Receiver / Preamp/Processor Wish List

gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
<font color='#000000'>In light of our most recent findings with many of today’s receivers and Preamp/Processors, we have prepared a “wish list” to assist manufacturers in developing their next generation of products with critical features we and our readers deem as being essential. This suggestive wish list, if granted, would, in our opinion, produce the highest performance and most flexible home theater products for the most demanding home theater consumers and installations. We believe implementing these features will enhance all modes of operation as well as provide the consumers with a more valuable product, achieving a higher satisfaction and approval rating.  If you would like to submit your personal wish lists, please do so here.  It is our goal to submit this wishlist to all audio manufacturers that produce these products and provide an avenue here and in our article for their feedback and commentary.  This is your chance to be heard in the industry so SPEAK OUT  


Here is our current wishlist:

Wish List for New Preamp / Processor &amp; Receiver:<ul><li>Premium Dual Differential DAC implementation on all channels (quad dual differential in 2CH direct stereo).

<li>Subwoofer output with independent bass management and independent level control in 2CH Analog Direct mode.

<li>Channel trim accuracy  +/- 0.5dB.

<li>Digital Delay accuracy +/- 0.1ft increments.

<li>DSP Processing in conjuncture with a microphone for automatic level and delay calibration and room correction.

<li>Internal bass test tones from 200Hz to 20Hz in 1/6 octave increments for each channel, and all channel pairs with and without subwoofer.

<li>Variable cross-over settings from 40Hz to 160Hz in 10Hz steps and selectable filter response.

<li>Defeatable notch filter for subwoofer LPF at selectable frequencies common to typical room modes (IE. 60Hz, 120Hz,etc).

<li>Independent channel trim settings for every input and every mode of operation.

<li>On the fly group delay adjustment for LPF on sub out.

<li>Defeatable +5 to 15dB gain boost for subwoofer channel on EXT analog Inputs.

<li>Defeatable bass management and digital delay compensation on EXT analog inputs.

<li>Two sets of EXT analog inputs for provisioning of DVD-A and SACD.

<li>Adjustable Sleep mode (30,60,90 min).

<li>Composite and S-video up-conversion to Component Video.

<li> On-screen menu operational through Component Video.

<li>At least 5 coax and TOSlink digital SPDIF inputs (fully-routable to any input source).

<li>Multiple Firewire interfaces and/or provisioning for HDMI.

<li>HDCD decoder.

<li>Option to upsample 16 or 20 bit digital inputs to 24 bit and up-convert sampling rates.

<li>Multi room / Multi source capability.

<li>Virtual 7.1 channel DSP simulated modes for 5.1 channel speaker configuration.

<li>Super bass mode to combine bass from main speakers set large to the subwoofer.

<li>Retainable power up master volume level setting.

<li>Auto power on when input signal detected.

<li>Ability to disable 80Hz setting for all crossovers when engaged in THX processing.

<li>Defeatable THX Post Processing and/or Boundary Gain Compensation.

<li>Circle Surround Decoding (SRS).

<li>Dedicated channels for Front Effects for DSP modes.

<li>High current (500mA) 12V triggers with selectable polarity.</ul>Receiver Specific Wishlist:<ul><li>Ability to biamp and/or bridge the front main channels in a 5.1 set-up with the un-used rear center channel amps.
</ul></font>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Khellandros66

Khellandros66

Banned
<font color='#000000'>Actually,

I would like to see 20Hz-200Hz in 1Hz steps for the bass management for each Channel Pair plus front center.

LFE Delay in 0.5ft/second.

LFE Level Adjustments 0.5dB Accuracy.

Dual Front Center Channel Amps (ie rather 7.1, it would be 8.1)

Internal Fans On Every Receiver.

Gold Plated or Nickel Plated 5-Way Binding Posts for all Channels.

Three Component Video Inputs, with 300MHz Bandwidth.

All S-Video and Composite with 30MHz Bandwidth (minimum).

Dual 32bit DSPs.

Quad 192kHz/24bit (2/channel) ADCs.

RF/IR Learning/Macro Remotes.

XM/Sirus Tuner Built In.

And to top it all off, at least one AES/EBU Digital Input.

:)~

Bob</font>
 
<font color='#000080'>Haha... Well, we were hoping to stay with current specs and needs so as to come up with a reasonably-priced receiver, rather than a 15k box. I understand, however, that we did say &quot;wish&quot; list. Here are my comments to some of your requests:

Dual Front Center Channel Amps (ie rather 7.1, it would be 8.1)

I don't think there is a specification for this yet (or need?) so I would hesitate to actually request this one.

Internal Fans On Every Receiver.

