New receiver, speakers, or both?

[WiL11o6]

Hello all, I hope someone can help me out here.

As I am making this thread, I am using a budget $199 Yamaha HTR-5930 that I bought a couple years ago, so it has digital connection into my sound card, paired with some old 1985 JBL J216A.

My father passed me down his old school speakers, which are better than the Yamaha speakers from the home theater in a box that came with the receiver. The front L/R speakers he handed down to me are from 1985 JBL J216A. It's pretty old, but it sounds pretty good. I am thinking about getting rid of them for some Polk Monitor 30s but I am not sure if I would hear much of an improvement with my current receiver, and here's what I think why,

I also jacked his older Harman Karman AVR20ii (was $500 back 12 years ago) to hook up to the JBLs and it was pushing the speakers harder and louder than my Yamaha, pretty much turned them into two woofers. The only weird thing I don't understand is that the receiver is rated 50w per channel and my Yamaha is 100w per channel, but it feels a lot weaker (I'm still new to this so maybe there's something I don't know other than numbers). The HK is old so there is no digital output into my sound card, nor is there DTS or DD but there is 5.1 Pro Logic.

I hooked it up through C/D in the rear into my sound card via analog with RCA to 1/8 mini line in. Works fine, in stereo, but I can't get surround sound to work. Is it even possible to hook it into my system for 5.1?

I am sort of in a budget, so I can either get new speakers, or a new receiver for now. I am looking at Polk M30s but I'm thinking my receiver may be holding it back since the older receiver was pushing the JBLs like crazy. Or should I just get a new receiver first then get speakers?

And....! How would the newer Polk M30s fair against the 85' JBLs. I know the JBLs are not the more expensive speakers back in 85' but it still sounds alright.

Thanks!

 

[J Macker]

I'd skip the Monitor 30's and buy these Bic bookshelf speakers instead.
It is difficult to determine which component needs upgrading more without having other components to test, but if the speakers are shot, you won't be able to tell a difference upgrading the receiver. Some of the old Yamaha and HK receivers are pretty good, from what I've read.

I'll post again later once I have more time to respond. Maybe you'll be lucky to get a post from enigurd (sp?)

 

[WiL11o6]

Those do look nice, I'll look into that one.

And I did switch between my Yamaha and the HK, seemed like the HK was pushing the speakers way way harder, even though the HK has lower rated watts.

 

[450]

Personally I think you should keep the JBL/HK setup. What do you find lacking about it?

 

[WiL11o6]

I would love to too, but I can't get 5.1 to work. Only stereo

 

[astrallite]

Your JBLs are easily better than either.

 

[astrallite]

Those do look nice, I'll look into that one.

And I did switch between my Yamaha and the HK, seemed like the HK was pushing the speakers way way harder, even though the HK has lower rated watts.

HK power ratings are usually understated. Usually the heavier amplifier has more power because it has larger heatsinks (although this can also indicate a larger Class A section--Class A being high quality power, usually < 4 watts, the rest being Class B)

 

[EndersShadow]

Those do look nice, I'll look into that one.

And I did switch between my Yamaha and the HK, seemed like the HK was pushing the speakers way way harder, even though the HK has lower rated watts.

I had this happen as well. I gave a freind of mine a pair of Sony floorstanders that I had. I was very dissapointed in their sound when hooked up to my Sony 900 watt reciever. My dad has a 20+ year old stereo reciever that I let him borrow to connect to them since he just needed to listen to music. The Sony speakers came alive from this little 100 watt stereo reciever. If one were to hold it however it is like 20 lbs heavier than my Sony. So the rated power doenst matter nearly as much as the weight. If you have two recievers and one is 20 lbs heavier it will def drive the speakers better.

For that reason alone I really look hard at the used market for speakers as many of the older ones are better than todays at a fraction of their original MSRP. So I would recommend against buying the Polk Monitor 30's right off the bat. Your other speakers are much better.

You might replace the reciever with a factory refurb one for some extra savings. I would just make sure they are a factory authorized refurb dealer, that way you get some kind of warranty. Just my 2 cents.