AVR or AV Processor what to get next question

[fatrich]

Without reliable bench test data it is difficult to say definitively. A quick look at the interior of the two reveals the SR8015 has a toroid PSU vs. a frame-mounted for the 7015. This would tend to suggest (though not always) the SR8015 will have a better measuring pre-amp stage.

Really if you aren't using the onboard amps, a dedicated pre from the AV series will be better.

I agree with you but reviews show the pre outs to be better on the SR8015 than the AV7706 unless ive got it wrong

 

[shug4476]

I agree with you but reviews show the pre outs to be better on the SR8015 than the AV7706 unless ive got it wrong

From the limited photos I can find, the AV7706 also has a toroid. I doubt there will be much in it performance wise. They both seem tremendously expensive to me for what they provide! But I am something of a cheapskate...

 

[rccarguy2]

From the limited photos I can find, the AV7706 also has a toroid. I doubt there will be much in it performance wise. They both seem tremendously expensive to me for what they provide! But I am something of a cheapskate...

Not sure about PSU I know 8805 has and advertised as such. Ignoring tests etc the price increase from 7705 to 7706 is nuts. £1000 ish.

 

[fatrich]

From the limited photos I can find, the AV7706 also has a toroid. I doubt there will be much in it performance wise. They both seem tremendously expensive to me for what they provide! But I am something of a cheapskate...

Not sure about PSU I know 8805 has and advertised as such. Ignoring tests etc the price increase from 7705 to 7706 is nuts. £1000 ish.

Well im a Yorkshire man so tight is my middle name lol
Prices are rediculace right now for every thing and no discounts offered any where due to lack of stock with the chip / processor shortages

 

[rccarguy2]

Well im a Yorkshire man so tight is my middle name lol
Prices are rediculace right now for every thing and no discounts offered any where due to lack of stock with the chip / processor shortages

Cheapest main brand AV pre is £2000

Manufacturer Refurbished - Yamaha CX-A5200 Amplifier - Black

Experience the future of home cinema with the 11.2-channel CX-A5200 AVENTAGE pre-amplifier. Yamaha’s renowned CINEMA DSP HD3 combined with Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X™ deliver an exhilarating home cinema experience.

petertyson.co.uk

If that is too much (there's same as mine) I wouldn't spend £2000 on a AV pre

 

[fatrich]

Cheapest main brand AV pre is £2000

Manufacturer Refurbished - Yamaha CX-A5200 Amplifier - Black

Experience the future of home cinema with the 11.2-channel CX-A5200 AVENTAGE pre-amplifier. Yamaha’s renowned CINEMA DSP HD3 combined with Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X™ deliver an exhilarating home cinema experience.

petertyson.co.uk

If that is too much (there's same as mine) I wouldn't spend £2000 on a AV pre

Im not a Yamaha fan to be honest

 

[rccarguy2]

Avm60 for £1600/£1700? Not sure how up to date it is. Also think it doesn't do auto distance at all have to do manual distance.

I suppose that isn't the end of the world use the Denon auto room set-up distance write those down copy distance settings into avm60.

 

[fatrich]

Avm60 for £1600/£1700? Not sure how up to date it is. Also think it doesn't do auto distance at all have to do manual distance.

I suppose that isn't the end of the world use the Denon auto room set-up distance write those down copy distance settings into avm60.

No earc

 

[rccarguy2]

No earc

If you go direct , way round that
Unless you want hd audio from TV etc then yeah e-arc needed.

Talking of which I'll test e-arc of the LG c9 into my at300, use built in media player playback some content. I did have issues with sources through the TV but haven't tried direct playback

 

[fatrich]

If you go direct , way round that
Unless you want hd audio from TV etc then yeah e-arc needed.

