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Integra DRX-8.4

Too expensive and unlike the lesser Integra or Onkyo/Pioneer Elite units that include Dirac for free they’ve followed the Denon/Marantz model and charge extra for Dirac. No thanks.
 
Martin said:
Too expensive and unlike the lesser Integra or Onkyo/Pioneer Elite units that include Dirac for free they’ve followed the Denon/Marantz model and charge extra for Dirac. No thanks.
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Not quite right, they include Dirac Live, but have DLBC ( bass control ) as an optional extra.

The only avr's I can think of that include dlbc as standard are storm and jbl... both of which are more than double the price of this integra.
 
dlaloum said:
Not quite right, they include Dirac Live, but have DLBC ( bass control ) as an optional extra.

The only avr's I can think of that include dlbc as standard are storm and jbl... both of which are more than double the price of this integra.
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I missed that distinction. Still, at this price it should be included.
 
Martin said:
I missed that distinction. Still, at this price it should be included.
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Its competition in the market is the D&M AV1 / AV10, Storm, JBL, and Arcam AVR's.... in that environment, with DLBC included, it is the cheapest option!

For those who plan on using external amps, things like the X3800 with optional software will be attractive, and I would like to see an offering from Onkyo/Integra/Pioneer that was in that kind of range - onboard amps to power surrounds/heights, with top class processing, to act as a prepro for the fronts... mated with appropriate amps for L/C/R... and sold at around the price of the X3800 / RZ50.

It's price is a bit high for my tastes, and it has substantial overkill - given I already have external amps - but in todays marketplace, its price seems competitive to me.
 
dlaloum said:
It's deceptive... Onkyo have been working on their integration for at least 2 years... since well before the RZ50 was released.... and that was after having integrated Dirac Live on the RZ50 & siblings

I think D&M only changed strategy to include Dirac more recently.... so they started about a year ago probably...
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Yes, I'm leaning back to Onkyo/Integra and gonna wait a few more months. Btw the Dirac firmware upgrade for the D&M hasn't come yet (yes, I know, March has just begun).
I just wish they'd also make a cheap processor, like my PR-RZ5100 I'm gonna replace, so that I wouldn't have to pay for an amplification section I'm not gonna use. But seems like marketing departements have decided that separates are for rich people, so no brand is selling a preprocessor at less than 5000$/€.
 
NeedForSpeed73 said:
Yes, I'm leaning back to Onkyo/Integra and gonna wait a few more months. Btw the Dirac firmware upgrade for the D&M hasn't come yet (yes, I know, March has just begun).
I just wish they'd also make a cheap processor, like my PR-RZ5100 I'm gonna replace, so that I wouldn't have to pay for an amplification section I'm not gonna use. But seems like marketing departements have decided that separates are for rich people, so no brand is selling a preprocessor at less than 5000$/€.
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According to the listings on DTS Play-Fi compatibility, there is due to be an Onkyo RZ90 prepro, and an Integra DRC-R1.4 prepro...

Those would be the logical replacement for the RZ5100.... the 8.4 is likely to be similar to the RZ70... and there is no sign of a more basic prepro.

And during the interview at CEDIA last year, they were talking about the "model up from the RZ70" undergoing testing in their auditorium... I cannot bring myself to believe they were talking about the 8.4.
 
dlaloum said:
According to the listings on DTS Play-Fi compatibility, there is due to be an Onkyo RZ90 prepro, and an Integra DRC-R1.4 prepro...

Those would be the logical replacement for the RZ5100.... the 8.4 is likely to be similar to the RZ70... and there is no sign of a more basic prepro.

And during the interview at CEDIA last year, they were talking about the "model up from the RZ70" undergoing testing in their auditorium... I cannot bring myself to believe they were talking about the 8.4.
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COOL! Any idea when this RZ90 could be for sale? This year?
The RZ70 was roumored last year and still isn't on the horizon. I know Onkyo has been through rough times and trying to get back on track now, but they should be a bit faster, otherwise the competitors, who show new lineups every year, will eat all of a market that is getting smaller and smaller (lot f people spend thousands for a huge TV but listen to its tiny speaker or, best case, a soundbar) .
 
