total albeit one device will have to be connected directly to the TV with seperate audio input to the AV Receiver.

I think I now get it that HD sound can only be transferred via the HDMI, albeit, you could still get 5.1 probably via a seperate audio cable. Presumably only a few can process the HDMI sound hence most are only switchers?

Im still with the problem of what compact receiver could handle the inputs. It may be that I just settle for a 540r v3 or similar and connect seperate optical inputs for surround sound.

Its a shame you cant use the internal TV speaker as a centre speaker too which would look quite neat at my place rather than having a seperate speaker.

 

[sp_harris]

If you connect your Sky using HDMI from Sky direct to TV, then have an optical cable from Sky to Amp you will get 'normal' sound over the TV speakers for wife and kids viewing, without the amp on. Then when you want surround sound, you can switch the amp on and mute the TV. This give flexibility and reduces to 2 HDMI sources for your amp as well.