A) Anthem MRX 510 (with Amp added later) or B) Outlaw 975/Emotiva UMC 200 with Outlaw 7125

[Manikandan Gopinathan]

Hello All,

My situation:
* Newbie here. First time HT buyer. Never owned any HT setup.
* This will be a living room set up with all pulls and pressures of a normal family set up.
I don't have speakers yet. But looking at used Triton 2s (2K) and SCXL (700) with an old existing Boston Acoustics VR2 for surrounds. Will upgrade to proper surrounds later.
* I will be doing 60/40 music/movies
* Can do around $1500 for Receiver or AV separates
* I really don't care about streaming apps, radio, wireless, BT options. I can get all that from BDP 105 or Roku.
* I would prefer excellent sound and video processing including possibly support for DTS:X (if thats worth it)

Appreciate guidance on below:
1. Are AV separates worth it? Or better to go with good high end receivers? I can sink around $1500.
2. Anthem MRX 510 gets raving reviews. So, Anthem (with an option to add Amps later) Vs Outlaw 975/Emotiva UMC 200 Pre/Pro with Outlaw 7125 Amp? I have located an used 510 for 1K.
3. DTS X or Atmos. Are these really worth? Or are they at least a few years away? My above two options dont have these. I understand that. Are these features upgradable via firmware or do they need H/W?
4, Also, I read that Yammy has presence speaker options. So, is that a worth feature to buy AV receiver?

Apologies for the long list of questions. Grateful for your advice.

 

[PENG]

1) For that budget i would go with an AVR such as the Marantz SR7009. It probably has enough power for the Triton 2 without the help of an external power amp.

2) I am sure the MRX 510 is good but the Marantz SR7009 or similarly priced Denon AVR has Audyssey XT32, Sub EQ HT and the very nice Dynamic EQ feature. One may argue that Anthem's ARC is as good or better than XT32 but D&M's Sub EQ HT and DEQ really do work well.

3) You need to find out for yourself on this one.

4) Not for me, but YMMV.

 

[Cos]

AV7009 should have no problem driving the Triton 2. 2k is a little on the higher end of used Speakers T2, make sure they are pristine and they are the original owners. If you like GE, I would also suggest looking at the T5 and going with a separate sub.

- None of th emodels you suggested will support DTX, possibly the AV7009 though.
- Separates are nice, but come with to many potential headaches doing it that way for minimal gain in my opinion. I am locked into separates

 

[PENG]

AV7009 should have no problem driving the Triton 2. 2k is a little on the higher end of used Speakers T2, make sure they are pristine and they are the original owners. If you like GE, I would also suggest looking at the T5 and going with a separate sub.

- None of th emodels you suggested will support DTX, possibly the AV7009 though.
- Separates are nice, but come with to many potential headaches doing it that way for minimal gain in my opinion. I am locked into separates

Hi Cos, did you mean SR7009? AV series are prepros, like your AV8802.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I would lean towards an AVR that has all the features you might want.

For the longest time, I was against any kind of EQ and was all about "pure audio" and the "shortest path". Then one day I tried Audyssey Dynamic EQ (not the room correction itself). Now I cannot do without Audyssey DEQ.

But everyone has a different story and personal experience.

You have to find your own path.

 

[Cos]

Hi Cos, did you mean SR7009? AV series are prepros, like your AV8802.

Yes, I have Pre/Pro on the Brain, the SR

 

[PENG]

Yes, I have Pre/Pro on the Brain, the SR

I thought so, just didn't want to assume because the OP seemed interested in separates as well. Off the topic a little, are you happy with the 8802 so far, no humming issue like the AV7005 you had? Did you find its SQ as good as your Integra or even the Anthem?

 

[little wing]

I had a chance to hear the MRX710 and a Marantz (7007 or 7008 I can't remember which) They both sounded good, but I thought I could detect a bit more focus and clarity in the Anthem, when switching back and forth with the same source. You can't go wrong with either choice though. I am not sure you will get more bang for your buck going with separates, you'll have to figure that one out. Compared with a Marantz AVR the Anthem is short on features, but one feature the 510 has that is pretty cool, it's called Max EQ Frequency. If you don't want the room correction to EQ frequencies above say 500hz, just plug 500 into ARC and it leaves everything north of 500hz alone. Pretty cool..

