[salmonsc]

I've been offered the choice between an Integra DHC-9.8 & a Marantz Av8003 at roughly the same price (used). I'm not going to have the opportunity to audition either in my system & research (here & elsewhere) generates conflicting results...


Any thoughts on which way I should leap? I am will be using them with an Oppo BDP-83SE source & a Rotel RMB-1095 amp (into a Maggie 5.1 setup). I was planning on picking up a Parasound P7 for analogue surround & 2 channel listening.

 

[Fanaticalism]

Depends on where your priorities lie.


The Marantz has the better analog section which I assume is why you invested in the NF Oppo over the standard one.


The Integra offers more flexibility. The Marantz was extremely neutered.


If you won't be bitstreaming, don't care about the archaic UI and some other things along the way, the Marantz would probably be the better choice for you.

 

[Audiodork]

Hello,

That is a tough call, but I agree with Fanaticalism. If you did not have the NuForce, I would recommend the Onkyo without question. I really think Reon is a fantastic Video Processor and the Marantz does not really offer much processing to speak of.


Here is a comparison of the 2 units: http://www.ultimateavmag.com/amplifi...ar/index4.html

Cheers,

AD

 

[cstory]

Here's another review to consider.

http://www.avguide.com/review/playba...3-av-pre-tuner


I haven't heard the Onkyo, but I own the Marantz AV-8003 and use it with Martin Logan speakers and I am completely satisfied with the sound of it.


If analog sound is your highest priority, I think the Marantz may be the better sounding uint.


Chuck

 

[Djoel]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Marantz has some processing limitations with this particular unit, while doing Dolby decoding and Audyssey RC ? Or has this been address with some sort of FW?


Djoel

 

[salmonsc]

Many thanks to all for the input. I did indeed go for the Oppo SE edition b/c I am interested in accessing it's analogue sound potential. That is the reason I was seriously considering adding a Parasound P7 to my system - for analogue 2 channel & surround audio. The choice between the Marantz & the Integra was really solely for the AV & digital sound processing - given the Oppo I wasn't so bothered by the limited video processing in the Marantz (as it's done in the Oppo player) - but bitstreaming will be in my future & I was under the impression that was possible with the Marantz (isn't that what they mean by "network" player?).

 

[D_Strasse]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18183216


Many thanks to all for the input. I did indeed go for the Oppo SE edition b/c I am interested in accessing it's analogue sound potential. That is the reason I was seriously considering adding a Parasound P7 to my system - for analogue 2 channel & surround audio. The choice between the Marantz & the Integra was really solely for the AV & digital sound processing - given the Oppo I wasn't so bothered by the limited video processing in the Marantz (as it's done in the Oppo player) - but bitstreaming will be in my future & I was under the impression that was possible with the Marantz (isn't that what they mean by "network" player?).

The limitation that people are referring to here is that when you send high-def codecs (DTS MA and TrueHD) to the Marantz, which it can decode, you cannot overlay post processing functions like Audyssey.


But the Oppo can decode internally so that really isn't an issue. And considering that the benefit of the Oppo SE is in the analog section, most would assume that you would be decoding in that unit and sending multi-channel analog to the processor.


I am with agreement of the others, if you're going that route, I'd go with the Marantz. It's supposedly an excellent sounding unit less that processing quirk.

 

[salmonsc]

I was planning to use the Parasound P7 for the analogue audio & the A/V Pre/Pro - possibly the Marantz - for the digital HT duties ...

 

[D_Strasse]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18184396


I was planning to use the Parasound P7 for the analogue audio & the A/V Pre/Pro - possibly the Marantz - for the digital HT duties ...

Were you going to use the Oppo as the source for both redbook and blu-ray playback?

 

[salmonsc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by D_Strasse /forum/post/18184472


Were you going to use the Oppo as the source for both redbook and blu-ray playback?

Yes, blu-ray, sacd & dvd-a.

 

[D_Strasse]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18184640


Yes, blu-ray, sacd & dvd-a.

