UMC vs. Onkyo PR-SC5507

[NorthStar]

Well Erwin, I just studied the manual for the Onkyo TX-NR3008/5008, and on page 51 it has a feature from Speaker's selection for: Front High + Front Wide.

* But the Back surrounds are automatically set to Off when using those four Front High & Wide channels.
So, it's great news as you can use those as in a full 9.2-channel configuration (depending of the audio modes and without the Back surround channels).
Or you can use one of the combinations with Front High with Back surrounds, or Front Wide with Back surrounds.

Now, if you add external amplification (from the preouts), I'm not too sure if you can run the full 'ballast' of an 11.2-channel setup, with ALL speakers active. ...That would be super cool!

Anyhow the Onkyo PR-SC5508P pre/pro should allow you to do the exact same thing as its receiver's cousins.
...I'm sure the manual will be available very soon online.
And it has the newer Super Duper High Resolution Audyssey MultEQ XT32, and also Audyssey MultEQ Pro ready.
And the Integra DHC-80.2 pre/pro is its equivalent.

Now, does it sound better than the Emo UMC-1, or the Anthem Statement D2v/ARC pre/pro, or the Classe SSP-800 surround sound processor, or the Cary Audio Design Cinema 11a, or the Arcam FMJ AV888 pre/pro?
Well, probably not (from the analog anyway), but with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 engaged, I bet it does what others wish they could do. ...And with HQV Reon VX video processor on board, it's a sure bet (perhaps not as much as the VXP Gennum one, but still very good for the price).
The feature's set is JAMMED packed! ...It is the RV of all pre/pros right now, and the street price cannot be approached by anyone else.

Faites vos jeux Messieurs!

[Erwin.BE]

Aug 30, 2010 22:11:01 GMT -5 NorthStar said:

Well Erwin, I just studied the manual for the Onkyo TX-NR3008/5008, and on page 51 it has a feature from Speaker's selection for: Front High + Front Wide.

* But the Back surrounds are automatically set to Off when using those four Front High & Wide channels.
So, it's great news as you can use those as in a full 9.2-channel configuration (depending of the audio modes and without the Back surround channels).
Or you can use one of the combinations with Front High with Back surrounds, or Front Wide with Back surrounds.

Now, if you add external amplification (from the preouts), I'm not too sure if you can run the full 'ballast' of an 11.2-channel setup, with ALL speakers active. ...That would be super cool!

Anyhow the Onkyo PR-SC5508P pre/pro should allow you to do the exact same thing as its receiver's cousins.
...I'm sure the manual will be available very soon online.

I had the same reaction as yourself: check the manual of the 3008/5008 AVR. I went to bed but not before a quick look. PDF is still open.
Link:
filedepot.onkyousa.com/Files/own_manuals/SN29400433_TX-NR3008_5008_En_web.pdf?CFID=695806&CFTOKEN=37537606&jsessionid=f0304be09f45af2ca08a5a646c172a106045

*page 15 connecting the speakers. It's clear that you can hook up all 11 speakers
*page 29 selecting speaker layout. Also very clear that you can play which ever 9.2 channel playback you fancy by choosing any 2 out of 3 Surround Back / Front High / Front Wide. IMO, there's no way however to play in 11.2 mode even with an extra 2ch amp, unlike the Denon 4810 AVR.

But studying the back side of the prepro 5508 now. I have a 24" iMac
Link:
www.gspr.com/onkyo/images/prsc5508_re_300.jpg

You can only hook up 9 interconnects to the amp. Surround Back is dedicated. Front High/Wide LR is only 1 pair of interconnects. If the menu would let you assign which output to do like it is the case with the AVR's, then Onkyo would have written below the interconnect: SURR BACK / FRONT WIDE. Then you could hook up only 9 speakers, but play any 9.2 you liked. The smaller 1008 has such layout I think (have to check)
Check: no, the 1008 AVR has the same speaker terminal layout as the 3008/5008 AVR's

Onkyo EU website back side pic of the 5507 is actually of the 887...
www.eu.onkyo.com/products/PR-SC5507.html
Looks 100% identical to the 5508 except for the model name

[Erwin.BE]

Official leaflet of the Onkyo 5508:
www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/product_info/pdf/pr-sc5508_ex_leaflet.pdf

[NorthStar]

Thanks Erwin with all your links, that's great man to see someone like yourself also greatly interested by the closest approaches so far to a full blast 11.4-channel surround sound system.

