3803 vs 2011D as processor only

J

jitter

Guest
Looking to use either the Denon 3803 (with its latest SHARC 32bit floating point DSP) or the Pioneer VSX-D2011 (with its 150 MIPS High-speed Dual DSP) as a processor only

I know about the rotel 1066 etc and others, but Im really only interested in the above and especially if anyone has or is using one this way with high end amps. (my amps are commercial specials I constructed and each channel is completely isolated with it's own high grade toroidal power supply)

I currently use a Pioneer ELITE SP-99D pre-processor, although one of the first available AC3 products still sounds fantastic but only offers Doby Digital & pro-logic and might be getting a little long in the tooth. Kind of leaning towards the Pioneer D2011 as I like the sound from my current processor plus it has the extra THX processing that the Denon doesn't. Don't know how good the MIPS dual processor is though?

I recently heard a TAG AV192 processor through powerful M&K speaker system at sevenoaks with the Sim projector and both the Mrs & I thought it sounded a bit too brash & brittle... not that it wasn't great, don't get me wrong, just to us it didn't sound as good as ours... maybe it was the active M&K's or the settings.

Anyway, anyone tried the pioneer or denon as a processor?

Thanks :smashin:
 
I've tried hooking the Pioneer up to 5 Cyrus PSX-Rd Powers, and subsequently to 3 Ashly Audio MFA-8000s... its pretty good, imo, but to my ears still out performed by my old Cyrus AV5. It could be i'm just "use" to the AV5 i guess...but i'd not replace the AV5, which also only supports DD and PL, with a 2011.
 
That's interesting info mate thanks. Kind of how I feel about my ELITE... no idea what processors were used or the implementation of the board apart from everything inside is audiophile capacitors & components with gold & copper plating everywhere and it seems very substantial compared to the inners of say a TAG av32r.
 
I use the processor of the 3803 for front left and right with Linn LK100 power amps.

Sounds great to me even though the 3803 power amps are used for centre and rear speakers.

Best if you could demo really although my Linn dealer really rates Denon processing.

Cheers

Timbo
 
Thanks Timbo,

Yeah, would like a demo but its hard enough finding a demo of the 2011D let alone asking it to be fed into high end power amps, and even then the amps make a great difference to the sound.

Looking at the statistics the Denon has the lowest post processing distortion and highest s/n ratio of the two.

Still would like to hear if anyone else has done this with good/bad results.

Thanks
 
tyefi ... did you know you can get your AV5 upgraded to an AV8 for about £300 (IIRC).

jitter ... is there any reason you don't want to use the internal amplification of a 2011 / 3803? And any reason you wouldn't consider a RSP1066?

Vikki
 
Originally posted by sounddog
tyefi ... did you know you can get your AV5 upgraded to an AV8 for about £300 (IIRC).
[---]
Vikki

Yes but unfortunately, and i can't quiet understand why, the AV8 still, at least as i understand it, doesn't support extended surround decoding...which is a "must have" for my next processor. I'm hanging around... hoping the AV"X" will support EX and that my old AV5 can be modded to that spec...if not i'll bite the bullet and head off in the TAG/Arcam direction.
 
jitter ... is there any reason you don't want to use the internal amplification of a 2011 / 3803?

Yeah my monoblock power amps are far superior.

And any reason you wouldn't consider a RSP1066?

Well it's on the shortlist, but, can never find a demo of it. I don't think the processors are good value for money either (JMO). Just received an M-Audio Revolution 7.1 card for the HCPC with far better specs for £63+vat so I'll listen to that first & compare. I don't need any video switching etc.
 

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