 
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
|
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
66.36.141.140
HI everybody
I wonder after how many years does processor start having troubles, like lost of channel, stop working, etc.
What's your personnal experience: which processor and after how many years did they start giving you trouble, if any?
Or maybe you have your processor since many years and they have been flawlessly since then.
It could give me a guidelide about which used processor to look for.
should I look, or stay away from Classe ssp-60, moon attraction 7.1, krell hts...
I don't really need hdmi, I can still connect my dvd's hdmi to the tv set.
Follow Ups:
I bought a Technics SH-AC500D new, and after a good 5 years of daily use, the DTS processor died. Everything else still worked, but it no longer recognizes or decodes DTS. I believe the DTS processor was a separate module, since it wasn't included in bass management.
I have a B&K reference 20. There was electrician working in my home this summer. The processor was on while I was away. From what I know they had to shut off the electricity many times. Since then everything work...except for the surround sound. Was it caused by age or by turning electricity on and off many times? I don't know.
They only thing I know is that I need a need preamp-processor and it won't be a B&K. I would have had to send it to the states for repair. The service centre here only services product that are "new".
I do not know how this is relevant since it is such old technology/hardware but, afaik, mine is still working. It was when I put it in the storage closet several years ago.
As for failure, in general, I have had more problems with hardware failures, new out of the box, than further down the line.
Kal
one of the things that drives me crazy is video and audio not synched ("lip-sync"). You are pretty much guaranteed to have this with HDMI video used with non-HDMI audio. You can manually adjust the audio delay usually, but it's something you'll continually jigger with as the source (TV or disc) changes. Many people don't get bothered by this though, until it becomes extreme, but I do... HDMI A/V eliminates this problem.
Now is a great time of year to get the "old" HDMI AVRs really cheap. Maybe one with preamp outputs so you could use your own amps.
As for reliability, these AVRs have so much stuff in them... I have an "AVR" that must be more than 15 years old, back when surround sound was Dolby Surround. It's been on 24/7 for over a decade and nary a glitch. The unit that replaced it (at 3X the cost) has needed some minor internal attention (nothing I couldn't handle), and the unit that replaced that (at 3X+ again the cost) has needed similar (both are still working perfectly now though). Each generation is hugely more complicated, that last one looks more like a computer inside, with big boards plugged into kind of a heavy-duty motherboard. My latest AVR, my first HDMI one, cost maybe 40% of the previous unit. It *is* a computer inside. I do not use the amps. It had a minor problem within months of purchase, which was a loose connector inside (tough to find) that prevented an internet connection (to update the firmware). None of my purely analog gear has ever broken in the 37 years I've been into "hifi", my very first (1972) receiver still works fine. So the moral of this long story is probably obvious: more complicated gear is more likely to have a problem, especially when it's newish.
You have moved up to Blu-ray, right? With $99 players available, there's really no excuse. And even if you're still red (DVD), eventually you'll want to move up.
HDMI is the only interface, depending on the version and the receiver/processor's HDMI capability, able to provide digital multi-channel lossless bitstreamed and/or multi-channel PCM audio. On the digital side, there's no way you'll get DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD and/or multi-channel PCM without it.
I don't have nor attend to buy a blue-ray player anytime soon.
My oppo dvd player has hdmi output but there's only one format that it doesn't play and it blue-ray. My tv set ( sharp aquost not 1080) has hdmi input too.
I don't want, right now, (finance doesn't permit to buy a high end processor), to pay high price just to have an hdmi input in case I eventually decide to buy a blue-ray player. And I don't want to go back to low end component too.If it ever happen(buying blue-ray player)(and I guess it will happen), few years from now, finance will permit to buy whatever processor I want or need.( no more mortgage or car payment (2 years to go!))
So right now I'm in the process to buy something better than my defective B&K reference 20 processor. (I can use it only for stereo, surround is not working anymore).
p.s. I can buy a blueray player for 99$. I can buy blue ray for 30 to 35, but dvd for less than 10. ( 3 movies for the price of one, many being children's movies.
Dan
Edits: 09/20/09
if you bought Blu-ray discs for $30 - $35. I don't ever pay > $25 from numerous sources and I've paid under $10 during sales. And a receiver or processor without HDMI is an outdated product, regardless of the manufacturer.
