Question Which Av amp????

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Ok, I don't know whether this has been asked but as I can't be bothered to traipse through all the threads (lazy yes I know) here goes.

I'm not buying one .... yet.... but later (probably) this year I am considering purchasing a new AV amp to replace my sterling "Denon" AVC-A11XV(A) to garner the latest surround codecs, namely Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The two i'm considering are the "Denon" AVC-X8500H or the Marantz SR8012. Where my system resides is in the lounge therefore the only realistic setup would be going from my 7.1 setup to a 7.1.4 one. But one of my requirements is to have good quality straight hi-fi stereo reproduction as is the case with my present "Denon" behemoth and this was one of several reasons for choosing this model in the first place.

At full selling price there is a £600 difference between the two with the Marantz offering this configuration at the lower price and getting good reviews on its straight stereo. What do you feel I should do, apart from obviously auditioning the two amps?

Both marques are beginning to converge due to their parent owner and both have excellent pedigrees. I have been very, very happy with my "Denon" 11XV as I have been with my previous "Marantz" CD player as I am with my present one plus my CD player / recorder. It's a bit of a quandary so over to you for some reasoned advice. By the way the price difference is not the prime consideration as I will be keeping it for quite some years as I have already done with my present amp. :cool:
 
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Hello. This is a very frequently discussed topic at the moment!

What some of us are doing is using a mid range AVR for movies (eg a Denon 4400 / 6400 or Marantz SR6012 / 7012) then adding an integrated amp into the system, with HT bypass, to take care of music needs. The HT bypass option enables the integrated amp to act as a power amp for the front left and right speakers when using the AVR. Then when listening to music the AVR is switched off and you just use the integrated amp.

This works out cheaper than buying the flagship AVR models, and will sound better for music. It is a no brainer if you can find the space to fit the extra devices in.
 
Hello. This is a very frequently discussed topic at the moment!

What some of us are doing is using a mid range AVR for movies (eg a Denon 4400 / 6400 or Marantz SR6012 / 7012) then adding an integrated amp into the system, with HT bypass, to take care of music needs. The HT bypass option enables the integrated amp to act as a power amp for the front left and right speakers when using the AVR. Then when listening to music the AVR is switched off and you just use the integrated amp.

This works out cheaper than buying the flagship AVR models, and will sound better for music. It is a no brainer if you can find the space to fit the extra devices in.

Unfortunately space is a consideration as I have two full five tier hi-fi racks in our standard domestic lounge and therefore a one box solution is the way for me to go.

Apart from anything else i'm married to a (in hi-fi rack terms) a very giving wifey. So although I thank you for the advice it's back to my original one box question. Which one in AV Forumites opinions should I consider more over than the other even thought the ultimate decision will be mine but based on reasoned advice?
 
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Marantz are known to be better than Denon for music. They use HDAM pre-amps. I found this to be true having had a Marantz SR7011 a Denon 6300 and a Denon 4400. But, a separate integrated amplifier is better still, it's a shame you can't fit one in.

I wonder what is filling up your two five tier hi-fi racks that is more important that having good sounding music? ;)

Arcam AVRs are known to be better still for music than Marantz, but they are expensive.

The other factor is power. Powering 11 speakers from one power supply, which is shared with the pre-amps and the video boards of the AVR will mean that headroom may be limited, depending on your room, speakers and listening habits.
 
Unfortunately space is a consideration as I have two full five tier hi-fi racks in our standard domestic lounge and therefore a one box solution is the way for me to go.

Apart from anything else i'm married to a (in hi-fi rack terms) a very giving wifey. So although I thank you for the advice it's back to my original one box question. Which one in AV Forumites opinions should I consider more over than the other even thought the ultimate decision will be mine but based on reasoned advice?


I think that the Denon makes more sense if you intend on having a 9.1.4 or 7.1.6 setup. I'd probably opt for the Marantz if your intention is to only go as far as a 7.1.4 setup. I'd also want to audition both if paying this kind of money for an AVR and this would ulyimately be what would determine a decision to buy.

Unlike other models from the D&M lineup, these 2 both have unique architecture not shared between them so should be judged independently of one another.

The one advantage the Denon may have over its Marantz compatriot is its promised HDMI version 2.1 hardware upgrade? Denon have said that the this model will be getting a paid hardware upgrade option within the next 2 years. THe Marantz model has no such option.

HDMI 2.1 Ready
Ushering in the future of home theater, the AVR-X8500H boasts advanced video capability and is fully compatible with the latest HDMI connectivity and HDCP 2.2 specifications on all eight HDMI inputs and triple HDMI outputs. The receiver also supports 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, High Dynamic Range (HDR), 21:9 video, 3D and BT.2020 pass-through support. As such, the AVR-X8500H is prepared for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc players, set-top boxes and other 4K Ultra HD sources. Additionally, it can support legacy systems by upscaling standard and high definition analog and digital video content to 4K Ultra HD. Dolby Vision, eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) compatibility are also supported. eARC will be enabled via a firmware update in 2018. Further, Denon plans to support the owners of the AVC-X8500H with both hardware and software upgradability to the HDMI 2.1 specification, namely 8K pass-through capability when the solution becomes available. It will be a charged upgrade service though the price has yet to be announced.

