Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Pre-pro upgrade time

But the one I want isn't out yet. At least not to my knowledge. I think I'll be upgrading my pre-pro before my display, however, and I was hoping someone who keeps up on these would be able to tell me about models that are coming down the pike that might satisfy my list of wants, or at least get close.

Would be nice:

• 6 or more HDMI 1.4a inputs
• Simultaneous height and wide channel output
• Independent calibration of multiple subs (2 subs being realistic, 4 being what I keep dreaming of)
• Network capable with FLAC playback
• Audyssey XT32
• Balanced connections
• ISF calibration for each input
• Firmware updates via internet or flash drive

FLAC playback and ISF calibration options would simply be icing. I'm not sure the absence of Audyssey XT32 would be a deal breaker, either, but I'd definitely want the others in the list. Onkyo's PR-SC5508 seems to come really close to what I want, minus the simultaneous height and wide channels. I wish they'd included that instead of the XLR stereo input. Also, is fast HDMI switching pretty much a given on recent gear, or does it need to say that it does it? I'm sure my display will still be a bottleneck on that until I upgrade it. I wish manufacturers offered a reduction in features on request, too, just to reduce clutter on the unit, and potentially pass on some savings. I don't care about video scaling anymore, since I'm mostly watching Blu-ray these days, and my player or computer can do scaling of other content I watch. I also don't need a radio tuner or nearly so many analog inputs.

Anyway, any specific models you think I should use as my goal?

Geez, you don't want much, do you?

I'm no help.

Are you sure you need to get all that stuff in one chassis? Can't you farm out the sub calibration to an SMS-1 or something?

Same with the FLAC; if that turns into a problem, couldn't you go with a squeezebox?

Man, you are hard to please.

Yes, FLAC could always be handled with an external device. I simply like the idea of consolidating where I can, and it's not an unheard of feature in receivers anymore.

I'd rather not have an extra device handling subwoofer EQ, though. That was the thing that annoyed me about the SVS AS-EQ1. It would be so much handier to have it handled in the receiver or processor as part of the normal calibration. But yeah, independent calibration of two subs seems to be a reasonable request now, so if nothing else, I can calibrate my subs as two pairs. I'm simply surprised no one is offering four-sub calibration yet. You'd think someone would have a high-end offering that would do it, even if it's out of my price range. Or maybe it's out there and I just don't know about it.

Maybe you just don't need it.

Bwa ha ha.

True.

Outlaw's yet to be released Model 978 seems to come the closest to what you want.

• Five HDMI 1.4a ins, 2 outs.
• They haven't listed the channel specs at all yet.
• Except it does have two, separate sub woofer outputs.
• No network interface at all. This is by design, streaming is better handled by a device dedicated to the task (I agree).
• Audyssey XT32
• Balanced connections
• It does have Anchor Bay video processing, but that and ISF calibration is much less needed these days with everything outputing 1080p over HDMI. It was only with SD, analog signals that there was enough variation that individual devices needed calibration.
• Firmware upgrades over USB

It is due out about mid-year. I'd wait until at least then to see what shows up.

I was looking at that, too, but it seems like the Onkyo still has more of the features that I'm looking for. If the Model 978 ends up handling both heights and wides at the same time, I may throw it back into consideration.

I've never tried any receiver or pre-pro's native handling of streaming, so I can't comment on that intelligently, but I like the idea of not having to waste an input simply for music listening. And the Model 978 having only five HDMI inputs makes me wish it was a feature all the more.

I doubt I'll ever use two HDMI outputs, but who knows. Is anyone here actually making use of it?

I currently have an Integra, so I'm curious about brands outside of the Onkyo family. I do appreciate Outlaw's no-frills approach, and they seem much more capable of delivering a solid product than, say, Emotiva. On the other hand, it's hard to resist the sheer amount of features Onkyo packs in.

In any case, I may be too itchy to wait until mid-year, but wish me luck. Ha ha.

I think people with projects like to have backup screens that they can use just to navigate menus for music playback, rather than running up the hours on their project's bulb. But that could also easily be accomplished by an external switch.

So yeah, it wasn't something I felt was a real plus to me either. And too, would have rather have 6 inputs.

Actually, I'd like to see a receiver with only 1 HDMI input, and the ability to track input devices by their EDID, so you could use what ever size of switch or video processor or what ever you want before the receiver/pre-pro, and it would not object to having different devices being swapped out all the time.

Of course, combining that flexibility with more than one port wouldn't hurt at all.

????
The fact that a source outputs at 1080p in no way reduces the need for ISF Calibration.

To the OP's question, I believe the Onkyo (and it's Integra equivalent) are the only Pre-pros that meet all your requirements (save the exception noted).

