Vintage HiFi Audio Forum

The Home Theater Corner => Home Theater Audio => Topic started by: OldiesButGoodies on July 29, 2014, 08:15:48 PM

Title: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 29, 2014, 08:15:48 PM
I have been using a Denon 4520Ci for two months now.  Short of writing a long review,  I will highlight two things:

A key objective of buying this unit was to test the value of 9.2 and 11.2 channel reproduction using Audyssey DSX and NeoX surround formats.  My net take is this: not worth the pain of adding 4 speakers for front wide and height.  A 7.1 setup will, in my pinion, satisfy your need for envelopment just fine.  I rarely use it except maybe when watching football games on similar events on TV.

Secondly,  the Audyssey "Platinum" calibration tech *is* worth the extra cost.  The dual subwoofer management and extra filters make a big difference. If you do not have that in your HT receiver and make up for it by using external EQs,  this will simplify your life. 

Cheers,

OBG

Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: AdamG on July 29, 2014, 10:17:20 PM
I definitely need to step up my audyssey game on my next receiver upgrade. My little marantz Nr-1403 is the base audyssey, it's better than nothing, but I know there is much room for improvement. It really helps with my crappy room layout though, so I have to accept what I can get right now.
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 29, 2014, 10:56:36 PM
Agree.  I did a lot of maneuvering using the Behringer feedback destroyer to get the subs to match,  but that is a pain to do - you have to learn the Room EQ wizard software,  get a decent microphone or use the the RatShack level meter's output to try to understand where the issues are,  then enter everything into the DSP1124 with the user interface dating from 1993... etc.  Now I just plug the mic in and the receiver runs a program and voila, the subs are optimized for my crappy room's bass issues in 5 minutes. Not sure if the lesser Audyssey levels have it, but the dynamic volume EQ is also great!  Use 0 db as reference (higher than the -75db I think they recommend) when running the program and it really helps correcting for hearing sensitivity at low volumes.   

OBG
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: bmwr75 on July 30, 2014, 08:08:58 AM
I sold my home theater to the buyer of our house.   The AVR is a Denon 4308CI that I bought back in 2007.  Have always been pleased with it.

Will be looking for a new AVR when we get the house built down in MS.  Will keep the 4520CI in mind.  OBG, if you were buying again, would you get the 4520CI again?
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: treos33 on July 30, 2014, 09:02:10 AM
I'm just jealous you have room for an 11.2 set-up.

My 11'x11' living room with doors on three walls, windows on the fourth, and a fire place makes a HT set-up mighty difficult.

If you ever feel like hosting a forum movie night let me know!
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: thuffman03 on July 30, 2014, 09:17:02 AM
I had a 5.1 for a while.  Got rid of it.  Only have 2 channel systems now.  I have no intention of ever doing HT again.  The preamp for my TV is a Sunfire Classic tube with phono stage.  Not sure if any HT pre or reciever will sound as good as that one IMO.
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 30, 2014, 09:34:50 AM
I know many audiophiles are very happy with 2 channel home theater,  Tom H and OCCD included.  To each his own.  I really enjoy the HT side of the hobby and the idea of recreating the movie action through sound sources throughout the room. Also, I could never see getting the LFE channel to reproduce properly in a 2-channel system (nor would I like to torture my Plats by asking them to do low frequency effects  :))  But going two channel definitely simplifies things and some swear by that minimalist approach. 

Scott - I like the Denon 4520Ci and pretty much anything Denon and Yamaha these days, particularly from the reliability point of view.  Seems like Onkyo has gone down the crapper in quality control,  specially with HDMI switching:  seems like this is the most frequently reported issue - and Onlyo is at the point where they trade your receiver in for a new one when the board fails. On the features side, Denon uses Audyssey for calibration,  and I trust that better than Yamaha's proprietary system (I am not sure what Yamaha does with subs,  if anything, but I recommend getting a receiver that will automatically calculate distance, set phase, and equalize the subs...  Audyssey adds licensing costs to the manufacturer,  so Pioneer and Yamaha are trying to save money by designig their own...).  If I were to do it again I would explore some of the newer Denon receivers with Dolby Atmos support (supposedly "future proof").   Since these are so new,  they probably will not show up in a discount website like Accesoriesforless for a while,  so you would have to pay a higher price for any of those units.  I would stick with Denon myself. 
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: Jim Pittsburgh on July 31, 2014, 05:32:26 AM
Nice discussion!

 The only things I'd add is not to forget about the Denon's sister company
Marantz. I've two 7.2 Marantz receivers and couldn't be happier. And if you don't think a HT set up w Audyssey can be Musical, you should stop over... Particular to hear the
Updated garage system
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: GraphicFX on July 31, 2014, 07:05:24 AM
And if you don't think a HT set up w Audyssey can be Musical, you should stop over... Particular to hear the
Updated garage system

Jim's garage system rocks. such clarity and balance. His vintage mains are lovely. I forget what they are but they integrate very well as a total system. I was quite amazed.
Title: Re: 9.2 and 11.2 channel HT Receivers
Post by: Jim Pittsburgh on July 31, 2014, 12:58:41 PM
thanks, but even quite a bit better now with the Carver AV 806x bi amping the HK Fifty mains and separate amps for each of the two SuperOnes used for the center channel.

yep, the speakers do match freakishly well,  even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while lol