Is my local audio guy being honest?

[parinshah]

We were blessed to buy a home that had a home theater already built in---the problem is that all the components are about 10 years old:

Runco projector (S video only, no HDMI)
Transcendence five front speakers, Trans one rear speakers and Trans center w/sub
Balanced Audio technologies VK 500 powered amp
Meridian processor.

I called a local guy to come and change the projector and to add either a pre-amp or receiver. Most of the stuff works well and don't want to reinvent the wheel and spend a whole lot more.

He would like me to buy an Epson 8500UB projector for $2300 which I am ok with. He would also like me to buy a Marantz AV8003 for $2400. I asked him if I am ok just getting a Marantz receiver instead (SR5004 or 6004) and he said I would lose 40-50% of the sound quality by going with a receiver over a preamp. Is this correct?

I would save $1500 or so going with the receiver

 

[chris357]

you could look for used equipment..

 

[Seth=L]

The SQ differences between that preamp and the receiver would most likely be minimal, high end markets tend to exaggerate how much different a much more expensive products "sounds" even though it doesn't really sound that much better. With the money saved you could afford to buy something that would have a profound affect on the sound, like a $1500 subwoofer from SVS or something.

Keep in mind the AV8003 has a lot of features, many of which most won't use. For basic HDMI switching and audio processing most receivers with preouts will do everything a preamp/processor would need to do. Additional zone features, and certain types of connectivity (phono inputs for example) and other video processing oriented features usually are more robust on a preamp/processor. Depending on what you watch and how it may not matter. Folks tend to forget their Blu-ray players already do a good job upscaling their DVDs and end up often using inferior processing in audio/video receivers and processors.

 

[Shock]

He's lying to you plain and simple. I would go with a different company if possible.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

We were blessed to buy a home that had a home theater already built in---the problem is that all the components are about 10 years old:

Runco projector (S video only, no HDMI)
Transcendence five front speakers, Trans one rear speakers and Trans center w/sub
Balanced Audio technologies VK 500 powered amp
Meridian processor.

I called a local guy to come and change the projector and to add either a pre-amp or receiver. Most of the stuff works well and don't want to reinvent the wheel and spend a whole lot more.

He would like me to buy an Epson 8500UB projector for $2300 which I am ok with. He would also like me to buy a Marantz AV8003 for $2400. I asked him if I am ok just getting a Marantz receiver instead (SR5004 or 6004) and he said I would lose 40-50% of the sound quality by going with a receiver over a preamp. Is this correct?

I would save $1500 or so going with the receiver

He is a big fat liar so run for your life and don't look back!

 

[Nemo128]

He is a big fat liar so run for your life and don't look back!

Concur. *for min post length*

 

[tcarcio]

Easy to find out, Just ask him what kind of speaker wire to use and if he tells you that you need the $100 a meter stuff then he is lieing or believes that crap himself. Either way go with someone else. If the pre amp is of high quality it will make a difference but in this case I agree with other opinions already stated.

 

[jamie2112]

The guy is a tool and it aint his money.He would like you to?WTF?Really? I don't believe it........

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Just get...no...wait a minute....

...Get the Marantz AV8003 wich will power your speakers just fine and send me the BAT amp.

...oh heck...now I am lying to you too...

Find an AVR that has the features you want/need (probably can do that for under 800 bucks) and make certain that the AVR has pre-outs. Your speakers have a Sensitivity of 87dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms so you likely do need the amp.

 

[Codifus]

The SQ differences between that preamp and the receiver would most likely be minimal, high end markets tend to exaggerate how much different a much more expensive products "sounds" even though it doesn't really sound that much better..........

I beg to differ.

I have a Yamaha AX-596 integrated amplifier and a Beresford DAC 7520. One day I decided to play around with my amplifier's ability to be separated to a pre-amp and an amp.

Since my DAC has a volume control I connected it directly to my Yamaha "amp."

I could not believe how much better the system sounded. This newer setup revealed inner detail so significantly that I could no longer go back to my integrated setup. With this change I also lost the remote capability of the amp ( the volume control on the Yamaha was now useless) and all of yamaha's analog inputs (Tuner, CD, Tape etc.)

What I lost in convenience I more than made up for in acoustic pleasure

CD

 

[Seth=L]

Just get...no...wait a minute....

...Get the Marantz AV8003 wich will power your speakers just fine and send me the BAT amp.

...oh heck...now I am lying to you too...

Find an AVR that has the features you want/need (probably can do that for under 800 bucks) and make certain that the AVR has pre-outs. Your speakers have a Sensitivity of 87dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms so you likely do need the amp.

As a plus, those Marantz receivers can be used as preamps with that amplifier.

 

[j_garcia]

Just get the projector, get the receiver YOU want and if he doesn't like it, then he can pound sand. You aren't going to "lose" 50% of your sound quality. Marantz has good pre sections even in their lower models.