That's so strange, even my Onkyo 3008 has simultaneous height and wides (running them now) plus everything else on your list, just minus the balanced inputs.

I could never justify paying double the price just for balanced inputs.

Dana

Yeah, I'm sure I'll be paying too much simply for the balanced connections, but I like the connections so much more than RCA, and I'm paranoid about noise in my system. I don't like that the general advice for turning the volume up if you have fan noise/hiss/slight humming that you want to drown out. I'll also do whatever sound isolation I can afford in the basement, too. The less ambient noise I have, the more headroom I'll have on my amp.

CV,

I'd go for the Onkyo PR-SC5508 then. I'm not sure anything else will come close and still give you MultiXT32, Sub HT 32 & balanced inputs. BTW, all my music I listen is flac from my pc direct to my 3008, it's awesome for sure.

But does reduce if not remove the need to have it per port. And it was more the HDMI part of my statement that was important.

The digital levels output by modern devices are spot on from model to model, make to make. Black is black, and white is white, and all the in betweens fall into place. So ISF calibration can be applied at the output by an external device.

Though if you do still have analog devices, there will be issues with that, because they all vary slightly from one another. And per device tuning is needed. The simple solution to that, is don't use analog devices.

I agree that RCA is an abomination, and should have never escaped from the inside of record players.

Dana, do you use the native Onkyo UI to access your music collection, then? How is it? I don't have (need?) a networked receiver, but I've always been curious about the user experience.

Tom, yes. Push "netusb" on my remote and all my flac folders from my pc show up right on the big screen. Use the remote to browse the folders and start rocking

Plus I have really been loving internet radio the last few days, Pandora is killer, even thou it's 128kbs, with dynamic eq & music optimizer, it sounds fantastic, (sounds great without it for that matter). Better than FM radio for sure.

Dana

Cool. Thanks!

Yeah, I'm thinking about upgrading to the pay version of both Pandora and Wolfgang's Vault to get higher quality streams.

Early rumors of the Denon 4812 would have handled that list but I believe Denon is now resolved to the 4312 as being the top of the line. I would bet the latest top of the line Marantz pre/pro (8006?)will do what you are looking for as it usually is the non-amped equivalent to the top Denon avr offering.

You have a point about the ISF monitor calibration capabilities of these AVRs and Pre-pros. As they do not seem to separate the input (source) adjustments from the output (monitor) adjustments they do not look like they would be very good for doing an ISF calibration of your monitor. They can be good for upscaling and deinterlacing and for making minor adjustments to correct for any source variations or other issues. As you say, ISF calibration is better done with an external video processor or in the monitor if it has ISF calibration capability.

I was almost going to do that the other day, but I noted that Pandora only provides the higher bitrate from their website, not through other devices such as the TiVo that I use to feed Pandora through the Axioms.

So, I'll wait for now...

The Integra DHC-80.2 has everything one could need, as far as I can tell! The Integra has the same exact rear panel as the Onkyo PR-SC5508. Integra is a division on Onkyo, so the front panels look similar too. I think the Integra looks a little better. I didn't really look to see if anything is different, as far as the guts are concerned.

Charles, you might want to hop on over the Lumagen's web sight and check out the Radience line. They have a new, single input machine out now for folks who use their AVR as a hub. All of their stuff has independent memory configurations for unique calibration settings for each memory. You then simply calibrate each input per resolution. I have found that quite handy. Cable and / or satellite is always different than BR or DVD and there's aways something that needs to be tweaked on the video side if you are fussy with video. And not only does the signal vary from device to device, but from channel to channel.

The other side of the coin is independent audio calibration. If you use a video processor as the hub, you can't set the audio inputs differently, which sucks. I currently have my Lumagen XS as the hub, because I wanted complete IFS capabilities over each input, but I'm about to change that and go back to the 3808 for the hub.

This is much easier to explain in person than typing. Or, you could just call Jim Peterson at Lumagen. He's extremely helpful. All the guys at Lumagen are. And they support their stuff, which is a rare thing nowadays.

The Lumagen Radiance Mini-3D looks neat, but the one place I found selling it, still has it at about twice what I'd pay for something like that.

That's always been the problem with video scalers. Maybe it is too much of a niche market, but it can only be with the prices they want for that stuff.

They is an introductory sale going on now through AVS.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1304556

They are expensive. I bought my XS during a special through Spectracal. I would not have paid cost for it.

+1 Integra, i own myself a DTR-70.1 and i have no complain

http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?class=Preamplifier&m=DHC-80.2&p=i
http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?class=Amplifier&m=DTA-70.1&p=i
http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?class=DVD&m=DBS-50.2&p=i

This is everything you need to be set for a loooong time my friend.

GL