If they can make them work with just heat sinks - more power to them. Quiet is always best in my book.

Gold Plated or Nickel Plated 5-Way Binding Posts for all Channels.

Good suggestion. I'd just settle for ditching the cheap-o plastic ones that are hard to turn, or improving the design. Hopefully this can be done by a mass manufacturer so as to make it inexpensive and thus affordable to do so. Some of the higher end units do something like this already.

Three Component Video Inputs, with 300MHz Bandwidth.

Future expansion? I think 100MHz would be great.

That's it for my response... This thread should get interesting!

I only wanted to chime in this early to help steer the thread towards what we were hoping for - which is for features to &nbsp;not exceed current 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, THX, DTS, etc... specs and provide advances where our readers think they would benefit. No input or suggestion is wrong, but perhaps some will spark some discussion or even debate!</font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
<font color='#000000'>Video, &nbsp;we often forget the Video part of the receiver. &nbsp;I'd like to some video scaling built in to help upconvert to 1080p, 1080i, 720p, and the standard DLP and LCD resolutions like 1280x720, 1366x768, 1024x768, 800x600 and 1/4 HD.

I'd like any base management and room eq to be applicable to the 7.1 analog pre-inputs.

I'd like the creator of this new receiver to enbrace a business model like Outlaw Audio.</font>
 
Khellandros66

Khellandros66

Banned
<font color='#000000'>Hawke,

I like anyone else on this site wish to improve the acoustics of movies and music.  I feel that when the cent is placed behind a screen it tends to be further back fron you than the fronts, making even harder to adjust delay, and properly set you front L/R channels, especially during pans from L to C to R and vis versa.  If you implement two center speakers one above and one below the screen. You will in fact have greater vertical imaging and will better match the front channels and the height of the drivers.

:)~

Bob</font>
 
<font color='#000080'>Cool concept. Maybe if there are re-assignable rear surround amps, one could be dedicated to driving a second center channel...

Since there's no dual center spec, this would presumably be done through splitting the center pre-out and routing the signal to one of the rear surround pre-inputs?</font>
 
Khellandros66

Khellandros66

Banned
<font color='#000000'>Hawke,

I t would be great if youwanted, you could switch the single cent to Surround Back, and the L/R Surround Back to Front, this way you could have 6.1 with the centers in the arrangement above.

This is pretty darn good, even for me! LOL
Up Until recently when my dad got the 43 Hitachi, this setup would never have come to mind.

:)~

Bob</font>
 
2

2x6spds

Enthusiast
<font color='#000000'>Hi Gene

Nice list!

1. Full bass management functionality in all modes including analog direct for SACD and DVDA;

2. Full digital path for SACD and DVDA;

3. HD 100MHz or better bandwidth for video processing section;

4. No BS exaggerations of power output rating, ratings should be with all channels driven over the full bandwidth;

5. Take a little care to damp the unit, can't cost much to do, but should help avoid resonant interactions with speaker and sub output;

6. Take the time to voice the receiver so it reproduces music both accurately and pleasantly.</font>
 
V

viggi

Enthusiast
<font color='#000000'>Hi Gene,
I would just add 2 things to your list.

1) A nice display in the main unit that can be read from about 10 to 15 ft.

2) Ability to change settings and parameters with the remote control without having to use the on-screen-display (Ex: When watching a movie I want to be able to turn off the THX mode or turn on the dynamic compression without affecting my movie)</font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
<font color='#000000'>This list a great idea. I too would like to see the list focus on supporting current or proposed standards. Things that I would like to see.

Quick switch capability between Super Bass mode and standard bass mode with automatic bass level compensation between the two modes.

The ability to tie the line level subwoofer output to groups of speakers A/B etc. via user setup, so that when you turn off the speakers the sub will also turn off.

The ability to tie digital signal types to particular DSP modes, i.e if the receiver detects an incoming DD or DTS stream it knows to select your favorite movie DSP mode rather than a music DSP mode. Each type of incoming signal type should support a seperate mode including DVD-A and SACD if we get digital interfaces in future.

Support for HDMI on the monitor output with ability to convert Component, S-Video and composite inputs. This should always support on screen menus regardless of the input type.

Support a switch mode power supply to reduce size and weight while increasing efficiency and performance.

Support (at least one model with) all digital amplifiers such as ICEpower or Mueta to further reduce size, weight while incresing efficiency and (with the right amp) performance.

