The SEPARATES vs. AVR Thread

Do Separates (Preamps or Pre-pros + Amps) Sound Better Than AVRs in Direct/Bypass Modes?

  • Yes, Separates sound better than AVRs

    Votes: 40 47.6%
  • No, Separates and AVRs sound about the same

    Votes: 22 26.2%
  • No, Separates and AVRs sound about the same when they are similar in price range

    Votes: 22 26.2%

  • Total voters
    84
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
BTW, have we convinced any newbies that AVRs can sound at least as good as Separates? :D

The salient factors are the EQ systems (like Audyssey DEQ and others) and the speakers. Put your money there.
 
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sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
Well I’m glad to hear psychotherapy helped. Were any meds required? Or did your therapist just tell you to stay away from expensive audio salons?
Where did you read psychotherapy or meds in my comments. Some folks no doubt could benefit from mental health providers, those suffering from depression come to mind, while others may simply come to terms that their behavior is not in their best interest from disappointing outcomes from the behavior. I am certainly not qualified to profess on the matter only having a few courses on the subject in college; but, I do remember the concept of behavior modification. BTW, you are right about staying away from audio salons. Fortunately, the only audio salon in my area, is a Magnolia room in my local Best Buy store. So, not much chance for me to relapse from a visit there.
 
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sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
BTW, have we convinced any newbies that AVRs can sound at least as good as Separates? :D

The salient factors are the EQ systems (like Audyssey DEQ and others) and the speakers. Put your money there.
I would hope enough for at least the audition of an AVR.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
BTW, this morning around 6 AM I was looking on Amazon and saw clearly that they had the Denon X3400H on sale for $599 brand new via Amazon Prime. Then just several hours later (10 AM), the price went up to $799.

I've seen this happen many times before, but it's still funny every time I see it. :D
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
BTW, this morning around 6 AM I was looking on Amazon and saw clearly that they had the Denon X3400H on sale for $599 brand new via Amazon Prime. Then just several hours later (10 AM), the price went up to $799.

I've seen this happen many times before, but it's still funny every time I see it. :D
Amazon alerted me to Shure M97xEs at $99.99, then moments later, Shure made the announcement that it was ending its cartridge manufacturing business. I went back to Amazon and saw the price of the Shure offering had been increased to $199.99.
 
Out-Of-Phase

Out-Of-Phase

Audioholic General
Where did you read psychotherapy or meds in my comments. Some folks no doubt could benefit from mental health providers, those suffering from depression come to mind, while others may simply come to terms that their behavior is not in their best interest from disappointing outcomes from the behavior. I am certainly not qualified to profess on the matter only having a few courses on the subject in college; but, I do remember the concept of behavior modification. BTW, you are right about staying away from audio salons. Fortunately, the only audio salon in my area, is a Magnolia room in my local Best Buy store. So, not much chance for me to relapse from a visit there.
I was being slightly facetious. Sorry. :)

I’m glad you are a recovering audiophile. I wish you the best happiness in your musical listening experiences.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Amazon alerted me to Shure M97xEs at $99.99, then moments later, Shure made the announcement that it was ending its cartridge manufacturing business. I went back to Amazon and saw the price of the Shure offering had been increased to $199.99.
I hate it when that happens. Those bastards. :D
 
Out-Of-Phase

Out-Of-Phase

Audioholic General
BTW, this morning around 6 AM I was looking on Amazon and saw clearly that they had the Denon X3400H on sale for $599 brand new via Amazon Prime. Then just several hours later (10 AM),the price went up to $799.

