The Official Marantz SR7005 Receiver Page!! - Page 55

What do you think of the sound of the Outlaw compared to just using the sr7005 amps?

Which Emotiva speakers do you have?

Outlaw, Adcom, Emotiva and NAD 5 or 7 channel amps are what I would consider adding to the SR7005.

It's a 5.1 setup with Emo ERT-8.3/ERM-6.3 L/C/R and an older pair of Paradigm Reference 20s for surrounds.

Put it this way - I'll never use an AVR to power anything again. When I made the move to surround, after decades of analog 2 channel, I just went with AVRs as the only way to play and be affordable. Mistake - I hadn't looked into the low priced amps, or thought of using an AVR as a pro-pro. For me it's simple - AVRs are 8 ohm devices, inexpensive amps are 4 ohm devices and good amps are 2 ohm devices. The Outlaw level of amps are a joke compared to a "real" amp, but they're also great compared to the amp section of most AVRs.

For me, and the 8.3s like power, the main difference is long-term listenability. I don't get tired and edgy, I just relax into the sound, movie or music. When I increase the volume, it doesn't start throwing the sound to the front, pushing it out at you, it just gets larger and remains composed. Note that I'm passively bi-amping the 8.3s, and they're a pretty stable 4 ohm load, so they're seeing ~400W.

I had nothing but trouble with a NAD AVR, it's what got me looking into what I have now.

I thought the Outlaw was a real amp.

Depends on your frame of reference. You buy products like Outlaw because of price/performance, heavy on the price. A "real" amp would close to double it's output as you halve the load. Hard to get that performance in a multi-channel amp, so the Outlaw does fine for a 7 channel, but you'd need a bunch of stereo or mono amps to make it into the real category to me. It's still way better than an AVR though, and that's the comparison that counts, not how it stacks up to a more expensive mono or stereo unit.

How does it sound though compared to the built in avr power? Does it sound say, brighter or warmer or more open wider sound stage etc?

I'm wondering about that outlaw 7 channel amp for $999 vs the Emotiva XPA-3 for $699 or Emotiva XPA-5 for $899. I also was thinking of putting one of those amps on my Integra DTR40.3 and just using the sr7005 in another room maybe. Use the integra as a processor.

With modern solid state amps, tonal balance is pretty source dependent at this price level. Even the real expensive stuff, that might have a distinct sound, is just that way because it's designed in - doesn't make it better, unless you happen to like its sound.

Anyhow, the tonal balance is pretty neutral, nothing stands out, which is a good thing to me.

It's certainly more "open" sounding, but that's easily explained by being more stable and powerful at realistic listening levels - so it's not a sonic characteristic, it's a function of available power at low distortion. It's hard for me to compare because of the Emo 8.3 liking power so much - the 7005 wasn't cutting it - your two options were flat and lifeless at low levels, and strained and nervous at high volume (high volume for me after Audessey correction is -10ish.) The Outlaw pretty much cruises at my normal volume levels.

I don't want to get into Emo vs. Outlaw, but if you read the Emo thread enough you start to see a lot of complaints about their amps, noise issues mostly. Me personally, Outlaw is the minimum I could accept, and it's not like they're expensive. Once you see the goodness of using an AVR as a pro-pro with an outboard amp, there's no going back, and you have to wonder why more don't do it.

I replaced my B&K Ref 30 with an AV 7005. Using the B&K 7 channel amp I used with the Ref 30. Sounds great with the 7005.

Once you go the Pre amp and Amp it's hard to go to an integrated receiver. Cleaner at loud volume, warmer sound, almost no heat in the pre amp.

Is it possible to match up different analog video/audio sources together? I have 4 composite and 3 component devices to hook up, but I am not using CD, CDR, or Phono audio inputs. If I could instruct the device to play video from component 1 and audio from CDR for example, I could achieve what I need.

Thank you

Another question- I have it set up to pass audio through the HDMI cable (to the monitor/TV). It doesn't seem to be sending my audio from analog source through though?

Can you just connect to the optical in and other audio inputs? Then say x is for video and x is for audio. I know it's possible in the menu.

The sources don't have optical outs/coax outs. It would be perfect if I could set X for video and Y for audio, but I need Y to be able to be a different analog audio source.

^^
Yes, although analog audio sources are not assignable so you must use the source label on the jack while the component video sources are assignable.