Support a background video function (as on my Yamaha Receiver). If you use your reciver to switch video this will let you (say) watch the football on the tv while listening to a CD in the background. It also helps if you run out of video inputs with Toslink or Coax audio input.</font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
<font color='#000000'>DVI video switching -- A DVI port is an important input for TVs these days: an inexpensive DVD player connnected via DVI often looks better than even the best DVD players connected via component video cables. HD set top boxes, cable boxes, sat boxes, etc. either have DVI outputs now or will have them soon. The problem is that most TVs have only one DVI input. A receiver with DVI video switching would be great -- no losses since the signal is digital, and you could connect a bunch of components even if your TV only has one DVI input. To me, this is among the most critical features missing on current products in the receiver (or pre/pro) market.

-Max</font>
 
Yamahaluver

Yamahaluver

Audioholic General
<font color='#0000FF'>All I can add is that since the seperate amplifiers are being phased out gradualy I would appreciate if the companies incorporate their high end amp designs at least in their flagship models. Dual mono design with seperate high current transformers and all MOSFET higher transistor count output stage would be really nice for audio only listening.</font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
<font color='#000000'>DVI switching is a must. &nbsp;Everyone is asking for component switching which is already becoming outdated. &nbsp;Affordable DVI switching will be a must to simplify systems while maintaining a purely digital video path without the need for conversions.</font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
<font color='#000000'>I need at least 5 component inputs right now. &nbsp;I'd certainly like to have more for future expansion.</font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
<font color='#000000'>With the level of control that you all seem to want/need, it seems you need a good way to manage it. &nbsp;How about an on screen display?</font>
 
S

steve

Audioholic
<font color='#000000'>The following is a message from the Integra Product and Custom Installation Manager.  He has provided the feedback found in our write up and in this forum discussion to Onkyo, Integra and Integra Research.  To keep him from getting bombarded with e-mails, he wishes to keep his name and e-mail address off this forum, but he is allowing us to post his personal message herein.  

Keep up all the posting folks.  Manufacturers are checking in to see what we all have to say.


&quot;Integra has found this 'wish-list' of features to be a useful tool for future development. For certain, this list will be receiving a perpetual &quot;massage&quot; from other Audioholics out there, but we are looking into more than a handful of this initial set for next-gen products. Electronics manufacturers - like our PC counterparts - are always forced to make the difficult decision of when to transition a product from the R&amp;D table and into production. With great ideas like these rolling in it makes that decision even harder...&quot;</font>
 
E

Eric

Audioholic
<font color='#000000'>I only have one wish:

Field upgraded firmware when a bug is found! HEY DENON!</font>
 
Rob Babcock

Rob Babcock

Moderator
<font color='#000000'>My main wish:  that Denon would start selling pre pros again.  I especially daydream of and 3803/4802R sans the amp sections but with a complete (and defeatable) analog bypass mode.  A second model could essentially be the 5803 without the amps.  This shouldn't be completely out of the realm of possibility; Denon made a pretty sweet prepro a few years back.

I'd love to see this hypothetical unit have basically the features the receivers have without the amps, but with the same power supplies they use now. &nbsp;I'd also like to see added inputs &amp; outputs for DVI (maybe a firewire port or two), at least 5 coax digital inputs and 3-5 toslink, and as I already stated, a mode to allow analog bypass for any input. &nbsp;Naturally, 3 component vid inputs would be a given. &nbsp;Balanced inputs/outputs would be a plus but not a necessity for me.

I'd like comprehensive bass management in the digital domain, but again, with the ability to completely defeat it along with all other DSP.  Straight wire with gain, baby!

No matter how beefy the reciever, I'll never use the amps in the unit.  In a saner world, this dream piece would be priced around the same range as the reciever line (ha ha!  that'd be nice, wouldn't it?)- after all, to have basically the same stuff but without amps should be cheaper right?  Of course it never works that way.  Unless you're Outlaw Audio, of course.</font>
 
Yamahaluver

Yamahaluver

Audioholic General
<font color='#0000FF'>I have the same wish as yours but would also like to add Yamaha and Marantz in this list as they both made wonderful seperates along with Denon.</font>
 
Khellandros66

Khellandros66

Banned
<font color='#000000'>Unfortunately we are in a generation where &quot;cheap&quot; sells. &nbsp;I believe if companies start to push conservitive thinking (not politics, but logical and simplistic thinking) they would create preamps again. &nbsp;Or atleast receivers where the preamp outs are turned on/off separately from the amp sections, this way receivers could be more efficeint.

I think for starters every receiver must have atleast 15,000uf capacitence, True 5-Way binding posts, and aluminum faceplate and buttons.

Each Amp Channel/Pair should be allowed to be shut off, ie. if I have a 180w x 3 external amp for the L/C/R, I want to be able to shut those (amp) channels off and deliver their power to the remaining amps (surrounds most likely)

:)~

Bob</font>
 
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