AVR vs. AVR+amp vs. Integrated Amp for Philharmonic BMR towers

[Chrispy]

Chrispy, does Wiim do Dolby Atmos now?

Check out some of the info in this thread https://forums.audioholics.com/foru...ra-with-wiim-sound-lites-as-surrounds.143961/

 

[Spkrdctr]

Thanks Chrispy! The Wiim Ultra just keeps looking better and better.......

 

[alex__]

Leaning towards the Muse Y-50 now, just not a whole lot of reviews available.. since it's so new.

Ordered from crutchfield since I have 60 days to figure out if I like it or not.

 

[Power Pop 23]

Leaning towards the Muse Y-50 now, just not a whole lot of reviews available.. since it's so new.

Ordered from crutchfield since I have 60 days to figure out if I like it or not.

Occasionally, Amir is willing and able to measure a piece of gear with enough time left in a return window to send it back if one is unsatisfied.

 

[thegeton]

Leaning towards the Muse Y-50 now, just not a whole lot of reviews available.. since it's so new.

Ordered from crutchfield since I have 60 days to figure out if I like it or not.

How's the Muse Y-50 experience going?

 

[Ladipoe@98]

If TV integration is the priority right now, a WiiM Ultra into a Buckeye Hypex NCx500 stereo amp keeps HDMI ARC convenience while giving those power-hungry BMRs all the current they could ever ask for under $2k.

 

[alex__]

How's the Muse Y-50 experience going?

Good, it meets my requirements. It's incredibly simple to operate and can drive the speakers to volumes I don't need. I wanted things to be as simple as possible so my wife and mil would have no issues playing music and/or watching TV in the room the speakers are in.

Pros:
- Can drive speakers as loud as I want
- Qobuz/Tidal/Spotify Connect
- Full bandwidth HDMI output, not losing a port is clutch
- Synced with TV perfectly
- Room correction is solid
- Paw Patrol sounds great for my kid

Cons:
- No Apple music integration
- USB playback mode, when selecting USB it starts to auto play the first folder. The file system implementation is not great, you have to click more for each full page of albums.
- App is barebones, no searching for music or anything of that nature in the Onkyo controller app aside from USB.

 

[alex__]

If TV integration is the priority right now, a WiiM Ultra into a Buckeye Hypex NCx500 stereo amp keeps HDMI ARC convenience while giving those power-hungry BMRs all the current they could ever ask for under $2k.

I def. contemplated this but I didn't want to wait a month+ to get the buckeye.

 

[thegeton]

Good, it meets my requirements. It's incredibly simple to operate and can drive the speakers to volumes I don't need. I wanted things to be as simple as possible so my wife and mil would have no issues playing music and/or watching TV in the room the speakers are in.

Pros:
- Can drive speakers as loud as I want
- Qobuz/Tidal/Spotify Connect
- Full bandwidth HDMI output, not losing a port is clutch
- Synced with TV perfectly
- Room correction is solid
- Paw Patrol sounds great for my kid

Cons:
- No Apple music integration
- USB playback mode, when selecting USB it starts to auto play the first folder. The file system implementation is not great, you have to click more for each full page of albums.

Sounds nice. Will it connect to Radio Paradise?

 

[alex__]

Sounds nice. Will it connect to Radio Paradise?

Just via Google cast / airplay2.
I should have put that as a con in terms of the app, it's fairly barebones.