Monoprice HTP-1 Home Theater Processor Review

[Dj7675]

So WHAT!?!?!? ART ≠ Waveforming either. ART is experimental and requires surround speakers of deep bass to even function. How much do you want to spend? Trinnov Waveforming is the best.

Your understanding of ART, or lack thereof, is showing. ART does not require surrounds with deep bass to function. It can work with ……
- 2 main speakers and no subs in a 2.0 system
-2 main speakers, multiple subs
-Traditional multichannel system where surrounds support down to 80/100 (whater the system can handle) with multiple subs.
It will work with whatever system you have. If you want it to be effective down to 20hz, 2-4 subs is what you want. And ART is in no way experimental at all. It has been fully functional for 2+ years now. And to circle back to the HTP1… There really isn’t a better option for 16 channels or under with the features/price.

 

[Magnus]

Lies, stupidity and horseshi$. I'm sure experimenal ART works WONDERFUL with two speakers.... Yes, it is experimental. They only added to something other than Storm after like 5 years of nothing but problems. Your precious HTP-1 only recently got it and you act like it's everywhere.... (SMH).

Regardless, it's only as good as the room layout and supporting speakers allow it to be, only works to 100Hz or so and monumentally inferior to Trinnov Waveforming or even a double bass setup in most problem rooms.

What good is ART or even DIRAC in general for more than one row of seating? It's compromised to Hell, even for more than one decently spaced seat. You're ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS better off treating the entire room than some electronic cacophony system.

The sad thing is it's easy to treat most rooms, especially above the bass region, yet I see bare floor and wall system after system where they think room correction will magically fix EVERYTHING. It's a joke.

How good are the speakers you're using? It's hard to get better response than the speaker is capable of in the first place. Room correction is supposed to be for the room response, not the direct 1st arrival wave. That's why I start with PSB rated twice the typical frequency response of the vast majority of speakers at +/- 1.5dB.

I make an exception for my dipole ribbons because they make an entirely different sound (place performer in the room instead of the bringing you to the performance). That's why my RT60 is studio level in my home theater and significantly higher for the dipoles.

 

[Sal1950]

So many stupid comments by maroons on here. I'm an Electronic Engineer.

For a man with a supposed EE, your name calling and insulting replies to the members isn't very flattering.
Then OTOH your 1970s dipole 2 channel system sure isn't anything to brag over here.
I'm done with you.
Bye

 

[Dj7675]

Lies, stupidity and horseshi$. I'm sure experimenal ART works WONDERFUL with two speakers.... Yes, it is experimental. They only added to something other than Storm after like 5 years of nothing but problems. Your precious HTP-1 only recently got it and you act like it's everywhere.... (SMH).

Regardless, it's only as good as the room layout and supporting speakers allow it to be, only works to 100Hz or so and monumentally inferior to Trinnov Waveforming or even a double bass setup in most problem rooms.

What good is ART or even DIRAC in general for more than one row of seating? It's compromised to Hell, even for more than one decently spaced seat. You're ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS better off treating the entire room than some electronic cacophony system.

The sad thing is it's easy to treat most rooms, especially above the bass region, yet I see bare floor and wall system after system where they think room correction will magically fix EVERYTHING. It's a joke.

How good are the speakers you're using? It's hard to get better response than the speaker is capable of in the first place. Room correction is supposed to be for the room response, not the direct 1st arrival wave. That's why I start with PSB rated twice the typical frequency response of the vast majority of speakers at +/- 1.5dB.

I make an exception for my dipole ribbons because they make an entirely different sound (place performer in the room instead of the bringing you to the performance). That's why my RT60 is studio level in my home theater and significantly higher for the dipoles.

Unfortunately there is so much misinformation and ignorance regarding ART, what it requires, what it does the devices it is on etc…
-It is not monumentally inferior to Trinnov at all because it works with regular setups.
-ART is on many Denon/Marantz, Storm, and the HTP1 and more devices coming
-It is effective up to 150hz, not 100hz
-It works well with multiple rows
-Go ahead and try treating a room under 50hz effectively. You must understand how long those frequencies are and how thick the passive room preferment would have to be and ART can indeed fix these issues
-ART is true room correction where it is treating the room. No need to even use it over the room transition frequency if there is no need
Until you actually hear what ART can do, I don’t understand why you have to be so antagonistic, negative, while at the same time spewing incorrect information. I don’t even own the HTP1 but would if it did more than 16 channels. I have used ART since it was first released on the Storm but now use it with a Marantz. Works great.

 

[EngineerNate]

I use art with a 2.3 system and it made a big improvement.

I’m an aerospace engineer. Don’t know what that has to do with acoustics though. Probably about as much as being an EE.

