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Does anybody make modern-style AV amps?
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I see a nice Kickstarter project....
It is just bad to see how all this marvelous tech from the early 2000s is wasted now. Tripath amps in the Powermac G4, Sony with its marvellous DSD amps. We are all back to the 40 megapixel equivalent of AV receiver design with a power use 10 times as much as the content box. Too bad.
I'm not saying that Onkyo and co should not make the multi-input ones. I say that if they make 10 models like that, they should consider a nice less-is-more elegant version for the media consumers with a decent HTPC as addition to their product line. You can even make more money on it. You can cut half the components of say a TX-SR709, and yet ask almost the double money for it.
Another reason:
Now I have a ten year old TX-SR701. I could become customer AGAIN if they have a low-power small size amp with digital decoder. But the TX-SR701 still does what I want from an amp. It is only too big and too hot. All the current 309-1009 models don't offer any step forward for me.
It is just bad to see how all this marvelous tech from the early 2000s is wasted now. Tripath amps in the Powermac G4, Sony with its marvellous DSD amps. We are all back to the 40 megapixel equivalent of AV receiver design with a power use 10 times as much as the content box. Too bad.
I'm not saying that Onkyo and co should not make the multi-input ones. I say that if they make 10 models like that, they should consider a nice less-is-more elegant version for the media consumers with a decent HTPC as addition to their product line. You can even make more money on it. You can cut half the components of say a TX-SR709, and yet ask almost the double money for it.
Another reason:
Now I have a ten year old TX-SR701. I could become customer AGAIN if they have a low-power small size amp with digital decoder. But the TX-SR701 still does what I want from an amp. It is only too big and too hot. All the current 309-1009 models don't offer any step forward for me.
Last edited:
Uofmtiger
macrumors 68020
I don't really think you are looking for a "modern" receiver because they are designed with HDMI processing since many people prefer one connection for audio and video to a receiver and one from the receiver to the TV. Computers, Cable/Satellite, SACD, Bluray are all going this direction, so HDMI inputs is a must on a "modern" receiver.
I think you would be happier with one of the older receivers made by Panasonic ( Panasonic SA-XR55S, XR57, XR25, etc.). While these receivers do have some component video inputs, they are still fairly small and use digital amplifiers. This keeps the energy efficiency up and the size down.
I personally have never used one of these receivers, but they sound like something you would like. Below is a link to a picture and explanation of one of these receivers. You would probably need to find it used if you are interested:
http://www.bing.com/shopping/panaso...f=0&lppc=16&lpq=Panasonic+SA+XR55&FORM=CMSMSP
I think you would be happier with one of the older receivers made by Panasonic ( Panasonic SA-XR55S, XR57, XR25, etc.). While these receivers do have some component video inputs, they are still fairly small and use digital amplifiers. This keeps the energy efficiency up and the size down.
I personally have never used one of these receivers, but they sound like something you would like. Below is a link to a picture and explanation of one of these receivers. You would probably need to find it used if you are interested:
http://www.bing.com/shopping/panaso...f=0&lppc=16&lpq=Panasonic+SA+XR55&FORM=CMSMSP
You sure like ignoring the real answers. Try the UMC with 3 Dayton Audio T amps. The amps can hide away, all you would see is the preamp. And it is smaller than your old receiver.
The way "less is more" elegance is done for surround is by putting it in a closet with an RF remote so you see nothing. Of course, that costs something. Surround has never been done like you want, only stereo.
Well, they will ship one. They don't have a distributor, so shipping can be a bitch. And customs, if that has a cost.
This is the core problem. If you want to ditch all those analog legacy in/outputs and video processing you are going to have to get a stereo receiver, but since you want 5.1 you just aren't going to be able to get around it.
Your question piqued my interest. I have done a considerable amount of research into it and just haven't seen anything that matches your needs.
The best you can hope to do is get the receiver that has what you want and ignore the stuff you don't at a price you are wiling to pay.
I just got the Marantz SR5007. It's got pretty much what you want and is available at really good prices for factory refurb units. You could move up to a higher model (7007/8) too. It has the 5.1 analog in/out, which I also need for my old SACD/DVD-A player. I love that it can be controlled via a web browser and/or iPhone app since I mostly use it for music and don't want to look at a screen. The Internet radio and LAN play features are great too.
It does have video scaling which is a great feature with an older SACD unit since it can take the analog component video and spit it out asa HDMI to my monitor!
David