Since you already have a nice amp, you might even consider the Emotiva UMC-1 pre/pro http://emotiva.com/umc1.shtm

 

[Seth=L]

I beg to differ.

I have a Yamaha AX-596 integrated amplifier and a Beresford DAC 7520. One day I decided to play around with my amplifier's ability to be separated to a pre-amp and an amp.

Since my DAC has a volume control I connected it directly to my Yamaha "amp."

I could not believe how much better the system sounded. This newer setup revealed inner detail so significantly that I could no longer go back to my integrated setup. With this change I also lost the remote capability of the amp ( the volume control on the Yamaha was now useless) and all of yamaha's analog inputs (Tuner, CD, Tape etc.)

What I lost in convenience I more than made up for in acoustic pleasure

CD

Your comparison of an analog preamp to a modern DAC with preamp controls is not a fair analogy to one modern Marantz receiver to a modern Marantz preamp/processor. Although it's likely a large part of your perceived difference between your AX-596's preamp section and the Beresford dac/preamp unless one has a significant SNR edge over the other, which is very possible.

If you lurk around this forum you will notice common mention of level matched DBTs (double blind testing) that discount audible differences between varrying products of varrying prices on many, many occasions.

 

[parinshah]

Wow...thanks for all the advice...or pretty much slamming the idea of a pre-amp.

To give him one last fair shot these are his charges based on a Marantz receiver not a preamp (keep in mind all prewire, speaker wire etc already done, except for HDMI wiring):

Epson 8500UB - $2,299
Espon ceiling bracket - $195
Marantz SR5004 - $849
LG BD570 DVD - $349
Apple TV - $249
Gefen HDMI over CAT 5 Balun - $399
Universal MX850 remote - $399
Universal RF remote sensor - $249
Interconnects - $350
Labor for Install, design, program - $1200

Total pre-tax =$6289

Is this decent deal?

 

[MidnightSensi]

I'm pretty confident in saying it wouldn't make as big of a difference as the installer says....

My more likely hunch....
His current processor uses balanced connections to an amp with balanced connections. If he replaces the processor with a receiver that has RCA outputs, the installer will need to run new cables down the rack. Possibly, the installer likes the idea of plugging the system in without having to make or buy RCA to XLR cables.

That said, I'd get the Integra DHC-80.1 or an Onkyo Professional PR-SC5507P. A receiver is fine, but, if you already have amps and want the badass stuff... a pre-pro is still really cool.

 

[parinshah]

Balun

Forgot to add...do i really need a balun or am I getting taken here too? I wi,, have a cable box, projector, dvd player and possibly a nintendo Wii. Won't the SR5004 be sufficient?

Thanks

 

[Seth=L]

Forgot to add...do i really need a balun or am I getting taken here too? I wi,, have a cable box, projector, dvd player and possibly a nintendo Wii. Won't the SR5004 be sufficient?

Thanks

balun or am I getting taken here too? I will

Can you clear this up for us?

 

[highfigh]

We were blessed to buy a home that had a home theater already built in---the problem is that all the components are about 10 years old:

Runco projector (S video only, no HDMI)
Transcendence five front speakers, Trans one rear speakers and Trans center w/sub
Balanced Audio technologies VK 500 powered amp
Meridian processor.

I called a local guy to come and change the projector and to add either a pre-amp or receiver. Most of the stuff works well and don't want to reinvent the wheel and spend a whole lot more.

He would like me to buy an Epson 8500UB projector for $2300 which I am ok with. He would also like me to buy a Marantz AV8003 for $2400. I asked him if I am ok just getting a Marantz receiver instead (SR5004 or 6004) and he said I would lose 40-50% of the sound quality by going with a receiver over a preamp. Is this correct?

I would save $1500 or so going with the receiver

40-50% worse? Not a chance, especially since you're looking at a decent receiver.

What other inputs are on the existing projector? If it has component video, I would try it with a new DVD or BlueRay player with component outputs and HDMI. That way, you can take your time in deciding what you really want.

Shop around.

 

[rnatalli]

The Marantz will do just fine as a pre.

 

[Shock]

400 bucks seems like a big rip for a HDMI to cat5 balun. Let me look around the web.

Edit: Yeah that's a rip off, they can be had for 150 bucks. Also that price for that blu-ray player is ludicrous, and is not 3D ready. Amazon.com has it for $235 right now. Ceiling brackets for that projector can be had for as little as 40 bucks.

http://www.uniqueproductsonline.com/hdovcat5ecae.html

79 bucks for a balun that can extend full 1080p over cat5 100 feet.

Other than that, the receiver and the projector are decent enough prices. But if he's going to charge you 1200 bucks for install you better be getting good prices for all of the equipment.