 

[Magnus]

For a man with a supposed EE, your name calling and insulting replies to the members isn't very flattering.
Then OTOH your 1970s dipole 2 channel system sure isn't anything to brag over here.
I'm done with you.
Bye

I've been done with you since you failed to support me on that stupid Quad site that banned me for no reason at all. I was joking and someone insulted me for the joke taken the wrong way and with zero warnings they banned me and with no discussion despite a massive positive reputation there and NOT ONE person spoke up for me! The site is run by egotistical dickweeds! I'm so glad I never sent them a dollar!

My dipole speaker system is from 1995, not the 1970s, which shows exactly how much "knowledge" you have 9n the matter. None. I'm the one being insulted here by people who have never heard my systems and questioning everything I used as outdated when the measured specs of my systems are probably night and day better than anything they're running!

 

[Dj7675]

I've been done with you since you failed to support me on that stupid Quad site that banned me for no reason at all. I was joking and someone insulted me for the joke taken the wrong way and with zero warnings they banned me and with no discussion despite a massive positive reputation there and NOT ONE person spoke up for me! The site is run by egotistical dickweeds! I'm so glad I never sent them a dollar!

My dipole speaker system is from 1995, not the 1970s, which shows exactly how much "knowledge" you have 9n the matter. None. I'm the one being insulted here by people who have never heard my systems and questioning everything I used as outdated when the measured specs of my systems are probably night and day better than anything they're running!

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Happy you are happy with your system. That is what we all strive for. But this has nothing to do with your system. My issue was with your entire rant which was full of flat out incorrect information regarding ART. Posting info on your system is simply not relevant to posting bad info about Dirac ART.

 

[EngineerNate]

Frankly I don’t under what the above has to do with the HTP-1 discussion.

 

[Sal1950]

I've been done with you since you failed to support me on that stupid Quad site that banned me for no reason at all. I was joking and someone insulted me for the joke taken the wrong way and with zero warnings they banned me and with no discussion despite a massive positive reputation there and NOT ONE person spoke up for me!

I have no recollection of the conversation or the slight at QQ your referring to.
But if you reacted there, as you did here today, I can fully understand the mod's banning you.

 

[jhaider]

So WHAT!?!?!? ART ≠ Waveforming either.

Umm, Audyssey was the point of reference provided in the post to which I replied. Not at all surprising to me that no EQ can beat Audyssey. In fact, that’s what the only published blind listening test of room correction showed…

ART is experimental and requires surround speakers of deep bass to even function.

Now you tell me?!?

What an idiot I must be to be using ART in a system with sides and rears only rated down to 80 Hz.

In fact ART requires — wait for it — two speakers to work.

How much do you want to spend? Trinnov Waveforming is the best.

I’m not sure that’s true from my experience, with the caveat that I’ve never heard them in the same room. Have you ever used either one?

In any event, both are certainly good and both represent the current SOTA.

 

[jhaider]

I got a used HTP-1 and I can’t see myself changing the setup any time soon. It is very very good.

My singular complaint is the remote is cheesy. I miss the monstrous blocks Yamaha used to make. Felt like you were controlling a serious piece of equipment.

People use the remote? I’ve always used my first one with a Harmony remote, and the second one is for my desktop, so the volume knob (only thing I touch on it) is within reach.

If there’s a place to skimp, IMO, that’s it.

 

[EngineerNate]

People use the remote? I’ve always used my first one with a Harmony remote, and the second one is for my desktop, so the volume knob (only thing I touch on it) is within reach.

If there’s a place to skimp, IMO, that’s it.

Oh yeah I never use it. It’s just always been a mark of a high end device in my head. It’s silly I know.

 

[Billy Budapest]

You clearly don't know anything about Sonic Holography. I'll put you on my permanent IGNORE list I reserve for know nothing types.

I certainly know about the Carver Sonic Holography processing. It is horrible.

 

[Billy Budapest]

For a man with a supposed EE, your name calling and insulting replies to the members isn't very flattering.

He’s been reported to the mods.

 

[Billy Budapest]

For a man with a supposed EE, your name calling and insulting replies to the members isn't very flattering.
Then OTOH your 1970s dipole 2 channel system sure isn't anything to brag over here.
I'm done with you.
Bye

He is not an EE. He has been referring to himself as an “Electronic Engineer.” By that, he probably means he works for the Geek Squad at Best Buy. On the other hand, an “Electrical Engineer” has a BSEE, MSEE, EE PhD, or EngScD.

 

[Dherrmann717]

For what it's worth, I spent some quality time with ART on my HTP-1 and the audio quality is stunningly good. Dirac has a winner here, and the HTP-1 and its team of skilled, dedicated volunteer experts making required changes to the software and continuing to add new features has caused a tragedy in my journey to audio excellence.

The "tragedy" is that I've stopped looking for "upgrades" because this baby has all I want or need. My quest is over.

PS - I'm not an EE. I'm an InfoSec professional with a degree in Computer Science. I don't know anything related to audio engineering, and I don't need it any more thanks to Dirac ART and some time on my end learning how to best configure it.