I wouldn't buy ANY processor at ANY price if it does not have HDMI capability. That is why you see so many older (and once very expensive) processors selling for so cheap today. Everybody wants to sell them so they can upgrade to current technology. If it doesn't have HDMI, it is old and outdated. If you do not buy a processor with HDMI, you will likely regret it later.
But what will I regret the most if I buy a cheap processor who has HDMI, but awful 2 channels sound or if I buy a high-end-no-HDMI processor who has great 2 channels sound and great ( maybe not the best) movie sound? The sound of my high-end turntable or the sound of movies?
P.S. I know that 2 years from now finance will permit me to buy any processor that I wish for. ( Well, maybe not something like a brand new Mark Levinson, but something like classé ssp-800 will be possible.)
p.p.s. I'm not fantasizing about future income, it's just that there are many expenses that will be thing of the past.
Well, if I were going 2-channel only, I would skip the processor entirely and just use a linestage or preamp. I have yet to find a processor that sounds as good on 2-channels as a decent 2-channel only linestage.
I had a couple processors and now I'm back to basic 2-channels. Even if I get another processor with HDMI, I'll use it with my linestage (using the theater pass through) because the volume controls in most processors are inferior to those in a good linestage. And you can easily HEAR the difference, it's quite noticeable.
THis is a reason why I'm loath to spend megabucks on a pre/pro upgrade: the money is probably better spent on a blu-ray player with decent DACs and running the analog outputs directly through my multichannel linestage.
I can understand where you're coming from. If it were me, and my needs and wants are probably different than yours, I would keep my basic 2-channel preamp and use a processor strictly for movies or when I feel the need for "surround" and the subwoofer. I had such a setup for a while but it got too messy with all the gear, extra speakers, and tons of wires everywhere! It worked fine but I tore it all down and decided to do simple 2-channel again, for now. ;-)
If I was living alone , it's probably the route that I would take. However, that's not the case. My wife and my son have to be able to use it.
So one factor that I have to consider is "simplicity", a strange notion in the world of preamp-processors.
My wife simply cannot operate the audio / video gear I have in our basement listening room. When she's down there on the exercise bike, she asks me to turn on some music. I finally gave her my iPod for those times when I'm not around to click the remote controls and flip the appropriate switches.
Anthem userfriendlyness?
By this title, I don't mean to know if it is easy to use by yourself but by other family members like your wife and your children ( no not your toddlers!)
So, is it easy to master (well, use it) for them?
Can you give me an example of why you ask this? My standard is my wife's acceptance of a device and, frankly, she has had no problem with any of the AVRs or prepros (including the Anthem) that I have had. The only things I have to do are (1) do the programming/setup in advance and (2) indicate to her which remote is relevant.
Kal
Since I'm not always home, they cannot wait for me to watch movies or listen to music. I still have my defective (for surround) b&K and sometimes they don't know how to use it. when they get confused, they will push any button until something happens. Sometimes it ends by them turning off the processor.
Edits: 09/29/09
They cannot discern the ON/OFF, input selection and volume buttons? If so, nothing will suit them.
Gee whiz, I didn't really appreciate my wife's capabilities in this sphere before. ;-)
Kal
They know the on/off button. Sometimes they manage, sometimes they don't, (after messing everything, they will turn it off).
My son is 10 with a learning disability.
I am sympathetic but that issue is relevant to any control device. My point is that the Anthem RC is no more difficult than any other AVR RC.
Kal
I agree with you kal . I've just saw a big picture of an Anthem processor. Many buttons, but it has a logical layout. Everything is separated in smaller groups.
With an Harmony remote, it should be easy to use.
... and a source player with decent multichannel analog DACs, you can make do without a "modern" HDMI-capable prepro.
Here's mine...
...and using the player's DACs and 6-channel analog outputs is exactly what I do.And this hi-end preamp works beautifully as a 2-channel preamp.
-------------------------------------------------------
Tin-eared audiofool and parttime landscape fotografer.
http://community.webshots.com/user/jeffreybehr
Edits: 10/07/09
Got too many bills, not enough discretionary funding.
Post a Followup:
| FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
