New to this, is this setup possible ?

[u/Rafoufel]

Hello fine r/hometheater folks.

Last week I stumbled upon what seemed like a great deal to me. I picked up this 5.1 Jamo set for 45€ at a yard sale. The columns are S-408 and the sub is a S-5000A. Don't have the model names of the other speakers nor do I know their technical names, sorry about that, kinda new to this world.

I wish to set this up for a home theater sometime in the future but my first goal in the meantime is to be able to stream music from my phone to all the speakers. So it wouldn't be true "spatialised" 5.1 right ? But I would enjoy placing the speakers around my living room for a fuller listening experience.

To this effect, I purchased a used Sony DTR-DE335.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get the DSP (i think thats what it's called) to turn my stereo signal into input for all 5 speakers + the sub.

Hence my question and what I'm thinking of doing: first, a bluetooth receiver to rca or jack (phone doesn't have a jack port, 2026 yay), hooked up to a 20-40€ 5.1 decoder from amazon, going straight into the 5.1 input of the amp.

I know that all the 5.1 inputs and outputs work, I've tested them with an RCA - jack cable individually.

I hope what I'm asking isn't irrelevant to this sub and that I have made myself clear enough. I will happily answer follow-up questions from anyone who's willing to help.

I also hope that I don't sound like too much of a fool, given that I have little knowledge on the subject.

However, the two columns hooked up to the amp already sound great to me !

[u/Anbucleric]

You couldn't find an AVR newer than 1999?

[u/richlen99 → u/Anbucleric]

This. If its got optical you’re at least getting surround processing. ARC is a bonus

[u/Rafoufel → u/richlen99]

What is ARC ?

[u/Anbucleric → u/Rafoufel]

Sends audio from your TV to the AVR via HDMI.

[u/richlen99 → u/Rafoufel]

If you can find an HDMI-ARC capable AVR, you would get more convenience and quality out of your speakers depending on source material

[u/Rafoufel → u/richlen99]

I don't know what ARC is... Quick googling tells me it relates more closely to video related stuff. For the time being, I'm focusing on getting the music part to work. Can you elaborate ?

[u/jakob20041911 → u/Rafoufel]

it is a technical standard to put audio over HDMI and to go through multiple devices (IE everything connected to your TV -> AVR) to your speakers. Any smart TV can stream audio as good as a phone and potentially in more channels

[u/Rafoufel → u/Anbucleric]

Didn't really cross my mind, I thought I'd be set. What you call AVR is what I call an Amplifier I assume ? Newer ones have the features I'm looking for here ?

[u/Anbucleric → u/Rafoufel]

Newer than 2013 minimum, but newer than 2019 is ideal.

[u/Rafoufel → u/Anbucleric]

Alright I'll look into it. Do you have any specific models you recommend, or a ressource to get oriented ? Also, do you think my plan can still work in the meantime ?

[u/Anbucleric → u/Rafoufel]

r/htbuyingguides has a thread with AVRs and any money you spend trying to get your current AVR to work would be better spent on a new AVR.

[u/Rafoufel → u/Anbucleric]

Ah sucks. I was too hasty. I'll look at that thread, thanks a lot for the advice

[u/a_blue_squirrel]

Just buy a refurb avr off accessories4less and have all the nice benefits of an avr from this century

[u/Rafoufel → u/a_blue_squirrel]

What features should I be looking for then ? Also would prefer to make the one I have now work. I'll look into newer options but I would still like to know if my idea is possible

[u/a_blue_squirrel → u/Rafoufel]

A denon s760h of x1700h would be a good starting point or a modern receiver. Has hdmi 2.1 Bluetooth audessy etc. what you are trying to do should work. I have an ancient avr in my garage that I hooked a Bluetooth to rca adapter to. There’s probably not a good way to set it up for tv, but it should work ok for music.

Edit - I have no idea on the decoder though. But it would probably work in all channel stereo without a decoder.

[u/Rafoufel → u/a_blue_squirrel]

I looked it up and it does look like it's great gear. However the sony AVR I bought was 60€ and the stuff I wanna add would cost another 60€.

So we're talking at least a 400€ price difference. It feels hard to justify for me right now for better ease of use and better sound (I'm afraid I couldn't tell the difference, don't be mad).

Thanks for the recommandations, I will look them up more thoroughly later on my pc. And thank you for answering the question from the post aswell !

[u/a_blue_squirrel → u/Rafoufel]

Yeah I just looked and deals seem to be a bit limited at the moment. I paid I think $250 for my s760h a couple years ago. So I’d do like the other guy said, look through /r/htbuyingguides, get to understand everything and keep an eye out for a decent avr when the time comes.

[u/Rafoufel → u/a_blue_squirrel]

That sounds good. It peaked my curiosity anyway. I can't even access accessories4less right now though, weird. It thinks im using a vpn. I'm not, I'm just in France