 

[Manikandan Gopinathan]

AV7009 should have no problem driving the Triton 2. 2k is a little on the higher end of used Speakers T2, make sure they are pristine and they are the original owners. If you like GE, I would also suggest looking at the T5 and going with a separate sub.

- None of th emodels you suggested will support DTX, possibly the AV7009 though.
- Separates are nice, but come with to many potential headaches doing it that way for minimal gain in my opinion. I am locked into separates

Thanks. I see that you have separates but you see little value and rather be with AVR? Also, I see that you have Triton ones. How do you like it? I am tempted to jump to Triton ones. Advice?

Does your set up have DTS:X? If not, how do you see your 'upgrade path' or do you think it is not worth it for now?

 

[Manikandan Gopinathan]

I had a chance to hear the MRX710 and a Marantz (7007 or 7008 I can't remember which) They both sounded good, but I thought I could detect a bit more focus and clarity in the Anthem, when switching back and forth with the same source. You can't go wrong with either choice though. I am not sure you will get more bang for your buck going with separates, you'll have to figure that one out. Compared with a Marantz AVR the Anthem is short on features, but one feature the 510 has that is pretty cool, it's called Max EQ Frequency. If you don't want the room correction to EQ frequencies above say 500hz, just plug 500 into ARC and it leaves everything north of 500hz alone. Pretty cool..

Thank you. Actually all the apps and internet connectivity, BT etc are a waste for me as I can always add external streaming devices or adapters. I am wondering what I will miss out from an audio/video features perspecitve if I dont go Yammy/Denon/Marantz? I know that Anthem is superior sound quality (at least thats what the gurus say).

 

[Manikandan Gopinathan]

I would lean towards an AVR that has all the features you might want.

For the longest time, I was against any kind of EQ and was all about "pure audio" and the "shortest path". Then one day I tried Audyssey Dynamic EQ (not the room correction itself). Now I cannot do without Audyssey DEQ.

But everyone has a different story and personal experience.

You have to find your own path.

Thanks. The tough thing is to figure out the features that I want with the limited knowledge I have. Here is what is important to me:
Video: Support 4K (I dont care about upscaling as I plan to buy Oppo). Is fast HDMI switching important? I dont even know what that means.
Audio: Since I am in a living room set up, I am thinking that room correction is super important and perhaps should decide what kind of receiver I buy (no?). Secondly, a receiver that support for all kinds of formats.

Am I missing any key feature that I should be looking for?

 

[little wing]

Thank you. Actually all the apps and internet connectivity, BT etc are a waste for me as I can always add external streaming devices or adapters. I am wondering what I will miss out from an audio/video features perspecitve if I dont go Yammy/Denon/Marantz? I know that Anthem is superior sound quality (at least thats what the gurus say).

Yes, you really can't go wrong with the sound quality of an Anthem receiver. (IMO) You mentioned the Oppo 105 in your original post. I have the 105 and I really really like it. The sound quality is great, and since I have an older receiver it handles all streaming and gives me all the connectivity I need. so unless you need other features you should be good with Anthem or the separates you mentioned. Good Luck, let us know what you decide on.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks. The tough thing is to figure out the features that I want with the limited knowledge I have. Here is what is important to me:
Video: Support 4K (I dont care about upscaling as I plan to buy Oppo). Is fast HDMI switching important? I dont even know what that means.
Audio: Since I am in a living room set up, I am thinking that room correction is super important and perhaps should decide what kind of receiver I buy (no?). Secondly, a receiver that support for all kinds of formats.

Am I missing any key feature that I should be looking for?

As with all things audio, it comes down to personal and subjective preferences. I've heard a high end Anthem pre-pro with ARC room correction and I thought Audyssey XT DEQ sounded better than Anthem.

Others may think Anthem sounds better. Some may even think YPAO sounds better. Some may think Pioneer's RC sounds better. Or maybe Dirac or Lyngdorf or something else.

If you were my own brother, I would tell you to buy a Denon or Marantz in your budget with Audyssey XT32 + dual independent subwoofer EQ over any Anthem or anything else. But that's just me.

