Best AV processors for under $10K

I have to agree with Mezmo. If you want to have the best of both worlds you really need to get HT equipment with some type of passthrough and use 2 channel equipment for audio. I've never heard any type of theatre equipment that can compete with really good 2 channel gear. I had a Meridian 861 in my system and while it was very good for movies, it was easily bettered buy stereo equipment that cost far less. Also, for 2 channel, if you pick your equipment well and set it up properly, you really don't need any of the room correction features that HT products offer. Doing so compromises the sound quality of your other components.

I have even used an AVR (Denon 4810) to handle HDMI and use the pre outs to a stereo preamp with HT bypass

Am upgrading the Denon to a Marantz 8801 since I am already using external power amps for all channels anyway and this will support 3D HDMI and DTS Neo X on my 11 speakers and 3 subs

JDUB39 - does the Marantz do bass management for DSD by changing it to LPCM? My guess is it converts to LPCM. Most people who use DSD do not want it converted to LPCM.

JDUB39 - does the Marantz do bass management for DSD by changing it to LPCM? My guess is it converts to LPCM. Most people who use DSD do not want it converted to LPCM.

While it will accept a native DSD via hdmi to add bass mngt it will convert the signal, but with Audyssey performing Rc in addition to that bass mngt my classical has taken a substantial increase in fidelity, my room is well treated and speakers well placed and I'm a DSD purist at heart and would primarily listen to the 2/ch sacd for that reason. But the 8801 is a powerful processor and can preserve that signal and produce stellar results in the room and most importantly at your listening position due to the better phase and time domain of the music , its indeed very impressive. I had the opportunity to run my Oppo 105 direct to my Halo A21 using Morrow Audio MA4 balanced cables ( dont do this if you like your preamp!) and while DSD was as analog sounding as I believe digital can get the 8801 in the chain proved its salt as 2/ch preamp not giving up much in SQ compared to the 105 direct to the amp which says alot. Coming from such a comparison to DSD via hdmi multich sacd with Audyssey engaged can produce sonics I never new possible which again says alot of 8801's implementation of Audyssey with no perceived signal alteration with even better harmonic structure and tonality! there are things in a performance of familiar reference sacd's in the mix that become engaging as you hear the hall and the brass and strings are heard from there beginning, middle and ending sounds and when that tympani strike in such performances as Ivan fisher's Mahler's 1st and 2nd sacd's chime in, one could bat the eyes from the increase of dynamics and fidelity, sorry to run long in this reply but this is what this hobby and pursuit is all about and I'm that much closer to the performance than ever before!

As I understand it, DSD does not convey information for bass management; you need to convert to LPCM if you want bass management. The Oppo 105 can use either mode to achieve analog output. I use LPCM so the analog output from the 105 has bass management. The inputs of my Cary 11a are set to bypass, so the Oppo does the processing.

As I read a reply I got from Oppo service, the crossover is not operable with balanced (XLR) stereo output -- full range is sent to the mains. That's what I use for most music. Fortunately, my mains have LF extension to 20 Hz. The crossover is active for unbalanced (RCA) analog 7.1 output.

db