how to get the best of both worlds from DENON AVC-A1SE and PIONEER SC-LX81?

[admin_exported]

I HAVE ORDERED PIONEER SC-LX81 AMPLIFIER TO MATCH MY PIONEER BDP-LX91 BLU-RAY . WHILE WAITING FOR THE AMP.I HAVE TRIED THE BLU-RAY WITH MY DATED DENON AVC-A1SE WHICH IS LACKING HDMI & HD. I WAS SURPRISED WITH THE EXCELLENT PICTURE OBTAINED ON MY INFOCUS IN 80 (WHAT RAINBOW), FED FROM THE PIONEER BLU-RAY WITH 10M OF (NOT SO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY WHAT HIFI) PLATINUM HDMI HD CABLE.

EVEN MORE SUPRISING THE SOUND SUPPLIED BY THE DENON AMP TO MY SPENDOR CINEMA SET UP USING CO-AX DIGITAL CABLE FROM THE PIONEER BLU-RAY PLAYER WAS SIMPLY BRILLIANT!

.MY QUESTION IS CAN THE LONG AWAITED PIONEER AMP MATCH UP TO THE DENON ? OR CAN I USE BOTH AMPS SOME HOW TO GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS?

 

[Anonymous]

You have the best BluRay player in the world, feeding one of the best amps of it's generation. I'd take the analogue outputs from the BluRay player into your multichannel input on the Denon and I would not order the Pioneer SC-LX81 amp. I can't see any reason why you'd benefit at the moment.

If you wanted to step up the performance, then next move would be to either an Arcam AVR600 or a Denon AVC-A1HDA. The Pioneer will be a step backwards in sound quality in my opinion.

I hope I'm not reading you right, but are you connecting at the moment using a single coaxial digital connection? Or via multichannel analogues (also coaxial, hence where I may have misunderstood you). If you are using a digital connection, you'll get another jump up in sound quality by going analogue from your BluRay player to the amp, as you'll get the benefit of the player's superior DACs and full HD audio decoding.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Will Harris:You have the best BluRay player in the world, feeding one of the best amps of it's generation. I'd take the analogue outputs from the BluRay player into your multichannel input on the Denon and I would not order the Pioneer SC-LX81 amp. I can't see any reason why you'd benefit at the moment.

If you wanted to step up the performance, then next move would be to either an Arcam AVR600 or a Denon AVC-A1HDA. The Pioneer will be a step backwards in sound quality in my opinion.

I hope I'm not reading you right, but are you connecting at the moment using a single coaxial digital connection? Or via multichannel analogues (also coaxial, hence where I may have misunderstood you). If you are using a digital connection, you'll get another jump up in sound quality by going analogue from your BluRay player to the amp, as you'll get the benefit of the player's superior DACs and full HD audio decoding.

I agree completely with Will. If you can live without hdmi connectivity through the amp - use the analogue cables for BD and get HD audio and then carry on as before. If you thought your system sounded good with coaxial, wait until you get the HD audio working!!

 

[professorhat]

I wouldn't rule out the Pioneer, but I would definitely audition before replacing the Denon. I used to use the Denon AVC-A1SE and found decent improvements with movie performance when I switched to the Onkyo 905 (a far cheaper amp if compared relatively when bought new) so I certainly wouldn't rule it out before trying it out.

However, I agree, that Denon amp is very special (I still have mine as I can't seem to bear parting with it, though I'm sure I'll have to put it up for sale soon!).

 

[Anonymous]

Prof, would you agree that for £1300 there is not enough of a difference to warrant the spend? I'd have suggested that the OP hold off on replacing his amp, until he can afford to make a genuine step up, as suggested, to the Arcam or Denon in my first post. Would you agree?

 

[professorhat]

Without hearing it, no I can't agree. As I say, my Onkyo 905 proved to be a decent step up for movie performance (which was my main concern) and that was only £1,100 new. So there may not be a step up, but there may be one - the only way to tell is to give it an audition.

 

[Anonymous]

Edwingmartin, you'd better let us know, hadn't you! 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

YES I AM USING A SINGLE CO-AX CABLE DIGITAL .I WILL DEFINITELY TRY THE ANALOGUE CABLES AS SUGGESTED .THANKS FOR EXCELLENT RESPONSE .I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RELUCTANT TO GO INTO THE TROUBLE OF EXPERIMENTING! I WILL STICK WITH MY DENON IF I AM HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME.I MIGHT BE SLIGHTY DISSAPOINTED I AM NOT GETTING SOMETHING NEW!! CAN YOU SUGGEST REASONABLY PRICED ANALOGUE LEADS .

 

[Gerrardasnails]

edwingmartin:YES I AM USING A SINGLE CO-AX CABLE DIGITAL .I WILL DEFINITELY TRY THE ANALOGUE CABLES AS SUGGESTED .THANKS FOR EXCELLENT RESPONSE .I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RELUCTANT TO GO INTO THE TROUBLE OF EXPERIMENTING! I WILL STICK WITH MY DENON IF I AM HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME.I MIGHT BE SLIGHTY DISSAPOINTED I AM NOT GETTING SOMETHING NEW!! CAN YOU SUGGEST REASONABLY PRICED ANALOGUE LEADS .

Get three pairs of 0.5m Chord Crimson cables at about £25 each pair.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I use Mark Grant cables. His website is infinitely cheaper than Chords, and in my opinion just as good. I have Chord cables and Mark Grant cables and I thoroughly recommend Mark Grant. And no, I don't work for him I just think a UK producer, without the marketing spend of the big names can offer amazing value and should be embraced where possible. This is that time!

On the subject of British manufacturers, my BK Monolith subwoofer arrived yesterday and went in last night. Amazing. Best £420 I have ever spent. Heaven knows what you'd have to spend on a mainstream brand to come close, well over £1000 I'd say. BK make for a number of named brands so they really know what they're doing and it's British, so no currency uplifts in the price. Couldn't be happier.

 

[Anonymous]

re. the mark grant cables is it the canare cables ?can i use the 6 or 7 set cables and which input on the denon?I was interested in the BK WOOFER .I have a REL STORM which is good and I was thinking of adding a second for my cinema set up .Will the BK be at odds with the REL?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, you can always e-mail Mark and ask him what he'd recommend. I have both Canare and Belden cables from him.

You want 8 cables. You hook them up to the 7.1 input on the Denon. It has both 5.1 (with 6 inputs) and 7.1 (with 8). Very easy to setup. I bought 1m lengths because this makes it easier to position kit than 0.5m lengths. You're the only one that knows how far apart you plan to place the BluRay and amp. I'm assuming you're using a power amp and therefore need a 7.1 set of cables. If it's just the AVC-A10SE on it's own, you could get 6 instead of 8.

The BK Monolith is amazing. For £420 or £435 i can't remember which, I can't tell you how big the improvement is over the Dali Ikon Sub that came with my Dali Ikon 6 5.1 setup. Stunning in Cherry too. Very very close to the Light Walnut of my Dali Ikon speakers. So a very good match. The nice thing about buying from BK was the e-mails from the manufacture on progress, confirming the order and arranging delivery. Unbelievably efficient. Well packaged too. It's a big sub, but only in length it's about the same width as my Dali Ikon Sub. Little taller too. The grill hides the fact that it has a driver the size of a football and a bass port that looks more like a bazooka. So, grill on, it doesn't look too impossing. Just purposeful!