Best AVR DACs to date?

[Descartes]

Is there a ranking for the best AVR DACs my primary interest is multichannel audio music, then movies I almost never listen to stereo on my system!

 

[staticV3]

 

[Descartes]

The NAD M33 is not an AVR, unfortunately!

The NAD Master Series M17 V2i is but I don’t see any ASR reviews!

 

[staticV3]

@Descartes if you're playing your music and movies from a PC and can run your DSP on there, then you could use a Topping DM7 or Octo DAC8 as multichannel DAC. Those beat everything on the list above.

 

[Descartes]

@Descartes if you're playing your music and movies from a PC and can run your DSP on there, then you could use a Topping DM7 or Octo DAC8 as multichannel DAC. Those beat everything on the list above.

That won’t give me ATMOS or Spacial Audio though! I have an OPPO UDP-205 but I don’t see myself changing the amplifier connections for movies and music.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

@Descartes if you're playing your music and movies from a PC and can run your DSP on there, then you could use a Topping DM7 or Octo DAC8 as multichannel DAC. Those beat everything on the list above.

People make it seem like this is a worthwhile solution, but I've used an HTPC for twenty years and I'd still never do this.

 

[funnychap]

Is there a ranking for the best AVR DACs my primary interest is multichannel audio music, then movies I almost never listen to stereo on my system!

I upgraded from a Denon X3700H (terrible for music, ok for movies).
I love my Arcam AVR5 (great for movies and music and Apple Music spatial audio surround music via Dolby Atmos). The newer Arcam models that end in the number 1 (AVR11, AVR21, AVR31, AVR41) are even better because they have 2 ESS Sabre dacs.

 

[delta76]

I upgraded from a Denon X3700H (terrible for music, ok for movies).
I love my Arcam AVR5 (great for movies and music and Apple Music spatial audio surround music via Dolby Atmos). The newer Arcam models that end in the number 1 (AVR11, AVR21, AVR31, AVR41) are even better because they have 2 ESS Sabre dacs.

how do you compare x3700h with AVR5? with your ears?

 

[funnychap]

Yes. My ears are the best tool.

 

[delta76]

For you, probably yes. For the question of the thread, no.

 

[ArturoKiwi]

That won’t give me ATMOS or Spacial Audio though! I have an OPPO UDP-205 but I don’t see myself changing the amplifier connections for movies and music.

A passive switch is a bad idea?
Between an avr and topping dx7+ pro or another one at your choice

 

[Descartes]

View attachment 245422

What is the most recent update

 

[staticV3]

What is the most recent update

Here's the latest graph from Amir:


However, you could include some newer user measurements of the Monolith HTP-1 (link), which would push it near the top at 105dB SINAD:


Edit:
Also, since Amir counts the Flex as an AVR/AVP (debatable), one could place the new Flex HT/Flex HTx all the way at the top (link). No Flex version can decode Atmos, DD, etc though.

 

[staticV3]

If you're looking for the very best Atmos->Analog conversion and you don't care at all about all the other features that AVRs usually offer, then you could use an Arvus H2-4D and a bunch of standalone DACs with AES3 input (or two dac8 PROs for example).

It'd be expensive, a hassle to set up, and you'd be missing out on room correction etc, but you'd have SOTA Atmos->Analog.

 

[ban25]

Audioholics has bench tested the AV10 at 108 dB SINAD:

Marantz AV 10 15.4CH 8K AV Processor Bench Test Results

The Marantz AV 10 15.4CH 8K AV Processor produced excellent bench test results. This $7K AVP has bass management features no other competitor has at this price. We thoroughly test to show you how it works.

www.audioholics.com