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What is the Best 5.1 receiver that works with Control 4?


Mark Adams

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I'm using the STR DA 1800 ES.  Having an HC250 meant I did not need to pay the premium for unused hardware inside the 2800 and I did not need the 9 channels or power bump of the 5800.  It plays very nicely.  Also gives you AM and FM radio as sources and Bluetooth and Airplay streaming.

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Pioneer SC - series elite would be my personal preference.

Integration wise, there's Sony, Pioneer, Onkyo, Integra, Denon, Yamaha, Marantz - all with models that work exceedingly well.

Understand that to get full use of additional features on these amps, you'll need IP or at least 2-way serial control.

 

If you want specifics, stating what functionality you want, and some sort of price range help narrow it down.

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Hi

 

I think i am just looking for good 5.1 surround sound. 

 

I am going to use the Control 4 Wireless music bridge so i don't need Bluetooth. 

 

Netflix / spotify i want to have as a source in the rack that can be distributed through the whole home.... i don't want it and have to use it manually on each receiver. 

 

I cant imagine anything else i need outside of clean power to 5.1 with all of the audio codecs. 

 

I was told that i should have the surround receivers in the rooms that are going to have surround and the rest in the rack. 

 

I dunno, im winging it and shopping... ive been sitting on my C4 stuff since 2011 and trying to get it all installed already,, haha

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Also and correct me if i am wrong - 

 

But because i am doing distributed audio and using an HDMI matrix switch i really don't need anything other than high quality 5.1 or better surround with all of the codec's and stereo. 

 

i would think a super high end receiver with all of the hdmi inputs and outputs and all of the other features would go to waste. 

 

when i watch a movie in the surround rooms ...... i just want the program to play in which it was intended.. 

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Putting the receiver in the room is a choice, and can limt/be limited by the HDMI matrix you use or extra equipment required - the only real advantage of keeping it local is that you feed the TV locally via an HDMI after sending it to the receiver first for audio. It CAN be a slightly cheaper option...but it's not one we ever do. For what you're looking for I'd say the Sony 1800 is a decent choice, or perhaps a Onkyo 616 or Pioneer VSX-1122 or 1123.

All these have certified drivers, IP and/or serial and do a good job at a good price. Better receiver might give you some improvement but if these are just normal living room/family room type surround set-ups ...

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Ok thanks again, i cant explain how much i appreciate the feedback. 

 

in my case its more expensive.... if i have the recievers in the rooms i then need (3) $300 video balun's   http://www.snapav.com/p-1301-b-320-1cat-hdir-w.aspx 

 

Id rather not see the receivers not to mention all of the speakers for the 5.1 are wired to the basement. So i would have to re-wire again. 

 

When you have the receivers you mentioned in the rack... lets say in a basement... can you switch between stereo, DTS, etc?  

 

Lastly, if i get a reciever that has spotify, pandora or netflix that is built in am i able to control those apss through control 4? 

 

i guess if the above works i am going to keep them in the rack... just have to figure out how i route from the HdbaseT matrix through the reciever and out to the tv on the other floor. 

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Ok thanks again, i cant explain how much i appreciate the feedback.

in my case its more expensive.... if i have the recievers in the rooms i then need (3) $300 video balun's http://www.snapav.com/p-1301-b-320-1cat-hdir-w.aspx

Id rather not see the receivers not to mention all of the speakers for the 5.1 are wired to the basement. So i would have to re-wire again.

When you have the receivers you mentioned in the rack... lets say in a basement... can you switch between stereo, DTS, etc?

Lastly, if i get a reciever that has spotify, pandora or netflix that is built in am i able to control those apss through control 4?

i guess if the above works i am going to keep them in the rack... just have to figure out how i route from the HdbaseT matrix through the reciever and out to the tv on the other floor.

Best way to do that is likely to just use physical HDMI to connect the receiver to the matrix switch, and then use an HDBaseT extender from the receiver to the TV.

Sent from my Droid MAXX via Tapatalk.

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And if you want to activate them that gives you 3 more control 4 on screen displays so another reason not to buy more HC250s.

You just bought them but they are built into the controllers.

Switching between stereo dts etc is automatically done by the tuner and the source material.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

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Im not sure how its all going together yet but u have an HC800 which i thought was the brain for everything. 

 

Then i have 3 HC250's which all i know it does is provide on screen navigation 

 

I didnt know the sony recievers have the onscreen navigation but i have 3 2800's on the way. 

 

With 8 displays im sure they can be worked in somewhere.. or they will be back on ebay. haha

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When you have the receivers you mentioned in the rack... lets say in a basement... can you switch between stereo, DTS, etc?  

 

Lastly, if i get a reciever that has spotify, pandora or netflix that is built in am i able to control those apss through control 4? 

 

i guess if the above works i am going to keep them in the rack... just have to figure out how i route from the HdbaseT matrix through the reciever and out to the tv on the other floor. 

Surround modes - you can switch, though it may require some custom buttons/programming to make this smooth - or things CAN be programmed to switch that based off of source selection etc.

 

App are usable provided the driver has everything built in properly, I'm not sure if the 2800 do this and well, though I'd suspect so. Generally though experience is smoother when using a more specialized application for that sort of thing - but possible, yes.

 

Well....based on your selection of the Atlona in the other thread, those have dual outputs, one HDBaseT, the other a straight HDMI if I'm not mistaken so it's completely painless to have one go to the receiver (HDMI) and use the HDBaseT to go to the display.

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ok awesome, I went with (3) Sony STR-DA2800ES receivers. 

 

I would take an HC250 and a Sony 1800es over a 2800es any day. Or just put an HC800 on the matrix and share the on screen. Then use the surround receiver of choice.

 

So would I, infact I recommended that above but the OP has been asking about OSDs and then said the above so I thought it was a handy public information broadcast.

 

With the $300 an AVR the OP would save that would buy another HC250 or two (especially if his dealer still has unlicenced ones in stock)

 

Looking at the grid here

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DA2800ES-Channel-Receiver-Automation/dp/B00965J7LI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1353108412&sr=1-1&keywords=2800+sony

 

or here

 

http://discover.store.sony.com/ES/compare-products.html#receivers

 

The 1800 has the exact same amplification as the 2800

 

It does not have 8 HDMI, only 6 but that is not relevant as there is a separate HDMI matrix in OPs plans.

It does not do internet video streaming but again something sourced elsewhere in OPs plans.

It does not have a hub/switch in it but again the OP is centralizing so no need for this.

 

So basically buying the 2800 over the 1800 has no hardware advantge in the planned use case.

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