Upgrading my system to avp and using external amps.

[ssmokeyy]

So I feel so lucky to be able to get a marantz av20. I ordered a starke sound 8 channel amp to pick up surround and atmos duty. I have a 3 channel anthem amp that I modified. I use highest tier monster xlr cable for the front three. But I can't afford to pay $100 each $800 for the set
Im looking at blue jeans cable for the 8 channel snake at $240 for 4 feet. I found a plus i can get the carnare mr2002 8 group pairs. For $80. For 4 ft. Is the $80 a good cable or should I go $240 for a belden cable? I get to play with this gear alot and install into others homes but I feel lucky to get to have what i do being i have 2 kids and wife to put first.

 

[flyboylr45]

I think you’ll be just fine with the Canare XLR snake.

 

[Madhuski]

I’ve used Proaudio LA for years. They are absolutely top notch, and use excellent components

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[PENG]

So I feel so lucky to be able to get a marantz av20. I ordered a starke sound 8 channel amp to pick up surround and atmos duty. I have a 3 channel anthem amp that I modified. I use highest tier monster xlr cable for the front three. But I can't afford to pay $100 each $800 for the set
Im looking at blue jeans cable for the 8 channel snake at $240 for 4 feet. I found a plus i can get the carnare mr2002 8 group pairs. For $80. For 4 ft. Is the $80 a good cable or should I go $240 for a belden cable? I get to play with this gear alot and install into others homes but I feel lucky to get to have what i do being i have 2 kids and wife to put first.

I don't see any reason to spend more than $50 for a pair of 4 ft XLR interconnects. There is no technical advantages to use the expensive ones other than contributing to the profits of the manufacturers, or maybe they are better looking, some may be more flexible etc..etc., but again no technical reasons in terms of noise, distortions, sound quality.

The AV20 seems like a high value high quality AVP, but I wouldn't have pair one with Starke Audio's, that may be cheap, and no doubt can sound good, just that based on reviews with measurements (not necessarily your model) never seemed to impress, no better, might even be worse, than AVR amps, certainly not as good as the old M8003. But you got it, so forget what I said lol, sorry, it will do fine for real world use, just not on test benches.

 

[highfigh]

So I feel so lucky to be able to get a marantz av20. I ordered a starke sound 8 channel amp to pick up surround and atmos duty. I have a 3 channel anthem amp that I modified. I use highest tier monster xlr cable for the front three. But I can't afford to pay $100 each $800 for the set
Im looking at blue jeans cable for the 8 channel snake at $240 for 4 feet. I found a plus i can get the carnare mr2002 8 group pairs. For $80. For 4 ft. Is the $80 a good cable or should I go $240 for a belden cable? I get to play with this gear alot and install into others homes but I feel lucky to get to have what i do being i have 2 kids and wife to put first.

I would avoid using most brands of cable when the compoany doesn't actually make it. Canare, Mogami, Belden/West Penn and others make cable. Switchcraft, Neutrik and Amphenol are three companies that make excellent connectors.

If you can solder well, you'll save a lot of money by making your own cables and they can be whatever length you want or need.

 

[Happy Joe]

I used to make all my own cables but now I just go for whichever CHEEP cable that I like the looks of; occasionally they die (as do the expensive ones) but you can normally get numerous cheepies for the cost of an expensive cable or just replace a connector(unless it got penetrated by a speaker spike)...And I don't have to mess with getting out the soldering gear ...

Now I just buy cheap cables (usually from amazon, 'cause they deliver) unless I am dealing with 00 or larger (welding) cable.

Enjoy!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

1. So I feel so lucky to be able to get a marantz av20.

2. I ordered a starke sound 8 channel amp to pick up surround and atmos duty. I have a 3 channel anthem amp that I modified.

3. I use highest tier monster xlr cable for the front three. But I can't afford to pay $100 each $800 for the set
Im looking at blue jeans cable for the 8 channel snake at $240 for 4 feet. I found a plus i can get the carnare mr2002 8 group pairs. For $80. For 4 ft. Is the $80 a good cable or should I go $240 for a belden cable? I get to play with this gear alot and install into others homes but I feel lucky to get to have what i do being i have 2 kids and wife to put first.

1. Congrats. The AV20 looks like an awesome SOTA (state of the art) AVP.
2. As long as the amps aren't DEFECTIVE and don't MALFUNCTION, they should be fine.
3. As long as the cables/wires aren't DEFECTIVE and don't MALFUNCTION, they should be fine.

Now, with the serious stuffs out of the way, we can get down to the real business.

This is a HOBBY. We are in this hobby to make us happy, entertain ourselves, reduce our stress, and all that good stuff.

So as long as you are 100% TRULY HAPPY, that is salient thing.

You don't have to buy an awesome SOTA Marantz AV20 or AV10, etc., because even a Denon X3800 will still sound awesome on it's own even without any external amps. But some of us still buy separates AVP and Amps because it just makes us happy, and if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad (like Sheryl Crow says ).

The same goes for Amps and Wires. Some people are happy with Emotiva amps because Emotiva amps will also sound just as good. Any amps and wires can possibly sound good.

I am happy with my Yamaha CX-A5100 AVP + Bryston 9B amps + ATI amp + Kimber wires.

So if you are happy with your amps and wires, then it's all good. Enjoy the music and movies.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

...Starke Audio's, that may be cheap, and no doubt can sound good, just that based on reviews with measurements (not necessarily your model) never seemed to impress, no better, might even be worse, than AVR amps, certainly not as good as the old M8003. But you got it, so forget what I said lol, sorry, it will do fine for real world use, just not on test benches.

Haha.

Why, do the Starke amps measure like some pro amps from Crown and Yamaha or just not awesome like SINAD of 100dB?

Everyone feels differently for sure.

Personally, there's no way I would even use external amps unless it's like Bryston, ATI, Krell, Mark Levinson, Lexicon, McIntosh, PassLab, etc. Like you said, I might as well just use an AVR (like Yamaha or Denon) if I can't get the amps I TRULY DESIRE/WANT.

Funny thing is, I could EASILY get a Marantz AV10 or AV20, which measures a lot better than my Yamaha CX-A5100, but I just don't care. I love my Yamaha CX-A5100.

So everyone just feels differently about everything.

 

[TLS Guy]

Haha.

Why, do the Starke amps measure like some pro amps from Crown and Yamaha or just not awesome like SINAD of 100dB?

Everyone feels differently for sure.

Personally, there's no way I would even use external amps unless it's like Bryston, ATI, Krell, Mark Levinson, Lexicon, McIntosh, PassLab, etc. Like you said, I might as well just use an AVR (like Yamaha or Denon) if I can't get the amps I TRULY DESIRE/WANT.

Funny thing is, I could EASILY get a Marantz AV10 or AV20, which measures a lot better than my Yamaha CX-A5100, but I just don't care. I love my Yamaha CX-A5100.

So everyone just feels differently about everything.

I think you would care if you actually tried an AV 10 or AV 20. The DAC on that Yamaha is not very good with poor SNR. I think if out in my room it would make enough noise to be troublesome in the quiet passages. I really love my AV 10. I always assumed that my speakers were the weakest link like pretty much all systems. Well I have had a change of view. My speakers were not the weakest link and I have heard them as never before with the AV 10 controlling my Quad power amps and my speakers. They have purity and realism over and above what I had previously.

 

[Golfx]

I use blue jeans cable’s 8 snake and their XLRs for the LCR. They are an awesome company.