So you are going to run both HDMI and analog outs from the Oppo? HDMI to the pre/pro and analog to the Parasound?


Won't that be cumbersome changing the output setting all the time or can the Oppo puch both at the same time?


I may be getting out of my depth a bit here as pre-amps with HT bypass are not something I have personal experience with.

 

[salmonsc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by D_Strasse /forum/post/18184693


So you are going to run both HDMI and analog outs from the Oppo? HDMI to the pre/pro and analog to the Parasound?


Won't that be cumbersome changing the output setting all the time or can the Oppo puch both at the same time?

That was the plan. I didn't think it would be a huge issue to change the setting on the Oppo when switching from analogue music to digial HT ...

 

[D_Strasse]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18184804


That was the plan. I didn't think it would be a huge issue to change the setting on the Oppo when switching from analogue music to digial HT ...

I guess I don't see the benefit of running both - why not just run analog solely to the Parasound and use it's HT bypass function?


Seems like a lot of work just to get the Dolby and DTS lights to come on the pre-pro.

 

[salmonsc]

That would work if the Oppo was my only video input. But it leaves me without any way to process digital cable or streaming video input - unless I'm missing something?

 

[Selden Ball]

If I'm reading the Oppo manual right, its multichannel analog outputs are always active, so there's no need to change any settings in the player. Connect its stereo output to the Parasound and the multichannel and HDMI outputs to the pre/pro.


Personally, I'm biased toward the Marantz (since that's what I have), but the Integra has a more advanced form of Audyssey, which can be very helpful in improving room response.

 

[robbyf]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18180565


I am will be using them with an Oppo BDP-83SE source & a Rotel RMB-1095 amp (into a Maggie 5.1 setup). I was planning on picking up a Parasound P7 for analogue surround & 2 channel listening.

How is the Rotel AMP? I was thinking of getting that and the integra pre/pro until I can get my hands on a decent 7.1 channel and speakers to go with it

 

[salmonsc]

Selden, That's useful, I thought using the HDMI disabled the analogue outs - much better if they are always "live". If I'm correct, doesn't the Integra automatically process incoming video signal, while the Marantz actually does less w/- incoming signal unless you want it to.


robbyf, The Rotel is a good amp - I wanted something powerful to drive my Maggies & I'm still tweaking it to get the sound I want. Like you I plan to replace it in due course, but it's not top of the list.

 

[Selden Ball]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18185376


Selden, That's useful, I thought using the HDMI disabled the analogue outs - much better if they are always "live".

I don't have an Oppo player, so I can't say for absolutely certain. It'd be best to hear it from someone who has one. (Some players limit what's on their digital audio outputs depending on what's selected for the HDMI output, but I don't know of any that limit what's on the analog outputs.)

Quote:
If I'm correct, doesn't the Integra automatically process incoming video signal, while the Marantz actually does less w/- incoming signal unless you want it to.

The Marantz has an HDMI "through" option which prevents upscaling, if that's what you mean. It doesn't have any video manipulation options other than scaling, de-interlacing and transcoding. Some AVRs have color adjustments, too. I don't have a copy of the Integra manual here, so I can't comment on what it does.

 

[D_Strasse]



Quote:
Originally Posted by salmonsc /forum/post/18185230


That would work if the Oppo was my only video input. But it leaves me without any way to process digital cable or streaming video input - unless I'm missing something?

Well, since the Oppo is your music player, I would just pump the other source directly to your pre-pro and call it a day. All video inputs would bypass the Parasound anyway, no?


The quirk is using your Oppo as both a music and video source and trying to process that through 2 different pre-amps.

 

[Selden Ball]

Don't forget that the Oppo 83 and 83SE are designed for exactly this environment (surround sound + separate stereo system). They have separate stereo analog and 7.1 multichannel analog outputs, and the DAC circuitry used for the stereo outputs of the SE is of higher quality than what is used for the multichannel outputs.