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Topic: Amp/receiver/DVD player (Read 4405 times) previous topic - next topic
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Amp/receiver/DVD player

Hey, I have a Sony Trinitron 27" TV, Ascend Acoustic CBM-170 bookshelf speakers, and cable TV. I would like to watch cable on the TV and also play DVDs. I would like DVDs and cable TV to play through the bookshelf speakers. I also want to sometime get a subwoofer. Would just a DVD player alone be able to do this? Which one would be the best for my setup with the quality of speakers I have and quality of TV?

I went to The Stereo Store and they said I need a receiver but he didn't say what each product had that others didn't and just said that the higher priced ones were better. He didn't sound like he really knew what he was talking about. At my parent's house they have a 27" TV, cable, VCR, and DVD player with 5.1 speakers hooked to it. I hooked the cable to the back of the VCR, hooked the VCR to the back of the TV, hooked the DVD player to the back of the TV, and hooked the audio out of the VCR to the AUX audio in of the DVD player so that all audio can be played through the 5.1 speakers. There is no receiver in the system. I told that to the salesman and he said that not all DVD players have an AUX audio in. That was his answer to why I needed a receiver. Just disregard that I can get a DVD player with an AUX audio in. So, I decided to ask on here since no one here is going to try to sell me something just for the high price.

I'm looking for a DVD player/VCR combo with support for 2.1 and do my speakers justice.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #1 –
Your equipment inventory seems to have a major hole. A quick search on those speakers don't reveal internal amplifiers, so what is powering your speakers? This missing piece is crucial to all other considerations.

The DVD player at your parents has to include a power amplifier; actually, five power amplifiers -- or the amplifiers are housed in the speakers rather than in the DVD player. This latter would require a wall plug for the speakers and mains power cables. Whether the amplifiers are inside a DVD player, the speakers, a receiver, or stand-alone is irrelevant to their function. They are necessary to turn the signals from your source devices (TV, VCR, CD player, etc) into power to drive the speakers.

Each speaker need an amplifier, or one channel of a multi-channel amplifier, which ever way you care to look at it. For your current two speakers you need either a stereo receiver (a receiver, by definition, contains amplifiers) or a stereo amplifier.

If your TV has audio output jacks, those would be connected to the input of the receiver or amplifier. The two speakers go on the end of that chain. If the TV does not have audio output jacks, it is not able to deliver a signal for the speakers.

Without the TV audio out, you could direct the audio out of a DVD player (or any other source device) directly to the amplifier inputs. The sound on DVDs would play through the speakers, but television programs received via antenna or cable would be limited to the TV's built-in speakers.

A subwoofer adds an extra consideration. It requires a separate signal from that used  for the other two speakers. Mostly TVs and DVD players do not provide this separate signal. You need something extra, such as a theater receiver or a DVD player like your parents have that contains the circuitry necessary to produce separate signals.

With the DVD player approach you have to be sure to understand where the speaker power comes from. If the DVD player is intended to be used with powered speakers, it will not work for you speakers.

Subwoofers come in powered and unpowered versions. The unpowered ones need an amplifier. Many theater receivers with subwoofer output do not power the subwoofer, they only provide a line level signal for one. A separate amplifier is necessary, either stand-alone or built into the subwoofer. A separate volume control for the subwoofer is also probably necessary.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #2 –
My parent's DVD player has the amp inside it because the speakers are passive. The subwoofer is powered for the on-off switch and volume.

I'm looking at the Panasonic DVD-RP82 but I can't find if this has an internal amp or not. If not, what's a good amp to use? What about a powered sub that the speakers can hook up to?

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #3 –
So, you  can't currently use the speakers you have, they are just a part of your future system?

I strongly suspect that any DVD player that contains power amplifiers to drive speakers will make a big point of it  e.g. 100WPC X5 or some such. I also suspect that very few, if any, will be sold by themselves. If they contain the power amplifiers, they have probably been designed to be sold as a system and will come with a set of "theater" speakers.
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a powered sub that the speakers can hook up to
Perhaps you mean an 'active' subwoofer that also contains amplifiers for the other speakers. I don't follow the entertainment industry on such things but again I have suspicions about it. If any such subwoofers are manufactured they are probably part of a system, intended to be sold with some particular speakers. That doesn't mean they couldn't work with yours -- if you could manage to buy only the subwoofer/amplifiers. This approach is probably a long shot.

