Question Advice/Opinion please - Denon AVR-x2200w or X5200w

MrTubThumper

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Hi, I'm currently running a X2200w and am really impressed with it but I am missing some of the power and authority that my old (pre split) Arcam AV8/P7 used to have. I have the opportunity to get hold of a X5200w for £700 and am wondering if I will find that a improvement from the x2200w. I run Monitor Audio GR 20's and centre speakers (I bi-amp the 20's) and CP gold in ceiling rears, I'm thinking of installing Monitor Audio SF1 1 in walls as rear/sides making a 7.1 setup and still bi-amping the main fronts. Taking the 7.1 set-up option out of the equation is the x5200w a step up?

I'd appreciate any input as I'm just getting back into everything again and am a bit out of touch!

Thanks

Paul
 
Note that the AVRX5200 will not be able to give you DTS:X or HDCP 2.2 compliance. It was superceded by the AVRX6200 hence the low price for the AVRX5200. The AVRX5200 was released the year before the currenr line up, but unlike the AVRX7200 Denon did not make an HDCP 2.2 upgrade available for it and it was replaced by the AVRX6200.

Maybe look at the Marantz SR7010 as a viable alternative to the AVRX5200. This receiver has most of what you'd have gotten with the AVRX5200 plus HDCP 2.2 compliance and DTS:X. You can even get up to £200 off the price if you trade in your AVRX2200. See here:

Marantz SR7010


By the way, forget the bi-amping. You don't need it and you are wasting 2 channels of amplification that would be better utilised powering two additional Atmos speakers. You don't get either Atmos or DTS:X via a basic 7.1 speaker configuration.
 
The x5200w does have dts:x and hdcp 2.2.....
 
Ah..my bad. Assumed the 5200 was a stepup from this years 4200...

I shall leave now ;)
 
Ah..my bad. Assumed the 5200 was a stepup from this years 4200...

I shall leave now ;)

No it was released at the time of the 4100 and superceded (replaced) by the AVRX6200W. The model number is confusing though :)
 
Note that the AVRX5200 will not be able to give you DTS:X or HDCP 2.2 compliance. It was superceded by the AVRX6200 hence the low price for the AVRX5200. The AVRX5200 was released the year before the currenr line up, but unlike the AVRX7200 Denon did not make an HDCP 2.2 upgrade available for it and it was replaced by the AVRX6200.

Maybe look at the Marantz SR7010 as a viable alternative to the AVRX5200. This receiver has most of what you'd have gotten with the AVRX5200 plus HDCP 2.2 compliance and DTS:X. You can even get up to £200 off the price if you trade in your AVRX2200. See here:

Marantz SR7010


By the way, forget the bi-amping. You don't need it and you are wasting 2 channels of amplification that would be better utilised powering two additional Atmos speakers. You don't get either Atmos or DTS:X via a basic 7.1 speaker configuration.

Ok, but as a 7.1 setup with the main front bi-amped would it have more of that power/control, more musicality that I am looking for than x2200W? I guess I'm potentially looking it at as a stop gap for the next year so I can get back to enjoying my music and blu-rays/netflix/PS4 (I use spotify a lot along with NAS for streaming streaming) with the aim of getting something more serious (7200w) in a year or so. Would the lack of DTS:X be a real miss with a strong 7.1 setup? At £700 it seemed like a good price to me with the X6200W being twice the price, but as I said I'm out of touch!


with maybe ATMOS added over the next year
 
Why waste £700 for the sake of a year? Save the £700 and wait if you intend on buying a new receiver next year. Making comparisons between a receiver close to the bottom of a range compared to one that was close to the top is only going to result in the obvious answer. Yes, it will drive your speakers better than the AVRX2200 and will portray better audio performance, but you'd still be wastingyour money given the short term use you'd get out of it. Passive bi-amping wont really yield you with any noticable improvements. I'd seriously suggest you forget about bi-amping if using an AV receiver. Using those 2 channels to power 2 additional Atmos speakers will give you more enjoyment.
 
Why waste £700 for the sake of a year? Save the £700 and wait if you intend on buying a new receiver next year. Making comparisons between a receiver close to the bottom of a range compared to one that was close to the top is only going to result in the obvious answer. Yes, it will drive your speakers better than the AVRX2200 and will portray better audio performance, but you'd still be wastingyour money given the short term use you'd get out of it. Passive bi-amping wont really yield you with any noticable improvements. I'd seriously suggest you forget about bi-amping if using an AV receiver. Using those 2 channels to power 2 additional Atmos speakers will give you more enjoyment.

Not heard the expression passive bi-amping, can you explain that pls? I guess I'm looking at it from a hi-fi point more than a feature point but what you are saying makes sense. Maybe the X4200W would be the option for now allowing me to add a separate power amp at a later date for the mains to get what I'm after musically?

(Thanks for your input by the way)
 
This may help:
http://www.audioholics.com/frequent-questions/the-difference-between-biamping-vs-biwiring.

The AVRX4200 is only a 7 channel receiver so even if you add an additional power amp you can only ever have a max 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 Atmos setup. If you were to look at say the Marantz SR7010 then you could potentially facilitate an Atmos 7.1.4 setup because it is a 9 channel receiver to which you can add 2 more channels of amplification. The SR7010 is closer to the AVRX5200 than the AVRX4200.
 
I'll have to digest that article, I always though uncoupling the speaker terminals so you have 2 sets removes the use of the internal speaker crossover?

I get the part about setting the crossovers wishing the processor before the power amp. I always thought using a separate power amp for high/low inputs on a speaker would yield better results as long as the signal being sent to it is correct.
 
While passive bi-amping the crossovers within the speakers are still utilised.

The relative cost of passive bi-amping is high when given the results. I doubt you'd even be able to tell the difference if subjected to blind testing of the setup with and without bi-amping? The 2 additional channels are better used elsewhere.
 
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The 5200 will be a BIG improvement over the X2200 in terms of driving your speakers, so unless you need HDCP2.2 at the mo I'd be inclined to get a 5200 given the excellent price/performance of that model (due to it lacking aforementined HDCP2.2 support). Alternatively if you liked the P7 sound, grab something like an Alpha10p3 power amp of the bay and use this to power the front LCR, leaving the 2200's internal amps for the other channels?
 
Hi, I did think of that but the X2200W didn't have pre outs. In the end I went for the AVR-X4200W and am much happier, sonically it has far more authority and it will last a little longer. Being a PS4 user it was the prospect of a 4K PS4 round the corner that swung it. The seller also wanted to much for the X5200W.

Thanks for your input guys :)
 
You don't want the X5200W it's an older 2014 model and lacking in features (will outdate quickly).
 

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