Audio Control AV pre/pro

[Jerry Sobel]

I need to get a new AV preamp for my home theater. I have been running an old Marantz 8801 for years but it does not process 4K so I can’t watch any 4K content on my LG 4K TV when I am streaming. I currently am also running a miniDSP 8 channel with Dirac Live with bass management. I want to continue with Dirac as my room correction but it would be nice to have just one piece of hardware do it all. That is where the Audio Control comes in. It Dirac Live with bass management. Does anyone have any experience with this company and their products? When I read the tests of other AV pre/pros the DACs on them suck compared to my Benchmark DAC and preamp that I use for two channel music and absolutely love.

 

[twsecrest]

Can the Marantz AV8801 be set to let video pass-thru it's HDMI connections?
So let the Marantz process the audio and the TV process the 4K video.

 

[Jerry Sobel]

I don’t think so. I will look but I doubt it.

 

[Jerry Sobel]

Actually the original press release says it does. I will have to read the manual. Hmm good idea!

 

[Jerry Sobel]

I just read a post on Audiogon that directly discusses this issue. The answer is NO because the standards have changed since the 8801 first came out and requires the HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 (?)

 

[Vasr]

8801 does HDMI 2.0 which can pass through 4k@60hz. That isn't the problem. The problem is it is not HDCP 2.2 compliant so 4K content from streaming sources or players with DRM will not output through it. If you are playing local ripped media with no DRM, it will do 4k up to 60hz fine.

If you are streaming content with DRM and using the miniDSP to do Dirac, then you are doing an ADA convesrion inside which throws out all spec-chasing out the window. An all-in-one with Dirac will do better than that.

However, Audio Control AVP is not the recommended platform IMO. It is the same platform used by Arcam amongst others and has been known to have buggy firmware and connectivity issues. Not sure if they have all been fixed by now.

The ease of use and stable out-of-the-box performance is a lot more important in these complex devices than the paper specs and chasing SINAD of DACs inside them.

Right now the Monoprice HTP-1 is the leading contender for sanely priced Pre/Pros (despite the review here) - stable, Dirac and it is just known to work.

Anthem AVM-70 when it comes out could be a strong contender with the ARC room eq which works very well. But it is still vapor ware at the moment.