My advice to my own flesh and blood would be that in this audio world, don't believe that less features is somehow "more". Less is just less. You never know what you need.

Again, everyone has a different experience.

 

[PENG]

As with all things audio, it comes down to personal and subjective preferences. I've heard a high end Anthem pre-pro with ARC room correction and I thought Audyssey XT DEQ sounded better than Anthem.

Others may think Anthem sounds better. Some may even think YPAO sounds better. Some may think Pioneer's RC sounds better. Or maybe Dirac or Lyngdorf or something else.

If you were my own brother, I would tell you to buy a Denon or Marantz in your budget with Audyssey XT32 + dual independent subwoofer EQ over any Anthem or anything else. But that's just me.

My advice to my own flesh and blood would be that in this audio world, don't believe that less features is somehow "more". Less is just less. You never know what you need.

Again, everyone has a different experience.

Funny I wanted to say something similar to what you said but couldn't have done as well as you did.

I like the part about "less is just less". There are other contributing factors for the "less" for more thing, but somehow higher price to value tend to bias people including professional reviewers, into believing something else that are often not true. On the other hand, with the much higher USD it is now at least less painful for those in the US to buy Canadian.

 

[big O]

separates are worth it!!!

not only do they sound better, but they also allow you to match your amp to your speakers. please DO NOT believe the lie that all amps sound the same. they do not.

do you need atmos? for 60% music part definitely no, and for 40% home theater- 95% of cinama rooms are still 5.1 so again i say no.

one thing i like about the emotiva is this. it has 11 channels of fully adjustable parametric eq per channel and three channels for the sub. this is incredibly powerful. a meaurement mic, audio interface, and room eq wizard( rew) and you will be able to get the most out of any speakers you have and also the most out of your room.

separates can also be cheaper since everyone is upgrading for new tech all the time, and on the amp side you can buy amps that sold originally for $3k for about $500 if you look well enough.

thats my humble opinion.

 

[big O]

Audio: Since I am in a living room set up, I am thinking that room correction is super important and perhaps should decide what kind of receiver I buy (no?). Secondly, a receiver that support for all kinds of formats.

Am I missing any key feature that I should be looking for?

if room correction is important to you, you cannot get better than a umc 200. its tunability is unmatched from anything ive seen, regarding the eq section.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I've heard $25K units and many others in between. I don't think separates (analog or digital, preamp or pre-pro) sound better than AVR at all using the same modes, speakers, and setup.

I definitely don't have any reasons at all to lie. I definitely can afford a few separates.

 

[big O]

When I tested this it was clear as day the difference between three amps.

I have also tested preamp sections and they have their sonic signature as well,so saying separates sound the same as receivers cannot be true since both preamp and amps have a sonic signature and different levels of fidelity.

Also,I know many who can hear a difference even between receivers. take that to its logical conclusion.

 

[agarwalro]

1. Why can't amps sound different?

Again a meaningless blanket statement.

Amps can sounds different. For example, tube amps can be intentionally made to sound different and do sound different based on speaker load affecting bias behavior. Solid State amps that cannot sufficiently drive the speakers may handle clipping differently and consequently can sound different (before one realizes they're clipping).

From before, for a good design, with competent implementation...

If they're operating within specified parameters, they should sound the same. Which is to say, they should have no sound. Or, there should not affect the signal other than to amplify it. The amp that does not meet this criteria is poorly designed and/or being driven beyond specified parameters aka. clipping.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

When I tested this it was clear as day the difference between three amps.

I have also tested preamp sections and they have their sonic signature as well,so saying separates sound the same as receivers cannot be true since both preamp and amps have a sonic signature and different levels of fidelity.

Also,I know many who can hear a difference even between receivers. take that to its logical conclusion.

It's okay to disagree 100%. But don't accuse people of lying for their own experiences. It's a 2 way street.

Perhaps you can hear the differences with your Klipsch and Emotiva. I couldn't hear the day-and-night astronomical unequivocal unbiased level-matched improvements among amps, preamps, pre-pros, and AVR in DIRECT MODE when I owned Revel Salon2, B&W 802 Diamond, KEF Reference 201/2, Linkwitz Orion 3.2.1, Philharmonic 3, etc.

Everyone may have a different experience. Every situation may be different.

Maybe. Just saying.