Talking of which I'll test e-arc of the LG c9 into my at300, use built in media player playback some content. I did have issues with sources through the TV but haven't tried direct playback

ok cheers

someone is selling the Yamaha CX A5200 on the forums ive just had a poke even though i said i don't care for Yamaha's

 

[rccarguy2]

ok cheers

someone is selling the Yamaha CX A5200 on the forums ive just had a poke even though i said i don't care for Yamaha's

If you do buy it,.use RCA on the left and right pre outs as it has issue on XLR left and right pre outs. All the other channels are ok.

 

[Jester1066]

@fatrich IMO, the only hope of getting appreciably better SQ by moving from your X4500 with external amplification is to go for a different brand with a better Room EQ system. If you're sticking with D&M and Audyssey XT32 I think you would need to go for a separate processor (e.g. AV8805) but even then I'd be a little sceptical about the extent of the improvement you'll notice in practice over the X4500. I think you're at a point of diminishing returns and you need to look for step improvement changes, not subtle ones.

@fatrich

FWIW I 100% Agree with @Mr Wolf

If you look at my signature, I'm using the same AVR & subs as you. My room is around 4ft longer than yours, but the same width. I use an Audiolab 6000A for 2 channel music (this also powers my front speakers in my HT setup as it has HT Bypass. The rest of my speakers are all currently powered by the Denon.

I do aim to get some multi channel power amps (most likely Emotiva Basx) in future. I'll then run all my speakers off the power amps (as you do). The ultimate goal or end game is to then replace the 4500 with a processor. Like you, I don't like the newer Arcams, but am interested in either the Anthems etc. It appears we are almost at a similar point in our "AV journeys" and as such imo I'd be inclined to save your money and put it towards one of the higher costing processors - with better Room EQ (ie Anthem, Lyngdorf Lexicon etc). This is exactly the route I'll be taking as for me there's little value in swapping a very good AVR, to a processor from the same brand which has the same Room EQ.

Edit: I'll also add. The suggestion earlier in the thread to replace your current AVR with a 3700, quite frankly begars belief, so I'm glad you dismissed it as a viable option!

(As Mr Wolf points out that most definitely will not add any significant upgrade in SQ)

 

[rccarguy2]

@fatrich

FWIW I 100% Agree with @Mr Wolf

If you look at my signature, I'm using the same AVR & subs as you. My room is around 4ft longer than yours, but the same width. I use an Audiolab 6000A for 2 channel music (this also powers my front speakers in my HT setup as it has HT Bypass. The rest of my speakers are all currently powered by the Denon.

I do aim to get some multi channel power amps (most likely Emotiva Basx) in future. I'll then run all my speakers off the power amps (as you do). The ultimate goal or end game is to then replace the 4500 with a processor. Like you, I don't like the newer Arcams, but am interested in either the Anthems etc. It appears we are almost at a similar point in our "AV journeys" and as such imo I'd be inclined to save your money and put it towards one of the higher costing processors - with better Room EQ (ie Anthem, Lyngdorf Lexicon etc). This is exactly the route I'll be taking as for me there's little value in swapping a very good AVR, to a processor from the same brand which has the same Room EQ.

Would you not want room eq for stereo? I think anthem do stereo integrated amp with arc?

As for bas X, personally I'd spend bit extra get iota or tonewinner amp, much better cooling than bas x and fully passive, huge heatsink..bas x little heatsinks. Same company.

 

[fatrich]

@fatrich

FWIW I 100% Agree with @Mr Wolf

If you look at my signature, I'm using the same AVR & subs as you. My room is around 4ft longer than yours, but the same width. I use an Audiolab 6000A for 2 channel music (this also powers my front speakers in my HT setup as it has HT Bypass. The rest of my speakers are all currently powered by the Denon.

I do aim to get some multi channel power amps (most likely Emotiva Basx) in future. I'll then run all my speakers off the power amps (as you do). The ultimate goal or end game is to then replace the 4500 with a processor. Like you, I don't like the newer Arcams, but am interested in either the Anthems etc. It appears we are almost at a similar point in our "AV journeys" and as such imo I'd be inclined to save your money and put it towards one of the higher costing processors - with better Room EQ (ie Anthem, Lyngdorf Lexicon etc). This is exactly the route I'll be taking as for me there's little value in swapping a very good AVR, to a processor from the same brand which has the same Room EQ.