For everything except adding a subwoofer there are many dozens of receivers that will do the job. You could also consider integrated amplifiers which are essentially a receiver without the FM/AM tuner section. However, even though these contain less (no tuner) they are probably going to cost more. Most of what you can buy will work well enough. Basic stereo  receivers should be available new for under $150 but will, of course, go up to as much money as you might spend. Playing back two channels will be handled by the less expensive receivers without any problem. Probably you should go for at least 100 watts per channel, which is extremely common.

You really need to get a basic education, or find someone who already has. I'm glad I could help a little, if I have, but I am years away for any interest in current retail offerings so I don't know any brands and models off the top of my head.

I used to see Crutchfield catalogues. They always contained buyer education sections (except in the special sales editions) to help people understand what the products were for and what they might need to buy. Since the company carries a number of different product lines, those education sections were fairly neutral information, not intended to push any particular sales. They were always eager to send catalogues to anyone who showed the slightest interest.

Crutchfield may even have such information on line these days. I'll bet a web search would turn up plenty of other sites with general information on the subject too.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #4 –
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So, you  can't currently use the speakers you have, they are just a part of your future system?


I could use them if a DVD player had an internal amp. It doesn't sound like it from what you say.

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You really need to get a basic education, or find someone who already has.


That's what I thought this place was for. I searched around but found mostly places that sell different things and didn't say what I needed for what. The sites I did find that explained DVD players in detail didn't mention anything about the audio out part of it or the different connectors and if they had internal amps or not. They almost exclusively talked about the video part, so I brought it to a place where it's all about audio. How is this not finding someone with a basic education?

I guess I can look around online for a good amp or receiver but I don't know how much information I'll get as opposed to asking an audiophile.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #5 –
Look at it this way:  DVD players are *VIDEO* devices.  Even the few that contain audio amplifiers are probably very weak in that department.  You probably want a seperate chain for your audio.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #6 –
Thanks. I'm looking at different amps right now. Stereophile.com said that the Exposure 2010S was a really good buy. There are so many amps out there that I've found but hardly any of them say how good they are. I don't want to spend more than $100 but I don't know how worth it it would be to get one for that low. I don't want to get some crappy amp that would make it pointless to have the speakers that I do but I don't want to spend more than I have to.

I ultimately don't want coloration. I just want something that will power my passive bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer when I get one without altering the sound.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #7 –
Have you decided to ignore any information Crutchfields offers? You need to better understand some basics so you don't have to rely only on other's opinions. There are also sites with easy to understand information about the concepts. If you put 'AV Receiver' into Google I supsect one or more of the hits will be for sites that explain what receivers are, what their basic functions are, and how to figure out what you may be buying -- without trying to sell you a receiver. Same for other consumer oriented products.

As far as seeking a power amp containing DVD player, if such exists: the player's advertising promotions and specifications will contain very prominent information. Power is measured in watts. There will be two, five, or six channels. The Watts per channel (e.g. 100WPC) will be made very clear, it will never be hidden or indistinct. If there isn't a separate, clear line entry for amplifier power, it isn't part of the DVD player.

For the most part, anything written about in Stereophile will carry a premium price.

Power amplifiers are one of those things no one can tell apart in blind A/B test, no matter how much the manufacturers, critics, and magazine reviews praise some over others.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #8 –
Basically, I'm saying no one wants to write 2000 words explaining what has already been written many times by others. Many people will be happy to answer questions that are specific enough. but you essentially want someone to explain basic geometry (or chemistry, or electricity, .. take your pick of examples). You apparently don't  now enough to ask focused questions.

Technics used to, not more than a few years ago, make some quite decent receivers that started somewhere not much above $100 (e.g. the SA-EX140). Perhaps they still do, although I'm sure the model numbers have changed.

Amp/receiver/DVD player

Reply #9 –
I haven't chosen to ignore it, I just didn't announce that I was checking it out.

I don't mean to be difficult. Maybe I'm just all researched out. I've been doing research on sound cards, speakers, foobar2000 settings, music artist similarities, TVs, colorblindness, DVD players, and now I'm faced with receivers and amps all within a few weeks and maybe I don't have the motivation to jump into it. Sorry if I've been short with you. I guess part of it was thinking I just needed a DVD player and that was it just to find out I need yet another component.

I don't want anyone to explain basic geometry. I assumed that most people who would be answering already know of the products and capabilities off the top of their head and could easily list off the top 3 or so for a price range. I know that "best" or "better" depends on what the person wants, but I assumed that there would be little varience in preferences when it came to simply amplifying sound and it seemed I made it clear which of those variences I prefered.

I'll take a look at the Technics ones and maybe read up on more basic info. Including "AV" in the search is something I wouldn't have known. Thanks for that and thanks for your help.