Any recommendation for a 5.1 AV receiver with free internet radio?

[Speedhump 388]

Hi all,

 

My Onkyo has finally given up the ghost and so I need a replacement. My budget is definitely under 20,000 baht and I need something that will drive my floorstanding Klipsch speakers, so say 80 to 120 watts RMS per channel.

 

I've checked online with Power Buy, Lazada, Shopee and so on but the quoted specs never give enough information.

 

I believe the internet radio app has to be included in the receiver's firmware? 

 

Thanks for any help!

 

 

[bangsaenguy 421]

Piyanas should have  what you need.

https://www.piyanas.com/

[Speedhump 388]

11 hours ago, bangsaenguy said:

Piyanas should have  what you need.

https://www.piyanas.com/

Thanks. I'll give them a call if no-one has any actual models they can point me at.

 

Hey, you've made 666 posts. You little devil, you.

[recom273 1,425]

If budget is an issue, have you thought about musicbox on a raspberry pi and plug it into a receiver ? You select the stations from a web based GUI on your phone or tablet.

 

I have a few around the house connected to a receiver and a couple of amps running Volumio - the onboard sound isn’t good enough, you either need a sound card / DAC or a DAC hat for the pi. 

[Jai Dee 3,701]

This page from Piyanas should give you all the information you need regarding makes, models, and specifications.

 

20K baht is probably the bottom end of the spectrum... for another 10K you would be able to get a very nice networked multi-channel AV receiver.

[KannikaP 588]

Most internet radio apps only stream music in stereo at 128kb/s. Connect via your phone or PCs sound card and into a power amp. All controls will be on the sound card software.

[Speedhump 388]

On 12/8/2020 at 8:51 PM, recom273 said:

If budget is an issue, have you thought about musicbox on a raspberry pi and plug it into a receiver ? You select the stations from a web based GUI on your phone or tablet.

 

I have a few around the house connected to a receiver and a couple of amps running Volumio - the onboard sound isn’t good enough, you either need a sound card / DAC or a DAC hat for the pi. 

Thanks that's an interesting solution, but a bit Heath-Robinson for the wife to operate (or look at!). 

[Speedhump 388]

12 hours ago, Jai Dee said:

This page from Piyanas should give you all the information you need regarding makes, models, and specifications.

 

20K baht is probably the bottom end of the spectrum... for another 10K you would be able to get a very nice networked multi-channel AV receiver.

Yes I thought that seems the case. 30k minimum. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet. 

 

Thanks. I'll need to choose one with a good Internet radio app I suppose (with a huge number of stations), and a service that will definitely still be around in a few years time? You can only have what's on the receiver firmware I think, you can't tinker with it yourself? 

[Speedhump 388]

12 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Most internet radio apps only stream music in stereo at 128kb/s. Connect via your phone or PCs sound card and into a power amp. All controls will be on the sound card software.

I need a nice tidy living room friendly solution. I think the wife will accept a replacement A/V receiver only! 

[KannikaP 588]

3 hours ago, Speedhump said:

I need a nice tidy living room friendly solution. I think the wife will accept a replacement A/V receiver only! 

You mean one of those bloody big black things advertised on Piyanas?   LOL

[recom273 1,425]

3 hours ago, Speedhump said:

Thanks that's an interesting solution, but a bit Heath-Robinson for the wife to operate (or look at!). 

Looking at the piyanas page, none of those receivers have DAB - doing a bit of reading suggests it’s a thing of the past - seems like streaming audio is the way to go, my receiver has spotify, my wife tells Alexa what to play and the receiver responds automatically.

Here is a screenshot of musicbox GUI - seems pretty straightforward to me, not dissimilar from navigating Facebook.

 

[Techno Viking 1,293]

27 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

You mean one of those bloody big black things advertised on Piyanas?   LOL

 

Yeah I reckon he's after one or them.

 

I recently purchased one from Piyana's, Now to get some better speakers !!

 

https://www.piyanas.com/product/2825/RX-A880BLACK?cat_id=6

[Techno Viking 1,293]

19 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Looking at the piyanas page, none of those receivers have DAB - doing a bit of reading suggests it’s a thing of the past - seems like streaming audio is the way to go, my receiver has spotify, my wife tells Alexa what to play and the receiver responds automatically.

Here is a screenshot of musicbox GUI - seems pretty straightforward to me, not dissimilar from navigating Facebook.

 

 

 

I purchased a yamaha one, plays spotify and all that, would love an Alexa... are they available in Thailand ?

[recom273 1,425]

39 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

 

I purchased a yamaha one, plays spotify and all that, would love an Alexa... are they available in Thailand ?

Yup you can buy the on Lazada, 150l0B - not too sure if they are official.

 

Sorry, wife just woke, she uses Siri not alexa to run a shortcut that  I cobbled together, it switches on tv and receiver, sets receiver to Spotify and then opens the Spotify app on her phone. I think you need a Yamaha receiver with Alexa to get the full benefits.
ETS: which you have, damn! Let me know if it works!

 

I have another computer running Homebridge, the Amazon echo behaves just like a HomePod, but it’s a fun piece of kit - mine reads the bbc in the morning on a motion sensor in the kitchen, tells you when your Amazon delivery will arrive, switches on lights, fans and AC, turns on/off lights when it thinks we are away from home for long lengths of time, etc.

 

I bought a selection Polk Audio speakers, I think if you are on a “budget” then they are worth a look. I chose a sub bass unit from a different range. I’m really happy with them for the price, around 35K.

Edited December 10, 2020 by recom273

[Speedhump 388]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

You mean one of those bloody big black things advertised on Piyanas?   LOL

She approved the Onkyo before (Well, I had already bought it, with the huge Klipsch speaker system) so I think I'm OK. What she hates is anything that looks boffinish, or wires showing.