AR wireless speakers and TX-509

A little after Christmas 2011 we purchased a NR-TX509 receiver. Now, we would like to be able to connect and use a pair of Acoustic Research wireless speakers (model AW 871) that we own. Is that possible?

With our old JVC receiver, we could connect the AR wireless speakers through the headphones jack and keep the wired speakers active as well. Is there a way to do that with the 509? It seems we can either have sound through the wired speakers or through the headphones jack but not through both at the same time. Is that correct?

If we can't connect through the headphones jack, is there somewhere else we would connect these speakers in order to use them simultaneously with a set of wired speakers? The AR speakers each have their own power source and connect to the receiver via a transmitter with its own AC connection as well. The transmitter connects using a one-eighth inch headphone plug (we used an adapter to connect to a standard one-quarter inch headphone jack).

I looked through the owner's manual but could not really find anything definitive on this. Thanks for any help you can give me with this.

Hi WaltH,

It is possible to connect these speakers to our unit but you will need what they call a " Y " adapter. The instructions on how to connect it should be in your model AW 871 manual. The " Y " adapters can be purchased at your local electronics retail store.

What jack would I use (presumably in the back of the receiver) to plug them in? I'm not sure if we still have the AW 871 manual, so I need some suggestions. Thanks.

Hi WaltH,

You may use any available RCA/analog connections in the back of the receiver. Most people use the TV/CD input but any will work.

OnkyoUSA wrote:Hi WaltH,

You may use any available RCA/analog connections in the back of the receiver. Most people use the TV/CD input but any will work.

Forgiveme if I am missing something here, but how will plugging the transmitter/antenna for the wireless speakers into the TV/CD input allow me to hear sound from any input? Don't I need output from the receiver to hear anything through the speakers? Even if what you say does work, wouldn't that limit me to which sources I would receive output from?

Hi WaltH,

No no please forgive me. I re-read your inquiry and seemed to have only answered the first part of the question. Based on what you want to do it would require a tape-2 monitor or tape out on the receiver which this receiver does not have unfortunately.

So there is no way to use these wireless speakers with this receiver? Are there any types/brands of wireless speakers that do work? What would I look for?

Hi WaltH,

Pretty much all of our new products do not have the Tape-out or the Tape-2 monitor. Unfortunately we do not recommend any 3rd party devices.

OnkyoUSA wrote:Hi WaltH,

Pretty much all of our new products do not have the Tape-out or the Tape-2 monitor. Unfortunately we do not recommend any 3rd party devices.

Okay, without recommending a specific brand, can you tell me what type of connection I would look for and where it would connect to the receiver? Or do no wireless speakers work with this model? I don't want to get into buying set after set of wireless speakers only to find they don't work and have to return them. Can you at least mention some brands that might have the correct kind of input/connection so I know what to look for, perhaps brands that other users report work?

Hi WaltH,

The connection again would depend on the device that you want to hook to the receiver, Analog, Optical, HDMI or Digital coaxial.

OnkyoUSA wrote:Hi WaltH,

The connection again would depend on the device that you want to hook to the receiver, Analog, Optical, HDMI or Digital coaxial.

Do wireless speakers (which is what I have been talking about) have those different kinds of inputs? I want to be able to use wireless speakers with this receiver to listen to radio, CDs, mp3s, television, DVD. I want to know if there is a way to connect them and still use the wired speakers. Our old receiver allowed connecting them through the headphone jack but also allowed keeping the wired speakers active, something this receiver does not do.

I want to know if there is somewhere to connect wireless speakers to this receiver other than the headphones jack. If not, it seems like shortsighted design on Onkyo's part. If there is a way to connect them, I need to know where to connect them. I do not know of any wireless speakers with HDMI, Optical, or Digital coaxial plugs, so I am assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that we would be talking about an analog connection. Even if you can't tell me a specific brand of wireless speaker that works with this receiver, I am hoping you can tell me what kind of plug I need on the end of the transmitter/antenna for said wireless speakers and where I would plug said transmitter/antenna into the receiver.

Hi WaltH,

Okay here is how you would connect your wireless speakers to the amp. You will need to use the "surr back" pre-outs on the rear of the unit. As you will see these are analog.

OnkyoUSA wrote:Hi WaltH,

Okay here is how you would connect your wireless speakers to the amp. You will need to use the "surr back" pre-outs on the rear of the unit. As you will see these are analog.

Okay, thanks. That gives me a direction to go in. I'm not where I can look at the manual or the back of the receiver. Can you tell me whether those pre-outs would take an RCA phono style plug or do they require some other style plug? Thanks.

Hi WaltH,

Yes they will take an analog input. You can also go to our support page under manuals and then receivers and download the manual for free.