Aargh!

**Kal Rubinson** · 29 January 2013, 18:42 Tuesday

Originally posted by mickster1972

I listened to the Marantz yesterday for about 20 minutes at the local Magnolia and I think it sounds very good, but could not help but think it wasn't as satisfying as my Rotel. Am I being delusional?

Mebbe. Different room, different speakers, different setup, different......................How do you know it was the Marantz?

**mickster1972** · 29 January 2013, 19:54 Tuesday

Mebbe I'm delusional or mebbe I should sell my gear? C'mon, Kal, you can't sit on the fence.

Good point, though, on the difference in room acoustics. As to what I was hearing, none of the other receivers were turned on at the time except for the Pioneer Elite that we were switching between using the master controller. I was locally controlling the volume myself using the Marantz's volume control so pretty sure that it was the Marantz (and the Pioneer) I was hearing.

I think I will decide to not decide right now. Low budget high-end is really a drag right now. Maybe I should just relax and have a homebrew... 8x)

**lradden** · 30 January 2013, 17:34 Wednesday

I gave up on Rotel pre/pros a long time ago. I love my Rotel amps an RMB-1095 and two RB-1050 amps though. My last Rotel pre/pro was the RSP-1066 and it was awful. From there I went to a Sherwood P-965 pre/pro which was great. After that I went to a Pioneer elite VSX-92TXH receiver to get HDMI switching. The Pioneer had the switching, but it just didn't WOW me it was just OK. I spent 5 yrs with the Pioneer and two months ago I purchased an Anthem MRX300 with ARC room correction to use as a pre/pro. The Anthem soundstage is so large and the imaging, bass with ARC is more than I could have asked for.

I wish Rotel would make something that sounds like the Anthem MRX series with room correction and HDMI switching that works. Since your looking for suggestions give the Anthem MRX series a try.

**mickster1972** · 31 January 2013, 13:52 Thursday

I will look into Anthem. I have read glowing reviews of their gear in the past. Thanks for the suggestion.

**ldgibson76** · 31 January 2013, 20:00 Thursday

An inexpensive alternative!

.

Originally posted by lradden

I spent 5 yrs with the Pioneer and two months ago I purchased an Anthem MRX300 with ARC room correction to use as a pre/pro. The Anthem soundstage is so large and the imaging, bass with ARC is more than I could have asked for.

I wish Rotel would make something that sounds like the Anthem MRX series with room correction and HDMI switching that works. Since your looking for suggestions give the Anthem MRX series a try.

Hello Radden. While I can appreciate your success with the Anthem MRX300 AVR, Anthem has had their share of HDMI switching and audio drop-out issues also. Don't get me wrong, Anthem makes a beautiful sounding AVR no doubt, but believe me when I tell you that there are a number of Anthem MRX defectors out there. Enough so, that with a little research, one would find reason to pause before making a decision to purchase.

An inexpensive solution to mickster1972's dilemma is the newly introduce Emotiva UMC-200 pre-pro. (And I do not own a single device from Emotiva, so I'm not a fan boy! )

To mickster1972:
:takecover: :tomato:
Hear me out...... Based on what you need a pre-pro to do, the UMC-200 fits the bill.

am wanting to replace the pre/pro with the a capable HDMI-switching processor unit. I am currently running my satellite box, Apple TV and Oppo player through a Monoprice 4 input switch box and my digital audio through the Rotel. The switching is glitchy at best and I would like to simplify the various connections. I was planning to bypass the video processing in any processor I buy since I believe the Oppo's QDEO is pretty darn good, but then again I want the video section of any AVR or processor I buy to be decent for DTV feeds, too.

UMC-200

At $599.00 US, you can't beat the performance/value ratio this device yields. Emotiva, like most manufacturers have had their issues with HDMI switching also (UMC-1), but from what I've read, most of the issues have been ironed out and the UMC-200 is a benefactor of a more reliable HDMI board and functionality (Xpressview). Not to mention, it can pass a 3D signal also. By the way, as far as audio quality is concerned, I do not think you will be sacrificing much if you allowed the UMC-200 to convert digital to analog. What's the worst that can happen? :huh: If you're not satisfied with the performance, send it back.