HDMI sources only ....

Not sure what you mean- assume I have 4 composite inputs assigned to BD, DVD, VCR, SAT and analog audios to match. I have these assigned to sources 1-4.

Now I have a component source going into BD's component in, but I would like it's audio to go through CD in. Is this possible?

But what about normal listening levels/volume? For me I'm in an apt bldg so have to be mindful of neighbors and for the most part I listen at these levels, therefore wouldn't the amp in the Marantz be enough? Also listening at higher volumes for extended period of times will affect hearing. Just my 2cents.

Yes, with the CD source selected you can change the "Video Select" setting to COMP1. Another options is to assign the COMP1 input to another video source that had matching analog audio inputs, changing INPUT MODE for that source to "Analog".

Ahh- I did not know it was possible to set a video input for an "audio" source. I will try this when I get back. Thanks very much!

Thanks jd- have it working now perfectly.

Another question: For the i/p scaler, is the resolution setting asking me what the video input's resolution is or what resolution I want the video to be converted to?

You will enjoy the outcome; I did the same last weekend. I wanted to be able to view my CATV box while listening to my CD megachangers. Just connected a component cable to the set top box in addition to the HDMI cable. While input to CD I accessed "Input Assign" and select the video source and selected the appropriate connector to be assigned. Backed out of the menu and used the video selector to find my CATV box. Loving it!

Funny that this subject has come up today after I spent about 20 minutes last night drooling over the 7-channel Adcom GFA-7807.

Are they still around? Good, always liked them. They're one of those companies (I assume) that fell behind the curve with all the digital front end stuff, but they always made a nice solid amp I thought. I had a stereo one for years and it was a workhorse. Just checked and it seems the parent company is now headquartered in Thailand, so no telling how the quality will stand up.

I was wondering if someone (jdsmoothie?????) could chime in on a little question: I've seen it said both ways, and there's logical arguments for either way, but with an anti-mode 8033 in the chain between my sr7005 and Epik Empire, is it better to run Audyssey or the anti-mode subwoofer correction last?

^^^

when i was using xt, i got consistently better results running the antimode first, then audyssey...

Do the Anti-Mode calibration first and leave it running. The result of its correction is what will be heard by the Audyssey calibration procedure, so, in principle, at least, Audyssey will only have make minor improvements to the sub's signal. Whether that will free up resources for Audyssey to apply elsewhere, I dunno.

The Anti-Mode generates its own test tones. They only go from the Anti-Mode to the subwoofer. They aren't fed back through the AVR, so the Anti-Mode can't hear, and thus can't take into account, the corrections made by the AVR. The AVR's test tones do go through the Anti-Mode, so the AVR hears the improved sub response that the Anti-Mode is providing.

Thanks, guys. I know the anti-mode doesn't hear the 7005's tones, I was just worried XT might do more harm than good on top of the anti-mode's sub cal. What you said was just what I was looking for, Chris. If anyone has any other input, it's welcome, of course.

I'd bank on ccotenj's experience .... anti-mode first, then Audyssey. As it goes ... Chris K. (Audyssey) also recommends this order as well.

Thank you for the confirmation, jdsmoothie.

I just went from "huh?' to buying one in a few hours. Maybe I can stop being grumpy now at not having XT32

My gut tells me it is wrong to cascade audio processors. They should receive a virgin, raw, native signal before it has been monkeyed around with and had its phase fubared by an earlier microphone calibrated doohicky.


Buying an EQ for your EQ is like buying a subwoofer for your subwoofer. You can rationalize "Well product A does a better job at X, and product B does a beter job at Y, so if I keep cascading them I'll solve all my problems!", but in truth you may end up generating new ones.

It's also possible both companies will say,"Yes, no problem, use A then B.", but they do so because they are providing a professional courtesy to the other one and don't want to throw the other one under the bus.

just my 2 cents.

That's always a good thought to have in mind, first principles wise, but I don't see it applying here. The sub out signal on a modern AVR/pre-pro is hardly a virgin, raw, native signal - just the nature of the beast. One of the good things about all digital all the time, is the many doors it opens to signal modification. Another reason I don't think it applies is the two devices don't know of each others existence - they're not operating on an electrical/digital signal, they're operating on an acoustic waveform. And of course, if a user thought it worked better without the AVR calibrating the sub, just don't do it.