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Upgrade AVR and use old Sony HTIB speakers, or get a new system altogether?

post #1 of 6
2/25/13 at 12:39pm
Thread Starter 
I currently have an older HTIB from 2004, a Sony HT-DDW660. The receiver and all speakers are in perfect condition. It has 5 x 70-watt speakers (I believe 8 ohms only) and an 8-inch 70-watt sub (passive) for a total of 420 watts. My problem is that the receiver has very few inputs, and no HDMI input at all.

I am trying to connect a Blu-ray, my U-Verse cable, and a Roku 2 XS. So I need a new receiver with multiple HDMI inputs. Right now, I have to connect the Roku via analog RCA, so even with ProLogic II, I don't think the sound is as rich as would be with true digital, is that true?
So, what I am trying to decide is, for about the same amount of money I could:

A. Get a new decent AVR with HDMI inputs, and connect the current Sony speakers to it
B. Get a new HTIB set such as the Yamaha YHT-397 or similar (tradeoff being a probably not-as-good AVR, but new speakers)

If (A) is an option, then the questions are:

1. Can I connect the older speakers and passive sub to a modern AVR and have everything work without causing issues?
2. Can any modern AVR handle a passive sub? Or, if the AVR is designed for active sub, should I then buy a new active sub?
3. Could you guys recommend a nice AVR that could work with my current speaker setup?

My current HTIB sounds decent, and used to have great reviews back in the day, so if I can use the speakers with a new AVR, is that a better option than buying a new HTIB?

Here is what I currently have: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HT-DDW660-Home-Theater-System/dp/B0001LGXO0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Thanks for your feedback!
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post #2 of 6
2/25/13 at 5:10pm
Option A is a possibility!!

The old Sony speakers will work with a new AVR...except for the passive subwoofer. In order to save the passive sub you would have to buy a single channel amp and wire it from the AVR to the amp and then to the sub. Not wholly crazy but probably not worth it. I would say it would be a worthy investment to buy a new active subwoofer.

Now on to the recommendation of a new receiver, you set your budget with the Yamaha option i presume. With that in mind I would say a Denon 1612 at accessories4less for $200 would be the best. It has most of the latest features will handle all your connections easily and has automatic room/speaker correction. Then use what budget you have left for a subwoofer, I can't comment on those but I'm sure you can find a good deal of info here if you search for "$200 subwoofer".

Other than that just to give you a little boost in your sound system education. 8-ohms is pretty much the standard for speakers, sometimes the HTIB come with speakers that are lower impedance such as 4 or 6. A 6 ohm speaker will transfer to most other systems with ease however be careful if you ever come across a 4 ohm as these played at loud volumes on a budget system can harm the electronics.

Knowledge is power right?cool.gif
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post #3 of 6
2/25/13 at 7:13pm
If it's within your budget, I'd go with Option B, the Yamaha HTiB. The receiver is the RX-V373 (I believe) and is a very decent entry level receiver with plenty of inputs and the most current audio/video formats plus other features. It has binding post connectors which is very useful because you can attach virtually any kind of speaker to it. The receiver can also power speakers at 8 ohms and well as 6 ohms so you can use either impedence for the speakers that come with it. I would, however, run the speakers at 8 ohms. The trade off is that even though the volume output will be a little less, it increases the dynamic response of the speakers because they don't have to work as hard. The receiver will also run cooler at 8 ohms. The HTiB would be a nice starter system for not too much money which you could always upgrade the speakers later to ones with bigger drivers and better dynamic range. The sub on the Yamaha system is powered and even though it only has an 8" driver, it sounds pretty good. Of course if you're looking to fill a big room or play at levels that rattle the windows and loosen your fillings, then it's not the system for you.
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post #4 of 6
2/25/13 at 11:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto Pylot View Post

If it's within your budget, I'd go with Option B, the Yamaha HTiB. The receiver is the RX-V373 (I believe) .

It is actually the HTR-3065. Just unpackaged mine and that is the manual and model number that comes with the 397.
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post #5 of 6
2/26/13 at 9:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by draconiuslives View Post



It is actually the HTR-3065. Just unpackaged mine and that is the manual and model number that comes with the 397.

No. HTR-3065 (Home Theater Receiver) is the model number of the YHT-397 HTiB system's receiver. If you purchased the receiver as a separate item it would be the RX-V373, which is a very good receiver. I purchased the YHT-395 system over a year ago (HTR-3064) and my receiver is the RX-V371.
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post #6 of 6
2/26/13 at 11:30am
Thread Starter 
Thanks to all of you for your feedback. Very much appreciated.
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