**lradden** · 01 February 2013, 12:48 Friday

I'm sure there are people who have had HDMI issues with Anthem's MRX series, but the UMC-200? The MRX300 goes for $999 and dealers will give 20% off so for $800 you get the Anthem with ARC. I was VERY skeptical about ARC and after using it, in my room it lives up to it's rep. From what I've read about the EmoQ it can't hold a candle to ARC. There are lots of unfavorable comments about EmoQ but it's hard to find anything unfavorable about ARC.

I understand your position, but I just can't see any reason for going with the the Emo over the Anthem if sound is the priority. Now I say that based on what I've read and heard from ARC and only from what I've read about the Emo. I can't say I've heard it, my opinion is based on what I've read from people who have owned it the Emo.

**mickster1972** · 01 February 2013, 13:10 Friday

I totally hear you about the UMC-200. Read all about it and the Outlaw 975. Almost pulled the trigger on the Outlaw, but canceled the order becuase it does not allow for 7.1 multichannel input from the Oppo. The UMC is out of stock and has been so for quite a while.

So.... I went down to Magnolia and pulled the trigger on the new Marantz SR-7007. It was on sale in light of the Superbowl and I couldn't resist. I will be placing my Rotel gear on eBay.

Thanks for your input, all. You guys rock. :T

**ldgibson76** · 01 February 2013, 14:30 Friday

Originally posted by lradden

I'm sure there are people who have had HDMI issues with Anthem's MRX series, but the UMC-200? The MRX300 goes for $999 and dealers will give 20% off so for $800 you get the Anthem with ARC. I was VERY skeptical about ARC and after using it, in my room it lives up to it's rep. From what I've read about the EmoQ it can't hold a candle to ARC. There are lots of unfavorable comments about EmoQ but it's hard to find anything unfavorable about ARC.

I understand your position, but I just can't see any reason for going with the the Emo over the Anthem if sound is the priority. Now I say that based on what I've read and heard from ARC and only from what I've read about the Emo. I can't say I've heard it, my opinion is based on what I've read from people who have owned it the Emo.

@ mickster1972:

Congrats on the acquisition of the Marantz SR7007. I currently use an old Marantz SR9300 mated to a Marantz MM-9000 amp in my den. The Marantz 7007 is a fine choice and I hope it exceeds your expectations. It definitely provides you with some future-proofing technology.

@ Iradden:

Now I'm sure I do not have to remind you that all opinions submitted in various forums and threads when it comes to sound quality and preference are at best subjective. Again, my suggestion was based solely on what mickster1972 articulated when describing what he needed in a processor with an emphasis on value.

Now I must digress and admit that at $800.00, the MRX-300 is a fine value, but here's the rub..... if he's looking for the pre-pro/AVR to just act as a conduit/pass-thru, allowing the source devices to do the heavy lifting (processing/converting), other than auto-room correction programming and the perceived prestige of owning an Anthem product, what advantages does the Anthem have over the Emo? :huh: I'm just sayin'. If I'm not mistaken, the Emo has it's own version of room-correction that has improved over the previous generation. Not perfect by any means, but with luck and know-how, can be effective...based on what I've read so far. :W

But this debate is mute because mickster went with the Marantz! :B

**mickster1972** · 02 February 2013, 02:18 Saturday

So far the Marantz is really impressive. Easy to set up, easy to use and really purty. Watching the Avengers Blu-ray in DTS HD right now with the kids. My wife was trying to sleep in the other room and just called over the intercom to say it sounded like the whole house just blasted off into space. ("Roger that dear... approaching stratosphere in t-minus 30 seconds") Apparently the pets are hiding in there with her, too. The center channel dialogue is more clear than with the Rotel, that is for sure. And the detail I am getting out of the surrounds is also a bit more... real, somehow. Right now, I am just using the Marantz to decode everything. I may switch around to see if I like the Oppo better, but honestly the simplicity of HDMI and the impressive qualities of the Marantz decoders makes me feel a bit lazy about that idea.

Oh, and Diana Krall's latest album (Glad Rag Doll - CD) sounded mighty fine as well. :T

Next acquisition is some decent front channel speakers (B&W CM5 or paradigm studio 20s, most likely). That is, when I pass the bar and have a real job.

**wkhanna** · 02 February 2013, 09:57 Saturday

Best of luck with those boards.
CA has the toughest.

