Peter, did you notice much difference at lower volumes between the Onkyo and the LPA, anything similar to my 3808/A1400 comparison?
I'm reasonably sure that the SQ of my LPA+VSX43TX combo is at least
slightly better than the VSX43TX alone at all volume levels. I become more sure as the volume levels increase. But at low levels, it's not really enough that I'd feel comfortable shouting it from the rooftops here. I've switched back to the VSX43TX alone a few times (as my AV rack would look much cleaner if I could get rid of the LPA), and the SQ always leaves me wanting a bit. It's hard to describe, but with the LPA back up, I have a sense of, "ahhhh, there it is" with the SQ. I know, purely subjective BS. But it's how I feeel.
Compared to the SC-05 and 876, things are different. The 876's SQ did not impress me at any volume level, with the sound generally feeling thin and lifeless. Cold & processed. I didn't even bother trying the 876+LPA combo. The SC-05, on the other hand, was very impressive on its own. In fact, it alone sounded every bit as good as my VSX-43TX+LPA combo, even up to very loud volume levels. Maybe even better in terms of absolute dynamics and soundstage, as when doing LPA+SC-05 test, I actually preferred the SC-05 alone. Very lovely sound; with controlled bass, full & lush midrange, and clean & clear hights without a hint of brightness. Very pleasant to listen to, for me anyway. The only reason I didn't keep it was that its feature set was a bit disappointing compared to the competition. From a purely SQ standpoint though, it was magnificent.
If the UMC doesn't work out for me (or when I get to demo my buddy's 3808), then it's very likely I'll go back and buy another SC-05 or SC-07. If you do a little digging, you can find killer deals on those; SC-05's for less than $700, SC-07's for less than $1k. At least I could a couple of weeks ago....
