Oh no!

[scene]

He is using the analogue (and optical - does the AVR have a dac?) from the sonos.

Yes, it does have a dac, and IMHO quite a decent one, for it's age.

 

[CnoEvil]

Interestingly, the dv79 sounds fine... :?

Mine did as well, until I compared it to the DS.

Try using the DV79 for CD replay through the A85, and see how it compares.

 

[plastic penguin]

You'll a hear distinct improvement with a dedicated CDP - not mega bucks either. Arcam CD17 or Rega Apollo (original) can be picked up for chip money.

 

[Craig M.]

Am I the only person whose noticed he isn't using the dvd player as a source in this comparison? He is using his sonos units connected via optical and analogue.

 

[CnoEvil]

Am I the only person whose noticed he isn't using the dvd player as a source in this comparison? He is using his sonos units connected via optical and analogue.

IMO What ever is being used a source is possibly being shown up by A85 / MA.....IMO. Worth checking out.

 

[Craig M.]

Am I the only person whose noticed he isn't using the dvd player as a source in this comparison? He is using his sonos units connected via optical and analogue.

IMO What ever is being used a source is possibly being shown up by A85 / MA.....IMO. Worth checking out.

Again, apologies if I'm reading it wrong, but I don't think he's mentioned using the A85 with the MA's. He is comparing the cheap Pioneer surround amp with the Arcam surround amp. His sig mentions the A85 is being used with some AE1s.

 

[CnoEvil]

Again, apologies if I'm reading it wrong, but I don't think he's mentioned using the A85 with the MA's. He is comparing the cheap Pioneer surround amp with the Arcam surround amp. His sig mentions the A85 is being used with some AE1s.

You're probably right.....I'm on a fair bit of medication at the moment....so the wrong end of the stick is easy to grab!

 

[Craig M.]

Thank god for that. I thought I was cracking up!

That's why I said he should try the A85 with the MA's, if it perks them up he knows what to do - replace the AVR250, or replace the MA's with some much easier to drive speakers.

I hope your back rehab is going well, even if you are beyond help as an audiophile.

 

[scene]

Again, apologies if I'm reading it wrong, but I don't think he's mentioned using the A85 with the MA's. He is comparing the cheap Pioneer surround amp with the Arcam surround amp. His sig mentions the A85 is being used with some AE1s.

You're probably right.....I'm on a fair bit of medication at the moment....so the wrong end of the stick is easy to grab!

Don't worry, I know the feeling...

The MAs are attached to my arcam avr250. And the KEFs to the pioneer sub/amp.

But, on previous comparisons the sonos attached to the avr250 sounded very similar to the dv79 attached to the same. Now, the dv79 sounds much, much better than the sonos. Which is odd.

 

[CnoEvil]

Thank god for that. I thought I was cracking up!

That's why I said he should try the A85 with the MA's, if it perks them up he knows what to do - replace the AVR250, or replace the MA's with some much easier to drive speakers.

I hope your back rehab is going well, even if you are beyond help as an audiophile.

I'm beyond help on every level.

Rehab is going as expected, thx for asking

:cheers:

Cno

 

[CnoEvil]

But, on previous comparisons the sonos attached to the avr250 sounded very similar to the dv79 attached to the same. Now, the dv79 sounds much, much better than the sonos. Which is odd.

.....and probably what I would expect.

 

[scene]

Thank god for that. I thought I was cracking up!

That's why I said he should try the A85 with the MA's, if it perks them up he knows what to do - replace the AVR250, or replace the MA's with some much easier to drive speakers.

The MAs are pretty easy to drive! 90dB, iirc. And as I said, the avr250 + MAs sound fine when I use the DV79.

And the BDP. Curiouser and curiouser.

I hope your back rehab is going well, even if you are beyond help as an audiophile.

+1 on the back getting better.

 

[scene]

But, on previous comparisons the sonos attached to the avr250 sounded very similar to the dv79 attached to the same. Now, the dv79 sounds much, much better than the sonos. Which is odd.

.....and probably what I would expect.

But not what I've found in the past. Ok the dv79 does sound a bit better than the sonos, but they're surprisingly close. Sorry were surprisingly close.

 

[CnoEvil]

+1 on the back getting better.

Thank you.

Maybe you are in your personal episode of The Twilight Zone! :?

 

[scene]

+1 on the back getting better.

Thank you.

Maybe you are in your personal episode of The Twilight Zone! :?

It does feel that way...

 

[scene]

Sorted - I am no longer in the twilight zone! :bounce:

I am however in the doghouse... :whack:

Having spent some not inconsiderable amount of time with kit shuffling I finally got to the root cause of the problem. Me. I had, at some point changed the settings on the Sonos connected to the main AV amp from "Fixed" to "Variable". And I have now learnt a lesson, even with the volume on Variable set to full, the extra volume controlling / equalisation hardware in the Sonos it goes through really mulches the output. With it set backed to Fixed, the Arcam AVR250 now sounds at least as good as the Pioneer. Which is nice.

 

[moon]

Sorted - I am no longer in the twilight zone! :bounce:

I am however in the doghouse... :whack:

Having spent some not inconsiderable amount of time with kit shuffling I finally got to the root cause of the problem. Me. I had, at some point changed the settings on the Sonos connected to the main AV amp from "Fixed" to "Variable". And I have now learnt a lesson, even with the volume on Variable set to full, the extra volume controlling / equalisation hardware in the Sonos it goes through really mulches the output. With it set backed to Fixed, the Arcam AVR250 now sounds at least as good as the Pioneer. Which is nice.

oops.

 

[scene]

oops.

My thought exactly. :doh: