AV Amp upgrade - suggestions?

[Neil Palfreyman]

I'm going to be looking for a new AV Amp in the new year and figured here was the best place to get some suggestions.

I have two surround systems in different rooms but the Amp I'm looking to upgrade is a Cambridge Audio Azure 551R. It's currently fed by a CA Azur 752BD (which is essentially an Oppo 103) and drives a matched set of Acoustic Energy Aegis speakers/sub

The reason I want to upgrade is that the 551 has no room correction and although I don't use it most of the time (I'm mainly using direct input into the 551, which uses the awesome DACs on the 752) I really need an option for play testing with room correction switched in now and again.

My criteria are:

Good for music (don't care about home cinema)
Good room correction on the HDMI inputs.
All "modern" decode formats covered (via HDMI)
Direct (analogue) inputs available (I obviously know that room correction wont work on these.)
DNLA compliant networking to stream surround flac/wav.
7.1 bi-ampable to 5.1 - ie two amp channels for the front L/R drivers (nice to have, not essential)
Dual sub outputs (nice to have, not essential)
Can use dual HDMI input to split video/audio signal path (nice to have, not essential)

I'm not thinking about budget constraints yet, so at this stage any option is an option!

Suggestions, please...

 

[fredblue]

Are the Speaker Adjustment options for the 7.1 Analogue Out's on the 752BD not upto snuff?

Its simple on my 651BD.. but effective.. it has the usual Distance and individual Volume level adjustments, Bass Management that allows global LFE crossover and the option of "Small" or "Large" for each of the speaker pairs and Centre channel.. it's about as comprehensive as one could expect without implementing any room correction in the form of the kind of EQ mic-captured setup routine we're more used to with AVRs.

 

[DuncanS]

I've a Pioneer SC-LX86 which I've had for just over 2 years. I really like it, its a very neutral/clear amplifier and I use for audio (with the occasional film!) but it won't do 5.1 FLAC which is irritating.

The latest version is the SC-LX89 which will do 5.1 FLAC, http://www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu/uk/def/products/sc-lx89

I'm going to be looking for a new AV Amp in the new year and figured here was the best place to get some suggestions.

I have two surround systems in different rooms but the Amp I'm looking to upgrade is a Cambridge Audio Azure 551R. It's currently fed by a CA Azur 752BD (which is essentially an Oppo 103) and drives a matched set of Acoustic Energy Aegis speakers/sub

The reason I want to upgrade is that the 551 has no room correction and although I don't use it most of the time (I'm mainly using direct input into the 551, which uses the awesome DACs on the 752) I really need an option for play testing with room correction switched in now and again.

My criteria are:

Good for music (don't care about home cinema)
Good room correction on the HDMI inputs.
All "modern" decode formats covered (via HDMI)
Direct (analogue) inputs available (I obviously know that room correction wont work on these.)
DNLA compliant networking to stream surround flac/wav.
7.1 bi-ampable to 5.1 - ie two amp channels for the front L/R drivers (nice to have, not essential)
Dual sub outputs (nice to have, not essential)
Can use dual HDMI input to split video/audio signal path (nice to have, not essential)

I'm not thinking about budget constraints yet, so at this stage any option is an option!

Suggestions, please...

 

[Neil Palfreyman]

Are the Speaker Adjustment options for the 7.1 Analogue Out's on the 752BD not upto snuff?

Its simple on my 651BD.. but effective.. it has the usual Distance and individual Volume level adjustments, Bass Management that allows global LFE crossover and the option of "Small" or "Large" for each of the speaker pairs and Centre channel.. it's about as comprehensive as one could expect without implementing any room correction in the form of the kind of EQ mic-captured setup routine we're more used to with AVRs.

Yeah, to be fair they are pretty good and I have used the bass management to tune most of the really obvious room colour at the low end out, but it would be great to have a decent automated room correction system to check against when I need to.

 

[Neil Palfreyman]

I've a Pioneer SC-LX86 which I've had for just over 2 years. I really like it, its a very neutral/clear amplifier and I use for audio (with the occasional film!) but it won't do 5.1 FLAC which is irritating.

The latest version is the SC-LX89 which will do 5.1 FLAC, http://www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu/uk/def/products/sc-lx89

Cheers, Duncan. That looks like the "Dog's doodahs." Will d/l the manual and have a read.