Hi folks,
I've posted a similar message on uk.media.home.cinema and thought I'd see
what your opinion was, looking at it from the other side!
I have been trying for some time to look for an AV amp which will still give
me high quality stereo hi-fi sound, as I will always be listening to music a
lot more than watching films. It is frustrating to hear that most (all?) AV
amps don't give the same quality as good hi-fi amps but I am at a loss to
find out why- surely there must be a manufacturer out there producing an amp
that can do both jobs admirably well? I don't mean admirably well from a
film watcher's point of view- but admirably well from an audio point of
view.
I have a 6-year old mid-range Denon amp and Quad L series speakers and among
other things listen to vinyl on a Planar P2.
I know that one solution is to have two systems- but I would like it
explained to me why it is impossible to get a good single audio / cinema
amp. The replies from the home cinema group were that going high enough up
the range (top range Yamaha was suggested) should be able to do it. Do you
agree? If so, which? I keep getting told that a good hi-fi amp will always
improve on a good AV amp- why?
PD

"Easynews" wrote in message
. ..
Hi folks,
I've posted a similar message on uk.media.home.cinema and thought I'd see
what your opinion was, looking at it from the other side!
I have been trying for some time to look for an AV amp which will still
give me high quality stereo hi-fi sound, as I will always be listening to
music a lot more than watching films. It is frustrating to hear that most
(all?) AV amps don't give the same quality as good hi-fi amps but I am at
a loss to find out why- surely there must be a manufacturer out there
producing an amp that can do both jobs admirably well? I don't mean
admirably well from a film watcher's point of view- but admirably well
from an audio point of view.
I have a 6-year old mid-range Denon amp and Quad L series speakers and
among other things listen to vinyl on a Planar P2.
I know that one solution is to have two systems- but I would like it
explained to me why it is impossible to get a good single audio / cinema
amp. The replies from the home cinema group were that going high enough up
the range (top range Yamaha was suggested) should be able to do it. Do you
agree? If so, which? I keep getting told that a good hi-fi amp will always
improve on a good AV amp- why?



So they say, but if you don't trust the onboard phono stage (if any) and get
(or already have) a decent one, I'd say 'go for it' and take no notice!
(It's mostly 'magazinespeak' anyway....!!)

Go mad and get a valve phono - the Bellari VP129

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bellari-VP129-...QQcmdZViewItem

is a super little gadget *IF* you toss the crappy supplied valve and drop a
'Winged C' Svet or EH into it! (Been there, already dunnit!) But try to get
one for £149 - it can be done!

(A valve phono will *transform* your vinyl!! ;-)

The thing is to march along to a shop with a sample disk and hear one for
yourself. I bet that any of the 'big names' will sound just fine. (You
already mention Denon - I'll always clear a space for a bit o' Denon
gear....!! ;-)

Go further up the money tree to the high end (Brit?) boys and I *would bet*
(I don't *know*) they will be every bit as good as the 'standard' sub-£1000
ss amp.

The thing is it's only *your* ears that will tell you. Try to get the amp
home for a trail in your own surround (oops) ings... ;-)

In article ,
Easynews wrote:
If so, which? I keep getting told that a good hi-fi amp will always
improve on a good AV amp- why?

None. The only difference is an AV amp includes video switching busses
which are totally independant of the audio path.

--
*Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

I'm only guessing as I don't have an AV amp, but as there are so many
channels and facilities all fighting for space in the case, I assume they
use IC power amps to save room rather than the discrete component amps in
good stereo amps. Discrete components can be chosen for good audio
performance. The other likely factor is a decent size power supply helps to
make for a good sound and a stereo amp again has more room for such things
plus more budget percentage left for it.

Easynews wrote:

I have been trying for some time to look for an AV amp which will
still give me high quality stereo hi-fi sound, as I will always be
listening to music a lot more than watching films.

Arcam AVR-250.

Nuff said.

