Don't let Apple Corp dictate whats in a receiver

[MinusTheBear]

Don't take my word for it. CNet did some actual measurements of various MP3 players.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12519_7-9968448-49.html

Those cnet measurements are rubbish. You need to see how the player reacts with and without a load. Sadly a lot of players will either roll-off the low end or have variations that deviate from a flat frequency response when driving a low impedance headphone. BTW CNET didn't even bother to turn off the stock equalizer settings (out of the box) on the Cowon D2.

 

[highfigh]

Not if you don't own an iPod, like me

These "people" you speak of - they are the reason why music is now more an industry than something to just enjoy. The fact that we even call it an industry is sad.

Music has been an industry since the first recording was made, over 100 years ago. Popular has always been what governed the decisions, not quality.

iPods/iPhones and iPads are owned by enough people that the equipment manufacturers would be shooting themselves in the foot if they ignored them and new apps are created every day. With the right app, there's no reason to have any cables connecting the i-device to the receiver if someone wants to play their music, videos or show photos. The audio is converted to PCM and that basically makes the files recorded as MP3 a non-issue.

Also, remote control apps for tablets and i-devices have come a long way in a short time. I have one for Roku, my Request music server and for my Denon receiver. With the Denon app, I can stream from my computer while controlling the receiver and it provides two-way communication, so I see when/if someone changed something on the receiver. It's pretty cool and it's useful. I can now use my iPhone to control what I listen to in my garage and I don't have to use a separate remote control with RF, a keypad with no way to see what's playing or just a volume control. If it's in my computer, I see all artists, albums, genres, playlists, etc- right on the phone or iPad, if I had one.

 

[highfigh]

Hehe
Ok , just software )) There ipods are terrible sound ))

Don't use their ear buds. I have a pair of Pioneer buds and it actually sounds decent. Not amazing, but it's not offensive, like the little crappy ones an iPod comes with. If you save the music as AAC, FLAC or some other lossless format, it sounds decent.

 

[agarwalro]

For good portable player site/reviews, I usually go to, anything but iPod.

 

[lsiberian]

I think technological integration is going to get even more complex not less. You older folks won't like it, but your parents didn't like your music either. I don't like the new stuff myself, but if listening to Gaga is the worse thing a teen does I'll take it.

 

[sholling]

I think technological integration is going to get even more complex not less. You older folks won't like it, but your parents didn't like your music either. I don't like the new stuff myself, but if listening to Gaga is the worse thing a teen does I'll take it.

Actually I think it's going to get easier for the end-user. That's just how technological curves go whether you're talking about cars or computers or A/V gear. It goes from engineer complexity to nerd complexity to simple end-user complexity. We aren't there yet but we're getting closer as we go from HTPCs to media steamer/players to better integration with other gear. It just maybe that a receiver isn't the best place because it's not a natural fit. On the other hand integration of streaming and media players into Blu-Ray players is a 100% natural fit. A BD player already has graphic menus and video decoding and processing and in many cases network access built in. Building sophisticated graphic menuing and such into a receiver makes less sense from an engineering standpoint but seems to be an important checkoff item. The hold up on integrating more functions into BD players is the race to the bottom with pricing and trouble with component suppliers and content providers. For example the processor supplier for Oppo refuses to allow them to turn their BD players into fully functional and polished media players. What had the potential to be world beating functionality was been crippled by supplier decree. But it has to come to keep the disc player industry from being replaced buy media players companies like Apple, Western Digital and Netgear.

Of course there will be some false starts. I'm less enamored with tablet/phone control of TVs etc then some and we'll see if it goes beyond fad.

 

[agarwalro]

but if listening to Gaga

I don't care for Gaga's music either, but if The Stig is Gaga, man I'm gaga for Gaga!

 

[Gustavo]

Let's not start equating Apple and Bose.

I'm not.

Besides, they are not equal.

Bose makes overpriced products, Apple, on the other hand, well...

Bose sues competitors and non-competitors while Apple just sues competitors who copy Apple's products' "look and feel", whatever that means.

See? The two cannot be equated.

Peace.

Seriously, I don't mind if Apple connectivity is integrated in higher-end receivers where the price is least affected by the technology. Unfortunately, these are more appealing to the mass market, thus, their "inevitable" integration to mass market receivers.

Pioneer pioneered this trend.

 

[M Code]

No, they're actually not. The original iPods had some hard drive noise get through to the audio signal and they've had a bad rep ever since. Modern iPods have Wolfson DACs with high SNR. They're pretty good all around.

Not really a DAC issue..
Many of the later AVRs including Onkyo, Pioneer, HK have a USB port for the iPod interface, bypasses the internal iPod DAC and the AVRs DAC does the decoding..

Just my $0.02..

 

[M Code]

I should point out... Regardless of me not being an apple fan... It's not so much that I'm against AVR manufacturers adding things like AirPlay and iPod/iPad control ect... It's more about adding convenience features as a whole if they come at the expense of the things like amps, power supply, reliability, ect...

I was happy to see Denon release the AVR-1712 this year (and I'm probably one of the few)... But they had the balls to put out a $399 MSRP AVR that has MultiEQ XT and the same exact amp section as it's more expensive 1912/2112 brethren.... and forgoes networking and some of the other convenience features of the more expensive models...

Instead of just saying - "Well, if you want a <$400 MSRP AVR, you can get the AVR-1612. Sure, it only has MultiEQ and not XT, and it only has the weaker 75W/channel amp section... BUT, you get direct iPod/iPhone/iPad control!!! Oh, you don't need that feature? Well tough, that's all you get for under $400 MSRP."

Glad to see Denon provide an option for consumers on a tight budget who would rather focus on the audio quality aspect.

Are you aware the mentioned Denon AVRs are designed/assembled by Sherwood..

Just my $0.02...

 

[FatmanSize48]

Stay on topic boys...

 

[Gustavo]

Are you aware the mentioned Denon AVRs are designed/assembled by Sherwood..

Just my $0.02...

Point,being...?