I've seen this happen many times before, but it's still funny every time I see it. :D
I see they do that with headphones as well. There is a pair of Beyerdynamic phones I’ve been keeping my eyes on for some time now. Sometimes early in the morning, they’re 30 dollars less, then by noon, they’re back to regular price again.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
I see they do that with headphones as well. There is a pair of Beyerdynamic phones I’ve been keeping my eyes on for some time now. Sometimes early in the morning, they’re 30 dollars less, then by noon they’re back to regular price again.
It's like we're playing stocks or something. :D
 
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sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
My hope is that I'll see an Amazon realtor advertise the Technics SL-1210GR; but, so far, my hopes have been dashed. With Amazon Prime and a financing incentive, I'd have the wherewithal to purchase one. For now, Amazon is mostly where I go for SACDs.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
My hope is that I'll see an Amazon realtor advertise the Technics SL-1210GR; but, so far, my hopes have been dashed. With Amazon Prime and a financing incentive, I'd have the wherewithal to purchase one. For now, Amazon is mostly where I go for SACDs.
You're definitely a "Separates" kind of guy. :D

I sold all my SACDs and DVDAs a long time ago.

These days I'm only listening to Blu-Ray or CD files stored on my servers.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Amazon alerted me to Shure M97xEs at $99.99, then moments later, Shure made the announcement that it was ending its cartridge manufacturing business. I went back to Amazon and saw the price of the Shure offering had been increased to $199.99.
FWIW just after I saw that Shure was ending production I ordered a $99.00 spare M97xE, and just now wondered what the status of the order was. Seems Amazon had hoped to get out from under that order by making me "approve" changes to the order (delivery date it seems, not saying they couldn't get stock). Last time Amazon pulled this bullshit move I ended up having a very angry conversation with a customer service guy after they simply cancelled my order after I had re-approved that order several times (on another discontinued item). In that case they gave me some free stuff I demanded as they couldn't actually fulfill the order. We'll see....now they're saying it may not be delivered for another month. They didn't ask for $199 tho.
 
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snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
You're definitely a "Separates" kind of guy. :D

I sold all my SACDs and DVDAs a long time ago.

These days I'm only listening to Blu-Ray or CD files stored on my servers.
That’s cool and the files I’m sure are convenient but there is something I like about having the physical multichannel audio discs...
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
That’s cool and the files I’m sure are convenient but there is something I like about having the physical multichannel audio discs...
Yep, the multich mixes are why I dipped my toes into the sacd thing. When I tried to supplement this with downloaded multich dsd files, my internet connection would have none of that, so stuck with sacd/dvd/bluray discs for such.
 
Good4it

Good4it

Audioholic Chief
Amazon has done that to me, more than once. Their customer “service” stinks AFAIC. They barely speak English.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
That’s cool and the files I’m sure are convenient but there is something I like about having the physical multichannel audio discs...
Geez. Vinyls and discs. :eek:

You guys are just resisting the way of the future. :p

In denial I say! :D

I think the next stage is Acceptance, or is it anger? :D
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
I was being slightly facetious. Sorry. :)

I’m glad you are a recovering audiophile. I wish you the best happiness in your musical listening experiences.
I gotta tell ya, I get amusement out of all of you "recovering audiophiles" who somehow saw the light and now are it-all-sounds-the-same audio atheists. Cool. How any of you fell for cable nonsense, green CD paint pens, SACDs sound better, or whatever other myth you fell for is beyond me, but it does seem sort of disingenuous to think now that you're above all of that, and it justifies a superior attitude about what some other people like to obsess about. Supportive guidance is one thing, condescension is another. It is not some sort of mental illness any more than any other infatuation is, any more than say entering auto detailing competitions are. I think it's great to profess the advantages of evidence and proof over simple opinion, and I'm generally an advocate of that, but to twist the whole thing into some sort of evidence of mental illness seems misguided, even in jest.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Geez. Vinyls and discs. :eek:

You guys are just resisting the way of the future.

In denial I say! :D

I think the next stage is Acceptance, or is it anger? :D
While the majority of the time I use the flac files made from my cds, and some spotify/pandora streaming, discs are owned and cheap backup. Multich not much choice, altho I have ripped dvd multich audio, sacd and bluray ripping is more work/expense than it's worth. Vinyl I have a tt that's worked for 34 years but haven't purchased new vinyl for 20 years, and digitizing is also a bit more work than just playing a record for nostalgia....YMMV
 

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