Big news coming from Sound United in 2023!

[multisport4me]

I would probably use filter 2 for music and filter 1 for movies. Those who believe in Marantz sound master BS will likely do the opposite.

Here's Gene's updated SINAD vs pre out voltage graph:
@GXAlan may be happ(ier) to see >75 dB at below 0.05 V.

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

Now we have to wait for @Matthew J Poes to published his tests on the Denon A1H.

Seems like a reasonable strategy. Albeit, if you can't hear the difference with music I seriously doubt you'll hear it with movies. Thus, I just leave mine on Filter 2. Plus, 80% of the usage of my system is for music - I don't watch tons of movies.

 

[peng]

Now we are talking! Reference class!

It can actually be competitive with desktop dacs now, and squeezed nicely in the yellow zone.

 

[peng]

Seems like a reasonable strategy. Albeit, if you can't hear the difference with music I seriously doubt you'll hear it with movies. Thus, I just leave mine on Filter 2. Plus, 80% of the usage of my system is for music - I don't watch tons of movies.

If you have golden ears, filter 1 will sound better with transients without ringing, warmer, smoother with more high freq roll off so it should be more suited for movie watching. Filter 2, being more accurate overall, it is the better choice for music. It is all academic, because I know I don't have golden ears.

 

[multisport4me]

If you have golden ears, filter 1 will sound better with transients without ringing, warmer, smoother with more high freq roll off so it should be more suited for movie watching. Filter 2, being more accurate overall, it is the better choice for music. It is all academic, because I know I don't have golden ears.

I'm too poor for golden - mine are silver at best - and I can't hear the difference for the most part. lol

 

[Newman]

I assume the comment was tongue-in-cheek, alluding to the fact that no-one has proven golden ears and, therefore, it’s all academic full stop.

 

[Mickey75]

I have a Pioneer SC-LX86 and I'm looking for a replacement supporting HDMI 2.1. I can't seem to find any Class D AVRs anymore and this thread is not very encouraging. Do you know of any candidates or is Class D dead in the 'mainstream'-market?

 

[Vacceo]

Primare and MacIntosh equip their AVR's with class D amps.

 

[dlaloum]

I have a Pioneer SC-LX86 and I'm looking for a replacement supporting HDMI 2.1. I can't seem to find any Class D AVRs anymore and this thread is not very encouraging. Do you know of any candidates or is Class D dead in the 'mainstream'-market?

The only "mainstream" AVR that is class D is from NAD...

Pioneer have not ruled out coming back to a Class D design, but not in the current generation (current generation is an Onkyo badge engineered clone - and Onkyo have traditionally been Class AB) - so it is probably at least 2 to 3 years away from Pioneer (if it will happen at all).

The other relevant question,... is whether Class D really brings something additional to the table...

In my opinion there would be gains achievable from using a switching power supply, to provide much higher current and headroom, while keeping the existing Class AB designs...

The RZ70/LX805 tier (equivalent to your SC-LX86) seem to have excellent amps as it is... and unlike previous generations, they do not run hot, and seem quite efficient - so not much to be gained from a switch to Class D.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

My question is, why does OP specifically want a class D AVR? I could understand if he specifically wanted a Hypex based AVR, but just standard class D? Why?

 

[GXAlan]

My question is, why does OP specifically want a class D AVR? I could understand if he specifically wanted a Hypex based AVR, but just standard class D? Why?

Heat and weight are two good reasons IMHO. The old ICE-amp Pioneer's were fine because any load dependent behavior could also be corrected with EQ.

 

[Chromatischism]

I agree. I'm surprised they haven't all gone Class D just for energy regulations. Instead, they hid a "4 ohm mode" they don't really intend for you to use and slapped a sticker on the box that it meets certification requirements.

D+M claim that their reluctance to use Class D has to do with sound and "tuning". I'm not sure.

 

[Newman]

Maybe there are certain patents on aspects of Class D, that they don’t want to go without, but don’t want to pay for. eg maybe load immunity

 

[EWL5]

Maybe there are certain patents on aspects of Class D, that they don’t want to go without, but don’t want to pay for. eg maybe load immunity

Other than B&O ICE amps, I'm not familiar w/any other flavor of Class D in mass market products.

 

[Svend P]

My question is, why does OP specifically want a class D AVR? I could understand if he specifically wanted a Hypex based AVR, but just standard class D? Why?

On New Years Eve I played quite loud with my Denon AVR-X4800H with Revel F208 and F328BE as center, subwoofers crossed at 150 Hz. While it has plenty of power for my needs, after 10 mins it was extremely hot and as a precaution I have now put an USB fan on top of it. Meanwhile my daughter is having a party in the living room for 25 14 year olds, and my Lyngdorf TDAI2200 did not break a sweat running extremely loud for 5 hours on end. If I could find a class D surround receiver, I would. But a bunch of Fosi V3's might do the trick, if I feel the need for cool power.

 

[GXAlan]

D+M claim that their reluctance to use Class D has to do with sound and "tuning". I'm not sure.

The flagship products from Marantz are all Class D: PM-10, AMP10, Model 30.

What I recall reading is that at the price point they target, it is easier to produce a cheap Class AB that sounds good than a cheap class D at the same exact bill of materials. At the high end, it is possible to make a better Class D at the high end. Essentially two channels of the HypeX or modified ICE amps are much more expensive than 2 channels of their Class AB design.

 

[ban25]

Other than B&O ICE amps, I'm not familiar w/any other flavor of Class D in mass market products.

Don't forget about all the Soundbars...

 

[mhardy6647]

The other relevant question,... is whether Class D really brings something additional to the table...

I would think that any subassembly that reduces the heat load inside the cramped, crowded box of an AVR would be a significant benefit in the long run*.

________________
* Realizing full well that neither the manufacturers nor their target market care about the long run for an AVR. It is a fashion industry, and the danged AVRs are fast fashion by definition and by design. The "technology" at the core of an AVR is (still?!) such a moving target, the long-term robustness of the hardware's not really a viable concern for designers nor consumers.
Whether that's a horrific miscalculation in light of 21st century concerns regarding resource management, I'll leave for everyone to ponder.