Considering an amp upgrade.

[willhub]

Ive currently got a CEOL Piccolo but I'm finding it's aging a bit and has some limitations.

I want an amp where I can control the crossover so lower frequency are played solely by the subwoofer which my CEOL cannot do.

Also sounds like DOLBY Atmos is desirable for virtual surround sound, is this something that I should be able use with my NU7400 TV?

I'm only running 2.1 but I might consider 5.1 in the future.

Thanks

 

[tom_nieto]

You’ll probably need an AV amp to do what you ask. The question is do you really need to shell out for a multichannel amp which you won’t use half the amplifiers on?

What sources are you running? Are you using primarily the network capability of the CEOL or are you connecting external sources? Do you need to connect multiple HDMI sources to one device?

AV amps are also massive compared to the Denon system which may be a consideration.

If you like the sound of your current system,
I’d look at a Denon X2400 or whatever the equivalent is. Even the X2000 has decent network capabilities, so you could consider a second hand unit if your budget is tight.

 

[willhub]

I don't use the network aspect much maybe the odd time the radio on it but not essentially.

I have my PC connected to my TV and then the amp connected via optical.

I like the thought of Dolby Atmos because its like virtual surround isn't it?

 

[hornetstinger]

You are looking for a AV amplifier or you could run a stereo pre and power amp with a high pass crossover such as outlaw icbm-1. But those lack any DD/dts/atmos processing just stereo with sub

 

[hornetstinger]

I don't use the network aspect much maybe the odd time the radio on it but not essentially.

I have my PC connected to my TV and then the amp connected via optical.

I like the thought of Dolby Atmos because its like virtual surround isn't it?

Atmos isn't virtual surround it's proper surround. But it has lots.of speakers get a 5.2 or 7.1 system first.

Full atmos is going to be expensive. I run 7.1 but the system is pretty high end. I'd rather have this system than a lower spec full atmos setup

 

[lucid]

Ive currently got a CEOL Piccolo but I'm finding it's aging a bit and has some limitations.

I want an amp where I can control the crossover so lower frequency are played solely by the subwoofer which my CEOL cannot do.

Also sounds like DOLBY Atmos is desirable for virtual surround sound, is this something that I should be able use with my NU7400 TV?

I'm only running 2.1 but I might consider 5.1 in the future.

Thanks

The Marantz NR1609 will tick all of your boxes.

This is a fully-fledged 5.1.2 ATMOS AV receiver but in a half-height chassis. Size-wise then, whereas a conventional AV receiver takes up as much space as 4 CEOLs stacked 2x wide by 2x high, the NR1609 is like two CEOLs side-by-side. How they've achieved this down-sizing is by using the same sort of digital amps as your CEOL has, so if you're happy with the sound of that then the NR1609 will do the same but with a lot more power - 80W/ch of real world power (measured in to 8 Ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 0.08%THD... these are credible power measurement parameters.)

I'll be honest, the rear panel is crowded with input sockets simply because the amp doesn't short-change you when it comes to connectivity. You get everything you might expect with a full-sized £500 AV receiver, and even the surprise of a stereo pre-out for the front channels should you wish to run an external power amp or active front speakers some time in the future. There's even Ethernet and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and Alexa compatibility. Phew!

For virtual surround you really need more speakers than you have with your current 2.1 set-up. The 1609 is compatible with Dolby Surround as used on most ordinary stereo TV channels, and it does Dolby Digital for the HD channel programmes that carry it, and it also does Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) which is the broadcasters preferred ATMOS format as used by Sky Q. Your TV will pass DD+ via the HDMI ARC connection.

Once you add extra speakers for 5.1 surround (for DPL, DPLII, DD, DTS, Dolby True HD, DTS Master Audio) then you'll start to get access to those processing modes. Adding the addition pair of heigh channel speakers will then enable processing in true ATMOS and simulated ATMOS modes.

The crossover frequency is adjustable for your current 2.1 speaker set-up via the 1609. This will work for music and for movies.

 

[tom_nieto]

I don't use the network aspect much maybe the odd time the radio on it but not essentially.

I have my PC connected to my TV and then the amp connected via optical.

I like the thought of Dolby Atmos because its like virtual surround isn't it?

Usually this sort of virtual surround processing is used for sound bars and I think they use manufacturer specific algorithms. Atmos is much the same as DD or DTS in that it is a surround sound format. To get the most out of Atmos you need about 13 speakers! You can do it with 7.

The reason I asked the question in the first place is that without the requirement for surround sound, network audio or HDMI management, you’d get a much better quality stereo integrated amp for your money. This wouldn’t allow you direct control over the crossover, but it really depends if that’s your absolute priority. Does your sub have a crossover setting?

 

[TheDesX77]

Might also be worth looking into some pro gear - you can get an active crossover and a decent stereo power amp for not a whole lot of money. I have seen a few home audio people rave about the Crown XLS series of PA amplifiers for home use. They have some DSP built in so you might not even need a separate crossover.