Forgot to say too, I don’t do ARC/eARC or any of that stuff.
I keep it simple:
Video: UHD Player on one AVR input, Apple TV 4K on another input -> AVR -> LG TV input
Audio: AVR preamp -> Amplifier (For speakers) and Minidsp 2x4HD (for the subs)

 

@powerplaymike love the name! Sorry to be presumptuous but it sounds like you have issues with your room, layout, sub or speaker placement? x3500 is an excellent receiver and xt32 with subeq ht is very good, it should handle your dual subs just fine. Of course, a mini-dsp is superior, from what I understand. So if it is not working, there could be an issue.

Yes I believe recent Yamaha gear has peq so you can tweak. I don't believe their microphone allows EQ of lfe below 30hz, an owner might need to chime in.

Early x3700's and the mrx540 measure very well. I am not sure how much that translates into real world sound we can identify, but to me it makes me think the product was well engineered and is worth a look.

Arcam and Pionkyo-Integra gear get bad reviews from ASR, but the forums are full of happy owners.

Others can chime in with more ideas and options for receivers with peq.

 

@powerplaymike love the name! Sorry to be presumptuous but it sounds like you have issues with your room, layout, sub or speaker placement? x3500 is an excellent receiver and xt32 with subeq ht is very good, it should handle your dual subs just fine. Of course, a mini-dsp is superior, from what I understand. So if it is not working, there could be an issue.

Yes I believe recent Yamaha gear has peq so you can tweak. I don't believe their microphone allows EQ of lfe below 30hz, an owner might need to chime in.

Early x3700's and the mrx540 measure very well. I am not sure how much that translates into real world sound we can identify, but to me it makes me think the product was well engineered and is worth a look.

Arcam and Pionkyo-Integra gear get bad reviews from ASR, but the forums are full of happy owners.

Others can chime in with more ideas and options for receivers with peq.

Thanks!

Some things I should’ve clarified in my first post:
-The room is a dedicated room, but it’s a spare bedroom (meaning not a purpose built media/theater room). I probably do have some non-ideal room/speaker placement issues, but I’ve also pretty much optimized it as best as I can given the limitations of not turning it into a dedicated theater (ive already done room treatment throughout the room)
-Because I fully manage my subs with my Minidsp, I have audyssey disabled on the LFE…. xt32 or other superior bass management features aren’t really necessary for me

So, the root of what I’m seeking, is basically the ability to finesse my LCR in the same way I am able to finesse my subs …..I‘d like the ability to “control” what EQ is being done, vs (specifically Audyssey’s) auto EQ implementation which I’ve used for many many years That seems like it’s controlling you

 

MultiEQ-X app seems to be the solution for you. You can tweak the hell out of it plus import REW filters. Dirac is less tweakable overall and you can’t import REW filters except with high end Storm Audio implementation. Both Dirac and Audyssey are quite good, but for tweaks MultiEQ-X has more to offer. ARC which is also pretty good seems to be least tweakable so probably not for you.

As far as AVR upgrade, looks like you might not need one, but newer AVR might last longer if worried with tying the license to older AVR. 4800H measures best of the new batch if that is a concern but not exactly cheap. Mac mode switching is what it is. From what I heard, even $200 windows laptop will run MultiEQ-X, but check in dedicated thread. So either with or without new laptop, MultiEQ-X appears to be also the cheapest solution.

 

Thanks for that info and the comparison of MQX vs Dirac and its compatibility with REW.

To clarify for mac vs pc: my mac runs windows just fine....that shouldn't be a problem.
It's just that I don't want to run REW in the windows environment, cause (maybe now it's better) but historically REW on PC was difficult with ASIO or whatever.
REW on Mac is super easy

Unless you're saying I could just run MQX separately from REW, using a cheap computer...that's true.

Room treatment >> room correction systems (unless you pony up for Dirac ART or the like).

MQX lets you import REW filters, so you can effectively get full REW control over the whole freq range. This is what I do, and I can really shape the response to what I want. I also use MiniDSP + MSO for subs.

You can also get the Dirac Live free trial to run from your Mac, give it an evaluation and see how you like it.

Thanks for that info. I had seen that DL had a free trial, but I don't currently have a Dirac-enabled receiver to try it.

Or are you saying you can download and play around with out the receiver?

 

Room treatment >> room correction systems (unless you pony up for Dirac ART or the like).

MQX lets you import REW filters, so you can effectively get full REW control over the whole freq range. This is what I do, and I can really shape the response to what I want. I also use MiniDSP + MSO for subs.

You can also get the Dirac Live free trial to run from your Mac, give it an evaluation and see how you like it.

