Marantz AV8801 Preamp/Processor Official Owner's thread - Page 118

I just experienced the best movie sound I have heard yet with the 8801 watching Casino Royale. Surprisingly, it was only a SD DVD with Dolby Digital. I can only imagine how good it might sound in Dolby HD. The bass was powerful yet controlled and the dynamics were awesome.

I will definitely be buying the Blu-ray version of this movie, and, this will be one that I use for reference.

Has anyone tried using the dialog enhancer on your 8801? I set it to low for directv which I have in the cbl/sat input and then when I get out of that menu and go back in its set to off. Any remedy for this?

Do you have your speakers set too small?

Good to hear. Your going to love blu rays through it. I can't get enough of them, movies and music.

And to further clarify my suggestions, I would only state that it is simply an adjustment you have at your disposal which will tilt down the top end of the subwoofer range. It doesn't have to be 80Hz OR 120Hz, it can be anything in between. How you balance your system, the in-room response, and your preferred listening levels will all play into which you prefer. I most often set the LFE low pass on different systems at 80-100Hz when the adjustment is available. Pick a track with lots of LFE action and some percussive content and decide for yourself. As Roger said... "no cost, no obligation!"

I found this discussion on the Audyssey thread and immediately changed it to 80Hz and noticed a considerable tightness to the bass specifically with 2.0 material using PLIIx DSX.

My question concerns c/o settings for the satellites. Audyssey found them to be all at 40Hz and following conventional wisdom, I have upped them to 80Hz. Should I leave them there or something different for the blend with the LPF now set at 80Hz?

Audyssey crossed my mains at 120Hz. This was a preliminary run in my not very acoustically friendly room, but it's settings were bewildering to say the least. I'm not as convinced about room correction as others are after my experience. A lot of it is still preference IMO.

Yes all of them, 2 subs and LFE+Main.

Patrick,

Where you set the crossover frequency, so long as it's above the value set by the calibration, is up to you. Quite a few people have reported that their systems sounded better with higher crossover frequencies. It can't hurt to try it.

As Roger said... "no cost, no obligation!"

Don't forget that LFE+Main does absolutely nothing if Bass Management is enabled, i.e. when speakers are set to Small. It doesn't hurt anything either, of course.

Hi Patrick,

Do note that the above discussion was related to those preamps with an option for the "LFE low pass". This is the low pass filter applied to the .1 LFE channel only, and has no effect on the speaker-subwoofer integration. Remember that when the "Sub channel" is referred to this implies the .1 LFE track + all of the bass redirected (low passed) from the main channels per the crossover settings.

In the vast majority of preamps, the Marantz included, the chosen crossover frequency for each channel dictates how the content to that channel is handled. Content from that channel is low passed at that frequency and added to the "SUB" channel while the speaker receives the high passed signal. The LFE low pass has no impact on the full range speaker channels. There certainly are cases where you would want to try a higher or lower crossover than 80Hz, but that depends greatly on the in-room response of the speakers and sub, the capabilities of the speakers, and the playback levels you prefer.

Thanks Mark.

+1, glad to see the 80hz suggestion as not as a not set in stone as this all seems to have everyone up in arms and questioning there setups! I posted a few threads back on using to separate scenes from "Star wars Ep II" In the opening scene when the fly by of the larger cruiser and smaller fighters and the scene with the asteroids the differences between settings from 80-120hz where apparent and had different results , while the first scene benefited from the perceived tighter 80hz setting ( more tactile sensation and preserved upper mid and treble clarity of the delicate sounds) the second scene indeed benefited from 100-120hz setting getting those tactile sensations to the upper back part of the seat After doing this for a while I ended up with a setting of 90hz which in my room was the best of both and really worth the effort to experiment

Those no sugar coating the fact that after I ran Audyssey my setup sounded like crap. My Revel mains are pretty capable and the fact that it crossed them at 120 is unacceptable. So it sent most low frequencies to my sub, which it then had me turn down so low it was nearly inaudible. It did do a good job setting distances, but so did my tape measure. I'm not saying it's not good but as far as I'm concerned my ears are much better. I do have it turned on because I like the dynamic EQ but again I could curve the EQ myself. To each his own, but IMO Audyssey was not able to deal with the acoustics of my room. So it didn't.


I have to edit this because Audyssey actually crossed them at 250Hz, my error.

Yes, I turned them up to my preference but I think with all those frequencies redirected it sounded muddy, boomy whatever you want to call it. I'm not dogging Audyssey and for a room with decent acoustics it probably does a great job. I just don't think it knew whet to do with my room. It is a nightmare where I have my gear, but I have to deal with it for now.

-10dB is within the range of -11dB to +11dB. It doesn't indicate any inherent problem, if that's what you're getting at.

Myself I'd turn lower the gain on the sub amp a bit then re-run Audyssey to try to get that closer to centered, say -3dB to +3dB, but that's just me. What you for sure don't want to see is -12dB or +12dB on any channel because then you don't know if the level actually needed to be even lower or even higher for calibration.
Edited by whoaru99 - 3/3/13 at 2:51pm

OK...but are you saying that's a problem, or?

