Onkyo SC5508 Surround processor [No Price Talk] - Page 5

I hope to but it will have to be an ad hoc arrangement as there is no way to install wides in my room.


Yes. Yes.

Hi Kal,

As I understand it, DSX is supposed to increase the apparent source width (which is typically regarded as perceptually beneficial) and it has an algorithm specifically designed for blending surrounds and back surrounds better to match the front soundstage.

I would be interested in your views of how effective DSX is in delivering these features when seated in the ideal location, i.e. the wides at ±60°. In addition, it would be very helpful if you could also provide some insights as to how these features hold up in less ideal seating locations. For example, how do these features sounds when seated in various seats, on and off axis, seated in a row 8' behind the ideally located primary listening location?

Thanks.

Larry

I cannot help you with that stuff. Not physically possible in my CT system and not consistent with domestic tranquility in the NYC system. Sorry.

Hi Kal,

I completely understand.

I'll still be very interested in your review.

Thanks.

Larry

P.S. In fact in anticipation of your review I just purchased a Stereophile subscription, even though I never listen to stereo.

Yay, just got if after picking up my 5508.

Still got to unpack it and hook everything up. Gotta run some new balanced interconnects through a wall to the room with all the amps, but that should be pretty fast. hopefully I'll get some sound out of it tonight!

Well, got to hook it up today, and play some music. Only levelmatched the speakers, no autosetup or anything yet.

Fist impression is that the sound is more full and more 'air guitar factor'. Could be due to the uncorrected subwoofers, but even up fron the sound is fuller and punchier. Now, i'm used to running three eminence midbassmodules up front that are being serviced right now, so the sound is not what I'm used to anyway, but it's definetly promising.
Coming from the Denon AVR-4308, the sound is just more fun.

I'm enjoying ownership of this wonderful component.

I upgraded from a Denon 3808 and think it shows an improved sound straight out of the box. There are no regrets at all.

I have not had time to really mess with it so all of my settings are simply default. And I still think it sounds great. I cannot wait until I get a chance to really did in and do some tweaking.

Understanding that this unit is Audyssey Pro capable, is it worth the expense to get my room pro calibrated or would the standard Audyssey do the job good enough for my setup?

Lots of good things in xt32. Not sure pro will make a big difference. Let's wait until we get some reports from 1st pro users.

Where are people ordering these from? Please PM if uncomfortable with posting.

Hi Guys,

There may be a delay in getting reports from Audyssey Pro users, since it appears that Integra/Onkyo has not produced the necessary firmware to enable Audyssey Pro on the Integra DTC-80.2 and Onkyo PR-SC5508.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...postcount=2962

Larry

Hi Guys,

news about Audyssey Pro ?

Thx !

So is the Audyssey Pro compatibility of Onkyo PR-SC5508 finally official????

Michaelmorio

There has been no firmware update yet from Onkyo to enable it. And without that, it don't have it. So no, until that happens nothing is official right now.

That's what I thought !

Nevertheless, version 3.4 of Audyssey seems already ready for PR-SC5508.
Hope Onkyo will release Audyssey Pro firmware.

It is really not clear Pro will make much of a difference for units with XT32. I am very interested in seeing a table comparing the two coupled with good listening evaluations

Well, the only difference for the regular MultEQ XT and Pro is the number of measurement positions, and the benefits are apparently significant. I don't see why the benefit would be any less for XT32? There is not any real difference in the actual processing of consumer and pro, it's the increased number of measurement positions and ability to taylor the target, along with benefits like loading and saving measurements that is the main advantage of Pro.

Hi,

That is correct.


Larry

I'm strongly considering this unit verses the 5008. I just worry since I will be driving a pair of studio 100s and 690 that the receiver will be straining to deliver power to them for 9.1 setup. The only thing is, I have found great deals on the 5008. Any 5508 owner's opinions?

Well, i'm coming from a reasonably decent AV receiver (Denon AVR4308A). And even with outboard amps being constant between the two, there is significant gain in sound quality. With the internal amps in the 4308 vs a set of decent poweramps for the 5508, the differerence is substantial. I'd say go separates any day of the week.

Thanks for the info Larry. A more accurate mic certainly makes a difference as would 4x the positions. I really would be interested in a comparison of quality from a listeners perspective once the Pro is avaiable for the 80.2/5508. The pro kit and license are expensive


Joel

Thank you for the information and your experience with both types. Basically if I get the 5008, I will get an Emotiva xpa-3 and if I get the 5508, the Emotiva xpa-5. Of course in the end, cost will be the factor as it is with most things

I would also be interested.

Hi Joel,

First I'd like to see some confirmation that Integra/Onkyo has finally gotten their act together and have released the firmware to enable a feature that their websites misleadingly claim already exists.

I agree I'm anxious to hear the observations of owners who have the Pro kit, and particularly professionals such as Kal who I know is very proficient in the use of the software.

Judging whether the cost of the Pro kit is worth the expenditure is going to be a very personal and subjective matter. Whereas it adds some tangible improvements over the consumer version, in my opinion much of what the Pro software provides is added convenience, a measure of customization, and visibility of what MultEQ is actually doing.

The subjective improvements of overlaying Audyssey Pro over MultEQ XT are fairly subtle and with the consumer versions gain in resolution via MultEQ XT/32, I suspect that hearing additional improvements over XT/32 via Pro is going to be even more subtle.

In the meantime while we are waiting for user and professional reviewer observations, you may be interested in reading Kal's observations when he first reviewed version 3.0 of Audyssey Pro.

Audyssey MultEQ Pro3.0 room-correction software

On page 3 Kal shows the Audyssey Pro's frequency response curves before calibration, with MultEQ and with the standalone Sound Equalizer. I believe that MultEQ XT/32 will now have resolution comparable with the Sound Equalizer.

Kal's closing remarks, underscore my comments about convenience, customization and visibility that the Pro software offers.


Larry

I looked through the manual and see all the video modes supported, I was just wondering if the unit supported the necessary scaling for CIH 2.35?



Also, zone support looks to be analog only. What would you suggest for the best way to get digital audio from a computer into the 5508?

Thank you for your help.

When the center' cross over is set to100 and the L/R are set to 45 where do the lower frequencies between 99-45 go when sent initially to the center channel; sub or L/R. What happens for the same situation for the surround?

I Use optical SPIDF. Works fine.

Depending on your computer, HDMI is also an option (which offers more bandwidth... if you need it).

Well, I've seen a few movies on my unit now, and I've been so hung up on sound quality I haven't given the video much thought. Well, it suddenly occured to me how incredible my picture was. Realized I was using the processing in the 5508, and it was outputting 1080p60, and for once it looked INCREDIBLE! Never seen motion look that good, upconverted from 24fps! Awesome, and very impressive!
So that's another good point for the processor. The processing in the Denon 4308 is supposed to be pretty good, but I switched it to passthrough pretty fast. I won't turn off the processing in the 5508 for a while!

Thanks. I will have to stick with SPIDF until I build a new computer with HDMI audio.


Do you happen to know if the video processing can scale for a CIH setup like the Denon 4311 can?

I am interested in Purchasing the Onkyo PR-SC 5508. Does anyone have a good source other than Best Buy? Please PM me, I will appreciate your help.

Thanks

Jack