Hi! With a little luck, I can have a 2nd hand Marantz SR8200 in near-mint condition, for about 750-800 dollars (Europe!). Some months ago, I was about to buy the same machine, but in the last minute, I bailed out, because of money troubles. Back then, I was totally positive that the SR8200 is a brilliant AV receiver, for both music (85%) and movies (15%), based on a lot of reviews I had read. So I have two questions:
1) Is it still a brilliant piece of equipment? I read here yesterday or so, that the SR8200 might have had some troubles?
2) What does "7.1 ready" mean?! Forgive my newbie-ness please
G-Man
Posted on
As long as it is operating well--it is an excellent receiver.
7.1 ready, in this case means that this receiver has a 6-channel amp. So it can play 5.1 and 6.1 without any addition--other than speakers of course.
It has the outputs and the software for 7.1--but not the amp. You would need to buy a mono channel amp to power the seventh speaker, or you would need to buy a self-powered speaker.
How you use your receiver is very dependent on where you sit when listening. If your chair or sofa is up against the wall--then 6.1 or 7.1 is probably pointless. As the 6th or 7th speaker really need to be placed behind the listener.
This is why most people listen in 5.1--where the two rear surrounds can be placed against the wall facing you where you sit. These two surrounds should be parallel to the two front speakers, except the rear surrounds point at each other--the front speakers point toward you.
Get a good center channel--very important. It carries the dialogue and a cheesy center channel can ruin any set-up.
the_dane
Posted on
Thanks for your reply! I thought the rear speakers should point toward the front speakers - that's the way they are placed in every picture I have seen... is this not correct?? If I were sitting in a sofa placed against the wall, then the rear speakers would have to form an angle of sligthly more than 90 degrees off the wall, wouldn't that look odd? )
Good center channel - I am not sure, that the center channel that goes with my current front speakers (Dali 8008) is as good as the fronts, would it be ok to go with another brand? I remember hearing, that you have to "match" the speakers...
