A/V receiver w/ auto surround, 7.2 while Zone 2 in use

[steventc7]

I've been trying A/V receivers and cannot find one with the combination of features I want. Any comments & recommendations appreciated!
1) Auto surround sound selection. I don't want to have to toggle through 10+ modes to find the best one. I tried a Sony STRDN1030 that sounded great from all sources without me having to search for the best surround mode, but the controls/interface were so user-unfriendly that I returned the unit.
2) A receiver that will simultaneously play 7.2 surround AND a powered Zone 2. (Product descriptions aren't always specific about this.)
3) A user-friendly interface, remote and/or front panel controls - such as non-GUI tone/equalizer adjustment. (GUI is OK for set-up & config., but shouldn't be required for normal operation & control!)
I've also just returned an Onkyo TX-NR626 that failed to meet all of the above criteria and am at my wits end. Am I looking for something that doesn't exist?

 

[ssddx]

first and formost what is your budget?

most 7.1 receivers have 7 powered outputs (eg 7x80w output) which means that in order to use the zone 2 powered speakers your main system will be dropped to 5.1 while you have the second zone active.

there are 7.1 receivers with 9 powered outputs (eg 9x130w output) however they are rather pricey

what some people have suggested doing is to use a 7 powered output receiver and pair it with a two channel amplifier for either your rear surround or zone two speakers. if you do a search for your subject on the internet (eg "7.1 and powered zone 2") you will see some of the suggestions which people made to fix this limitation for less than the price of buying a 9 output receiver.

---

as far as brands go... i am very happy with my pioneer elite vsx30 (replaced by vsx43). it uses an onscreen gui for setup and settings but swapping to the dedicated input for this really isnt too terrible as the included presets and auto mode work fine. i dont think i've ever had to change the presets manually.

the remote is cluttered but they all seem to be built that way. the auto calibration with the included microphone was easy and painless. swapping inputs and sound modes is also painless.

to clarify... the gui is needed only for setup and settings not changing inputs, sound modes or other such operations which are done by remote or on face panel buttons. the equalizer may be in the gui but i've never really searched for it so cannot tell you firsthand.

for 7.2 you would be looking at the vsx70 or above but still have the limitation of 7 powered channels needing a seperate amp or upgrading to a 9 channel receiver for $1000 more (when an amp costs $200 more).

just some thoughts...

 

[steventc7]

... good thoughts. Thank you.

The most I'd allow myself to spend is about $1,000 - and that seems like too much given the technology available at a fraction of the price.

Your recommendation for a Pioneer piques my interest. I've been trying to replace my Pioneer VSX-917V (~2007 vintage), but keep returning replacements and hooking it up again. The VSX sounds good with the proper sound mode selected, but it's usually hard to find.

Does the your VSX43 (or the Elite series) have some feature that solves that problem? To get it working as it is now, did you only need to do the auto set-up (with microphone) or did it require an intimate weekend with the owners manual?

 

[ssddx]

for clarification i have the pioneer elite vsx-30. what i meant by the vsx-43 is that they no longer make the 30 and that this model is the spiritual successor to the model i have now. both are part of their "elite" line up (pretty much the base unit in that lineup) available for like $500.

to be honest i keep my vsx-30 on automatic most times. my speakers sound fine (kipsch quintet iv 5.0 + 450w klipsch sub). with ps3 movies or games and pc games, movies, youtube, etc. i may change the settings once in awhile when i have music playing but that is about it. i'm quite happy with default but it may just be because i'm happy with my speakers as is.

to be completely honest when i purchased the entire lot once i was done pulling wires i just plugged everything in and ran the microphone auto setup to calibrate and have been fine ever since. auto mode works fine for me.

the only cases i have resorted to changing the sound mode or an equalizer is when playing straight music but honestly i dont change it much. i read a bit of the owners manual but didnt need to use it to enjoy my system which is one reason i bought elite over normal. the OSD gui was great since i didnt need to set my system up with the front panel display. everything else was simple enough to understand although i still dont know half the functions on the remote!

 

[americanaudiophile]

If you leave the surround sound mode in auto it can only select the mode with DVD or Bluray since that info comes from the disc. On cable. sat. etc you would leave that input set to Dolby otherwise most receivers will default to stereo in auto not Dolby Prologic. Most music sources do not have any surround mode that is "correct" since they are stereo. Each track or album might have a different mode you like. Find the surround mode you like best in general for music and leave it there. Most surround receivers have way too many modes none of which is close to perfect.
As to the zone 2 question. You would need a receiver with 9 channels. That would add cost and compromise the other channels plus they don't know how many pairs of speakers you want to drive on the 2nd zone so they leave it to you to add the correct amount of power and channels.
Tone controls on a multichannel system are limited because you would need to adjust each channel separately. Arcam has this feature in their menus but it isn't user friendly and limited because you could easily damage speakers.
All surround receivers have an impossible job balancing simplicity and functionality. For everyday use you should only need the input select and volume control. Some users combine a universal remote programed with macros for most use and an ipad app from the manufacturer for detailed adjustment.
Your idea that the tech in cheaper receiver makes a receiver that pays attention to the quality of sound and costs more to be less of value. That's up to you of course but you may have noticed that many surround receivers that say they are 100 watts per channel have vastly different prices. This is because the actual amount of power when all the channels are used is much less on the cheaper receivers. The ability to play real life speaker instead of test loads also affect the price and quality. Check out reviews of receivers like the Marantz and Cambridge Audio models and you will find that the reviewer usually notices an improvement in sound that proves addictive because attention to the quality of sound pays you back with better low level detail, better imaging, greater dynamic range, and more apparent power because the amps are closer to the on paper rating in the real world with real speakers.