Please help me choose a receiver for my planned Polk setup

[Drew_veloce]

Hi all,

I decided to upgrade my home theater setup by starting with the speakers. I've listened to different speakers and different receivers, and I don't feel that one receiver sounds different enough from another -- so I'm going with the speakers I like, and then choosing the receiver.

Can anyone suggest what receiver might be best to run my multi-zone setup? Here's what I have planned:

Living room 5.1:
LSi 9 fronts (on stands)
LSiC center
LSi 7 surrounds (on stands)

I already have a subwoofer that works for me, and the rest of the system is a commercial Panasonic 42" ED plasma, a Panasonic DVD changer, ReplayTV, and Comcast digital cable (No HD at present).

Zone 2, 2-channel audio only:
I would like to mount a pair of Polk Atriums on my back deck. I haven't decided which model yet.

So what kind of receiver can do the trick? Obviously it needs to be able to drive the 4-ohm LSi speakers in the 5.1 setup, which will mostly be for movies. Zone 2 is audio only, and if the second zone comes from redirecting the extra two channels of a 7.1 speaker, I don't mind -- I won't ever have 7.1 in this room because of the open floorplan.

I also would like to be able to play the same audio in both zones, or run separate sources in two places simultaneously like say, music on the deck with a movie going in the living room. It would also be nice if I could control the volume separately in each zone.

I keep getting conflicting messages from various spec lists and such about what receivers can drive 4-ohm speakers, and if they need to be bi-amped (which I know nothing about), and such.

It seems like the Yamaha RX-V2500 or maybe RX-V1500 might work. It also seems like the Onkyo 702 or 602 might do the trick. Or maybe a Denon?

I don't expect to find a $500 receiver to do this for me, but it also seems that a flagship receiver (like a $6,000 Denon 5805) is way more than I need, quite outside my budget, and frankly too big to fit my furniture!

I'd also like to avoid having to spend more to buy separate amplifiers for Zone 2, but if that's the best way to go about it I need to know -- and need to know which amps would be good for that too.

Thanks for bearing with my long-winded question!

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[Emlyn]

I'd look for a receiver from Rotel, B&K, or NAD. You'd be wasting your money with a mass market receiver and LSi speakers because the power supplies in mid-range Yamaha, Onkyo, and Denon receivers aren't built to handle 4 ohm speakers well.

[okiepolkie]

I second the NAD, Rotel, or B&K receiver.

Out of the three, I like the Rotel for its price/performance ratio. The RSX-1056 can be bought used for under $1000($1300 new). It has 5 channels built in, but you can a separate(inexpensive) amp for your second/third zone if you want.

The RSX-1067($1700 used, $2200 new) is 7.1, so you would not have to buy a separate amp, but it is also more expensive than the 1056+amp combo.

Both of these receivers offer component video upconversion.

The B&K will be better, but it has a much higher price tag.

The sound quality of the NAD is not quite as good as the Rotel, but it will sound very good.

[cfrizz]

Good bang for the buck would also be Outlaw audio. Those who have them here on the board have been very pleased.

[Drew_veloce]

Originally posted by Emlyn
I'd look for a receiver from Rotel, B&K, or NAD. You'd be wasting your money with a mass market receiver and LSi speakers because the power supplies in mid-range Yamaha, Onkyo, and Denon receivers aren't built to handle 4 ohm speakers well.

That's kind of what I figured about those three brands, and probably Pioneer Elite too. They're all either fuzzy about whether they can handle 4 ohm speakers at all or layer i under disclaimers.

[Drew_veloce]

Originally posted by okiepolkie
I second the NAD, Rotel, or B&K receiver.

Out of the three, I like the Rotel for its price/performance ratio. The RSX-1056 can be bought used for under $1000($1300 new). It has 5 channels built in, but you can a separate(inexpensive) amp for your second/third zone if you want.

The RSX-1067($1700 used, $2200 new) is 7.1, so you would not have to buy a separate amp, but it is also more expensive than the 1056+amp combo.

Both of these receivers offer component video upconversion.

The B&K will be better, but it has a much higher price tag.

The sound quality of the NAD is not quite as good as the Rotel, but it will sound very good.

I do think the B&K is more than I would like to spend, so I've been investigating the NAD T773 and the Rotels you mentioned.

How would I set up a T773 or an RSX-1067 in the way that I described? Don't I take two of the 7.1 surrounds and make them a zone, and then take an amplifier and attach it to the "Zone 2 pre-outs" to make another zone? I think I'm getting confused with what it means to change the 7.1 into a 5.1 and a separate, and separately controlled, audio zone.

[Drew_veloce]

Originally posted by cfrizz
Good bang for the buck would also be Outlaw audio. Those who have them here on the board have been very pleased.

Any suggestions on what models might be good to look at? I know nothing specific about Outlaw other than that they are supposed to be good quality and value. And they have loyal owners.

[okiepolkie]

The rear two channels on the RSX 1067 can be redirected for a multisoze setup in one of the menues. At that point, you could get a simple speaker switch (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=240-075) to select which speakers you want to hear.

You would have to go with complete separates if you went with the Oulaw setup. The 950 preamp and the 7100 amp would make a good combination for 5 channel LSi's and 2 channels that could be distributed to the Atriums.

If you don't mind multiple components, then I'd go with the Outlaw setup.
If you for sure want to go with a receiver, but have enough room, go with the RSX 1056 and a separate receiver(like a stereo Onkyo or Denon from ecost or pcmall) to power the other two zones.

[Drew_veloce]

Thanks for everyone's advice. There's been a change in the exterior plans, so now I will only need to power one set of speakers on the deck. I've also decided to spread the expense out over more time, so I will be upgrading the receiver and front soundstage first.

I've looked very closely at the online info about the Outlaw seperates, the Rotel 1067 and the NAD T773. As to the latter, I found this thread (http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27493&highlight=NAD) to be particularly interesting.

The right balance of budget and features seems to point me to a set of LSi7 fronts, my existing Aiwa surrounds, and an LSiC, all powered by the NAD T763. Multizone audio will be handled by a Niles SI 1260 systems integration amp.

Thanks again.