bigkahuna2187
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Looking for a new receiever (JBL L112 Speakers)
jackfish
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why are you looking at home theater receivers?  They will have inadequate amplification and superfluous circuitry.

How about a Harman Kardon HK3390?

http://hometheaterreview.com/harman-kardon-hk-3390-stereo-receiver/

bigkahuna2187
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Would like to have HDMI inputs/output for watching movies/ps3

commsysman
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Over the years, I have found the sound quality of most of the Japanese receivers to be bright and fatiguing to listen to; enough distortion to be annoying.

Two brands have always stood out for me as being MUCH better in this respect; Onkyo and Akai (but Akai seems to have dropped out of the Noth American market, sadly).

I would definitely recommend Onkyo.

I guess with that streaming you can get movies from Netflix direct.

jackfish
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to be able to take advantage of its video transmission advantages. Just run the HDMI from the PS3 directly to the TV HDMI input and transfer the audio signal from the TV to the receiver from the TV RCA audio out jacks.  You don't need HDMI audio because it will be a two channel system and not multichannel, and the receiver then does not have to deal with a digital audio signal. You will be giving up a lot of sound quality in your two channel system using a home theater receiver and will likely not use any if its sound processing capabilities. So, HDMI for video - yes directly from source to TV, HDMI for audio - not necessary.  Hence, you do not need to run HDMI audio through a receiver because you won't have a multichannel setup and won't be using audio processing, and there is no use for running HDMI video through it because it is not needed for video processing.

bigkahuna2187
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so if i understand that correctly, HDMI sound quality < RCA sound quality?

jackfish
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That means for you to be able to hear the audio portion of the signal it will have to be converted to analog.  At a minimum, an HDMI device then must be able to convert uncompressed stereo PCM, and at maximum, 8 channels of uncompressed audio at a sample size of 24-bit and sample rate of 192 kHz, as well as support for Dolby Digital, DTS or DSD. In addition, HDMI 1.3 supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Anything beyond stereo PCM would likely be lost on a two channel system where multichannel processing is unnecessary.  The DAC in your TV is sufficient to create a clean analog signal for your stereo receiver or integrated amplifier.  Indeed, the limitations of home theater receiver amplifier sections and the abundant superfluous processing circuitry may degrade the sound more than just running HDMI audio through the TV's DAC, which probably is not much different than the one found in a cheap home theater receiver, into a good stereo receiver or intergrated amplifier.  So, there are a lot of conditions and variables influencing whether or not HDMI and a receiver's DAC will provide superior sound than a source's or TV's DAC.

My main concern is the chain or path for two channel music listening will not be helped by HDMI, and the sound from movies will not be significantly degraded by not using the HDMI and sound processing capabilities of a home theater receiver when multichannel program material is not used.

Is this system to be used mostly for music or movies, and if for music, what source(s) will be used?

bigkahuna2187
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This will primarily be used for music, with occasional movies/tv. Music source will either come from an ipod and ps3. I want to see if the ps3 can utilize streaming music in the sorts of Pandora and Grooveshark. Granted, these propbaby arent the best sources for high quility music, but would still like to get some decent sounds. Thats what initially grabed my attention of the A/V multichannel receivers, is their ability to strem music online. But if I have to sacrafice that option for sound quality, it might be worth it to get a decent stereo receiver like the HK that you suggested.

jackfish
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Harman Kardon HK3490 it will offer more flexibility with a digital coax and digital optical input.  With both the HK3390 and HK3490 you can connect your ipod with a "Bridge II" DMP docking device ($70 from B&H Photo-Video-Audio).  The PS3 with its digital output can be connected to the HK3490 digital input which would then use the DAC in the HK3490, or with the PS3 analog outputs (to analog inputs on both the HK3390 and HK3490) which would use the PS3 DAC, and you could see which sounds best.  I believe the PS3 browser will stream from Pandora and Grooveshark, and I believe Pandora One allows 192 kbit streaming on the PS3.

bigkahuna2187
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How would the quality be with hdmi from the ps3 to the TV then to the TV to the receiver via analog? (sorry for so many questions)

jackfish
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That is how I have my Blu Ray player set up.  However, in conjunction with that you could also use the digital optical or analog output of the PS3 and select Audio Multi-Out On to send your music only material to the receiver. There are enough analog inputs on both the HK3390 and HK3490 receivers to accommodate input from the TV and PS3, and with the HK3490 you could use optical digital from the PS3.

bigkahuna2187
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Is the extra $$$ worth getting the 3490 over the 3390? I assume the 3390 does not have optical inputs.

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However, there may be a benefit to using the digital optical input of the HK3490.  In addition, the HK3490 has 50% more power than the HK3390.  The JBL L112 can use every bit of power you can provide them.

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