Thread: LO-fi

My amp of many years (Yamaha) died a while back and, after looking at the alternatives available up here, I bought a Marantz to replace it. While it does not have wi-fi speakers (it is 7 channel surround sound), it does have a huge number of inputs, all selectable either from the front control panel or the remote. It comes with two remotes - one that has a lot of buttons on it and can do just about anything (and is too complicated for me to use regularly), plus a smaller remote with only a couple of buttons on it for control of more frequently used functions.

I have a similar number of input devices plugged in (though no audio cassette player any more) and have still nowhere near used up all of the available inputs. It even has a dedicated input for iPod / iPad and you can control your music selection etc using the remote and viewing your available menu choices on the TV. Output to TV is either by HDMI or the newer and higher quality fibre optic which I have used - this also acts as an input from the TV so that if you are watching the TV only and not using any other devices - you get the sound from the TV back through the amp.

I have another DVD player / surround sound system (Panasonic) that I have not used since I had the apartment down in Perth for work - it has hard wired speakers at the "front" but the two rear speakers are connected wirelessly. There is a separate module that you wire the two rear speakers to, but the connection between this module and the amp is wireless - the signal coming from another "add-on" that you bolt on the back of the amp and plug into the rear left and right speaker outlet points. Not sure if you could buy any "add-on" wireless speaker module for the larger amp or not, but it wouldn't interest me even if you could. I run decent quality speaker wire to all speakers - have managed to conceal most of it behind skirting boards etc. Speakers are all JBL and we are happy with this system. I can only crank it up to the sort of volume levels that I like with some particular music when SWMBO is not at home though ...........

I too have a Marantz 7.1 reciever. It would just about dock with the space station it has that many inputs - including quite a few RCA inputs which is probably what you're after. I've got 6 items running into mine and I have 10 spares although not all of these take multiple style inputs, but they are a versatile unit as pre amp set points can be made to each input so when you switch between one source and another, the volume remains constant.

It also depends on your budget - the Marantz units (new) range from just under $1,000 and go up to nearly $10,000 depending on what you're after, but if you're just after RCA inputs, some of the older Marantz units can be found quite cheap as most people want HDMI now. These machines last for years and are built very well so a second hand unit that's around 10 years plus old may be a good option.

If you're after something more budget, look for something with a few stero RCA inputs - these are the ones which are usually red and white round connectors with a round centre pin. Again, I'm assuming your gear has these - most things built more than about 10 years will.

EDIT - check out EBay and search 'Marantz' - there's crap loads there for bugger all - an example - Marantz Stereo Receiver Model # 74SR82/07B

Check out the back photo on this listing - down the bottom LH corner are all the RCA inputs - 7 in all on this one - that should be the sort of connectors you have and what I was talking about.

Hope this helps a bit.

Originally Posted by Dark61

i - i look at Hardly Normal etc and get easily confused?,
cheers,
D

You could join the floor sales staff and fit right in.🤣

Thanks Gents - I suppose I could lose a couple of inputs as i rarely listen to the tuner or the cdr- but I would really like to run a couple of speakers wirelessly (if thats a real word)- so I could move them around - but just thinking of it I suppose they would need their own piwer supply so you are still tying them down to the nearest power outlet. I'll have to do some research.
cheers,
D

IMO wireless speakers are a bit crappy - unless you spend big bucks on them. Yes, you then need them close to a power point each, so not really wireless. The ones I've seen demonstrated don't sound as good as wired speakers as the wireless link compresses the info into a very tight band and it never seems to come out the other side the same - the exception was a set of Bose wireless speakers that were just under $3K for the pair...

I expect you'll be after something like this. The 'how to' video gives a good overview of what components are involved, how to hook it up and how it all works:

http://www.amphony.com/speakerkits/index.htm

I'm sure there would be other brands etc.

Originally Posted by Homestar

IMO wireless speakers are a bit crappy - unless you spend big bucks on them. Yes, you then need them close to a power point each, so not really wireless. The ones I've seen demonstrated don't sound as good as wired speakers as the wireless link compresses the info into a very tight band and it never seems to come out the other side the same - the exception was a set of Bose wireless speakers that were just under $3K for the pair...

You've just reminded me ................... Bose do some very good wireless speakers, but not cheap.

The computer I'm typing this on is plugged into a Bose sound bar that I had in the apartment down in Perth - it has a wireless sub woofer on the floor under my desk. Very good sound.

These Linn items are surplus to requirements