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Lamenting the lack of good quality budget A/V Preamplifier/Processors

Vacceo

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These last months I have been reading a bit about processors and I feel some of the comments sound baseless.

I am trying to find an 11.2 processor since I cannot really use the extra channels due to space constrains.

That said, the comments that point out at Arcane with a better stereo mode than Anthem or Denon sound completely subjective. Is there any evidence of that?

On the other hand, findinding an 11.2 that is not McIntosh or Marantz seems completely impossible.
 

pseudoid

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These last months I have been reading a bit about processors and I [1]feel some of the comments sound baseless.

I am trying to find an [2]11.2 processor since I cannot really use the extra channels due to space constrains.

That said, the comments that point out at [3]Arcane with a better stereo mode than Anthem or Denon sound completely subjective. Is there any evidence of that?

On the other hand, [4]findinding an 11.2 that is not McIntosh or Marantz seems completely impossible.
Sorry, I am a bit confused (actually 4 bits):
[1] Harsh words: I fail to understand what exactly you mean.
[2] You say you are looking for 11.2 but you also say you cannot really use the # of channels bcuz of lack of space.
[3] Do you mean "Arcam'?
[4] Harsh words again: "completely impossible"?
 

Vacceo

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Sorry, I am a bit confused (actually 4 bits):
[1] Harsh words: I fail to understand what exactly you mean.
[2] You say you are looking for 11.2 but you also say you cannot really use the # of channels bcuz of lack of space.
[3] Do you mean "Arcam'?
[4] Harsh words again: "completely impossible"?
Sorry, the cell phone messed up with autocorrect. Let me clear that with a real keyboard:

1)Not the comments from this forum, luckily, but the usual subjectivist reviews that state they listen stuff and we are all supposed to take said assertions in an act of faith. Here I have measures of distortion or issues on power delivery.

2)I could definetly use an Anthem AVM70 only for 11 channels and 2 subwoofers; however, that processor reaches 15 channels, so 4 would stay unused. Like everyone, I´m not interested in overpaying if I can avoid it. 11.2 is what I can use.

3) Yes, Arcam. The AV40 to be precise. The subjectivist crew seems to point out at it being better in stereo mode or being more "musical". Those words without an explanation are metaphisics.

4)Second hand market aside, it seems like over here (Europe), I´m unable to find anything that stays on 11.2 channels.
 

Roland68

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These last months I have been reading a bit about processors and I feel some of the comments sound baseless.

I am trying to find an 11.2 processor since I cannot really use the extra channels due to space constrains.

That said, the comments that point out at Arcane with a better stereo mode than Anthem or Denon sound completely subjective. Is there any evidence of that?

On the other hand, findinding an 11.2 that is not McIntosh or Marantz seems completely impossible.
If you Google the insides of the Arcam AV40 and Anthem AVM70, you'll see a "stunning similarity" in the circuit boards used.
On the Anthem AVM70, areas of the power supply are not populated with components.
Under certain circumstances, the additional effort in the Arcam AV40 in the power supply has a positive effect on the sound.
 

Vacceo

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I do not doubt your words one bit. Yet, looking at the reviews over here, the Anthem AVM 70 shows a higher SINAD than the Arcade AV40. Yet the second is said to be "more musical"...
 

Sprint

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Yamaha CX-A5100-best budget pre pro I believe.
I can only agree. I just brought the next version 5200 based on reviews/measurements from Steve - Audioholics. I am super happy with the sound though I do not use YPAO. I use other tools (GLM + Dirac) for room correction.
 

itz_all_about_the_music

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Thank you very much for your trouble, that's very interesting, especially considering that the Yamaha only generates the signals for XLR before the outputs.
Really an ingenious device, I envy you for sure
So I'm wanting to better understand, from an audio science perspective, why Sprint had the observation he cited (i.e., "The RCA sound was bit restrained whereas the instrument separation was better with XLR. Clarity and Crispness was also better with XLR."). You wrote "...especially considering that the Yamaha only generates the signals for XLR before the outputs." Can you/others weigh in on how S/N and/or any other metric is improved by balanced feeds ve unbalanced when the cable length is not excessive? If there's scientific grounds (no pun intended) for the superiority of balanced feeds, are all home systems utilizing unbalanced feeds inferior? Mid-fi? Even lo-fi?
 

