Recommended receiver for HT

Tim,

I read several rave reviews of the NAD M22 this afternoon. Your recommendation pushed me over the threshold to buy a demo unit offered on Audiogon for $1400.

Current Cox TV is 2 channel, so surround would be limited to Blu-ray and SACD. I’m still thinking about whether to use the Bryston SP3 -- it may be redundant with the Oppo 205.  I think I'll reserve the Ayre DX-5 DSD for use with the Ayre stereo setup.

db

Hello dbphd,

     Great, I was going to suggest a used unit to save money but didn't know if you wanted to buy only new or were open to buying used. Once the M22 arrives, you'll be able to hear what a good class D amp will sound like with your KEF speakers.
     Are you certain your Cox cable tv  broadcasts in only 2 channel?  I live in Indiana and use the local Comcast/Xfinity cable tv and they broadcast in at least 5.1 channel on all their channels, possibly even 7.1.  I do subscribe to their HDTV package along with HBO and Showtime, but I'm not sure if that's why I get 5.1 channel sound.  You may want to check with Cox since the surround sound makes everything I watch more enjoyable, even commercials.
     I'm looking forward to hearing your impressions of the M22 with your speakers.

Tim
  

Tim,

I'm not certain Cox TV is only 2 channel.  I've been taking HDMI directly to the projector and RCA to either an Audio Engine 2+ or NAD C 328.  With DirecTV I took HDMI to an Oppo that split it into 7.1 audio and video HDMI outputs.  I'll reinstall the Oppo 205 when I install the M22. and use the Parasound A23s for surround until I get 4 channels of Class D amplification.

I felt like an energy scofflaw running a Bryston SP3. Oppo 205, Parasound JC 2 BP, 3 JC 1 monoblocks, and 2 A 23s to watch TV, but in my zeal to downsize I may have thrown out the baby with the bath water.

db

Hello dbphd,

     Here's a Cox cable site that explains how to get surround sound audio connected.  It looks like you'll need to set your cable box to "Dolby Digital" and follow the instructions to feed the surround audio signal to your Oppo 205.

https://www.cox.com/residential/support/audio-settings.html

     "I felt like an energy scofflaw running a Bryston SP3. Oppo 205, Parasound JC 2 BP, 3 JC 1 monoblocks, and 2 A 23s to watch TV, but in my zeal to downsize I may have thrown out the baby with the bath water."

     Hah!  So, it's you causing all this global warming?, way to go.  I was just going to lookup how little power the M22 consumes and I discovered there's a version 1 and a version 2 of this amp.  Wonder which version you bought?  You may want to research the differences to see if any you want are on the version you bought.


Tim

Tim,

We live in Montecito, a small town adjacent to Santa Barbara , where combating global warming is taken very seriouosly.  

From the photo used for the listing it appears to be a later version M22 with multiple screened ventilation ports in the top rather than louvers.  Makes me wonder how hot the thing runs.

db