Official Denon AVP-A1HD/AVP-A1HDCI and POA-A1HD/POA-A1HDCI owners thread. - Page 70

That's what I'm hoping for. I know it won't be a huge difference, but I imagine it'll help. The issue with the Apple TV is high jitter rates. Most music servers have this issue. Outboard DACs are apparently very good at reducing jitter (I believe your Digital Lens is amazing at this too), and I've been told this will improve the soundstage.

My choices are between a Benchmark and a Lavry DA10. They're both <$1k, so either way it won't be too much of a waste if it's not a miracle...

I'm glad your AVP-POA acquisition worked out for you as well as it did Frank. Fate can be your friend or foe and in your case the former clearly applies. Yesterday was my first opportunity to listen to a partially new setup:

• Speakers: 5x Gallo Acoustics A'Diva Ti satellites-Existing
• Music Source: HP 3400t HTPC using Vista Media Center to play .wav files from a NAS-Existing
• Receiver used as Prepro: Denon AVR-4308-Existing
• Amp: Nuforce MCH-3SE-C7 7-channel amp-NEW
• Subwoofer: AV123 MFW15-NEW

In short, is the aforementioned system the best rig for two channel music I've ever owned? No. Is it muscially satisfying? Absolutely, and I'm hoping for enhancement of this with the arrival of the AVP. I got a great deal on it so I'm more than willing to wait.

Eric

Hi Eric,
Lucky fate went my side for a change.Looking forward to read your impressions of the AVP when you acquire it also wouldn't mind seeing if you notice a difference between the Denon 4308 vs AVP as a pre-amp.Being both Denon definetley be intersted in reading your impressions on that also.Personally compared to my 5803 with my Nad M25 I found the AVP/POA is much more dynamic and has a beautiful sound.Both well built components.

Hi Frank,
I'll let everyone know what I think about the AVP vs. 4308 when the former arrives. I hope I'm not setting myself up for disapointment but at 7K MSRP, I expect the AVP to sound noticeably better than the 4308 with digital two channel source material. One would think that this was one of the primary objectives of the AVP based on its build quality, if nothing else. I've read enough feedback about the AVP within this thread to be comfortable with it delivering the sonic goods.

Before buying the Lavry Black, be sure to take a look at this:

http://www.diyhifi.org/forums/viewto...st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Well you should get a noticeable difference, as you said and what I definteley agree that the build quality alone should provide that.I know it has for me.

I think you will be impressed there are many here that are.

Disappointment: my supplier just called to say they won't be delivering the second POA & c speaker this evening - the extended Spectral links for my rack to allow the second POA to fit in that were supposed to arrive this morning from Germany will now only arrive early next week. Back to the waiting game for another week.

anyone know where i can get a denon avp for about $3000 or 3500?

while we are off the topic, how about a supermodel that doesn't complain anyone have a lead on those ?

Daniel.

in your dreams. No retail is going to sell 1/2 price when there in demand and no member or no one is going to sell it at 1/2 price.Unfortunalety it will be awhile before you see it at that price and if you do see one at that price go for it(be wary just in case there is a problem).

In my dreams denon atleast already shipped it to me .

Daniel.

Don't worry mate that will be a realality soon.

not true my friend my pop was able to find a denon 5805 only a few months after release for $3500 including tax and shipping from a private seller in utah. I believe the denon debuted at $6000 when it came out. I might be lucky to find that seller again

If you do thats great especially at that price. At the moment they are in demand all around the world i've been told.

Good luck, hope you find that seller again.For me it's worth every penny.

I had the 4308 for two months (as a loaner) before my AVP arrived. The 4308 is nice in that it has many of the features that the AVP has, and everything works.

The AVP has better sound quality though. The 4308 could sound a tad bright at times, and the AVP's sound is cleaner, more detailed. The 2-CH Direct and Pure Direct mode is also cleaner on the AVP.

The sound signature of the two units is similar, but the AVP is noticably cleaner. I think you will be happy with the upgrade.

Darrell

Yeah, think I saw two in Fantasyland.

The best prices I've seen are from people selling on A'gon or *bay. I don't think they are authorized dealers though.

Darrell

Darrell how do I get there? I looked on the world map but can't seem to find it.

