# 9.2 channels with a 7.2 receiver?



## hockeypucks (Aug 16, 2013)

I'm in the planning stages of my dedicated HT build and will probably future proof as much as I can with wiring for 11.4 but I have a question about my receiver. I have the Onkyo 818 which is 7.2 but is there a way to utilize all 4 surround speakers AND have a front wide setup? Can I use external amps for the extra 2 channels I would need or does the receiver max out at 7 signals? I've never owned a receiver with amp pre outs before though I do understand the concept behind application. Thanks for the help.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

hockeypucks said:


> I'm in the planning stages of my dedicated HT build and will probably future proof as much as I can with wiring for 11.4 but I have a question about my receiver. I have the Onkyo 818 which is 7.2 but is there a way to utilize all 4 surround speakers AND have a front wide setup? Can I use external amps for the extra 2 channels I would need or does the receiver max out at 7 signals? I've never owned a receiver with amp pre outs before though I do understand the concept behind application. Thanks for the help.


According to the specs on the Onkyo site it appears to do 9.2. It appears to do 7 channels off the internal amps and then the two subs and 2 additional channel have to be done through the LFE and Analog Pre-Outs. Which means you need the subs to have internal amps and an external amplifier to run the two additional channels. Typically you will put the front left and right on the external amp and run the other channels off the receiver. This is to get more power to the typically largest speakers, your left and right front speakers. 

For examply my receiver is 9 channel internal off the receiver and i run the additional channels analog pre-out for a 11.2 system.


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## hockeypucks (Aug 16, 2013)

phillihp23 said:


> According to the specs on the Onkyo site it appears to do 9.2. It appears to do 7 channels off the internal amps and then the two subs and 2 additional channel have to be done through the LFE and Analog Pre-Outs. Which means you need the subs to have internal amps and an external amplifier to run the two additional channels. Typically you will put the front left and right on the external amp and run the other channels off the receiver. This is to get more power to the typically largest speakers, your left and right front speakers.
> 
> For examply my receiver is 9 channel internal off the receiver and i run the additional channels analog pre-out for a 11.2 system.


Perfect, thank you for the clarification. I haven't spent a lot of time with the receiver yet since it's still unopened in the box but I like hearing that I should be able to drive 9 speakers with it. Can you tell a difference with your 11 speaker system over a standard 7.1? Would it be worth my time buying a 2 channel amp to drive the two front mains? Thanks again.


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## KelvinS1965 (Feb 6, 2011)

Hi, I did exactly this with my 818, by using an external power amp to run my front HEIGHT speakers (could easily have been wides but physically no space for them). You just set it up in the menu for speaker configuration in the Set up menu (before running Audyssey set up if you plan to do that), which makes the pre outs 'live' once you've set this.

Unfortunately my power amp has failed so I've dropped back down to 7.2 again, but I've found that I don't really miss the front heights. Not a bad thing as I was considering replacing the temporary height speakers (M&K K15) with more expensive M&K IW85 for a better match to my MK MP150 LCR speakers. From what I understand front wides are more of a noticeable addition, though I get a kind of 'phantom wide' effect by using tripole side surrounds...would be nice if I had space to put proper wides though.


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## hockeypucks (Aug 16, 2013)

Awesome thanks Kelvin. I have the opposite issue, can't go height but should have room for wides. Just trying to determine if it's worth it for me to buy a separate amp for this setup. Good to know I have the option though.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

hockeypucks said:


> Awesome thanks Kelvin. I have the opposite issue, can't go height but should have room for wides. Just trying to determine if it's worth it for me to buy a separate amp for this setup. Good to know I have the option though.


I would say front wides if your room accommodates drastically increases the sound stage, creates a more enveloping environment to listen. If you have reviewed my build thread you will see how naive I am starting out...with a 5.1 setup which i used in an apartment before buying my house. (your sound setup is dependent on your room size, environment etc.) What is needed for good sound in one environment may not work for another. In the end i bought all new speakers and did a 7.1 setup which quickly expanded to a 11.2.
I started the 11.2 expansion by adding the front wides, I put in a blu-ray with a really good soundtrack and switched the wides on and off to here the difference. Literally, I felt all the holes fill in and the sound surround me when the front wides were on. From there I moved on to the front heights. Which i find do not always add a whole lot to the experience, but sometimes noticeably help with effects like overhead planes, rain, etc.

Since i needed to purchase an independent amplifier to run the extra speakers the price difference between a 2 and 5 channel was only a few hundred bucks and I could increase the power to the main front stage by about 100 watts a channel, so that's what i did. 

I run my front L/R/C and front Wide L/R channels on an emotiva XPA5 Gen 2. The front height, sides, and rears I run off of the receiver. IMO this takes load off the receiver and hopefully extends its life, allowing it to spend its time EQing and running Auydessy DSX.


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## hockeypucks (Aug 16, 2013)

Absolutely fantastic information thank you! Unfortunately it's not in the budget yet for a nice Emotiva 5 channel amp but I may be able to swing their 125 Watt 2 channel to supply either my mains or wides. I have polk monitor 75T for main and will use my monitor 55T for the wides. I have over 800 Blu-ray discs and they are all I watch so I'm glad you can notice a difference. 

I moved into my house a few months ago from a small one bedroom condo and I can finally turn up my movies to the volume I enjoy without fear of bothering the neighbors. I can't believe how adding nice subs to a system completely transforms the movie experience. I have two SVS PB-2000S in my living room until the dedicated HT is built downstairs. 

Looking forward to hearing movies with a wide setup, that's awesome! Thanks again.


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## Newshoundaussie (Jan 23, 2013)

I have this setup.


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