Fidji
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- Feb 17, 2019
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The expensive Bryston and Storm units have excellent external UI and channel management software. Consumer units don't come close.
I contacted Storm and asked if they would ever release low channel count units. They said they have been considering that, but I doubt they will go through with it. They have a clear niche, which I don't see them relinquishing.
The other issue is that consumer software is terrible. And it's the hardware manufacturer's responsibility to make sure that Dirac works without problems. Consumer AVPs have a poor track record there.
I have low expectations for Marantz and Denon units performing well. I would very much like to be wrong.
After loosing ART exclusivity, only thing that really distinguishes Storm from D&M is ability to accommodate 24 or 32 Channels in their higher level AVP’s and of course unique AoIP full digital units - which is actually super cool feature, for complex setups to avoid all the cable management hassle. So top of the line AVP’s still do have use cases, this is why I specifically mentioned base model.
I fully get the flexibility of bass management and channel allocation + internal equalizer, but this are very specific use cases. Yes, it is nice being able to set crossover to LR2 at 74.6Hz instead of 80Hz. If it is worth 3x the price, is for the prospective buyer to answer.
I admire your ingenuity in creating immersive audio out of 11.2 receiver. But the hard truth, [similar to bass nad LFE discussion] even with 25 speaker you are still processing 7.1.4 signal. Adding 4 subs does not make it 7.4.4 it is still 7.1.4.D&M are some of the the most reliable AVR/AVPs out there, IMO.
I've had a perfectly working Marantz SR7012 for 7 years now, purchased brand new as the 7013 came out (inferior unit as it had that can't use Neural X with Dolby sources nonsense on it) for a mere $1100.
It's now expanded to 11.1.8 (plus optional SH and optional 4 floor speakers plus front stage "lift" to gone from the screen using Scatmos, speaker switches and a mixer) for a mere $1800 with none of the Atmos renderer issues (like no Front Wide output for fixed and/or bed objects despite correlated info).
25 speaker home theater for $2900 (3 sub output with Mini-DSP correction using multi-sub optimizer plus seat shaker channel) for a total of 11.4.10.4.
Screw Trinnov and Storm's overpriced crap! Yeah, consumer equipment doesn't come close. LOL. Keep buying into that audiophile snake oil marketing!
I've even got Logic 7 courtesy of a Lexicon MC-1 plugged into the 7.1 inputs of the 7012. With Scatmos expansion it's really Logic 11 (plus front stage lift and the 4 floor ambient speakers taken from the Front Wide Scatmos Surround outputs) has 11.4.2.4 in operation with Logic 7 for truly holographic 2-channel music.
There's also a Carver Sonic Holography option for 2-channel output as well that's particularly interesting in Multi-Channel Stereo mode with some albums.
Books Shade's Dear Future Self and Yello's Point are mind blowing in Dolby Atmos on it (24 foot long room).
Can not speak of Storm, but all that you describe can be done super easily in Trinnov, including “Scatmos” [you have full Matrix routing capability so 28x28 matrix in my case] and on top you have 29 separate presets and 32? [not sure] logical sources.
E.g. Apple TV same HDMI input - you can have source called Netflix Atmos, Netflix Scatmos, Netflix DTS upmix, Netflix DTS HD MA, Chris Nolan [for super screwed soundtracks], Apple Music Stereo, Apple Music Spatial Audio, Apple Music Stereo Upmix. Each can have different preset, target curve and speaker count/routing setup and bass management settings. And will be finetuned for that specific use case.
Same with Blu-Ray player, where you have different setting for Classical Music DTS, Live Concerts, Movies, Action Movies, DTS to Scatmos and Atmos Native, Atmos Scatmos.
And all of those you can multiply to be optimised for MLP only, 2 seats, 3 seats, 2 rows independently. Each with different measurements and calibration.
Do you want to cross-over between your subs with LR4? Bessel3? Butterworth 2? LR2? LR8? at 61Hz? do you want to invert polarity of subs for your surround backs? Different gain for LFE? Do you wan to compensate for stacked subs? Compensate for AT screen? And another probably 200 variants and options to get what you desire.
This is the real difference between 35k processor and consumer grade. Do you really need all of this stuff? 99% don’t.
This is why I am thinking for secondary setup to go for Marantz, as ART is the solution for what will be pretty standard setup, with 115in TV and corner loaded subs. There is one thing I need to understand still and that is possibility to go dual center, which is critical for this super big screens,
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