Its just a short flight from Fantasy Island. Ricardo Mantaban and Tato can tell you the secret location.

What I am really wondering is what the sound differences between the 5308 and the AVP are. Whether the refinements are audible or not.

Aside from the lower MSRP it is also actually available.

Well that also depends on your power amp for the AVP.The AVP and the 5308 share the same processor the build quality between the two is different.

oh yeah I forgot about those two. Rumour is HT gear is cheap on that island.

this is a question for the people that already have the AVP / POA's.... What cables are you using from the AVP to the PAO?
I can't make up my mind between Home Grown Audio or Kimber Hero XLR's.
Maybe even Signal cable ref silver XLR

I have read these reports on the Lavry. Strange, everyone swears that they sound amazing, at that price I would imagine it would make an incredible addition to the AVP for 2-channel listening. Have you heard one?

Also, the AVP has 4 dacs-per-output (as opposed to 2) and is a fully balanced design. The sound quality improved quite a bit when I ran balanced cables, and a nasty grounding buzz completely disappeared (it's the quietest system I've ever heard now). Running RCAs I wouldn't get close to this level, so that difference seems like a huge one - at least to me.

Disclaimer- I don't use the POA, but everybody who uses the AVP faces the question of interconnects between the processor and their amp(s). Assuming that, like most people, you'd be placing the units within a few feet of one another, you'd be awfully hard-pressed to hear a difference with anything but really bad or defective cables. Properly-constructed balanced cables are inherently quiet, obviating the need for complex shielding designs, and in short lengths of any cable, the effects of its physical properties & limitations (capacitance, inductance, "grain length," and all those other things we read about) are so miniscule as to be virtual nonfactors.

Now, lots of people buy and like expensive, esoteric cables, and I don't mean to argue with them on their choice. But I would be shocked if you could detect any audible difference between the cables you're considering, or any other decent cable for that matter. As for me, I make my own custom-length balanced cables with high-quality star quad Mogami cable and high-quality Neutrik XLR connectors. I'd stack them up against any cable in the 1-3 meter range, and most much longer lengths.

I own a Lavry DA-10, and use it my system in an audio chain that includes a Squeezebox and HT passthrough integrated amp. I purchased it over the Benchmark based in part on the technical description of the Crystal Lock feature so I was a bit perturbed when the revelation came out that the Lavry doesn't actually work that way. False advertising at the time IMHO.

It is still a good sounding unit, but I think that anyone considering buying one should be aware of this history.

I haven't heard the Benchmark, but someday I will probably buy one for comparison and sell off which ever unit I like less.

I like the idea of a balanced/differential design, especially in an environment where there is a lot of electrical noise (and I think the AVP qualifies as such an environment). I've designed instrumentation systems for use in manufacturing plants that had to sample and resolve low level analog signals to 16 bits in the presence of a lot of electrical noise (6 phase double Y 4160V power lines in the vicinity, for example) so I have some experience in that area.

BUT - my existing unbalanced system is also dead quiet because I have paid attention to proper grounding and isolation. Whether or not the AVP's design would actually be of real world benefit to me is something of an open question.

I'd love to hear what your impressions are. I'm itching to get a DAC, but based on the issues with the Lavry I'm pausing. Would you say that it sounds significantly better than the AVP's dacs? I'd be running it right into the AVP's balabced ins and bypassing the DSP.

I would also happily get a Benchmark, but everyone seems to think the Lavry sounds a lot better...

I haven't compared the Lavry with the AVP - I am still trying to decide on buying an AVP. I think the DA-10 should outperform the AVP based on the highly discrete design and the use of the AD1955 DAC chip though. Whether or not you will hear the difference? Or like the difference if you do hear one? I can't say.

Here is a an interesting DAC comparison page:

http://www.audiodesignguide.com/DAC_final/DacFinal.html

Thanks for the input Darrell. The characateristics of the AVP you described versus the 4308 is exactly what I'm looking for in an AVP upgrade. I'm still spoiled for the sound from the last great prepro I owned (but sold a few years ago), a Theta Digital Casablanca II. My understanding from reading this thread is that there are ex-Halcro and Blanca owners who found the AVP's sound quality comparable. That's good enough for me.

Eric