I have a problem ... Where can I find a Maramtz 8801?!

I'm in Florida just south of Tampa.

Please PM me for off-line contact.

Thank you in advance.

Stan

This is an interesting post on the BDP-105 thread that presents the case for running your mains as large/full and using a sub located next to each speaker.

Thought some of the folks here might find it a worthwhile read:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1439524/official-oppo-bdp-105-owners-thread/4020#post_23036401

- Rich

Anything from -11dB to +11dB can be normal because you know the cal routine was able to set the level within the available calibration range. That means it's generally doing what it should be doing. It's not going to set the calibration to something higher if -10dB is all it takes to hit the calibration level.

If you want that sub cal number to be higher then turn down the gain on the sub amp(s) and re-run Audyssey. For example, if you reduce the gain on the sub amp(s) by -6dB and re-run the Audyssey cal, the cal level will have to come up to compensate so the resulting sub trim level should then be around -4dB. Won't change anything about the level of the sub, it'll be calibrated just the same, only that you shifted 6dB of gain from the sub(s) adjustment to the processor trim adjustment.
Edited by whoaru99 - 3/3/13 at 9:43pm

Anyone have experience MartinLogan electrostat speakers with AV8801+MC8207 or MX121+MC8207 or AV8801+MM8077
I guess if I am going mc8207 for amp, I shouldn't bother for mm8077, cause I think it IS going to make a difference on my ML speakers since power watt is more.

But does staying with McIntosh preamnp really produce more linear sound? Because it's "one" branded?

What is the sound difference between av8801 and mx121 with same mc8207 amp?
As I am in the process of deciding these two, but my dealer tends to tell me to go MX121, saying it's low distortion, linear sound etc

I just wanted to know how it sounds like, meaning worth the extra dollars, I guess I will never be able to tell if two pre isn't side by side for me to switch back and forth.

can anyone shed some light for me? At least from sound wise, do you really hear the "linear" sound


Thanks

Did you use a boom mic stand or a tripod ? are the Revels full range ? some pics of the room could help a bit, also concerning Audyssey it took me a few runs but Iv'e got so good I can use it for 2ch placyback it kills with multi ch music and movies) with my mains crossed over at 80hz and is a pleasure to hear the seamless blend of sub and mains and the depth it brings to the table.

Lets see if we can get this figured out, also do some homework on the Audyssey thread ( a must) its invaluable info !

I did everything right that's what was so surprising. Mains are set to small. I really think it's my room that's confusing Audyssey. It's not a big deal to me really, there's a certain way I like it to sound and just set it accordingly.
Edited by comfynumb - 3/4/13 at 3:56am

Good plan.

I am happy with the sound as well.

I just replaced my Sunfire 7400 with an Outlaw 7500.
After my shoot out with the Outlaw M2200, I was surprised on now good that little amp sounded.
The Sunfire seemed harsh and less dynamic.

I plugged the 7500 into my Panamax power conditioner high-current outputs and it also sounded harsh.
Then, I plugged the 7500 directly into the 20 amp circuit and everything changed.
The detail and dynamics returned.
The Panamax was also humming and causing the 7500 to hum when plugged into same circuit.
One removed the 7500 amp is completely quiet. It virtually no transformer hum and the speakers a dead silent.

I plugged the Sunfire directly in the wall and it sounded much better; The dynamics returned and harshness disappeared.
It is ironic that the Power conditioner was polluting the power.

The 8801 is now plugged directly into the wall.

- Rich

A word of warning....if you set up stereo subs, don't graph the response!!

BTDT

I'm ready to move on from Sunfire also Rich, at least for my fronts. I wish I could of heard the difference with your Salons. It was dramatic? Your reading my mind on plugging directly into the wall, I'm about to dedicate several new circuits.

I haven't heard the MM8807 myself. It was tested in the latest Hifi magazine "Watt" here in Norway that came out this week, AV8801 got 6/6 stars, and the MM8807 got 5/6. They also have a High End reward above the 6 stars, which I was suprised the AV8801 didn't get, I'd bet it only was because of the price was on the wrong side of 30.000 NOK. The AV8003 got that award if I remember correctly, and it was 35K insted of 28K as this one is. And they normalt have a High End barrier at 30K for some reason.

But back to topic. When I bought the AV8003 at launch, I also got the MM8003, and switched it out for the Rotel RMP-1575 because a lack of power. The Rotel is more detailed to. Marantz is known for lacking a little in power with their amps.
It said in the review og the MM8807 that they have changed their amps alittle from before. I would have tried Mc amps in sted.

But I'm not very familiar with electrostatic speakes, but doesn't they have they're own power, because they use high current/voltage, and not the current/voltage of the amplifier.
I know they get connected with normal speaker wairs, and not interconnectors. But isn't it the same as when going with speaker wairs through a subwoofer? Where it only takes out the "Hz" signal,and not care about the power behind it?