What if HK/Denon made a $700 decoder.....

[Ricky]

Once upon a time in America.....oopps, that was a James Woods movie....the big companies all had a nice performing AC3 decoder. What if HK made a 7.1 dd/dts decoder with the following features and listed it at $700 retail (ie, $500 street NIB):
- 6.1 DTS-ES
- DD-EX
- DPL2 (5/6/7 channel)
- 2.0 Logic7
- 5.1 Logic7
- 192/24 dacs (common now anyway)
- fixed 80hz crossover (or 40/80/120 like in the old Lexicons or current HKs)
- no video switching
- 2 analog and 5 digital inputs
- no analog bypass, but 7.1 inputs (ie, 7.1 bypass)

No noise/interferance/degration from a tuner or video switching circuitry. Arguably as good performance for digital sources as the Rotel, Outlaw, Anthem prepros. It wouldn't be for everyone, but betcha it would sell like hotcakes. Denon or Sony could do something similiar, minus the Logic7. A great companion for the Sony TAP and a bunch of 1 foot interconnects

[Andrew Pratt]

I think part of its success would depend on the availablity of cheaper 5 or 7 channel amps to mate with these cheaper pre amps. I'd agree though if they held a sonic advantage over their receiver counter parts and amps weren't budget killers I could see them doing very well. Its too bad the HKPA5800's aren't still available for under $400 since they are great amps at a very reasonable cost that could help make seperates more affordable for the masses.

[Lex]

Hmm, interesting concept, it just could work. But it will likely not happen, just guessing...

Lex

[SiliGoose]

It sure would be cool. A ton of people would buy it just for Logic 7! Lexicon sales would decline a ton.

I think people at the $500 price point expect video switching. I doubt they'd leave that out.

I think the main reason someone hasn't jumped all over your great idea is volume. Companies design products with a specific sales goals planned in. A $500-$700 product needs to sell in mass quantitites. Right or wrong, the current market tells consumers that for under $1k you buy a reciever. It's just what you do. It would be extremely diffiicult for one company to buck that trend.

Sure, such a device would sell like mad to members of the HT forums. It would be a hot commodity to all of us. However, as big as our numbers are it wouldn't be enough to successfully take on the receiver mentality. I just don't see an established company taking this risk.




-Sili

[Ricky]

Even without Logic7, a $700 Denon or Sony decoder can be useful. But I guess the mainstream population wouldn't need it, no more DPL-only receviers with 5.1 inputs. A manufacturer would probably point to one of their sub $1k receivers with preouts for all channels. If fact, I believe HK tech told me their AVR7000 and AVR510 preamp sections were similiar in performance to the older Signature 2.0 prepro. Or course, you can't tell most people on the forums that a receiver's internal amps won't degrade their sound