You had Theta in the past, what did you move onto?

@soix

In my case it comes from experience. The older, pre HDMI Theta was just superb sounding in all formats compared to modern, HDMI equipped Onkyo and Emotiva models which I owned briefly. Even using the Onkyo as a preamp there was absolutely no comparison. The Theta was a far more musical and pleasant experience, especially from the mid to bass range.

The closest I got for DVD/BueRay with HDMI was an Oppo to a Halo P7. That also sounded really good. It was a long time until I had a processor (Anthem) which could compare in sound quality to the Oppo’s analog outputs.

The closest I got for DVD/BueRay with HDMI was an Oppo to a Halo P7. That also sounded really good. It was a long time until I had a processor (Anthem) which could compare in sound quality to the Oppo’s analog outputs.

Not sure I understand.  I’d say running a good-quality 2-channel source/DAC into an good-quality stereo pre/amp combo or integrated would be superior to running it through the Anthem and probably comparable or even better than the Theta as there are dedicated power supplies, less noise, etc. that the stereo signal gets subjected to.  Anyway, that was my point and not sure where you were going with HDMI. 

Hey @soix ,

HDMI only comes into the picture as a marker of time. The Casanova was pre-HDMI so I was looking for a processor which sounded at least as good but with modern connectivity and support for hi definition DVD/BD audio.

I thought that with technological progress all modern HDMI processors would at least be the equal of the much older Casanova. They were not.

Esoteric.

@bdp24 - Please elaborate! What Theta gear did you have and why was Esoteric a logical step for you?