--
Glenn Richards Tel: (01453) 845735
Squirrel Solutions http://www.squirrelsolutions.co.uk/

IT consultancy, hardware and software support, broadband installation

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:44:51 +0000, Glenn Richards
wrote:

Easynews wrote:

I have been trying for some time to look for an AV amp which will
still give me high quality stereo hi-fi sound, as I will always be
listening to music a lot more than watching films.

Arcam AVR-250.

Nuff said.

Any big Denon or Yamaha unit. Cheaper, more facilities and more power
than the Arcam - same sound quality. 'Nuff said.

--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

I have been trying for some time to look for an AV amp which will
still give me high quality stereo hi-fi sound, as I will always
be listening to music a lot more than watching films.
Arcam AVR-250.
Nuff said.
Any big Denon or Yamaha unit. Cheaper, more facilities and more power
than the Arcam - same sound quality. 'Nuff said.

What Hi-Fi summed it up pretty well in their latest issue, reviewing AV
receivers at the £1000 mark:

If you're building a dedicated AV system, buy the Yamaha. If you're
going to be using the system for music, buy the Arcam.

I demoed both (BEFORE reading the review!) and came to the same
conclusion. Yamaha == better with movies, Arcam == better with music.

The Yamaha is still pretty good with music, and the Arcam is very good
with movies. The Arcam isn't quite as good as the Yamaha on movies, but
it's much better with music.

So my original point still stands. If you want a good musical system
that also does movies, get the Arcam.

--
Glenn Richards Tel: (01453) 845735
Squirrel Solutions http://www.squirrelsolutions.co.uk/

IT consultancy, hardware and software support, broadband installation

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 15:51:17 +0000, Glenn Richards
wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

I have been trying for some time to look for an AV amp which will
still give me high quality stereo hi-fi sound, as I will always
be listening to music a lot more than watching films.
Arcam AVR-250.
Nuff said.
Any big Denon or Yamaha unit. Cheaper, more facilities and more power
than the Arcam - same sound quality. 'Nuff said.

What Hi-Fi summed it up pretty well in their latest issue, reviewing AV
receivers at the £1000 mark:

What Hi-Fi?! BWAHAHAHA!

If you're building a dedicated AV system, buy the Yamaha. If you're
going to be using the system for music, buy the Arcam.

I demoed both (BEFORE reading the review!) and came to the same
conclusion. Yamaha == better with movies, Arcam == better with music.

The Yamaha is still pretty good with music, and the Arcam is very good
with movies. The Arcam isn't quite as good as the Yamaha on movies, but
it's much better with music.

So my original point still stands. If you want a good musical system
that also does movies, get the Arcam.

Don't believe everything you read in the comics, they just parrot
common prejudices. You of course have never compared these under blind
conditions, so it's just more parrot squawks.

--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

What Hi-Fi summed it up pretty well in their latest issue,
reviewing AV receivers at the £1000 mark:
What Hi-Fi?! BWAHAHAHA!

Stewart Pinkerton?! BWAHAHAHA!

So my original point still stands. If you want a good musical
system that also does movies, get the Arcam.
Don't believe everything you read in the comics, they just parrot
common prejudices. You of course have never compared these under
blind conditions, so it's just more parrot squawks.

Don't believe everything Stewart Pinkerton posts on Usenet, he just
parrots common prejudices. You of course have never compared these two
AV receivers at all, blind or otherwise, so it's just more parrot squawks.

--
Glenn Richards Tel: (01453) 845735
Squirrel Solutions http://www.squirrelsolutions.co.uk/

IT consultancy, hardware and software support, broadband installation

I don't have an AV amp but as far as I know most (if not all) AV amps are 6
channel amplifiers. So from a component point of view, an AV amp is 3 times
more expensive than a HiFi amp. So for a fair comparison you should at least
compare a hifi amp with an AV amp that is 3 times the price. If you have a
certain budget, you (better) get a better hifi amp than a AV amp for the
same price.

Another point is that more expensive AV amps often have digital inputs. That
means a DSP and 6 D/A-converters are included in the AV amp which hifi amps
don't have. These don't come for free so the manufacturer has less money to
spend on the actual amplifier circuits.

It's all a matter of cost.