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I currently have an old Yamaha M-2 power amp and a Yamaha C-4 pre-amp driving a pair of Linn Keiliedhs. I would like to upgrade my system to one of the HT standards. My current mix of music:movie is 60:40.Will a good reciever (Arcam, NAD, Rotel or Marantz) provide equal or better 2 channel performance? or would buying a less expensive pre/pro be better? is their such a thing as say a NAD T761 with the tuner and amps removed or are all pre/pro in the $2K + range?
Sould I wait for Dolby Pro Logic II?
Follow Ups:
If you are happy with your existing 2 channel setup, add a Yamaha DSP-E800. DD,DTS, video switching and three amps for center and surrounds.Easy to use, good sound.
Reviewed here...http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/reviews/hardware/yammy800.html
And yes, I would wait for ProLogic II.
It should improve the performance of all your analogue stereo sources.
cheers
michael w
I have thought about Yam DSP-E800, it is getting great reviews. However, I have not seen this piece for sell in the States. I think it may only be for sell in the UK. You guys always get the best affordable gear. One of my friends, family lives in the London area. Maybe they could pick one up or I might be able to mail order one. Do you think it would work in the States?
The DSP-E800 replaces the E-492.
It should work in the US, all you need is a step-down transformer.
cheers
michael w
> > And yes, I would wait for ProLogic II.
It should improve the performance of all your analogue stereo sources. < <How does that work? I'm not familiar with DPL II, but I have heard stereo played through DPL and it was wretched.
Agreed, music thru normal DPL sounds awful.Basically DPL II is a continuation of the surround work pioneered by Jim Fosgate in the processors that bore his name and the discontinued Citation stuff.
In simple terms it takes a 2 channel source and fakes it into a signal with pseudo stereo surrounds and none of the bandwidth limiting of std DPL.
Incorporates a Movie mode and Music mode.
Technical info can be found at the Dolby site and at Fosgate's new site.
http://www.dolby.com/ht/
http://www.fosgateaudionics.com/home/index.asp
As well as the high end processors already out (Meridian, TAG McLaren),Fosgate has several DPL II decoders due soon, including a tube model and mainstream manufacturers like Kenwood are including DPL II ddecoding in this season's receivers.
cheers
michael w
Thanks for the links. I only read the Dolby article, which answered everything I wanted to know about DPL-II. It obviously addresses most of the flaws in DPL. The one flaw that may remain to interfere with surround music, as opposed to movies, is the reliance on phase manipulation.As stated in the Dolby article, when a product is mixed for the surround mode it will be played back on, the results are predictable. When a stereo source is played back in surround, no one knows how it will translate. The more manipulation the decoder applies, the less predictable the sound will be. I've enjoyed listening to some stereo music in surround sound in the past. Electronica and classical symphonies can sound quite interesting. But I prefer to listen in a mode that features passive processing, in other words, the original Hafler mode or its variations (e.g. NAD EARS mode).
DPL simply degrades the sound when it tries to steer the stereo's natural ambient phase info. DPL-II should be better, but active matrix phase manipulation still seems to me to be the wrong direction for stereo music. It should be a wonderful for VHS movies. It's a pity it only came along after the introduction of discrete multi-channel DVD's.
In the past I've played music on active decoding surround systems and have much preferred the passive approach.I used to have one of the old Dynaco passive decoders which did a better job on music than the Fosgate I had at the time. Movies are another story though.
The only active decoder I've heard that didn't ruin music playback was the old Rocktron(?) Circle Surround one .
cheers
michael w
You can get started at an even lower cost level by buying a Technics SH500D Dolby Digital/DTS processor used ($150-200). You can use your current 2-channel equipment and connect this processor's L&R analog-outs to your current 2-channel pre-amps AUX input.Of course you need additional speakers and amplifiers, but this is likely the best way to get great 2-channel with good HT.
Before you spend the big bucks, I would suggest that you check out the Outlaw receiver.
Mikey,
Most sub $2500.00 AV receivers sound pretty mediocre in two channel mode (mine included). Arcam and Marantz do the best job (my opinion) of any of the major brands in the $1000.00-$2000.00 range in reproducing music, as many receivers can sound "bright" or "artificial" when you listen to them.
I looked at upgrading to a seperate pre/pro, but found nothing under $4000.00 that was noticably better than my AV receiver. The B & K 305/307 receivers were solid performers (at $3000.00), but they did not make a good match with my speakers. Your experience could be different.Good luck, Michael
I take it from your comments that you haven't heard the new NAD receivers. They are never bright, and they are always musical. Like all receivers they are compromised, but the compromises are good ones.
Audio Fan,
No, I have not heard the NAD series, though a local dealer does have the Silver Series of seperates. The reviews of them are quite positive on Ecoustics and AudioReview. Which one do you have ?Thanks, Michaelb
nt
My experience was similar, brightish, fatiguing sound with music even on the high end receivers. I have had some extended home listening to the best Yamaha and Denon have to offer right now... have not heard any Outlaw. I gave up. I am recently driving my mains using a 30 year old Dyna ST-70 with a amplified sub both driven driven by pre-outs of a Yamaha RX-V2092 ... and it BLOWS the doors off of any receiver only combo I have heard. Pure enjoyment with a liquid immersion in the music. I too want a good HT / Music combo, and thus have determined that I need a high end front end processor with outboard amps ( I am mod'ing / upgrading my two stock ST-70's and tri-amping in combo with the sub amp.)
Excellent points!
I recently discovered the joy of the $300 Dynaco amp myself.
Right now it lives at a friends, where it turned his distinctly mid-fi rig into something special!Good luck!
I also tri amp with tubes (Quicksilver, ASL AV8's , and a Bag End Sub) and I couldn;t be happier.dg
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