Dec 2018 - 4K HT amps?

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Talkiet

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#243234 2-Dec-2018 16:59

I've started my 4K purchases with an Nvidia Shield and figure that the next step will be an Amp. I want real 4K (upsampling - not passthrough, 4:4:4 4k/60, HDR etc) and I need two HDMI HDCP2.2 outputs (and a tiny number of inputs) - potentially only one although I am aware I won't find an amp like that.

Apart from that, 5.1 is ok, but again, I am not sure I'll find something less than 7.2 that satisfies the preceeding requirements. Power is not an issue - anything will be loud enough for me. It's going to be driving a set of Kef Eggs (and sub).

The Denon AVRX2400 looks like it will do the job, and there's a 3400 on sale for the same price in NZ ($1500)... Not sure what else would really do the job but very open to suggestions. I know Onkyo are feature rich for the price, and I am aware they had historical issues with HDMI boards which are now not an issue.

Features like Chromecast ultra built in won't be an issue because the Nvidia Shield has that, and for the same reason I barely care about things like a tuner, or spotify clients etc etc etc.

In fact in a perfect world, I'd like a 4K capable, 1 input, 2 output, 5.1 amp with no features. If that was available, I'd even live with 4k passthrough.

Of course I am utterly dismayed at the US price of amps. The Denon 2400 is available for $400 US + 100ish shipping, plus GST... Making it under half the price of the NZ option - unfortunately it looks like they do NOT have multivoltage PSUs built in which is annoying.

Suggestions?

Not averse to secondhand if anyone has something suitable they want to get rid of.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

networkn

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#2138217 2-Dec-2018 19:23

I have had Marantz, Pioneer and Yamaha Amp's all in the upper higher end of the segment for the past 15 years. Yamaha has been the best of them and make up the last 3 I have owned. It would take a fair bit to get me off one now.

I really like the warm signature of the Yamaha's which suits my personal taste. Pioneer tend to colder.

Most of the common brands including Onkyo, will have an amp that matches your requirements, it's finding one in a budget range that suits and what "other" features they are bundled with.

Dunnersfella

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#2138220 2-Dec-2018 19:34

Why would you spend $1500 for an amp to drive Kef eggs if you don't want most of the functionality and don't need the power??

Pick up a 5.1 receiver... they retail around $599, but you can get a deal on old / poor selling models (the entry level Denon 250BT is $399 on the floor in retailers, it's a pretty crap amplifier, but you're not looking for much other than the ability to power 5 x little speakers).

Simply add 1 x HDMI spliter and you're done!

Personally, I would never use an amplifier to upscale video - let the TV do that, they're much better at it!

Ensure the AVR is simply passing through the video and keeping the audio / video in sync with your TV.

If you're set on getting Denon, go nuts with the 250BT.

Otherwise Onkyo and Pioneer are all but identical now (Onkyo bought the majority of Pioneer a while ago (although Pioneer took a share of Onkyo's business to ensure the name lived on))... Then the company that owned Onkyo went broke and flicked them off to some company out of a tax haven. It's all a little odd, but such is the world of AVR ownership.

Sony may have a basic 5.1 offering to consider (retailed almost exclusively by JB HiFi), but I don't profess to know much about them.

Yamaha start @ $699, but Harvey Norman don't have it on PriceSpy so you'll need to call / drop past a store to see their starting point.

Marantz may have an entry level slimline model kicking around in the market for 'not much'... maybe an NR1508?

If you're set on video up-conversion / 4K video up-scaling AND need a mirrored HDMI output, then the models you'll want to look at are:

Denon AVRX2400H / 2500

Yamaha RX-V685 / RX-780... dual output and up-conversion.

Pioneer VSX933... nope, no dual HDMI output, but it does have 4K up-scaling etc.

Onkyo TX-NR686... pass through confirmed, not sure about up-scaling.

Sony... um, not sure.

Sony

Talkiet

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#2138224 2-Dec-2018 19:48

Thanks - that's a really useful set of data... I already have a Yamaha 5.1 I am completely happy with, but it's only 1080P and confirmed that passthrough 4k doesn't work (admittedly confirmed on forums - haven't tried it)...

I used to run an HDMI splitter (in fact I tried 2 different models) when I got my first projector and it was very flaky - lots of issues and AV dropouts. How would I handle getting the digital audio to the receiver to decode? (3 way splitter? outputs to Amp, TV, Projector?)... I really don't want to go through the same issues I had before with splitters, BUT if there's a decent splitter that can deal with my requirements, that would certainly be the cheapest option - and as you say, I don't need more power or more features - I really just want what I have but with 4K... (I guess that means 4K Passthrough is something I should consider as well)...

Shame the Denon 2400 isn't on special like the 3400 - if it was $2-300 off then I'd just grab it...

I'll have a look at the others.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Dunnersfella

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#2138226 2-Dec-2018 19:53

The splitter would go from the AVR's output to the TV and projector...

1 in - 2 out.

Of course, so you know - if you have a 4K TV and a 1080p projector that are being used at the same time, all of the solutions will only give you 1080p as that's the lowest common denominator between the panel / projector. Such is the curse of HDMI EDID!

Talkiet

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#2138229 2-Dec-2018 20:00

My current amp is a Yamaha RX-V767... It's over 7 years old and no HDCP 2.2 - not even HDMI 2.0. Online forums suggest that 4K passthrough doesn't work at all - so I don't think splitting after the AVR would work.

I try and make this sort of equipment last a while :-)

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Batman

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#2138232 2-Dec-2018 20:07

if i'm reading correctly OP wants an amp to upsample to 4K ...

i thought the TV is the best gadget to do just that

Talkiet

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#2138233 2-Dec-2018 20:09

Batman:

if i'm reading correctly OP wants an amp to upsample to 4K ...

i thought the TV is the best gadget to do just that

Upsampling would be nice, but I understand the TV can do that well... I'm not sure however how the upsampling is in entry level 4K projectors - hence the thought that if the amp can do a decent job for a couple hundred bucks more than a passthrough amp, then it could be worthwhile.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

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Dunnersfella

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#2138234 2-Dec-2018 20:10

Fair enough, but if you buy a new, entry level AVR and put a new (decent brand) spliter after the HDMI output you could be fine.

However, if you're looking to buy something a bit better... then hey, it's your money!

My last AVR was an 11-channel pre-amp / processor that only ever saw use with a 2-channel system... sooooo feel free to spend whatever you want!

Senecio

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#2138279 2-Dec-2018 22:37

You’re source is an Nvidia Shield. Why do you need to upsample when it’s providing a 4K signal?

Talkiet

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#2140155 5-Dec-2018 21:22

Update, couldn't resist the Denon AVRX3400h for $1500 in Auckland... Don't need the grunt, don't need most of the features, but I got 7 years out of my still awesome Yamaha RXV767, so I'll be very happy if I get anything similar from the Denon.

ALso bought a bunch of cables from Monoprice. A couple of [Legit] "premium certified" 20 and 30 ft cables, and a couple of active 20 and 30 ft cables... (As well as a handful of 1M 18Gbps premium certified cables and a single 50cm 48Gbps 8K cable :-)

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Talkiet

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#2140156 5-Dec-2018 21:22

Now I just need a TV and a projector :-)

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Batman

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#2140167 5-Dec-2018 21:37

TV and projector!