Up-mixer vs Stereo for Music

[Beerman43]

IMO, pure 2 channel systems are obsolete when compared to a modern AVR up-mixer. I've found that using the newer Dolby Surround Up-mixer to an Atmos speaker system (or any 5.1 /7.1 system) to be vastly "night and day" superior to the standard "pure direct" stereo mode for 2 channel music sources. I believe this is due to many things including the general sound processing, speaker volume frequency equalization, bass management, subwoofers, room correction, and multi-channel upmix processing by Dolby or DTX that many modern AVR surround sound processor / recievers have built-in by default. Modern integrated amps and stereo recievers have no such sound processing power as in modern AVRs, putting them IMHO at a huge disadvantage (especially the speaker equalization and room correction). What ever happened to stereo sound equalizers anyway? I know they were really popular in the 80's. I'm I taking crazy pills, or do others on this forum confirm my reasoning? Thanks in advance.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

I’d agree that there’s no reason to get a stand-alone 2-channel system when an AVR can also be used for stereo listening, and with all the goodies you mentioned.

The reason you don’t see stand-alone EQs much anymore is that they typically connected to tape monitor loops, and AVRs don’t have tape monitor loops anymore. These days using an outboard equalizer requires an outboard amplifier as well, and it’s connected between the AVR and amplifier.

EQs can also be connected between the pre-amp and amplifier section of an AVR, if it has pre-out and main-in jacks. A few AVRs used to have that feature (most notably Yamaha’s upper-tier AVRs), but I don’t think anyone’s offered that feature for at least 10 years now.

Many integrated amps have pre-out and main-in jacks, with which an equalizer could be connected. So at least in that regard, it could be argued that integrated amps are superior to AVRs.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Pogre]

I’d agree that there’s no reason to get a stand-alone 2-channel system when an AVR can also be used for stereo listening, and with all the goodies you mentioned.

The reason you don’t see stand-alone EQs much anymore is that they typically connected to tape monitor loops, and AVRs don’t have tape monitor loops anymore. These days using an outboard equalizer requires an outboard amplifier as well, and it’s connected between the AVR and amplifier.

EQs can also be connected between the pre-amp and amplifier section of an AVR, if it has pre-out and main-in jacks. A few AVRs used to have that feature (most notably Yamaha’s upper-tier AVRs), but I don’t think anyone’s offered that feature for at least 10 years now.

Many integrated amps have pre-out and main-in jacks, with which an equalizer could be connected. So at least in that regard, it could be argued that integrated amps are superior to AVRs.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Huh. I learned a couple of things from this short reply. I've never seen an AVR that you could slip eq in between the pre and amp section. That would actually be a pretty cool feature to hang onto you'd think!

Also, that is indeed one of the rare arguments I can get on board with for choosing integrated over AVR.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes, I never saw one of those avrs either with pre-out/main-in or processing loops, my old 2 ch gear did/does, tho. DRM is fun. Altho with external amps you can insert one easily enough.

OTOH quite a few of the Yamaha avrs have a PEQ which is better than a graphic eq anyways.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Not sure about other brands, but Yamaha’s flagship models had pre-out and main-in jacks for the front three channels from the early 1990s until 2004 when the RX-Z9 came out. That was the last model to have the main-in jacks.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Not sure about other brands, but Yamaha’s flagship models had pre-out and main-in jacks for the front three channels from the early 1990s until 2004 when the RX-Z9 came out. That was the last model to have the main-in jacks.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

I had a couple technics AVR’s in the 90’s that had the in/outs too. I think I had a kenwood and Panasonic with that too. Too long ago....