Best AV processor for UHD Blu-ray 5.1 only

DT79

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Hi - I'm trying to decide of it's worth installing overhead channels while redecorating my home cinema room, to enable a full Atmos set-up once I upgrade my kit to support UHD. I'm actually inclining against it right now for various practical reasons, so will most likely stick with 5.1. My thread for that is here - A couple of basic Atmos questions

Assuming I stick to 5.1, what is the best, highest quality option for a 5.1 AV processor? I'm wondering whether a second hand top-notch processor of yesteryear might be the best bet if all I need is the best possible 5.1 processing. How about pairing a Tag AV192 or Arcam AV8 with a Panasonic UB900 via 5.1 channel analogue out (I could route all other AV sources through the TV and connect audio via optical)? Or what about a cheaper UHD blu-ray player connected to something like an Arcam AV9 or Marantz AV7005 via HDMI?

Or would the same money (~£500) spent on a modern AV Receiver (I don't need the amplification but new AV processors tend to be much more expensive) produce better results purely because things have moved on so much?

I have an Oppo 105 at the moment, connected directly to active speakers, which is a pleasingly elegant solution, and which for the most part I'm very happy with, but there is one functional niggle - audio delay is set globally, not per input - which will need to be addressed on their new UHD blu-ray player, in order for me to replace my 105 with that.

Any thoughts and advice much appreciated!

Cheers
Dan
 
Some aren't fond of having all those 'wasted' power amp bits, but it's either that or fork out a mighty mint for a serious cash heavy processor.

I'm a bit surprised there aren't a couple at least at a reasonable price?
 
How about Anthem MRX 520? It only has 5 channel amp built in and but doesn't have the pre-outputs to add more channels later tho, but that does make it alot cheaper than the MRX 720.
 
Just to comment that the AV9 does not decode any sound (not even stereo) via the HDMI in. They are just there to switch the signal audio comes via analogue inputs or optical/coax.
 
Just to comment that the AV9 does not decode any sound (not even stereo) via the HDMI in. They are just there to switch the signal audio comes via analogue inputs or optical/coax.

Thanks for pointing that out.
 
I've pretty much decided to stick to 5.1, and I won't make any decisions about future gear until I see what the oppo UHD replacement for the BDP105 (assuming there will be one) looks like.
 
I've pretty much decided to stick to 5.1, and I won't make any decisions about future gear until I see what the oppo UHD replacement for the BDP105 (assuming there will be one) looks like.
I believe its due latter end of this year, or more than likely next year.
 
Looking into my options a bit more, I wonder if a second hand Anthem might be a good option (310 or 510 maybe) as my room isn't ideal and I might really benefit from room correction.

If I went this route I'd get a UHD blu-ray player with twin hdmi and I think other sources including sky q could go via the anthem (is that right)?

Do any other brands offer a decent room correction facility?
 
Looking into my options a bit more, I wonder if a second hand Anthem might be a good option (310 or 510 maybe) as my room isn't ideal and I might really benefit from room correction.

If I went this route I'd get a UHD blu-ray player with twin hdmi and I think other sources including sky q could go via the anthem (is that right)?

Do any other brands offer a decent room correction facility?

It depends on whether you think Audyssey is 'decent' or not (I don't but I know plenty do). The other options would be Arcam, but the cheapest model is the AV390 which is around £2,000 as it has Dirac room correction and Atmos capabilities.

TBH I think you're on the right track already with the Anthem. There may even be one or two in the classifieds at the moment.
 
So around a year ago I ended up going for the Denon 3300, because I decided that it was the most cost effective way of getting a fully spec’d up AV Processor with a good degree of future proofing, and generally i’ve been pretty happy with it, particularly for movie soundtracks, and I’ve been very pleased with the Audyssey, that makes a clear improvement.

The one area that I’m not so impressed with, and I guess it’s no surprise, is stereo performance. The speakers I’m using are AVI DM5 2-way active bookshelf speakers and I know from using them in a pure stereo configuration driven straight off a variable volume source like a Sonos Connect, that they are seriously capable performers. But going through the Denon (with Sonos connected via optical) whilst far from bad, the whole thing sounds a lot softer and generally less realistic.

What I’d like to do is see if I can find a second hand AV pre/pro and sacrifice some mod cons, for some serious music credentials. The idea is to try it out and see which on balance I prefer, selling on the loser. My minimum requirements on the video side are HDMI inputs compatible with DTS-HD-MA and Dolby TrueHD (v 1.3?), so that I can connect the secondary output from my Oppo 203 for best audio, other sources can connect via optical/coax and video sources can all go directly to the TV. Audyssey or similar a bonus. Budget ~£500.

Any suggestions?
 
So around a year ago I ended up going for the Denon 3300, because I decided that it was the most cost effective way of getting a fully spec’d up AV Processor with a good degree of future proofing, and generally i’ve been pretty happy with it, particularly for movie soundtracks, and I’ve been very pleased with the Audyssey, that makes a clear improvement.

The one area that I’m not so impressed with, and I guess it’s no surprise, is stereo performance. The speakers I’m using are AVI DM5 2-way active bookshelf speakers and I know from using them in a pure stereo configuration driven straight off a variable volume source like a Sonos Connect, that they are seriously capable performers. But going through the Denon (with Sonos connected via optical) whilst far from bad, the whole thing sounds a lot softer and generally less realistic.

