What Surround Receiver Also Has Amazing Stereo

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by fairaintfair, Aug 12, 2019.

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  1. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    New? Used? Did you buy it locally here? That is one steep discount.
     
  2. TSmithPage

    TSmithPage Ex Post Facto Member

    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    I was just looking at a photo of it. It actually had 5 analog inputs along with the ports for surround sound. I was just trying to figure out how I was going to put my turntable through this system if I went with it. It appears that may be the straw that breaks this camel's back. FWIW, I just heard back from a company that repairs Anthem, and they said, "Those boards usually range around $450-$525. We run at $125 our hour of labor. "
     
  3. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    When you say "ports for surround sound" do you mean 5/7.1 analog? Was that with the Primare? Just a bit confused if you mean the Primare or the Anthem. The Anthem doesn't have a phono input.
     
  4. TSmithPage

    TSmithPage Ex Post Facto Member

    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    Sorry, talking about the Primare. Here's the back of that unit:

    http://www.soundandvision4u.co.uk/Primare-SPA21-Back.jpg

    It was all analog inputs but several more than the Anthem appears to offer.
     
    Bill Mac likes this.
  5. fairaintfair

    fairaintfair I Buried Paul Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lafayette, CA
    Used. But in perfect condition with all original boxes and ARC mic/stand.
     
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  6. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Nice! Primare makes excellent sounding gear. That's too bad that you're unable to get it repaired.
     
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  7. Prea

    Prea Active Member

    Location:
    44125
    I helped my mom shop for an Anthem MRX 520 back in 2018. I set it up for her and since then I have actually swapped it with my Denon AVR3313CI which I have owned for many years and have it in a secondary room in my house. Having the Anthem in that room for 3 weeks everybody in my household commented on the sound quality difference. The Anthem unit is a clear step level better than my old beloved Denon. In that room I have some old Paradigm studio reference full range speakers.

    In my main home theatre room I have the Anthem AVM60 with MCA525 amp. Interesting that the ARC HDMI caused you issues on the 720. I bought my AVM60 in 2016 and it gave me fits for over a year until I finally ended up sending the AVM60 back to the factory in Canada where they determined the HDMI board was bad. I had all kinds of HDMI related issues. I find Anthem room correction to be a major PITA to get to run properly also BTW. Anyway, since I got the HDMI board fixed I have had no issues. I do love the sound of Anthem and they had good technical customer service whom I got to know really well.
     
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  8. pdxway

    pdxway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon, USA
    Do you listen to stereo music using pure direct only? Or do you use stereo with ARC EQ?
     
  9. bobdog

    bobdog Forum Resident

    Don't pull the trigger. I don't see what it would do for you. Your money would be better used to purchase a multi channel power amp or even multiple 2 channel amps. You can use the 105 as a preamp you know.
     
  10. I gotta repeat it, the TOTL Sony ZA5000ES is a frigging awesome sounding piece of equipment. Forget buying used Anthems, etc. The Sony is on sale for $500 off. The transformer alone in it weighs more than most receivers. The Sony gets my highest recommendation and I’m a Conrad-Johnson tube guy.
     
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  11. fairaintfair

    fairaintfair I Buried Paul Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lafayette, CA
    ARC. All the way. The converters in this thing are remarkably good.
     
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  12. pdxway

    pdxway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon, USA
    Good to know. I am impressed with ARC mic. Much better quality than those from Pioneer, Onkyo, and Marantz. I can even download its own calibration file! I used it to calibrate my Paradigm subs.
     
  13. TSmithPage

    TSmithPage Ex Post Facto Member

    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    Whaaa? You mean all I really need is a high quality amp (I assume 5 channel) and I'm back in business with my stereo? No, I had no idea. I'm gonna have to give this some serious thought.
     
