Advice for new receiver with ARC

[UWbadger91]

Hi all. I have a 65” Sony 900F TV, 3 Chane A2.4 speakers, 2 DCM cubes as surrounds and an SVS PB2000 sub in my apartment. I’m currently using a 15 year old Yamaha receiver to power everything and while it’s fine, it doesn’t have ARC so I have to use multiple remotes. I also run Apple TV and an Xbox One X. Any recommendations on a new receiver? Magnoila is trying to sell me an Integra DRX5.5 open box for $800 but that seems like overkill. I do see That Crutchfield has the Denon 1500 for $299 and the 3500 for $599. Any advice would be much appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Grandzoltar]

Out of those options I would choose the Denon 3500 that’s an excellent price to performance ratio. You get pre outs and Audyssey xt32. The Integra for 300 more open box I don’t think comes with enough extras to justify the price.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

If you’re ok with a refurb, I’d look here. Many of us have purchased there with great results.

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

 

[Pogre]

I would look into avoiding arc altogether myself.

 

[UWbadger91]

I would look into avoiding arc altogether myself.

Why is that?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[UWbadger91]

Out of those options I would choose the Denon 3500 that’s an excellent price to performance ratio. You get pre outs and Audyssey xt32. The Integra for 300 more open box I don’t think comes with enough extras to justify the price.

Why the 3500 over the 1500? It looks like the 3500 has 4K upscaling and the ability to have a 2nd tv. I think my Apple TV does upscaling so would this help too? Then slightly more power.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Why the 3500 over the 1500? It looks like the 3500 has 4K upscaling and the ability to have a 2nd tv. I think my Apple TV does upscaling so would this help too? Then slightly more power.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I would do the 3500 for Audyssey XT32. It’s head and shoulders above Audyssey XT. I also agree with @Pogre. Arc can be a PIA and quirky. Also, some TVs only pass lossy codecs and possibly only 5.1 etc., so performance can be compromised.
I don’t know all the details as ARC is something I think about as much as I think about eating Brussels sprouts.

 

[UWbadger91]

I would do the 3500 for Audyssey XT32. It’s head and shoulders above Audyssey XT. I also agree with @Pogre. Arc can be a PIA and quirky. Also, some TVs only pass lossy codecs and possibly only 5.1 etc., so performance can be compromised.
I don’t know all the details as ARC is something I think about as much as I think about eating Brussels sprouts.

So if the only reason I want to upgrade is to use one remote rather than 2, is that ridiculous? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

So if the only reason I want to upgrade is to use one remote rather than 2, is that ridiculous? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I’m pleading the 5th lol. FWIW I think harmony is still in the game making universal remotes.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yep, if the remotes thing is an issue the Harmony remotes are the way to go....and might even need one if you tried to use ARC with some combinations of gear to get it to do what you want when you want (why I originally got a Harmony remote was fighting with ARC....eventually kept the remote and gave up on ARC).

 

[Pogre]

So if the only reason I want to upgrade is to use one remote rather than 2, is that ridiculous? Lol

Nah, not at all. It's a noble cause, but ARC is glitchy and limited from most accounts I've read. I'd rather deal with the extra remote.

 

[Leemix]

New HDMI 2.1 version next year, eARC which wont limit the sound like the current ARC does. eARC is partially here already on newer chipsets but not fully until HDMI 2.1.
I dont know if CEC (the control part) will be working properly in the new HDMI 2.1 though. I think many fear it will be as bad as it is now but hope they get it together.

 

[lovinthehd]

New HDMI 2.1 version next year, eARC which wont limit the sound like the current ARC does. eARC is partially here already on newer chipsets but not fully until HDMI 2.1.
I dont know if CEC (the control part) will be working properly in the new HDMI 2.1 though. I think many fear it will be as bad as it is now but hope they get it together.

Even without limits, just what lossless codecs will you get thru a tv anyways?

 

[Leemix]

Even without limits, just what lossless codecs will you get thru a tv anyways?

Dolby trueHD and dts hd master from bluray i suppose many want with the tv as the hub and not the avr/processor.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Grandzoltar]

Many shows on Netflix uses Atmos. It works very well through my eArc enabled TV and AVR.

 

[Leemix]

Many shows on Netflix uses Atmos. It works very well through my eArc enabled TV and AVR.

Its not a full atmos like on blu-ray. Its the lossy compression dolby digital+ instead of the dolby trueHD atmos version. Still pretty good. This doesnt require eARC(afaik) but not all newer TVs support DD+

Edit:added afaik.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lovinthehd]

Many shows on Netflix uses Atmos. It works very well through my eArc enabled TV and AVR.

That's available with regular ARC via DD+....don't believe there's any lossless codec via Netflix yet....

 

[Grandzoltar]

Its not a full atmos like on blu-ray. Its the lossy compression dolby digital+ instead of the dolby trueHD atmos version. Still pretty good. This doesnt require eARC(afaik) but not all newer TVs support DD+

Edit:added afaik.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That's available with regular ARC via DD+....don't believe there's any lossless codec via Netflix yet....

As far as streaming media Netflix compression algorithms for audio is as lossless as it gets. In comparison to Disc media streaming is “lossier” but it is handicapped by the amount of bandwidth needed for what they want to stream.

I agree 4K discs sound better as well as look better but I can stream much more media then I can buy 4k discs. Streaming is the future once compression algorithms get better you won’t discern the differences. Just like streaming music did physical media.

 

[Otto Plyot]

Why is that?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

ARC is quite often associated with CEC. CEC has many problems because the formats are not standardized so the various device mfrs are free to implement it however they choose, which quite often leads to incompatibilities and there are no firmware fixes for it. The problems with ARC are mostly related to CEC. A lot of folks disable ARC/CEC altogether and use an optical cable from the tv to the receiver for audio from the on-board apps. Optical audio is limited to 5.1 just like ARC, so you're no losing any audio fidelity. For the CEC portion, a programmable remote like a Harmony works just fine. ARC/CEC is a good idea but it is still fraught with issues. With the introduction of eARC, the whole situation has become a bit more complicated.

 

[snakeeyes]

CEC is cool when all devices work with it. It can be a pain for boxes not compatible.

Not a fan of the TV being the source or being the HDMI switching hub. (When ARC is needed) It’s better to have a streamer and go to the AVR directly. (Firestick/Apple TV/Roku). The TV should only be the display ideally.