What I’d like to do is see if I can find a second hand AV pre/pro and sacrifice some mod cons, for some serious music credentials. The idea is to try it out and see which on balance I prefer, selling on the loser. My minimum requirements on the video side are HDMI inputs compatible with DTS-HD-MA and Dolby TrueHD (v 1.3?), so that I can connect the secondary output from my Oppo 203 for best audio, other sources can connect via optical/coax and video sources can all go directly to the TV. Audyssey or similar a bonus. Budget ~£500.

Any suggestions?
I recommend Yamaha Aventage 1070 AVR
 
I recommend keeping your Denon for movies and getting a separate amplifier / pre-amp for music. If you get one with HT bypass you can connect the AVR pre-outs to it for easier integration into your system.

However, you mention that you have an Oppo 105, which I believe has its own volume control? In that case you could use that as the pre-amp for music, and use the AVR as the pre-amp for movies, use your active speakers as the power amp, so all that's missing is a switch. Something like a monitor controller so that you can switch your active speakers between the Oppo's input for music and the AVR pre-outs for movies.
 
Thanks for the replies. I ended up taking a punt on a second hand Arcam AV8 and running the Oppo into that via multichannel analogue and everything else directly to the AV8 via optical/coax. So far sound wise it’s a dramatic improvement, but the dynamic range on blu-rays is so insanely large that, whilst undeniably amazing, as it stands I’d only ever be able to watch a film if I was the only one in the house! Also having a few teething troubles using the Oppo for ARC from the TV.
 
Thanks for the replies. I ended up taking a punt on a second hand Arcam AV8 and running the Oppo into that via multichannel analogue and everything else directly to the AV8 via optical/coax. So far sound wise it’s a dramatic improvement, but the dynamic range on blu-rays is so insanely large that, whilst undeniably amazing, as it stands I’d only ever be able to watch a film if I was the only one in the house! Also having a few teething troubles using the Oppo for ARC from the TV.
That's essentially how I'm using my AV9 with my Oppo UDP-205.

Although I don't have ARC issues, I preferred running the TV to the AV9 over digital coax, as this gave me access to the AV9's digital processing functionality. Since ARC can only transfer SD audio, there is no "codec quality issue" involved in not using it.
 
Datasat Rs20i used (my unit is in the classifieds). Sound level on a par with the Trinnov Altitude32, at a fraction of the price.
 
Well, since I created this thread I had and enjoyed the AV8 (wish I’d never sold it TBH), then I had an AVR390 which sounded great (perhaps not quite as transparent as the AV8 purely for music) but was infuriatingly buggy and just would not maintain its network connection. Now got an Anthem MRX520, which sounds great and is totally stable. If you just have 5.1 it’s a really great bet. Anthem Room Correction is really good.

Still, I can’t help hankering after a true dedicated processor with the detail and clarity of the AV8, but with decent room correction built in…
 
Well, since I created this thread I had and enjoyed the AV8 (wish I’d never sold it TBH), then I had an AVR390 which sounded great (perhaps not quite as transparent as the AV8 purely for music) but was infuriatingly buggy and just would not maintain its network connection. Now got an Anthem MRX520, which sounds great and is totally stable. If you just have 5.1 it’s a really great bet. Anthem Room Correction is really good.

Still, I can’t help hankering after a true dedicated processor with the detail and clarity of the AV8, but with decent room correction built in…
Since you mention music as being important, the obvious device would be the McIntosh MX123. Or if you have the cash the McIntosh MX180. Universal devices such as your previous Arcam AV8 are rare nowadays.

If it's just a processor you want, a cheaper alternative would be the Lyngdorf MP-60.2. Alternative options are the Anthem AVM90 or Marantz AV10.

There are also "specialist options" (Storm, Trinnov) with oodles of features, but not necessarily the ease of use of the (McIntosh and) Lyngdorf.

None of these options have the FX DSPs that the AV8 had.
 
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Since you mention music as being important, the obvious device would be the McIntosh MX123. Or if you have the cash the McIntosh MX180. Universal devices such as your previous Arcam AV8 are rare nowadays.

If it's just a processor you want, a cheaper alternative would be the Lyngdorf MP-60.2. Alternative options are the Anthem AVM90 or Marantz AV10.

There are also "specialist options" (Storm, Trinnov) with oodles of features, but not necessarily the ease of use of the (McIntosh and) Lyngdorf.

None of these options have the FX DSPs that the AV8 had.
Wow, thanks but those options are way out my price range! TBH I’m not seriously looking at the moment. I just commented because someone had resurrected my old thread.
 
Wow, thanks but those options are way out my price range! TBH I’m not seriously looking at the moment. I just commented because someone had resurrected my old thread.

Since you had previously owned an AV8, I put your budget in the same region as the AV8 had been then. The Marantz AV10 works out less than the AV8 in its time. :)
 
Since you had previously owned an AV8, I put your budget in the same region as the AV8 had been then. The Marantz AV10 works out less than the AV8 in its time. :)
Ha, it was a second hand AV8 (long past it’s heyday) that i got for about £200! :D
 

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