[mdaudioguy]

I recently purchased an Onkyo TX-8222, 2-channel receiver (50W/channel) for audio in my garage. It's important enough to me that I want decent, but affordable sound out there. I'm not really blown away by the 8222. It sounds "ok" with my Sansui SP-X2U bookshelf speakers (for a comparison, I tested them with my Yamaha RX-V661, and they sounded better with that), but I think they could sound better in my garage with a slightly more powerful high-current amp than the 8222. I've been thinking about upgrading to the Onkyo TX-8522, but recently realized that there are several lower end multi-channel receivers that are priced in the same range as the 100W/channel 8522.

Would it be stupid to buy a 5.1 or 7.1 receiver strictly for 2-channel use?

One "advantage" (if it real is an advantage) is that these offer digital inputs which I would use for Squeezebox, while many 2-channel receivers don't seem to offer anything but analog. I'm not sure, but my guess is that there's no great benefit in a straight 2-channel setup to input a digital signal, since additional processing usually isn't done.


How about the Onkyo TX-SR506 (7 x 75W) or the Yamaha RX-V463 (5 x 105W)??? Would I be happy with these as 2-channel receivers, or is it blasphemous to buy a receiver with channels that may never be used?

 

[chatanika]

You can get good sound in your garage with a reciever, you could also hook up more speakers someday. Acoustics are usually pretty bad, rubber shop floor tile helps, shelves with books anything to deaden the hard sound of live walls & floor. If your preamp has preamp outs you could connect a big amp used from craigslist e-bay, garage sale etc. I once had a used adcom gtp 600 175.00 & marantz mm9000 150 watt 5 channel. Good results & depending on where your working run 2.1 or 5.1

 

[chatanika]

Look @ 605 or 606 ,also outlaw makes a sweet looking 2 channel. I think it has digital connections. Also look @ parasound rotel, nad & others. You need to spend twice as much on a surround receiver to get the quality of a 2 channell set up.

 

[hedrick]

I don't think it's stupid. 5 channel receivers tend to cost-effective, and have more features, because that's where the market is.

 

[mdaudioguy]

Thanks for the suggestions! I should mention that my budget for this is a modest $250 - $300. I've seen several "outlet" priced options out there. Consequently, the older stock, like the Onkyo TX-SR506 are more in my ballpark.


I don't need all the video and surround features, so it seems like a waste to use such a unit for 2-channel stereo in my garage, but it seems like the multi-channel receivers dominate the market. Since I don't need all the features, what I'm really looking for is a budget receiver with a decent amp. It doesn't matter if it's 2 or 20.1 channels. I'm only going to use 2.