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Help me choose a new AV setup. 

 

I am running Tom Evans Model One speakers at the TV. 

 

Currently have a Marantz receiver, which is fine, but would like to upgrade as the speakers deserve it. 

 

I need at least 4 HDMI inputs. A Roon endpoint is a must, but can use a Sonicoribter for that, in which case USB input would be good too. 

 

95% of use is for TV but would like to listen to more music in this room. 

 

Separates are fine, provided they automatically trigger switch on/off. 

 

The smaller and cooler the better... I have some flexibility but am prepared to compromise ultimate SQ for a solution that is small and runs cool. 

 

The market seems dominated by 7+ channel receivers... I only need two! 

 

Thanks in advance, 

 

Al

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Arcam Has this nice 2ch integrated with hdmi capability,

https://www.tivolihifi.com/product/amplifiers/arcam-fmj-sr250-stereo-receiver

 

not sure on Roon...

 

however nad gear can take their hdmi modules plus also support blue sound node module(believe there was talk of that having room capability)

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Eg the nad here,

 

http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/C-388-Hybrid-Digital-DAC-Amplifier

 

Forward Thinking 

Modular Design Construction (MDC), an exclusive feature of NAD products, allows you to customise your NAD amplifier with additional capabilities and features, now or in the future. The two available MDC slots can accommodate a variety of upgrade modules including 4K video capable HDMI switching, additional Digital Inputs, additional Analogue and Phono Inputs, and one of the most advanced Hi-Res Audio multi-room wireless systems available, the BluOS music management system developed by Bluesound. BluOS connects to your network and is controlled via smartphone, tablet or desktop to manage your music collection and connect you to a growing list of high-quality streaming music services.

 

 

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Keep your marantz for source switching- send one HDMI output to your TV. Use the Marantz digital out or 2nd HDMI out (if it has it) to a high end dac/pre. You now have unlimited options. I did this once and with an oppo feeding a DHT pre into hybrid electrostats - it blew my HT system away, even for movies.

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Why not just use your TV as your HDMI hub and use optical/coax out of TV to a DAC then to your integrated of choice?

 

That's how I'm running my living room system. TV accepts signal from PS4/Foxtel IQ2. I've also had an Apple TV connected in the past but my "smart" TV has a Netflix app so the Apple TV was switched to another room.

 

With a universal remote, all the switching is handled with 1 button press, easy for the whole family to use.

 

Edited by blybo
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I'm looking at the new nad in the general living room instead of a AVR as I have done in the past. Especially with the upgrade to bluesound sounds like the perfect option to me and as @blybo said run hdmi's to TV and optical to amp/dac.

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If you go separates then this 2CH amp is something special and worth a look.

There was mention of a trigger option available but not sure if it is something that would need ordering.

It hardly uses much power, so I have it on 24/7.  Also you will never hurt your back moving this one around. :-)

 

Edited by rocky500
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5 hours ago, blybo said:

Why not just use your TV as your HDMI hub and use optical/coax out of TV to a DAC then to your integrated of choice?

 

That's how I'm running my living room system. TV accepts signal from PS4/Foxtel IQ2. I've also had an Apple TV connected in the past but my "smart" TV has a Netflix app so the Apple TV was switched to another room.

 

With a universal remote, all the switching is handled with 1 button press, easy for the whole family to use.

 

 

Agree. Another option can be the Oppo BluRay players. They have 2 HDMI inputs.

If you separate the HDMI switching requirement then the options for am amp increase. 

 

I recommend an Oppo and a Devialet.

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5 hours ago, blybo said:

Why not just use your TV as your HDMI hub and use optical/coax out of TV to a DAC then to your integrated of choice?

 

That's how I'm running my living room system. TV accepts signal from PS4/Foxtel IQ2. I've also had an Apple TV connected in the past but my "smart" TV has a Netflix app so the Apple TV was switched to another room.

 

With a universal remote, all the switching is handled with 1 button press, easy for the whole family to use.

 

 

its what I do in our bedroom system. where anything video wise goes to the TV. and things with analog outs to a pure analog 2ch setup. if digital out is needed it just feeds the dac I have there. its gear 15+ years old and copes no dramas. I also have current gear sometimes and doesnt partcularly seem to add much to the arrangement :D goes to show if can keep pure analog .... even old stuff over the hill seems to manage pretty well and up to a task even in a combined AV-2ch rig

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Just now, :) al said:

 

its what I do in our bedroom system. where anything video wise goes to the TV. and things with analog outs to a pure analog 2ch setup. if digital out is needed it just feeds the dac I have there. its gear 15+ years old and copes no dramas. I also have current gear sometimes and doesnt partcularly seem to add much to the arrangement :D goes to show if can keep pure analog .... even old stuff over the hill seems to manage pretty well and up to a task even in a combined AV-2ch rig

 

And will sound significantly better for music than a similarly price AV receiver or processor.

 

My wife does get confused when having to switch inputs on 2 devices (pre and DAC) when switching from say the TT to Foxtel. My pre is only remote controlled for volume so there is an cheat (idiot) sheet on top of my cabinet to tell her the manual input selections required for all sources. The Harmony remote does the rest.

