AVR recommendations for 7.2.4 (11.2) setup

[kepha]

Hi all - I know choosing equipment is somewhat subjective, but I am looking for some advice for my new home cinema build.

I am looking to build a 7.2.4 system based around the M&K 150 speakers. This is a fairly big upgrade for me and I want to get it right.

Looked at the JBL synthesis sdr-35 which seemed to be well reviewed but appears to require some additional amplification which I do not fully understand.

Also have seen the Lyngdorf mp-50 mentioned a lot in regard to this speaker setup. But coming from a modest Marantz SR7010 AVR this is not territory I have explored before.

Currently pretending budget is not an issue - but the Lyngdorf is certainly on the upper end of the spectrum of what I would consider.

Can you provide any recommendations on A. how to set up one of the two above options for 7.2.4 or B. an alternative setup altogether,

Thanks!

 

[Praetorpwj]

I have an M&K 5.1.4 system working off a Marantz 7010 and planning to move to 7.1.4 in the near future.

Lyngdorf MP50 gives you up to 15 channels which you don’t need. You could go with a cheaper MP40 which can process 11 channels and get the same benefits albeit with only 3 nr hdmi outputs. You will need separate amplification for all 11 channels as it is purely a processor.

The JBL will process 15 channels but only power 7 meaning you will need separate amplification for 4 channels.

Cheapest option would be to retain the 7010 as I believe it can process 11 channels and get amplification for the additional 2.

I’m probably going to move to either a Lyngdorf or Trinnov system eventually but I’m focusing my budget on a new room at the moment.

 

[kepha]

Thank you for your reply @Praetorpwj I am starting to understand this pre-amp and power-amp stuff more as I read about it.

Any thoughts on the Anthem AVR's as well, such as the AVM90?

 

[Praetorpwj]

I have never heard an Anthem system I’m afraid but people seem to like them. Another 15 channel pure processor with a different EQ system. You could go with one of their AVR range like the 1140 which can power 11 channels in a one box solution for a similar price.

A lot depends on your room arrangement, the better EQ systems like Room Perfect supposedly work well in difficult examples, hence the premium.

Personally I rather like the 7010 and have sat on it for 6 years now. It is very good value to performance and I will only move onto something with a demonstrably profound improvement.

Best thing to do is demo either at local showroom or try to attend a members open day.

 

[rccarguy2]

Seperates? Yamaha 5200 with couple of iota 7ch amps or hypex.

150 need a bit Welly behind them (4ohm)

 

[kepha]

I am pleased to hear you are running the M&K 150's through your Marantz - I was under the impression I would require an upgrade to get the best out of these but perhaps I can put off updating for a while too. I am also very pleased with the Marantz with my monitor audio speakers. I will get the MK speakers first, set them up with the Marantz and then look around for a demo to try and compare.

I am actually moving house soon - hence the upgrade. So I am not in the house yet and do not quite have the room specifics laid out but I have a mental image of where the system is going to go. Once I am moved in I will undoubtedly be posting here to seek more advice on how to get the best from the room specifically.

 

[Praetorpwj]

You are welcome to demo should you ever find yourself in the NW.

 

[jzh10]

HI, congratulations, starting with M&K 150s is a great place to start, they are terrific for home theatre. They'll take all the power you can feed them.
Regarding theatre processors the MP50 is no longer a current model, it's the MP40 or MP60. Both include the full RoomPerfect room compensation system which is a big part of the Lyngdorf secret sauce. Both the MP40 and MP60 are top of the market theatre processors. Main differences are

• MP40 has 3 HDMI inputs and 1 output, MP60 has 5 HDMI inputs and 2 outputs
• MP40 is currently 18gb HDMI 2.0b, MP60 is full HDMI 2.1 so supports 8K and higher 4K refresh rates, among other HDMI features. Lyngdorf will have an upgrade available for existing MP40 units to upgrade them to HDMI 2.1.
• MP40 has 12 discrete decoding channels, MP60 has 16
• quality of audio and video decoding and electronics are identical
• IP control and integration with control/automation systems are identical
• reliability is excellent, electronics are very very stable (don't discount this!!)
• these are processors only. You still need amps.

If you can get away with it, the MP40 is siginificantly less expensive.
For theatre use, 2 subs are better than 1, and 4 subs are better than 2. More subs provide much more balanced bass responses around your room, nulls and peaks are generally much less severe. This is true even if your subs are not on discrete decoding channels. Of course the more discrete channels the better.
Consider adding a pair of "width" speakers , between the front left/right and the side surrounds. This is typically the largest weak spot in a theatre sound field (think of the distance between those speakers on the side wall of the theatre). This can often be much more useful than 2 pairs of Atmos (there is actually very little sound power routed through the Atmos channels, not nearly as much as the main channels in a theatre).