Integra DHC-80.3 - Page 88

Good to hear . Did you do the latest firmware?


J

Thanks for the heads up. Be sure to let us know how it compares to phono input on the Anthem your getting.

The Anthem has no phono input.

Yep. Which is ok by me as I am delighted with the 640p although I don't think The Anthem has a true analog Direct. For that matter, I'm not sure how the Integra works that either. My D2v should be coming Thursday.

The latest firmware is noted with these changes:

1. Improves the operation when HDMI Through is set to on
2. Stabilizes the operation of Network Control
3. Corrects the video output when the Picture Mode is set to Through

Apart from correcting the video color issue, does anyone have any info or report on what specifically is changed?

We are all, I am sure, very interested in your findings when you get your Anthem. You have the burden of great responsibility thrust upon you - LOL!

 

I am especially interested in how you find ARC and how it compares with Audyssey so I am almost as excited at you getting your new Anthem as you must be

X 2:cool:

Ahhhh the pressure! Lol. I will try to be impartial and as accurate as I can be.

Excellent. I am very much looking forward to your views on ARC.  Thanks for sharing.

HI Ken,

It's been a while since I've posted, but I see that you continue to be active and helpful, as always.

In the past several months, I've nearly pulled the trigger a couple of times on the Integra...but decided to bide my time. I feel very much as you do---looking forward to the comparison of the Anthem and Integra units, particularly with respect to the Audyssey and ARC components!

Wingnut, I greatly appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts on the performance of these products.

Be sure to experiment with higher frequency cutoffs than the ARC default upper limit of 5k. My D2V friends swear by using it all the way up the frequency spectrum. And, I have heard it make a dramatic difference in their systems, as well, for the better. There are, however, DSP resource limitations on the D2V. That appears to be the principal reason for the default. So, there may be a trade off in how effective it is. The higher upper limit may limit its effectiveness in the bass. These are among the reasons I prefer Audyssey, especially Pro.

O.K. I will try a myriad of configurations, I am sure.

Hello Tom - nice to see you back here!  Thanks for the kind words.

Great news!! I have been waiting for this up-date for some time. I am in Florida right now.....vacation. Can't wait to get home, well maybe I can.

Thanks

Paul
Edited by hidefpaul - 7/10/12 at 2:13pm

Finally pulled the trigger today and ordered the DHC 80.3 to replace my DTC 9.8. Te new preamp should be arriving tomorrow.

That is cool, congrats! Mine should arrive Friday but I not even decided on amps yet so I won't be able to listen quite yet. Please provide your impressions.

Does anyone here have a HTPC connected to your pre pro/AVR ? How is the picture/audio quality with a PC connected via HDMI ?

I'm thinking about getting a HTPC... Mainly to stream music/video like HBO GO and to check internet...

Any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance.

Will do. I have a B&K Reference 7270 (200 watts for 7 channels) that I've had for years, which I acquired when I got my B&K Ref 50. It's a great amp and will use it for the 80.3. I really have no interest in the two extra high front channels so it will suit me just fine.

I have an HTPC built specifically to pass through HDMI, currently to my Integra 9.8 but soon to be 80.3. I use it for SageTV as well as WMC. The PQ is outstanding and I have it set for HDMI pass through. And of course the preamp does process the audio, whether it be 2 channel stereo or DD. I've not specifically tried HBO to GO through the PC but have watched some shows on NBC streaming. Works just as well as any other streaming device, i.e. Apple TV or Roku, both of which I own and process through my Integra.

I presume you are describing a comparison made under pure analogue conditions. Did you happen to compare the built-in phono preamp to the 640P when passing each through the ADC and applying bass management, Audyssey room correction, etc.? If not, would you be willing to try this before unloading your 80.3?

TIA.

You're right. Running it with Audyssey wouldn't really be a fair review for you guys as I have already established that I dont like it. I used Direct mode without processing. I am getting my Anthem today so I'm gonna wanna hook up that bad boy right away after work.

I'd suggest doing a digitized, bass-managed comparison with Audyssey disabled but I suspect you have other interests and priorities at this point. Good luck with your D2v.