Edited by blybo
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This is the way I run my AV two channel system.  I connect bluray player and PVR using a DAC, send the audio output of the DAC to a pre/power combo, on the video front I use Lumagen video processor,  the older processor has four hdmi input and it also has older legacy video connections like component inputs, the newer one has 8 hdmi input and four hdmi out, You can swap a matrix HDMI switch in place of lumagen,  Lumagen gives the added functionality of top rated video processing and calibration feature.   To eliminate coax/optical cable I could use NAD M51 DAC/Pre in the system.

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On 11/17/2016 at 9:47 AM, blybo said:

Why not just use your TV as your HDMI hub and use optical/coax out of TV to a DAC then to your integrated of choice?

 

That's how I'm running my living room system. TV accepts signal from PS4/Foxtel IQ2. I've also had an Apple TV connected in the past but my "smart" TV has a Netflix app so the Apple TV was switched to another room.

 

With a universal remote, all the switching is handled with 1 button press, easy for the whole family to use.

 

 

the hi res formats (DTS HD etc) can't be sent via coax or optical though - it's HDMI only isn't it? That's why I'm still using a receiver.

 

I'm pretty sure I could get rid of the receiver in my setup (Oppo 105, TV, integrated amp, PS4) - but I haven't bothered to play around with it.

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8 minutes ago, Juicester said:

 

the hi res formats (DTS HD etc) can't be sent via coax or optical though - it's HDMI only isn't it? That's why I'm still using a receiver.

 

I'm pretty sure I could get rid of the receiver in my setup (Oppo 105, TV, integrated amp, PS4) - but I haven't bothered to play around with it.

 

yes you are correct, if feed off 2ch analogs off your player eg 105 then dont need the receiver to decode the dts-hd and hi-res formats and covert to analog to feed a full analog system. I ran this way with my oppo feeding my 2ch analog system for a while.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Classe sounds great, and is wonderful for TV. 

 

It also sounds good streaming Roon, however it has a problem in use as a USB DAC, being that it has twice now randomly gone to “0 volume” when nobody was interacting with it. The first time I was nearby… the second time it seems to have blown both the tweeters on my Tom Evans Model One speakers. Fortunately, the drivers are pretty cheap, but it’s certainly annoying.

 

It definitely seems to be a firmware issue, so watch this space. In the meantime, exercise extreme caution or probably do not at all use this as a USB DAC. 

 

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5 minutes ago, alistairm said:

The Classe sounds great, and is wonderful for TV. 

 

It also sounds good streaming Roon, however it has a problem in use as a USB DAC, being that it has twice now randomly gone to “0 volume” when nobody was interacting with it. The first time I was nearby… the second time it seems to have blown both the tweeters on my Tom Evans Model One speakers. Fortunately, the drivers are pretty cheap, but it’s certainly annoying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It definitely seems to be a firmware issue, so watch this space. In the meantime, exercise extreme caution or probably do not at all use this as a USB DAC. 

 

Sorry to hear that. Will you try and get the store to replace/repair the speakers?

 

Herein lies my immense distrust of digital volume control. Software glitches or ham fisted family members can easily destroy stuff.

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I think I'll try and figure the speaker repair out myself... although I am mildly spewing, especially as I bought the Classe precisely to use as a digital DAC. No issues using it to play HDMI, but it appears to have a software fault taking USB input. The speakers have no crossover, so fortunately it should be easy enough to fix... just highly annoying. 

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good to know sounding great but gee thats a bother ! 

 

is there a way of putting in a max volume ? setting... with some digital volumes this can be done. I have one set on my av processor. reason being with a previous universal remote some years ago you'd use the up button to go up on volume and it would take off no stopping. am sure I blew a tweeter on one previous speakers just because of this ! 

 

the other reasons I like the volume limit is if others are using the system they cant just crank it to max ... by accident ! 

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1 minute ago, alistairm said:

I think I'll try and figure the speaker repair out myself... although I am mildly spewing, especially as I bought the Classe precisely to use as a digital DAC. No issues using it to play HDMI, but it appears to have a software fault taking USB input. The speakers have no crossover, so fortunately it should be easy enough to fix... just highly annoying. 

 

good no cross over as sometimes that can be a worry too incase damaged in some way or atleast worrying if the case ! 

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2 minutes ago, :) al said:

good to know sounding great but gee thats a bother ! 

 

is there a way of putting in a max volume ? setting... with some digital volumes this can be done. I have one set on my processor. reason being with a previous universal remote some years ago you'd use the up button to go up on volume and it would take off no stopping. am sure I blew a tweeter on some previous speakers just because of this ! 

 

the other reasons I like the volume limit is if others are using the system they cant just crank it to max ... by accident ! 

I've set my HT room processor max at 0db which is for when I have the house to myself and play at near "reference" level. My scary issue is I have Audyssey Volume (dynamic compression) set to low by default so we can still hear dialogue without waking my girls when explosions etc happen. Going to 0 with that still turned on might damage something...

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15 minutes ago, :) al said:

good to know sounding great but gee thats a bother ! 

 

is there a way of putting in a max volume ? setting... with some digital volumes this can be done. I have one set on my av processor. reason being with a previous universal remote some years ago you'd use the up button to go up on volume and it would take off no stopping. am sure I blew a tweeter on one previous speakers just because of this ! 

 

the other reasons I like the volume limit is if others are using the system they cant just crank it to max ... by accident ! 

Max volume now set and a painful lesson... 

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