Folks,
I seem to need some help with finalizing between the following 3 options:
1. Marantz AV7701 - about US$1700, including customs duty and shipping
2. Onkyo PR-SC5508 - about US$2500, including customs duty and shipping from UAE
3. Integra DHC80.3 (or Onkyo PR-SC5509) - about US$2600, including customs duty and shipping from
(The DHC60.5 is not available yet outside North America and Taiwan - so I'm forced to look at the above options)
Background: I'm based in India (220V-50Hz AC). My mains (L/C/R)- Neumann KH310 (Active 3 way, balanced XLR inputs). Not yet decided on the surrounds - will add them later... These will be sitting in an untreated, reflective apartment living-room and in a couple of years move to a dedicated HT room (with some treatment).
Sound Quality is the top-most priority. Usage will be Music 70%, Movies 30% - played through a HTPC from media files stored from hard-disks or streamed through.
The PR-SC5508 and PR-SC5509 (Integra DHC80.3) have the following factors in their favor:
1. Audyssey MultEq XT32
2. Sub-Eq
3. 32 bit DACs
4. 2 USB inputs - makes it easier to have 2 disks connected
5. 9.2 Ch
The following factors are against the Onkyo/Integra:
1. Does not offer 4k Pass-through - again not sure if its a simple firmware upgrade or the whole video-card needs to be changed? anyways I don't plant to get a 4k display in the next few years - its still nice to know it will be covered when I do get it... but who knows what will happen to HDMI standards at that point - and by then HDBaseT (found on the DHC60.5) may be the standard.
2. The price is considerably higher than the Marantz.
The Marantz AV7701 has the following factors in its favor:
1. Lower price - a preferred price point for me (considering I've already spent around US$7k for just the LCR)
2. Available locally with better dealer support network than the Integra which is available only in the UAE.
3. 4k pass-through
The following factors are against the Marantz:
1. No Audyssey MultEq XT32 or Sub-Eq
2. 24bit DACs
3. only 7.2 ch
Not sure how to compare the THD and other "performance" figures of the above.
I've also considered the following but dropped due to price or lack of a certain feature or availability or other considerations:
Sherbourn (Emotiva) PT-7030, XMC-1
Marantz AV7005, AV8801
Denon DN-500AV
Yamaha CX-A5000
Krell Foundation, Crestron, Anthem, Cary, Primare, Lexicon, Storm, Meridian
It is quite surprising that there no other processors in the US$2000 price range with balanced XLR output...
Could the experts and regulars of this forum help me make a decision on this decision?
Thanks in advance for any and all responses.
I seem to need some help with finalizing between the following 3 options:
1. Marantz AV7701 - about US$1700, including customs duty and shipping
2. Onkyo PR-SC5508 - about US$2500, including customs duty and shipping from UAE
3. Integra DHC80.3 (or Onkyo PR-SC5509) - about US$2600, including customs duty and shipping from
(The DHC60.5 is not available yet outside North America and Taiwan - so I'm forced to look at the above options)
Background: I'm based in India (220V-50Hz AC). My mains (L/C/R)- Neumann KH310 (Active 3 way, balanced XLR inputs). Not yet decided on the surrounds - will add them later... These will be sitting in an untreated, reflective apartment living-room and in a couple of years move to a dedicated HT room (with some treatment).
Sound Quality is the top-most priority. Usage will be Music 70%, Movies 30% - played through a HTPC from media files stored from hard-disks or streamed through.
The PR-SC5508 and PR-SC5509 (Integra DHC80.3) have the following factors in their favor:
1. Audyssey MultEq XT32
2. Sub-Eq
3. 32 bit DACs
4. 2 USB inputs - makes it easier to have 2 disks connected
5. 9.2 Ch
The following factors are against the Onkyo/Integra:
1. Does not offer 4k Pass-through - again not sure if its a simple firmware upgrade or the whole video-card needs to be changed? anyways I don't plant to get a 4k display in the next few years - its still nice to know it will be covered when I do get it... but who knows what will happen to HDMI standards at that point - and by then HDBaseT (found on the DHC60.5) may be the standard.
2. The price is considerably higher than the Marantz.
The Marantz AV7701 has the following factors in its favor:
1. Lower price - a preferred price point for me (considering I've already spent around US$7k for just the LCR)
2. Available locally with better dealer support network than the Integra which is available only in the UAE.
3. 4k pass-through
The following factors are against the Marantz:
1. No Audyssey MultEq XT32 or Sub-Eq
2. 24bit DACs
3. only 7.2 ch
Not sure how to compare the THD and other "performance" figures of the above.
I've also considered the following but dropped due to price or lack of a certain feature or availability or other considerations:
Sherbourn (Emotiva) PT-7030, XMC-1
Marantz AV7005, AV8801
Denon DN-500AV
Yamaha CX-A5000
Krell Foundation, Crestron, Anthem, Cary, Primare, Lexicon, Storm, Meridian
It is quite surprising that there no other processors in the US$2000 price range with balanced XLR output...
Could the experts and regulars of this forum help me make a decision on this decision?
Thanks in advance for any and all responses.
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