 

Subbed for eerily similar interest. 😎

Deets: Using older Denon AVR-X4000 MultEQ-XT32 w/o any app compatibility. I generally run some sweeps around MLP, and then copy the Audyssey Flat curve to the per-channel GEQ and un-do some of the correction. Using MiniDSP 2x4 Balanced for two Subs (need to play with MSO!); Room treated as well as it can be including >24 linear feet of 12"x12" soffit/corner traps; first refection and ceiling reflection points also covered with 4" 703 panels 1"-2" off the ceiling; Mains are Active Dynaudio AIR-15 LCR (via Radial J+4), using AVR to drive passive LS/RS and Front Heights. No Atmos needs, and currently no 4K needs. The 1080P Video capabilities of the X4000 are really all I need - I just want more access to DSP.

Something like the MiniDSP 88D (I have an 8-CH AES AD/DA) or 88A might do. I'd really like to consider the ability to allow bi-amping LCR (would upgrade/replace the built-in DSP + B&O amp modules in my Mains with external amps) - so at least 10 channels is really preferable if I go that route (at least 6 ins and 10 outs skip the height channels / or 8-ins and 12 outs to add height). Maybe the 88D + 2x4 combined would do - but I'd really prefer to have the DSP handling the master volume at that point when coming in analog (I believe the AVR would still drive the 2x4 via Sub Out in this case? so master volume from AVR Pre-Outs). Back to lurking for now

 

Subbed for eerily similar interest. 😎

Deets: Using older Denon AVR-X4000 MultEQ-XT32 w/o any app compatibility. I generally run some sweeps around MLP, and then copy the Audyssey Flat curve to the per-channel GEQ and un-do some of the correction. Using MiniDSP 2x4 Balanced for two Subs (need to play with MSO!); Room treated as well as it can be including >24 linear feet of 12"x12" soffit/corner traps; first refection and ceiling reflection points also covered with 4" 703 panels 1"-2" off the ceiling; Mains are Active Dynaudio AIR-15 LCR (via Radial J+4), using AVR to drive passive LS/RS and Front Heights. No Atmos needs, and currently no 4K needs. The 1080P Video capabilities of the X4000 are really all I need - I just want more access to DSP.

Something like the MiniDSP 88D (I have an 8-CH AES AD/DA) or 88A might do. I'd really like to consider the ability to allow bi-amping LCR (would upgrade/replace the built-in DSP + B&O amp modules in my Mains with external amps) - so at least 10 channels is really preferable if I go that route (at least 6 ins and 10 outs skip the height channels / or 8-ins and 12 outs to add height). Maybe the 88D + 2x4 combined would do - but I'd really prefer to have the DSP handling the master volume at that point when coming in analog (I believe the AVR would still drive the 2x4 via Sub Out in this case? so master volume from AVR Pre-Outs). Back to lurking for now

Ha! Yes it seems we both have similar goals.

Thanks for what you wrote, as it allowed me to edit the title a little to make it more clear.

 

Hi Mike. MultiEq-X seems the logical move since you have an AVR that supports it. Yes you will need to deal with the PC emulation. You can download it and try it out. You can only use a "sample AVR" but you can see how the UI works.

 

i forgot that there’s a “demo” MQX as well! Thanks! I’ll take a peek to see if I like it and also to see how it functions / compares to Dirac.

Other thought I’m leaning toward: getting a used Yamaha Aventage receiver that’s basically comparable to my X3500H.

I don’t really need cutting edge…..basically only need a couple of 4K HDR capable ports and Multichannel Preamp Outputs…..and then with Yamaha / YPAO it allows the ability to use manual PEQ filters.

I have an older A840 in my living room, but it unfortunately doesn’t process HDR

 

So an update:

Ended up picking up a used Yamaha A870….basically same vintage as my X3500, which was all I needed.

Hardest thing has been learning it’s interface and all, but thus far I’m pretty impressed even with it’s standard “natural” calibration (after doing some obligatory things like verifying timing and doing the sub distance tweak)

Not that I worry too much about the subs since I manage them with a Minidsp, but I did the calibration with the subs in their “native” response, and Yamaha actaully did a pretty good job flattening them out, which is the curve I usually do in REW anyway)

Not sure if it’s cause I’m not listening as loud overall, but on the upper end, my ears personally enjoy the Yamaha sound a little more.

A perfect test scene for me is in Tenet after the opening scene when there’s the train that passes by the camera to block the scene…..with Audyssey, it always seemed to be a “shreek” noise.

First impressions is that the Yamaha “took a little edge off”, which I personally enjoy.

I also like that I can see the exact filters it’s applying to the speakers, and have the ability to tweak as desired.