Denon AVR-X8500H World's First 13.2CH AV Receiver Preview
 
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I wonder what is filling up your two five tier hi-fi racks that is more important that having good sounding music? ;)

Thanks guys, ultimately it looks like it's a matter of how I feel about the quality of the two channel reproduction as i'm sure that both these amps have great enveloping surround sound from the various codecs. Realistically I can't have more than a 7.1.4 setup as I said above due to where it is.

As far as my hi-fi racks are concerned I have the following.... here goes you asked for it "Rambles". :devil:

Rack one.... My "Denon" AVC-11XV(A) av amp :love:( although the "A" upgrade was a waste of money and £550 thrown away imo) followed by a 2D "LG" BD player model BD390 which when it came out got a great review from avforums. A "Panasonic" 3D blu-ray player model BDT-500, an old(er) "Sony" DVD player / recorder HDR-HX710 and a "Panny" 3D BD player / recorder model DMR BWT850.

Ok rack two.... A "Thorens" TD125 mk2 belt driven turntable coupled with an "SME" 3009 nine inch fixed head arm fitted with a Shure V15 mk3 cartridge. A "Marantz" CD player model 6004 and under that a "Marantz"CD player / recorder model DR 6000 and under that a "Denon" TU 1800 DAB / FM / AM tuner. Ok, ok the bottom shelf is empty.... now but all that cabling, and to have two amps one for surround and the other for music only.... :eek: :eek:. Remember I am married.... :rolleyes: ;)
 
Hi :)

Crikey, a lot of kit! I thought 3d blu ray players played 2d blu rays and DVD's and CD's?! Seems like you have a lot of devices that do duplicate things.

It is, of course, none of my business, but if it were me, I would swap out one of the disc spinners for a nice integrated amp with HT bypass which would increase the sound quality for 2 channel music listening by a fairly noticeable amount, and I am sure you would get more pleasure out of your turntable and cd player(s), and probably tuner also. You might also want to add in a very inexpensive and tiny streamer such as the chromescast audio for streaming digital music to it.

If you are only running a 7.1.4 set-up, then you don't need to go into the flagship models of AVR's, as one of their main selling points is that they can process and amplify 13 channels, but you only need 11.

So, you could look at the (much less expensive) Denon 4400 / Marantz 6012 (using the integrated amp to power 2 of the channels) or a Denon 6400, or a Marantz SR7012. Then put the rest of the budget to that nice integrated amplifier.

That's my view anyway, I am sure others will chip in with their own perspectives :)
 
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Hi :)

Crikey, a lot of kit! I thought 3d blu ray players played 2d blu rays and DVD's and CD's?! Seems like you have a lot of devices that do duplicate things.:)


Many of these items were bought quite some time ago, like for instance the "LG" 2D BD player which was my first BD player. Around five years ago I purchased a Panny 50" plasma VT30 as our (then) nineteen year old 33" "Mitsubishi" 4:3 CRT TV eventually packed up, and of course the Panny VT30 is 3D enabled hence me buying the Panny 3D BDT-500 player. I also fancied a BD recorder for archiving to BDR discs instead of DVDR's. The "Sony" DVD recorder is still working (although the disc copying side of things have gone west) so I use that for just keeping stuff on the hard drive watch it and then wipe.

I also purchased the Panny BD recorder which is 3D by default but I bought it at a very advantageous price of £360 brand new and not a seconds or used sample through a fully accredited legitimate dealer so that was a bit of a no brainer. It also gives me far higher picture quality on home made recordings from the HD channels including the 1080i one's from the Panny's BWT 850's tuner onto recordable BD's. My old Panny DVD recorder (which I didn't mention earlier) went the way of all things some time ago which may well happen with the "Sony" in the future. Anyway that's my story and i'm sticking to it... So there.... :p
 
I know it is two boxes (but the second is low height) but I would suggest listening to an Arcam AVR850 and the Emotiva BASXA500 for the Atmos speaker power. Musically it is worth auditioning.
 
As a matter of general interest AV receiver's and AV amps are no longer (generally speaking) "THX" certified. Even models priced considerably higher than "Denon's" 8500 have forgone this certification. Of course the AVC-A11XV and the subsequent "A" upgrade model were "THX Ultra 2" certified. But imo the only soundtracks "THX" made any cohesive difference to were the lossless BD soundtracks and not DVD's lossy.

It would be a moot point on whether any form of "THX" application would make any appreciable difference on today's models or those made two or three years ago. "THX" no longer has a lot of relevance on AV equipment now apart from maybe side surround, back surround or Atmos / DTS:X loudspeakers. Oops also not forgetting the "Auro" 3D setup.

On the AVC-A11XV when "THX" is applied the display shows "THX" 5.1 or 7.1 rather than than the "Dolby" or "DTS" names, only very small on the top left of the matrix display. Then there are all the other configurations like Dolby's Surround EX which comes up "THX Surround EX" or "DTS Discrete" which comes up "THX 6.1" and then three letters that I can't remember now which stands for Discrete.... Ho hum my brain hurts. :suicide:
 

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