  14. The Dragon

    The Dragon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, AL
    I have a Sony STR-DA5400ES I use in a home theater setup. One day I was reading found out it decodes SACD natively through one of the HDMI ports. I was shocked at how good it sounds with an SACD in stereo. It's an older model, but it does all the HD codecs except for Dolby Atmos which I am not interested in - -yet. It even has a built-in phono preamp that actually sounds decent.
     
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  15. TSmithPage

    TSmithPage Ex Post Facto Member

    Location:
    Lexington, KY

    On the Oppo as preamp topic, can I also play my Rega turntable through the Oppo (I have a Bel Canto phono pre amp for that already) if I just bought an amp to power the system?
     
  16. Nero

    Nero Rega - Oppo - Luxman - Sonus Faber.

    Location:
    Copenhagen
    The oppo does not support a connection for a turntable no more then a surround receiver can sound good with 2channel music.

    But by all means, keep convincing yourself.
     
  17. Claude Benshaul

    Claude Benshaul Forum Resident

    Don't know nor care about the Oppo but my experience tells me you are wrong about the 2Ch music.
     
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  18. Prea

    Prea Active Member

    Location:
    44125
    Nero, May I ask what Anthem surround model you owned before? I see you have a Luxman 505 now so I assume that is the upgrade into 2ch you are referring to. I have been reading about Luxman and considering setting a special 2ch area in my home where I would primarily play vinyl. I am interested in what parts of the Luxman sound better to you and also how you find the performance of the phono input? Also, if you have heard the Anthem STR 2ch and have 2ch versus multi opinions when staying inside the same brand.
     
  19. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I've got an OPPO-205. It has fixed and variable line output, so it can indeed be used as a preamp for S/PDIF sources, but not for a TT. The unit does not have inputs/processing for MM or MC carts. I think you are absolutely right about 2 channel music sounding great from surround sound AVRs or Pre-Pros, maybe better than from stereo amps, since AVRs and Pre-Pros can completely control Left/Right, and passive subwoofer crossover, distance, and gain needs for great full range balanced seamless sound. Some of the new Sony AVR's have very good user reviews on Amazon. I have no experience with any, since my circa 2000 Sony TA-E9000ES/TA-P9000ES/TA-N9000ES are still humming along, well not really humming, they're dead quiet.
     
  20. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    No you can not use the OPPO for phono preamp duty. It has no input/processing for either MM or MC cartridge output. My OPPO-205, when set for variable gain, can be controlled from the remote to attenuate 1 optical S/PDIF source component, and 1 coaxial source component.
     
  21. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I believe your Sony will also play 3, 4, 5, and 5.1 SACDs via HDMI. It's HDMI AVRs and the newer Sony Universal Players which have given multi-channel SACDs a second chance, sound with greater breadth and depth than stereo.
     
    The Dragon likes this.
  22. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Yes you can use the OPPO as a preamp for external S/PDIF source components. On my OPPO-205 that would be 1 coaxial component, 1 usb B component and 1 optical component. These do not deliver multi-channel however. You will get multi-channel from usb drive inputs, network input (not gapless), and of course multi-channel discs.
     
  23. No, you would also need to hook up the turntable to an analog to digital converter to enable it to be hooked up to the Oppo, as the Oppo only has digital inputs. For example, you could use a PS Audio NuWave phono analog to digital converter, reviewed here:

    http://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2016/2/23/ps-audios-nuwave-phono-converter
     
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  24. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Another inexpensive route would be a Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD external sound card. TT phono out>X-FI>PC>X-FI>OPPO.
     
  25. Nero

    Nero Rega - Oppo - Luxman - Sonus Faber.

    Location:
    Copenhagen
    I had a MRX 700. I replaced it with a integrated stereo amp Vincent SV 237 which I then replaced with the Luxman.

    The Luxman build in mm phone pre is a bit bass shy to my ears, so when I had a 2m black cart in my turntable I had better sound with a Lejonklou phono pre.
    Now I am running a Rega Apheta2 through the Luxmans mc section and I think it sounds very good and it is dead silent. I have only compared it with the Rega Aria phono which I didn't like.
     
    Prea likes this.
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