& thanks for the feedback on the Marantz.
Glad to hear you are satisfied.

**madmac** · 02 February 2013, 13:31 Saturday

Originally posted by mickster1972

So far the Marantz is really impressive. Easy to set up, easy to use and really purty. Watching the Avengers Blu-ray in DTS HD right now with the kids. My wife was trying to sleep in the other room and just called over the intercom to say it sounded like the whole house just blasted off into space. ("Roger that dear... approaching stratosphere in t-minus 30 seconds") Apparently the pets are hiding in there with her, too. The center channel dialogue is more clear than with the Rotel, that is for sure. And the detail I am getting out of the surrounds is also a bit more... real, somehow. Right now, I am just using the Marantz to decode everything. I may switch around to see if I like the Oppo better, but honestly the simplicity of HDMI and the impressive qualities of the Marantz decoders makes me feel a bit lazy about that idea.

Oh, and Diana Krall's latest album (Glad Rag Doll - CD) sounded mighty fine as well. :T

Next acquisition is some decent front channel speakers (B&W CM5 or paradigm studio 20s, most likely). That is, when I pass the bar and have a real job.

Marantz makes good stuff but to sound better than Rotel gear is a bit of a stretch!!. Are you getting better sound because you are listening to the Hi Def audio tracks via the HDMI ??. If that's the case, and if your Rotel gear could not decode via HDMI, then I believe you.

**lradden** · 02 February 2013, 20:53 Saturday

Originally posted by ldgibson76

@ mickster1972:

Congrats on the acquisition of the Marantz SR7007. I currently use an old Marantz SR9300 mated to a Marantz MM-9000 amp in my den. The Marantz 7007 is a fine choice and I hope it exceeds your expectations. It definitely provides you with some future-proofing technology.

@ Iradden:

Now I'm sure I do not have to remind you that all opinions submitted in various forums and threads are at best subjective. Again, my suggestion was based solely on what mickster1972 articulated when describing what he needed in a processor with an emphasis on value.

Now I must digress and admit that at $800.00, the MRX-300 is a fine value, but here's the rub..... if he's looking for the pre-pro/AVR to just act as a conduit/pass-thru, allowing the source devices to do the heavy lifting (processing/converting), other than auto-room correction programming and the perceived prestige of owning an Anthem product, what advantages does the Anthem have over the Emo? :huh: I'm just sayin'. If I'm not mistaken, the Emo has it's own version of room-correction that has improved over the previous generation. Not perfect by any means, but with luck and know-how, can be effective...based on what I've read so far. :W

But this debate is mute because mickster went with the Marantz! :B

Seeing how the OP bought a Marantz and is using it to do the decoding, I'd say SQ is a priority. IMO if SQ is priority I'd rule out the EMO. You're right though, he made his decision so our discussion for his sake is pointless now.

**Lex** · 02 February 2013, 20:57 Saturday

ldgibson, be sure to notice we added an Emotiva subforum in the club section. It's in the manufacturers clubs...

**mickster1972** · 03 February 2013, 02:13 Sunday

Originally posted by madmac

Marantz makes good stuff but to sound better than Rotel gear is a bit of a stretch!!. Are you getting better sound because you are listening to the Hi Def audio tracks via the HDMI ??. If that's the case, and if your Rotel gear could not decode via HDMI, then I believe you.

Oh, I'm not saying that the Marantz amps are as dynamic or authoritative as the Rotel amp or that the Marantz necesarily sounds better without the room correction software activated, comparing say PCM to PCM or DD to DD. I haven't done a head to head on that. But, as you probably know, Rotel RSP-1068 does not do HDMI and obviously can't handle the new DTS master audio and Dolby Digital HD. I was previously letting the Oppo player decode these high rez audio formats and run them out through 5.1 channel analog to the Rotel. While it definitely sounded good though the Rotel, I think the center channel especially sounds more clear with the Marantz. It could be simply that the Audyssey calibration is compensating for my room nodes. But I can tell you that, IMO, movie soundtracks and dialogue sound no worse, and somehow more clear, than before. And the Marantz setup is really easy to use.

If space were not an issue, I would have mated a Marantz AV7005 processor with my Rotel RMB-1075 amp.

Aargh!

Aargh!

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