Hi All,

I am going to be setting up a second zone in a little while, which I have never done before. I am using an Onkyo TX-SR 507 paired with M22's.

In the manual, it is pretty clearly stated that the second zone only supports stereo (2.0) playback. While this isn't a deal breaker, I had hoped to setup a sub to accompany the M22's. Does anyone here have anyway around this limitation? Aside from purchasing another receiver.

The main reason I do not want to setup another receiver in the zone 2 room is that all of my audio components (record player, cd player, radios, etc) are all located in the zone 1 room and moving them is not an option. I suppose I could just purchase another receiver and place it in the zone 1 room, while running wires for the speakers and sub to zone 2... but that just seems to defeat the purpose!

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Sam, the fact that only two amplification channels can be assigned to play speakers in zone 2 doesn't mean that a sub can't be used there. You'd also connect speaker wires from the 507 output terminals that are connected to the zone 2 M22s to the speaker level inputs on the sub, or if the sub also has pass through speaker level outputs, you could connect the M22s using them, rather than directly to the 507. You'd have to adjust the sub's variable internal low pass filter control to try to get a good blend with the natural bass roll-off of the M22s.

Make sure that model doesn't have limitations for zone 2 such as that only analog inputs can be used. I have a 805 and discovered that limit too late as I am used almost exclusively digital connections.

That seems to often be the case. In fact, I can't think of any receivers with Zone2 that do have a second set of digital processors allowing digital source to be used.

Some at least allow to copy the main stream that can then be used for zones or headphones.

John, thanks for the advise. Now we just have to make sure I understand what you are suggesting. I would need to purchase a sub that has pass through speaker outputs, which is not something on the run-of-the-mill generic subs, right? Could you suggest some economy level subs that have this feature? Again, sorry for my ignorance on the matter.

The zone 2 is in the living room, and is more just for light background entertainment (music only) rather than serious listening. Which was why I am hoping to only drop 100-200 on a pretty standard sub. And then I could put the savings towards my future Rythmik.

And yes, the TX-SR 507 only allows for analog signals to be played in the second zone, but thankfully this will not be an issue.

Any sub with speaker-cable type of inputs and outputs should be fine.

I agree with John, Eric and Ken.

It takes pretty sophisticated logic to provide not only digital conversion in Zone 1 BUT ALSO independent Zone 2 with digital passthrough if Zone1 source = Zone2 source. It seems like the Emotiva preamp was supposed to do this, but I couldn't find any others (Eric?).

I got around the problem by just connecting relevant devices via both digital and analog cables; the 805 and my old Denon seem smart enough to use the digital source in the primary zone and route the analog to Zone2.

Sam, as Tom mentioned, any sub which has speaker level input and output terminals(most of them)can make that connection. The input terminals are a connection into the sub amp plus a straight through connection(no processing or power loss)to the output terminals and then out to the connected main speakers.

I assume that you also saw from the manual that since the 507 amplifier has five output channels, that if you use two of them to power the Zone 2 speakers then you can't simultaneously have the surrounds powered in the main system. The Zone 2 setting would have to be turned off.

Yep, the limitations are numerous with the 507 when it comes to some of the higher level functions. Right now I am looking at just grabbing a Polk or similar, saw one on craigslist for $50 in good condition. Thanks for the info everyone, very helpful.