It is no longer unwise to spend more on an amplifier

[Lattiboy]

I’ve held for many years that the Denon X3000 series are the best value in all of audio. Audyssey XT32, super clean pre outs, and a really great amp section.

Usually under $900 for the previous gen model, and basically the X3600 was everything you could ever need for the next decade. eARC, DV support, variable frame rate support, Atmos, ect

Unless you have esoteric speakers that are -85db, the Denon can drive any speakers perfectly in stereo mode.

 

[curiouspeter]

AVRs are big and they generate a lot of heat, this means more space to ventilate in the cabinet and more cooling.

I try to avoid any component with fans or even ventilation holes.

 

[dlaloum]

AVRs are big and they generate a lot of heat, this means more space to ventilate in the cabinet and more cooling.

I try to avoid any component with fans or even ventilation holes.

Trouble is, a processor, a preamp, a set of power amps and a phono-pre combined, take a lot more space than an AVR...
The advantage, is the heat generating bits are spread out, allowing more space for ventilation/cooling (but taking more space!)

I prefer to avoid fans - but in many cases (!) they are a necessary evil.

My primary source component is a HTPC, which I custom built, - completely passive/fanless.

I can (and do) monitor the FAN in my AVR, and it is very seldom on, and when it is, it is on its lowest speed. (but my cabinet is open sided, and there is about 10" of open air above the AVR as well)

In such cases, my primary concern with the Fan, is that it will, over the longer term, draw in and deposit dust.... which in turn acts as a blanket....

 

[Chrispy]

Trouble is, a processor, a preamp, a set of power amps and a phono-pre combined, take a lot more space than an AVR...
The advantage, is the heat generating bits are spread out, allowing more space for ventilation/cooling (but taking more space!)

I prefer to avoid fans - but in many cases (!) they are a necessary evil.

My primary source component is a HTPC, which I custom built, - completely passive/fanless.

I can (and do) monitor the FAN in my AVR, and it is very seldom on, and when it is, it is on its lowest speed. (but my cabinet is open sided, and there is about 10" of open air above the AVR as well)

In such cases, my primary concern with the Fan, is that it will, over the longer term, draw in and deposit dust.... which in turn acts as a blanket....

FWIW I have fans on a couple of my avrs that are in tight spaces, and with that dust idea in mind took the covers off after several years of use....no significant accumulation of dust that I found in either, and one's in my workshop, other in my living room. I have a sort of cover in place over the avr in the workshop to prevent generally dust/debris just falling into it, the other is just in a shelved unit with minimal airspace above....both fans vent to the top and rear).

 

[curiouspeter]

Trouble is, a processor, a preamp, a set of power amps and a phono-pre combined, take a lot more space than an AVR...
The advantage, is the heat generating bits are spread out, allowing more space for ventilation/cooling (but taking more space!)

I prefer to avoid fans - but in many cases (!) they are a necessary evil.

My primary source component is a HTPC, which I custom built, - completely passive/fanless.

I can (and do) monitor the FAN in my AVR, and it is very seldom on, and when it is, it is on its lowest speed. (but my cabinet is open sided, and there is about 10" of open air above the AVR as well)

In such cases, my primary concern with the Fan, is that it will, over the longer term, draw in and deposit dust.... which in turn acts as a blanket....

A PC can even do room correction. A processor like the Apple M1 can do a ton of work with minimal heat dissipation. A DAC, even a multi-channel one, does not generate much heat. Class D amplification is also quite cool.

I would not buy a separate preamp anymore. The streamer, processor (DRC/PEQ), DAC, and volume control can live inside one box without sacrificing quality or flexibility. One can add as many Class D amps as needed.

I am a huge fan of passive cooling. With the right heat sink, a fan is truly optional.

 

[dlaloum]

A PC can even do room correction. A processor like the Apple M1 can do a ton of work with minimal heat dissipation. A DAC, even a multi-channel one, does not generate much heat. Class D amplification is also quite cool.

I would not buy a separate preamp anymore. The streamer, processor (DRC/PEQ), DAC, and volume control can live inside one box without sacrificing quality or flexibility. One can add as many Class D amps as needed.

I am a huge fan of passive cooling. With the right heat sink, a fan is truly optional.

Yes, unfortunately in a world driven by licence constraints, the optimal way to view movies and listen to their soundtracks, remains via an AVR...

I keep looking for a software suite that would allow me to delete the AVR / Prepro from the setup.... but there is nothing really out there. (Jriver is probably the closest approximation)

 

[curiouspeter]

Yes, unfortunately in a world driven by licence constraints, the optimal way to view movies and listen to their soundtracks, remains via an AVR...

I keep looking for a software suite that would allow me to delete the AVR / Prepro from the setup.... but there is nothing really out there. (Jriver is probably the closest approximation)

Yeah. I wish there are more affordable AV processors with:

1. Dirac Live (multi-channel, bass control)
2. Usual AV decoding
3. Multi-channel Roon Ready endpoint
4. 12 XLR pre-out

Basically, it is just like a super AVR but without the amps.

 

[kongwee]

If you have the money, spend power amp and processor separately. Processor standard come and go couple of years.

 

[curiouspeter]

If you have the money, spend power amp and processor separately. Processor standard come and go couple of years.

Processors are more expensive than integration amps.

For instance, the Lyngdorf MP-40 is around $10K. This costs even more than their TDAI-3400 with a 400W amp.

Just think of the amp as a disposable electronic item.

 

[kemmler3D]

Unless one has a computer close to the audio setup that can do Dirac, it is hard to pay less without a lot of DIY-ing with REW.

Frankly, I would rather have $1000 speakers with room correction than $2000 ones without.

On the latter point: My current setup is running EQAPO on a spare laptop, I keep it in the cabinet with the amps with the lid closed. So far it's working pretty good! It's a viable option if you only need 2.x, not if you want any dolby standards.

I don't totally disagree with your overall point though... I paid $400 for power hungry vintage B&Ws and $600 for some NC500s to run them.

However, you can get $800 worth of amp and $500 worth of PC and have plenty of power to spare, both in watts and CPU FLOPS.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

If you have the money, spend power amp and processor separately. Processor standard come and go couple of years.

If processor standard changes so often then buy avr and bypass front 3. Don't need tons of power for the wide receivers. Just the lineman.