In the 1st quarter of 2008, I will be building a theater along with a surround system for the livingroom. I am interested in the upcoming Denon preamp/amplifer coming soon:

http://www.avland.co.uk/denon/a1hd/a1hd.htm

My goal is to find a preamp that can control 2 zones outputting 1080P. The Denon will accept 6 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs which can independantly run 2 systems. The matching 10 channel amp would also allow for two 5.1 systems. I have looked at comparable equipment from Lexicon, McIntosh, Classe, etc. and from my understanding, none of them offer the control the Denon will have. The Denon combo linked above will retail for $14,000. Are there any other amp/preamp options under $25,000 that will run a theater and livingroom surround system? I want to be able to use all audio/video sources in both rooms and be able to use both rooms at the same time.

this may sound odd, but i would be a little gun shy about a box that does THAT MUCH! it just seems like too much stuff jammed in one chassis.

ok two... but you know what i mean

I wouldn't do this as when it craps out, you loose two systems and no way of really addressing the issue. Another reason why you want separates is that technology changes at different rates. Who knows what HDMI stunts they will pull in the coming years.

have you thought of going with anthem? they offer very good stuff for very good prices. and, they are known as one of the few manufacturers to update firmware almost monthly and offer upgrades to units even 7+ years old.

You will need to use the formula for your preamp based on the input impedance of both your amps as I assume you will be running two loads in parallel. Running both sytems together could result in diminshed dynamics and loss of top end.

This happens less with solid state gear than with tubes but can happen nonetheless

this may sound odd, but i would be a little gun shy about a box that does THAT MUCH! it just seems like too much stuff jammed in one chassis.Not me man! My Tim the Toolman Taylor instinct got fired up just looking at that thing. It's cool. Given what you're trying to do I honestly think that could be an interesting solution.

Two open questions however:
--- Control. How well can each zone be controlled? Will you always have to select "Zone 2" before doing anything in the living room?
--- Distance. How far will the living room system be from the theater? Do you really want speaker cables that long?

You will need to use the formula for your preamp based on the input impedance of both your amps as I assume you will be running two loads in parallel. Running both sytems together could result in diminshed dynamics and loss of top end.??? If they are separate zones with separate program+control, they will have separate output stages. No?


--- Distance. How far will the living room system be from the theater? Do you really want speaker cables that long???? It is a preamp, so it is likely he will run line-level coax to amps in each room.

Two open questions however:
--- Control. How well can each zone be controlled? Will you always have to select "Zone 2" before doing anything in the living room?
--- Distance. How far will the living room system be from the theater? Do you really want speaker cables that long?

From what I've read on it, it can fully run zone 2 while zone 1 is being used. I want to be able to centralize all my equipment and sources in 1 location and fully use all sources in both rooms. This Denon will do that, but I do not know if anyone else offers the same thing. The Denon was supposed to be released in November, then December, now its Jan/Feb. 2008. Being it keeps getting delayed, I am starting to look at other options incase its not available when I am ready. The theater will share a wall with the livingroom so the TV and speakerwires will have short runs.

I have not looked at Anthem yet, I'll check out what they offer today.

Be very wary of the Denon HDMI switching. It's flaky at best. I haven't kept up if they've cured the issues, but as of this fall, the one unit I worked with in Seattle refused to pass any HDMI signal.

Be very wary of the Denon HDMI switching. It's flaky at best. I haven't kept up if they've cured the issues, but as of this fall, the one unit I worked with in Seattle refused to pass any HDMI signal.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? From what I have read, Denon was one of the few brands that had few/no problems with HDMI.

From what I've read online and on my forum, ALL HDMI switching can be flaky. As I said, a $3500 Denon receiver didn't work at all, but a friend has a cheapie $69 HDMI 4 way switcher, and it works fine. It's the handshaking HDCP issue mainly, but can also be cable and source related.

Frankly, I hate the HDMI platform. Not well thought out at all.

From what I've read online and on my forum, ALL HDMI switching can be flaky. As I said, a $3500 Denon receiver didn't work at all, but a friend has a cheapie $69 HDMI 4 way switcher, and it works fine. It's the handshaking HDCP issue mainly, but can also be cable and source related.

Frankly, I hate the HDMI platform. Not well thought out at all.


I agree, I hate having to use HDMI but I want to take advantage of 1080P in both rooms and the Pioneer Elite 150FD and Sim2 projectors only accept 1080P over HDMI. I'd use component if all the equipment would output and accept 1080P over component.

From what I've read online and on my forum, ALL HDMI switching can be flaky. As I said, a $3500 Denon receiver didn't work at all, but a friend has a cheapie $69 HDMI 4 way switcher, and it works fine. It's the handshaking HDCP issue mainly, but can also be cable and source related.

Frankly, I hate the HDMI platform. Not well thought out at all.


I have had good luck in the field lately with the XX08 series denon line as far as HDMI issues go. Its nice to have it work a majority of the time unlike the last few years! Almost all issues have been from terrible cable boxes, the newest ones seem better.

In the 1st quarter of 2008, I will be building a theater along with a surround system for the livingroom. I am interested in the upcoming Denon preamp/amplifer coming soon:

http://www.avland.co.uk/denon/a1hd/a1hd.htm

My goal is to find a preamp that can control 2 zones outputting 1080P. The Denon will accept 6 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs which can independantly run 2 systems. The matching 10 channel amp would also allow for two 5.1 systems. I have looked at comparable equipment from Lexicon, McIntosh, Classe, etc. and from my understanding, none of them offer the control the Denon will have. The Denon combo linked above will retail for $14,000. Are there any other amp/preamp options under $25,000 that will run a theater and livingroom surround system? I want to be able to use all audio/video sources in both rooms and be able to use both rooms at the same time.

No the Denon is unique in that regard (dual surround personality), and the sound probably be as good as HDMI gets, as everyone uses the same chips (no way around that).

I would not however assume that both HDMI outputs are alive at the same time, most likely (due to the same chipset) it will be an either or (like the Onkyo Professional/Integra).


By the way Denon is not testing the waters with this, they had a receiver that had multiple personalities too and it worked great. I am all for what Fergusson is attempting, your idea has my full endorsement , which won't buy you a cup of coffee..., :D but you have it.

I am enjoying the Onkyo Pre as an HDMI switcher, no problems, it has it's little audible clicks here and there but it works as a champ (PQ is tops), and also the conversion from component to hdmi is superb in it. I did have problems with gefen gear.

The 580x reciever series has done this for years. Two complete 5.1 channel systems and 10 channel amplification in one chassis. It was and is still a very good piece. (Oops, I just went and looked and there is no replacement in the 08 series)

The new pre/pro is basically an upgraded seperate version of the same thing. Full discrete control of both zones, every bell and whistle known to man too.

I don't know why you wouldn't simply get two good preamps, two good amps and just use HDMI splitters on each source. A whole lot simpler, a whole lot better, a whole lot cheaper, a whole lot more flexible and probably a whole lot more reliable.

Hi John,
I don't like this plan at all, that will be a problematic setup. Let denon's internal control protocol do it's thing in HDMI one box is better than 4.

Hi John,
I don't like this plan at all, that will be a problematic setup. Let denon's internal control protocol do it's thing in HDMI one box is better than 4.

Sure, until that one box fails and then the both systems come crashing down!

We do this and it works just fine. The only real downsides are more cabling, more (smaller) boxes and use of more power outlets, but all of the other advantages hold.

It's just an option. I think that buying one system to do two rooms is putting all your eggs in one expensive basket, on multiple levels.