We need Onkyo/Integra to give us that opportunity to use all 11 speakers playing simultaneously. As for the 4 subs, well we just have to EQ them by pairs; that's easy with Y connectors.

[Erwin.BE]

Sept 3, 2010 6:37:36 GMT -5 NorthStar said:

Thanks Erwin with all your links, that's great man to see someone like yourself also greatly interested by the closest approaches so far to a full blast 11.4-channel surround sound system.

We need Onkyo/Integra to give us that opportunity to use all 11 speakers playing simultaneously. As for the 4 subs, well we just have to EQ them by pairs; that's easy with Y connectors.

Thing is the leaflet makes us no wiser than we were before... Once you go for DSX, it would be frustrating to have only 9 out of 11 channels.

Hypothetical Marantz AV8005 could be a contender.

EDIT: A bit more info here:
www.intl.onkyo.com/products/av_components/av_separates/pr-sc5508/index.html

When you klick the DSX logo:
"Audyssey DSX lets you augment a standard 7.1-channel surround set-up with two “front wide” channels. Two extra speakers expand the width of the soundstage and help to produce a more realistic and immersive listening experience. Alternatively, Audyssey DSX can be configured to deliver “front height” channels. These channels carry non-directional audio that adds a new vertical dimension to your movies and games."

This confirms my fear that you can only have either Wide or Height, never both, which is silly IMO. Goodby Onkyo! Keep training!

[jimbailey]

The PR-SC5508 manual is here: www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/manuals/pdf/pr-sc5508_manual_e.pdf.

[Erwin.BE]

Sept 9, 2010 17:53:26 GMT -5 jimbailey said:

The PR-SC5508 manual is here: www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/manuals/pdf/pr-sc5508_manual_e.pdf.

Thank you, Jim!

On p13-14: Speaker configuration.
It's clear that our fears were not necessary: one can use both Wide and High speakers simulteaneously if you set that setting to "Yes". In this case, the Surround Back channels are binned. This also means that the picture of the back side we saw before, was NOT correctly labeled by Onkyo.

[NorthStar]

Onkyo/Integra with their latest offerings are still stuck with a 9.2-channel setup.

Denon keeps moving ahead with their capable 11.3-channel receivers (4810 and 4311).
And now with the addition of Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and Sub EQ HT in the 4311.
Plus the choice to cut off the internal amps! Bravo Denon, you're back on the saddle (for now)!

Onkyo, I'm talking to you now: Get your act together, get rid of that XT32 bug, give us 11.2-channel option (with an external amp of course), and the selection choice to shut off the internal amps, just like in the Denon 4311 receiver. It cost nothing, and it has the possibility to improve the sound quality. And many people use external amps with their high end receivers nowadays, and more people want 11 speakers activated simultaneously in their Main room, plus those two separate subwoofers. ...One more or two more is cool too in my book.
So, here's hopin' you're reading this. If not, just contact my office at: www.LOTR.getyourcalibrationtogether.inyourownandother'sinterest.fact

[bootman]

Sept 10, 2010 0:14:04 GMT -5 NorthStar said:

Onkyo/Integra with their latest offerings are still stuck with a 9.2-channel setup.

Denon keeps moving ahead with their capable 11.3-channel receivers (4810 and 4311).
And now with the addition of Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and Sub EQ HT in the 4311.
Plus the choice to cut off the internal amps! Bravo Denon, you're back on the saddle (for now)!