When using a HTPC, how do you pass thru HDMI... Is this using a video card's HDMI output ?

Although I have an OPPO 93, will I be able to bitstream and get DTS TRUE HD with HTPC ? Will I be able to match the BluRay quality with HTPC compared to OPPO 93 ?

When streaming shows... Is picture/audio quality the same or better than AppleTV/Roku ?

I connect my HTPC to my AVM50 via HDMI from an Nvidia card. All hires formats and PCM are passed through with no quality loss. The same goes for BR video.

In my case, I'm using an Intel onboard graphics card and through the HDMI connection it detects as the display device the Integra processor and passes through the video accordingly.

I can't answer your question about DTS True HD. I suppose it depends on the source and the codecs installed, but really don't know.

As for quality of streamed shows from a networks website, it's comparable to any other internet streaming. Depends on the bandwidth of the source. For the few times I've tried doing so, it was comparable to both Roku and Apple TVs internet streaming.

I've been doing more Research and from what I have read, playing BluRays should not be any different from HTPC, but OPPO shines when upconverting DVD's. I never watch DVD's.

I think I'll start looking at what are the best parts for a HTPC...

Looking forward to Wingnuts thoughts on the Anthem D2V. I just looked that bad boy up and that was one of the processors I was looking at. I remember why I didn't get it when I saw the price lol. If I had the money, thats probably the processor I would of went with. I like the Integra a lot, but I'd love to hear it side by side against the Anthem.

I have done so with my old 9.8. Repeating an earlier post, two D2V owners and I were hard pressed to hear a difference vs. the Pro calibrated Integra on SACD Mch classical disks via HDMI side by side in a top notch $100k system. The differences were extremely subtle, at best, so we gave up and called it a draw unanimously. The 80.2/3 are much better sonically than the 9.8 was, as I determined in side by side listening, but we have not done an a-b test of the newer Integras vs. the Anthem. I think the newer Integras would win fairly easily. Several people who have heard my system and the D2V systems separately, days or weeks apart though, think my system sounds better, though there may be factors involved other than the prepro.

Where the D2V has a distinct advantage is on analog inputs, which I do not use. Where the newer Integras have an an advantage for me is that they accept and convert DSD, and do so better than the Oppo 93's we all use. DSD into an Integra sounds better than PCM from an Oppo into an Anthem for SACD, I my opinion. I personally think, also, Audyssey Pro is a better EQ system than Anthem ARC, whereas ARC may be better in some ways than stock Audyssey.

So, as I have said before, if I listened to a lot of analog, the D2V might be my choice, as it was for my two Anthem owning friends. But, if I had to live with it and could not resell it, I would not want the Anthem in an even up trade. For my listening, about 90% classical music from SACD and Blu-ray via HDMI which is a very tough test, I am happiest with the Integra. I think the Anthem is very good, but I doubt it is worth the added money, unless you listen to a lot of vinyl via a really good phono preamp and phono setup.

Several of us create ripped material on bare external hard drives on a PC via an inexpensive USB/ eSata dock, then move the drives to a similar dock on the Oppo 93/95. It's a much cheaper, much less troublesome way to go than building an HTPC or even an Ethernet connection to the Integra. It's simple plug 'n play. I have an 8 drive dock connected to my Oppo via USB that gives me access via a few remote clicks to many terabytes of source material. Setup was an absolute snap. Share copies of the hard drives with your friends, and you will also have offsite backup, which is ideal.

Some experienced computer audio/videophiles in some forums recommend against playback directly from a PC. Ever present background PC processes, starting with anti virus and who knows what else, can subtly affect the timing of the signal from the PC, a form of jitter. Playback of the hard drive directly from the Oppo avoids that.

I have also concluded that NAS into the Oppo is expensive overkill for a single user on a single HT system. It does have Raid capability, but offsite backup is better still.

I use airplay and though I find iTunes to be super bloated, it's quite nice to stream the music over my network to my entire house. I also like organizing sets of music for different occasions. I find using the oppo with a usb drive to be a bit of a hassle, but I'm sure it gives much better results with regards to sound.

You could probably avoid PC sound issues with an external usb soundcard. M-Audio makes several.