NeedForSpeed73 said:
COOL! Any idea when this RZ90 could be for sale? This year?
The RZ70 was roumored last year and still isn't on the horizon. I know Onkyo has been through rough times and trying to get back on track now, but they should be a bit faster, otherwise the competitors, who show new lineups every year, will eat all of a market that is getting smaller and smaller (lot f people spend thousands for a huge TV but listen to its tiny speaker or, best case, a soundbar) .
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Given the Integra has now been announced, and will be available this summer, I would not be surprised to see an RZ70 announced by the summer. RZ90 is harder to predict, but presumably this year?
 
I would hope so...
 
This is an exciting announcement and good competition for the industry. An RZ50 plus miniDSP 2x4 HD/UMIK-1 is still way more affordable but the inclusion of updated DACs and Balanced INs/OUTs makes this very intriguing. I am anxious to see how it measures and performs.
 
SDMatt said:
This is an exciting announcement and good competition for the industry. An RZ50 plus miniDSP 2x4 HD/UMIK-1 is still way more affordable but the inclusion of updated DACs and Balanced INs/OUTs makes this very intriguing. I am anxious to see how it measures and performs.
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The option of having DLBC multi-sub (whose license costs more or less as much as a 2x4HD and UMIK-1) offers a much more reliable, self-contained and easy to use solution to multi subwoofer optimization than the Minidsp route (that I'm currently using). I'm looking forward to it even though I already have all the Minidsp hardware and few years of experience (trial and error) in tuning this "home made" solution (with Multi Sub Optimizer software). Don't get me wrong, the results are great compared to the lackluster optimization of Onkyo's AccuEQ (even though my PR-RZ5100 has two independent subwoofer outputs); but having one single device (the AVR) that manages (with a great software like Dirac's) both multiple subwoofers optimization and integration with main speakers, to me, looks like a much more robust and refined solution. At least because the subwoofers' signals don't go through a useless number of D/A and A/D conversions (AVR analog out->Minidsp analog in->Minidsp conversion to digital and manipulation->Minidsp conversion back to analog->subwoofer's analog in).
 
After reading the user manual for the Integra 8.4 it seems that this avr has all the bell and whistles needed.
Alas the MSRP is not cheap.
I hope there will be a cheaper version without XLR connectors.
May be a Onkyo RZ70.
 
Does anyone know if there is an option in the 3 selectable presets in the Integra to turn off the center channel? When I watch a movie alone I prefer to have only the left and right speakers playing the dialogue. Thanks in advance ?
 
GurvanBHC said:
Does anyone know if there is an option in the 3 selectable presets in the Integra to turn off the center channel? When I watch a movie alone I prefer to have only the left and right speakers playing the dialogue. Thanks in advance ?
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Why not just choose Stereo when you watch a movie?
 
ArturoKiwi said:
Ok, but you dislike the central channel?
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Yes, i have a 65’ TV and my center channel is under the TV, the dialogue are not coming from the TV compare to watching a movie only with the L and R speaker. If I had a projector I would have no problem with a center speaker if it was behind the screen, but alas it is not the case
 
GurvanBHC said:
Yes, i have a 65’ TV and my center channel is under the TV, the dialogue are not coming from the TV compare to watching a movie only with the L and R speaker. If I had a projector I would have no problem with a center speaker if it was behind the screen, but alas it is not the case
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If the L&R are close to the 65" tv sides, then you should get a good phantom center... just set your system up as 4.1 or 6.1 without center...

It isn't easy to "on the fly" enable or disable center channel...

If the speakers are further out to the sides, then the compromise between phantom and physical center which is poorly located, might be more "iffy"
 
dlaloum said:
If the L&R are close to the 65" tv sides, then you should get a good phantom center... just set your system up as 4.1 or 6.1 without center...

It isn't easy to "on the fly" enable or disable center channel...

If the speakers are further out to the sides, then the compromise between phantom and physical center which is poorly located, might be more "iffy"
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Yes i already have a very good phantom center, but my question was if i can turn off the center channel on the go but i have my response, it’s not possible to switch on and off quickly has you mention… thank you
 
GurvanBHC said:
Yes i already have a very good phantom center, but my question was if i can turn off the center channel on the go but i have my response, it’s not possible to switch on and off quickly has you mention… thank you
Click to expand...
Yes, It isn't designed for that!

I used to run phantom center when I ran an all electrostatic 4.1 setup with Quad ESL989 front and Quad ESL63 surrounds....

Runing with a 100" projector screen... and the phantom center was still good.... Would it have been better with a true center.... possibly, but I didn't feel it was lacking too much!
 
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