Roland68

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So I'm wanting to better understand, from an audio science perspective, why Sprint had the observation he cited (i.e., "The RCA sound was bit restrained whereas the instrument separation was better with XLR. Clarity and Crispness was also better with XLR."). You wrote "...especially considering that the Yamaha only generates the signals for XLR before the outputs." Can you/others weigh in on how S/N and/or any other metric is improved by balanced feeds ve unbalanced when the cable length is not excessive? If there's scientific grounds (no pun intended) for the superiority of balanced feeds, are all home systems utilizing unbalanced feeds inferior? Mid-fi? Even lo-fi?
It was simply a confirmation of a phenomenon that I have encountered before.
However, there has not yet been any confirmation of this using standard measurement methods. You can try it yourself or just ignore it.
 

Matias

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This is how wasteful I am currently using my good ol' Marantz SR7005 receiver: ARC in, 6 pre-outs. All else is wasting space and heating my rack.

@JohnYang1997 please help us with a Topping AV processor!

IMG_20220513_222126.jpg
 
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Roland68

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pseudoid

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I was hard-core 'separates' believer when it came to audio hardware.
As my needs grew with the desire to have whole-house music coverage, I was able move away from 19" rack-size audio/video hardware mentality.
I discovered that small footprint (versus 19" rack-size), dedicated 'separates' allowed me more flexibility in selection of equipment.
I realized that there was no need for all of the additional channels and video processing which are not essential for pushing L/R stereo listening 24/7 all over the house.
Bamz!
 
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Matias

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itz_all_about_the_music

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It was simply a confirmation of a phenomenon that I have encountered before.
However, there has not yet been any confirmation of this using standard measurement methods. You can try it yourself or just ignore it.
"However, there has not yet been any confirmation of this using standard measurement methods." I am aware. Thus from an audio science perspective, it's moot.
 

Blumlein 88

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That does look interesting. Wish I knew more about it or if it had been tested somewhere. Here is the USA page, but I don't see where you can order it or links to dealers.


A thread on it here on ASR I had missed. Main sticking point to me is 2 volt max output on RCA as I have some active speakers with XLR that need more voltage. Guess I could add an 8 channel audio interface to output balanced at higher voltage. Seems kludgy though.

Looks like in the USA at least the price has inflated to $1245 which sort of prices it out of being a good deal imo. Too bad.
 

pseudoid

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Roland68

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Wow, just wow I have been looking for this for so long! Thank you very much! I will probably get one.
I also discovered the Canton Smart Connect 5.1 (there is also an AMP version) by accident, although it has been on the market for a few years.
I almost bought it too, but got hold of a Yamaha RX-V779 very cheaply, which has both power amps and all the preamp outputs.
 

radio3

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I can only agree. I just brought the next version 5200 based on reviews/measurements from Steve - Audioholics. I am super happy with the sound though I do not use YPAO. I use other tools (GLM + Dirac) for room correction.

Don't you wish you had Dirac on everything rather than just on subwoofers?
 

Sprint

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Don't you wish you had Dirac on everything rather than just on subwoofers?
Ofcourse, if I did not have GLM for Genelecs. But GLM is extremely good in my opinion. It is rather other way around. In a few years, I will replace my SVS subs with Genelec subs to get the best bass management via GLM.
 

radio3

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Ofcourse, if I did not have GLM for Genelecs. But GLM is extremely good in my opinion. It is rather other way around. In a few years, I will replace my SVS subs with Genelec subs to get the best bass management via GLM.
I wish Genelec would get into consumer stuff as well and come out with a GLM that includes Dirac Live or Dirac Unison. My jaw dropped first time I heard Dirac Live over mere room correction with REW. I can't see going back to just EQ after experiencing what seems like the obvious future.
 
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