The Marantz Cinema 40 I think is $3500. I believe the Integra DRX-8.4 is $3200. Processors and A/V receivers have taken quite a jump the past 2-3 years. It actually seems like a pretty good value and appears that DLBC may be available from launch unlike Denon/Marantz.
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Integra DRX-8.4
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ban25
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Definitely seems like a good value. Dirac Live out of the box, DLBC available as an immediate upgrade. Balanced pre-outs for LCR+Sub1/2, solid amplification, Roon Ready. Good stuff all around.
They are touting new a/b amplification. It will be interesting to see measurements if/when it gets sent in.
But not cheap. At around double the price of an RZ50....
I wonder about that - when Onkyo/Integra purchased Pioneer, they adopted the Pioneer Class D "SC" chassis for the flagship models, and dropped the previous, highly regarded, Class AB design that all the previous flagship models had...
Is this design a renewed version of the classic Onkyo/Integra amps? or an all new design using different principles? - I look forward to hearing more about this area of its design!
Most people's center is below their screen- you're in the majority and I daresay a huge majority use the center channel. Why else would anyone buy it??
The center location - which should be in the middle of the screen - is a known issue, so far only resolved by Trinnov and Sony, who both have systems that virtually re-position speakers.
Some are more sensitive to this than others...
another potential solution is to use close in L/R with further out "wides"
Some people have twinned speakers hung off the left and right side of the screen, both running the center channel.
It's an imperfect world!
I too waiting for a new substitute of my Onkyo PR-RZ5100. I tink, and hope, that Onkyo will come back, after about 6 years, with a new surprising prepro. If Onkyo wants to return great and competitive on prepros market, then he must to made something of valid. This DRX-8.4 with Dirac Live is a good news for the future.
GurvanBHC
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I have no right not to like having a center speaker? Your opinion is yours, I have mine, period. And it's not because people have it that I must also have it
ban25
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I'm curious to see when it will be available for pre-order/sale. I am currently remodeling my living room and terrace, so my home theater is out of commission at the moment, but I will be in the market for an upgrade in 1-2 months...
GurvanBHC
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Spring 2023
This will get to installers and retailers late May
IMO a center below or above the screen is preferable to no center at all-my opinion. Have fun w/o a center.
ban25
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Thanks, that lines up with my timeline quite nicely!
GurvanBHC
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The only reason for the existence of the central speaker is so that all the spectators hear the dialogues which come from the screen. It is essential in this case when there are several spectators. But I watch movies 95% of the time alone. So there is no advantage to having a central speaker technically since it was invented for cinemas with several spectators. But I have one for 5% of the time. Hence my initial question about the possibility of deactivating it quickly.
If you have time, please try watching some demo without the center if your L-R speaker are placed in such a way as to have a good phantom center, if you never did already.
By the way, do you have the answer to my question about being able to switch from 7.2.4 to 6.2.4 quickly?
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Bren Derlin
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GAH! Cinema 40... not the 40n. Oops. the C40 is priced at $3,500 on Crutchfield. The MSRP for the Integra is $3,200?...
lessthanjoey
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The center solves issues with comb filtering that a phantom center from LR has. I far prefer using the center even with music. If the center is a bad design (a lot sadly are) that's one thing but I just have 3x Revel M105 across the front and it's excellent.
Edit: Having said that it's fine if you don't like it, I just find it preferable in my setup, even alone, even with music.
Bren Derlin
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We have absolute GANGS of fun watching movies without a center. I much prefer our 4.1 system in the basement to the 5.1 system in our living room. The front stage audio is so much more grand and sweeping (read, cinematic) without a center...
That's great. Where does the program material from the center go?
lessthanjoey
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Does anyone who says they prefer a phantom center have identical speakers in all 3 positions? I suspect that's really the issue - a subpar, not timbre matched, center
