Processor and source for projector system

[radix]

I am looking for some advice and recommendations please.

I am moving to a new house (hurray!). It has a projector and screen setup in the living room. I think I will keep the setup and upgrade to 4k if it's not already. The room is 21' (6.5m) long and 13' (4m) wide. The seats will likely be around 10' (3m) back in the long direction.

The stereo that is going in there is 2x AHB2 plus F228be. Right now, I drive it from an SHD. I'm looking for a AVR/AVP plus video source to replace the SHD. The final system would likely be a 3.1, maybe up to a 5.2. I would keep the F228be on the AHB2s, and add a center and maybe two rears. The rears are not a sure thing due to aesthetic reasons.

This living room setup would be for more casual tv/movies and mostly for music. I have a Denon 6700 that will go in a downstairs media room with a 5.2.2 setup. I have a small preference to keep things "in the family" so sticking with Denon or maybe Marantz.

So here are some questions:

- I'll add a center channel (maybe a Revel to keep the looks similar). This is possibly a 428be, as that's the only Revel that would match the white 228be. I might consider an in-wall behind-the-screen center. Or some completely different center so long as it looks cohesive.

- I am assuming I'd need an external amp for the center to keep up with the 2xAHB2 for the L+R and not use an internal AVR amp.

- It seems like a Marantz (or other?) with balanced out would be the right choice for the AHB2. Maybe a Denon 3700 w/ all external amps via RCA?

- So if I add rears, then maybe I'd add a 3-channel hypex or purifi for the center + 2 rears, say a 250 wpc or so?

- I'm leaning towards an Nvidia shield+ TV as the source. I have a Sony smart TV in the media room, and it looks like the Shield would give a similar UI and use the same Google accounts.

Thanks for any tips,
Marc

 

[Helicopter]

...

- It seems like a Marantz (or other?) with balanced out would be the right choice for the AHB2. Maybe a Denon 3700 w/ all external amps via RCA?

- So if I add rears, then maybe I'd add a 3-channel hypex or purifi for the center + 2 rears, say a 250 wpc or so?

...

Agree on 3700 and class D module amps for the other channels. That's what I would do.

Focal 1000 Utopia in the wall would be awesome.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

Denon x3700 or Onkyo RZ50 for the processing. If you're going to stick with Revel for the center, why not just get another AHB2 to power it? It's worth repeating that cinema soundtracks are 70% center channel biased, so going with the matching Revel center and amplification that you already know and appreciate makes sense. From there, Revel does make in-walls/in-ceilings, you could grab a pair (or two, depending on the room config) and let Audyssey XT32 or Dirac do the heavy lifting of making it all blend.

 

[FrantzM]

The Denon X-3700 has no balanced output. Actually no Denon AVR has balanced output... I don't know about their Prepro...

Peace.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

The Denon X-3700 has no balanced output. Actually no Denon AVR has balanced output... I don't know about their Prepro...

Peace.

Right, but as we've seen from Amir's reviews, most of the Pre's that include XLR out also test worse than lower priced AVR's with RCA only out, or have notoriously buggy EQ and software implementations (Emotiva) or both.

I personally would've loved to spend $2,000-2,500 on a processor that did all the things an X3700 or RZ50 does, but without the amps and from a higher end manufacturer, but nobody seems to be in that business..