Question Questions prior to updating avr

[Alberto]

Good morning/afternoon/evening to everyone.

First of all, English is not my native tongue so I apologise for any mistakes I may make.

I am the owner of an old Sony avr which has no hdmi conections and that is plugged to a FullHD Samsung TV via optical cable. I am thinking of progressively replacing both the TV and the AVR, but the questions today refer only to the AVR replacement.

While investigating the avr models I found several brands/models that could suit my budget and had the characteristics I was looking for, which basically are: 7.1 os 7.2 channels for a 5.1 configuration and an additional Zone 2 in the same room just for stereo; and a decent quality while playing music. Use will be 70% tv/movies and 30% music (from classical to jazz and pop)

The avrs I initially chose for comparison were the Denons avr X1500H/1600H and X2500H/X2600H. Onkyo TX-NR696. Pioneer VSX934 and Yamaha MusicCast RX-V685. Sony STR-DN1080 was discarded due to a widely known issue with HDMI-CEC that Sony doesn't fix.

Power differences apart what I have seen is that the newer Denons (1600 and 2600) come with eARC and HDCP 2.3 already implemented, while the other models either from Denon or different brands don't say anything about it. Only Yamaha seems to have implemented eARC by a firmware update, by what I read in other forum.

I believe that I don't need eARC or HDCP 2.3 now, but I would like to spend my money once and buy something for the next 10 years or so and reasonably future proof.

So, how important are eARC and HDCP 2.3 when choosing a new avr?

Is Denon going to implement the features via firmware update to older models like X1500H/X2500H?

And the other brands like Onkyo and Pioneer, does anybody know whether they are going to update their avrs with that features any time soon?

For the use I am thinking for the new avr, any particular recommendation from the avr bunch I listed? Other suggestion within the budget?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Here’s one of Pioneer‘s new amps and has eARC on it for HDMI:

Pioneer SC-LX904 Multi-Channel Amplifier | Audio Emotion

The SC-LX904 comes with the 6th generation of the Direct Energy HD Amplifier and two ES9026PRO DACs and is the befitting AV

www.audioemotion.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Here’s more on the new Pioneer:

SC-LX904 | Pioneer

The SC-LX904 comes with the 6th generation of the Direct Energy HD Amplifier and two ES9026PRO DACs, and is the befitting AV receiver to combine with Pioneer’s flagship universal disc player. MCACC Pro Auto Room Tuning technology featuring Full Band Phase Control brings out the best from the 3D...

www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu

 

[Deleted member 2457]

HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC: everything you need to know

What exactly does HDMI ARC do? Is it actually worth using?

www.whathifi.com

 

[Alberto]

Here’s one of Pioneer‘s new amps and has eARC on it for HDMI:

Pioneer SC-LX904 Multi-Channel Amplifier | Audio Emotion

The SC-LX904 comes with the 6th generation of the Direct Energy HD Amplifier and two ES9026PRO DACs and is the befitting AV

www.audioemotion.co.uk

Thank you gel for the suggestion, but that Pioneer vastly exceeds my budget for a new AVR.

I am looking for an entry level up to medium class avr and I wouldn't like to spend in it more than £ 500/ € 600 or so. That's why I chose the bunch of avrs I referred to in my post.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Thank you gel for the suggestion, but that Pioneer vastly exceeds my budget for a new AVR.

I am looking for an entry level up to medium class avr and I wouldn't like to spend in it more than £ 500/ € 600 or so. That's why I chose the bunch of avrs I referred to in my post.

This Yamaha you listed looks good mentions eARC like you say on the feature list:

RX-V685 - Features - Yamaha - Other European Countries

7.2-channel AV receiver with advanced features and enhanced functionality, including two HDMI® outputs and MusicCast Surround capability. Product available from August

europe.yamaha.com

I do like Yamaha amps I will see if there are any reviews for it.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Review: Yamaha RX-V685 Offers Big Bang For The Bucks – HD Guru

hdguru.com

Talks about the firmware update and eARC too.

 

[bigboss]

What's the rest of your system like?

 

[Alberto]

Thank you very much bigboss for your question.

What I have now is a basic 5.1. speaker configuration that came with the Sony avr ( one center speaker, four plastic satellites and an active subwoofer).

Additionally, I have in the same living room this entry level Yamaha receiver which I use for listening to stereo music either from an Audio Technica turntable, from bluetooth, from TV (YouTube) and from a BluRay/DVD/CD player. To this receiver I have connected a pair of good old KEF Coda 8 speakers.

And all of that is placed in a not dedicated living room, one of its side walls is made of crystal and aluminium windows from floor to ceiling.

The purpose of the acquisition would be to replace both receivers (Sony and Yamaha) by a new receiver with digital inputs and outputs, capable of reproducing either movie's sound with the actual sound formats (Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master, Atmos, DTS :X, etc.) that my current receiver does not support, and also music form several sources with decent quality.

For that I will also be replacing the speakers soon in order to put on place either a 5.1.2 atmos set or a 5.1 set plus a pair of a good stereo speakers for zone 2 (dedicated only for stereo music listening). Please, bear in mind that when I am speaking of Zone 2, that wil be located also in the same room as Zone 1 and the only difference will be the set of sepakers dedicated for it.

As you may see from my equipment and environtment, I am not very demanding with audio quality and a piece os gear that gives me decent quality is OK for me.

What I want to do is buy something that doesn't get obsolete right from the purchase date and that's the reason to ask about whether it was important to buy an avr with eARC and HDCP 2.3 and which ones of the avrs I listed would be the best purchase.

 

[bigboss]

Do you know the model number of the Sony package? With some systems, you can't use the speakers with other AVRs I think. Just make sure it's compatible.

Marantz and Denon are generally better than Onkyo in my experience, especially due to Audyssey room correction. Buying the current model will ensure it won't go obsolete soon.