Edit: I'll also add. The suggestion earlier in the thread to replace your current AVR with a 3700, quite frankly begars belief, so I'm glad you dismissed it as a viable option!

(As Mr Wolf points out that most definitely will not add any significant upgrade in SQ)

Its all difficult choices especially going off reviews, im going to keep the 4500 for the time being as im not desperate to sell and upgrade but looking for a natural upgrade path what ever that path is
keep me posted and what you get up to please

 

[Jester1066]

Its all difficult choices especially going off reviews, im going to keep the 4500 for the time being as im not desperate to sell and upgrade but looking for a natural upgrade path what ever that path is
keep me posted and what you get up to please

I certainly will mate. As always in this game, there's so many choices and possibilities. It's certainly difficult to find "bang for your buck" at current prices too imo. Hence staying with the 4500. Which even with the newer AVR's is still a fantastic receiver in its own right. Only lacking in HDR10+ and HDMI 2.1 (8K). The latter is only applicable too, if you have a latest gen console.

TlDR: The 4500 does everything a newer 3700 does (and or Marantz Processor) and importantly it does it well!

 

[rccarguy2]

Trinnov Altitude 32

Trinonov Altitude 32 - The Ultimate Experience In Immersive Audio. Peerless in performance, configurability and sound quality, the Altitude32 remains the unchallenged reference processor for Immersive home theater systems.

www.holburnonline.co.uk

Just a bit too much?

 

[fatrich]

I certainly will mate. As always in this game, there's so many choices and possibilities. It's certainly difficult to find "bang for your buck" at current prices too imo. Hence staying with the 4500. Which even with the newer AVR's is still a fantastic receiver in its own right. Only lacking in HDR10+ and HDMI 2.1 (8K). The latter is only applicable too, if you have a latest gen console.

TlDR: The 4500 does everything a newer 3700 does (and or Marantz Processor) and importantly it does it well!

I as tempted to go for the Arcam avr390 as suggested by a few members and simply use all the pre outs and at £999 new its a good buy, but not having Earc is deal breaker right now for me

 

[fatrich]

Trinnov Altitude 32

Trinonov Altitude 32 - The Ultimate Experience In Immersive Audio. Peerless in performance, configurability and sound quality, the Altitude32 remains the unchallenged reference processor for Immersive home theater systems.

www.holburnonline.co.uk

Just a bit too much?

If i had that kind of money i wouldn't spend it on that, just not realistic for 99% of people on here including me

 

[Jester1066]

I as tempted to go for the Arcam avr390 as suggested by a few members and simply use all the pre outs and at £999 new its a good buy, but not having Earc is deal breaker right now for me

Yep I'd want eArc too tbf

 

[fatrich]

Yep I'd want eArc too tbf

If you need any more Audiolab power amps in the furture please let me know

 

[rccarguy2]

If i had that kind of money i wouldn't spend it on that, just not realistic for 99% of people on here including me

 

[Jester1066]

If you need any more Audiolab power amps in the furture please let me know

Will do!

Tip: If you "follow" my profile - you'll get notified on any posts I do. I'll likely document my journey to a processor, so doing this you'll see "how I got there" so to speak!

Of course it's entirely up to you if you want to do that!

 

[fatrich]

Will do!

Tip: If you "follow" my profile - you'll get notified on any posts I do. I'll likely document my journey to a processor, so doing this you'll see "how I got there" so to speak!

Of course it's entirely up to you if you want to do that!

sorted

is there an external device out there that will convert arc to earc ?

 

[Mr Wolf]

Guys, I must be missing something here - why eARC is so important to you both?

Are you looking to route HD audio back to your AVR from your TV or something?

 

[Jester1066]

Are you looking to route HD audio back to your AVR from your TV or something?

Yep!