Onkyo, I'm talking to you now: Get your act together, get rid of that XT32 bug, give us 11.2-channel option (with an external amp of course), and the selection choice to shut off the internal amps, just like in the Denon 4311 receiver. It cost nothing, and it has the possibility to improve the sound quality. And many people use external amps with their high end receivers nowadays, and more people want 11 speakers activated simultaneously in their Main room, plus those two separate subwoofers. ...One more or two more is cool too in my book.
So, here's hopin' you're reading this. If not, just contact my office at: www.LOTR.getyourcalibrationtogether.inyourownandother'sinterest.fact

...better yet have Denon give us a 4311 like preamp and shave a few bucks off the cost.
They can keep their amp section.
(but to be fair if they are anything like what is in the 4310, they should be good for an AVR)

www.audioholics.com/reviews/receivers/denon-avr-4311ci-fl

[NorthStar]

Sept 10, 2010 14:55:56 GMT -5 bootman said:

Sept 10, 2010 0:14:04 GMT -5 NorthStar said:

Onkyo/Integra with their latest offerings are still stuck with a 9.2-channel setup.

Denon keeps moving ahead with their capable 11.3-channel receivers (4810 and 4311).
And now with the addition of Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and Sub EQ HT in the 4311.
Plus the choice to cut off the internal amps! Bravo Denon, you're back on the saddle (for now)!

Onkyo, I'm talking to you now: Get your act together, get rid of that XT32 bug, give us 11.2-channel option (with an external amp of course), and the selection choice to shut off the internal amps, just like in the Denon 4311 receiver. It cost nothing, and it has the possibility to improve the sound quality. And many people use external amps with their high end receivers nowadays, and more people want 11 speakers activated simultaneously in their Main room, plus those two separate subwoofers. ...One more or two more is cool too in my book.
So, here's hopin' you're reading this. If not, just contact my office at: www.LOTR.getyourcalibrationtogether.inyourownandother'sinterest.fact

...better yet have Denon give us a 4311 like preamp and shave a few bucks off the cost.
They can keep their amp section.
(but to be fair if they are anything like what is in the 4310, they should be good for an AVR)

www.audioholics.com/reviews/receivers/denon-avr-4311ci-fl

Yeah I read that one too. ...The 4311 is indeed fully loaded and more... And much better than its predecessor, the 4310, as it includes the newer much improved Audyssey MultEQ XT32, and also the Sub EQ HT, and also Audyssey MultEQ PRO ready, and also that 11.2-channel capability, and also the option to turn the internal amplifiers completely Off.
I'd say it's a FIRST in the entire history of A/V Receivers!

[ny1pr2009]

My Onkyo PR-SC5508 Preamp Processor and PA-MC5500 9 Channel Power Amplifier that I have pre ordered from my dealer.



www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/product_info/pdf/pr-sc5508_ex_leaflet.pdf

www.eu.onkyo.com/ir_img/21628873_90ca1287b5.jpg

www.eu.onkyo.com/ir_img/21628871_8207a653db.jpg

[Deleted]

As good as my 5507 was and better than the UMC, I have sold it and am waiting to add perhaps another Pre-Pro in the mix.

As time passed, I started feeling something missing in the music equation. Perhaps the level of sophistication is not on par with other brands who first and foremost specialize in audio, such as Levinson, Krell, Audio Research...

For the money, it has no peer. What I am looking for now is a pre-pro that offers solid ht sound, but has a heavy focus on music...one of the reasons I am looking forward to the XMC-1.

I guess my tastes have changed since I have been enjoying music more as of late, and in doing that, the 5507 while very good, has left me wondering how much better can I get my system to sound?

The answer might lie with the arrival of my Magnepan 1.6's and Anthem MCA 20 within a week.

[thepcguy]

When comparing gears, I've always advocated BLIND TESTING. BIAS is hard to shake off. When you replace something with another, the tendency is to expect 'BETTER' results. Test after test after test, when comparing audio gears, no single individual have identified a particular gear from another with 100% accuracy. I am sorry but there is no way to know specially when one is heard months ago.