Looking for a good budget reciever for a set of nice new Polk Audio speakers
 

I just acquired a nice set of Polk Audio speakers (RM6750's) and I am in the market for a receiver to place with them. Maybe some speaker wire and some wall-mounts to boot. This will be my main system, mostly for watching DVDs, HD-DVDs, and playing games all through my XBox 360 Elite with a 30" HDTV (so an HDMI receiver [if they make them that cheap]) My budget is $200-$250.

Recommend away!

Get the Onkyo 505.

IMO Polk and Harman Kardon go hand in hand.

I'm currently using an HK AVR330 paired with 4 Polk RTi38's, a Polk center and SVS sub. I used an AVR20 for 12+ years, the last few years connected to my PC in the den. Would still have it but I accidentally dropped it on it's face. -ohbfrank-

I believe their latest receivers are still top notch; check out Harman's factory store ( http://www.harmanaudio.com/search_br...REC&market=HOM ) they usually have good deals on refurbs. I recently replaced the AVR20 with a unit from here.

What am I looking at wattage wise? These speakers go up to 100w. Do I want to get a receiver that reaches that, or just below it? Does it matter if it's not in a particularly large room? For the time being this will be in the bedroom, but once we set up the living room, the area will be a lot more spacious.

If you get any of the H/K's or Onkyo's you will have plenty of power.

I know you have a set budget, so the HK 235 would probably be adequate.

One thing to remember about HK's ... their wattage is clean. My AVR330 system is set up in an 18x12 room and sounds nice and crisp connected to the 20lb, 150W (max) RTi38's. The receiver specs say 45W per channel, but it doesn't sound like it. I've listened to friends' $1K+, buku wattage Onkyo's and Sony ES' and I have to say I would take my setup over theirs any day of the week. And honestly, at times, I think my system has too much power. I could've gone with the AVR230 and been perfectly satisfied ... the HK's are that good.

Of course everyone has their favorite flavor, but ask around, read some reviews, etc ... Try HTF or AVS ... even check Amazon's user opinions or epinion.

Come to think about it, I'm thinking one of the reviewers here has a setup similar to mine. And FYI, I've been around these forums since inception, only I recently changed my user name b/c my old account screwed up.

When a review says a receiver with HDMI doesn't do analog to digital up conversion, that just means I can't take a Component source (say a DVD player) and play it through the HDMI video out from the receiver, right? If I have an up converting DVD player with HDMI, and I run the HDMI from the DVD player to the receiver, and another HDMI from the reciever to the TV, I will still get the up converted image that the DVD player provides me, right?

The Onkyo TX-SR505 is still just a pass through for HDMI. But the TX-SR605 will process the new HD audio formats over HDMI, so it may be a better choice with HD DVD and Blu ray players. It sells for around $500 or less.

If you're talking about a real cheap budget receiver, Radio Shack has a Yamaha 6.1 (HTR-5940) receiver for $159.97, as in store only purchase. See it here:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family
Good luck!

So with the Onkyo 505, can you play lossless sound through HDMI?

i'll chime in and add that i really love Harman Kardon receivers as well. i have two of them and love the sound that i get from both.

No.

Right...........but you CAN with the 605.

But his budget is $200-$250 which means he CAN'T for his his budget.

About the closest is the H/K AVR 247 @ around $325 I guess.

This should fit the bill.

http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp...i_sku=35591672

It doesn't decode TrueHD or DTS MA like the 605 but it will play both through HDMI.

I don't really care about TrueHD or DTS MA because from what I understand the 360 HD-DVD player will send it out as a DTS or DD5.1 signal anyway.

And that's exactly the reason I said 505 over 605.

Welp I just got the 505 finally. Getting my speaker cables, optical audio cable, and wire strippers today or tomorrow in the mail (I also need to pick up a cable for my powered subwoofer, I just realized)

Any suggestions before I hook this up this weekend? I know it doesn't decode audio through HDMI, so I'll be hooking up my 360 Elite up HDMI to my TV, Optical Audio to the receiver. I'll be using that as my primary DVD and HD-DVD player. I'll also hook up my Wii to the receivers audio inputs to output Dolby Pro Logic II sound on all 5.1 speakers. Looking forward to it!

I have had Onkyo and Harman Kardon. In both cases the most cheapest receivers.

I have the Onkyo right now and it's good but I really miss the sound of the Harman Kardon, I'm almost sure that my next receiver is going to be a HK. I just like the sound from Harman Kardon better.

Well, the 605 could have been had for about $70 or $80 more. $329

There will always be something 70-80 dollars more, and there will always be something that sounds better. I think it's a pretty good purchase for a college student apartment.