# Krell Showcase processor + Oppo + miniDSP Dirac vs AVR?



## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

Thinking of swapping out the X4000 to a Krell Showcase 7.1 processor which yes... is a bit dated but has the Krell build/sound. Now... for me to get this to work right I would have to buy the Oppo 105 so I can have the Oppo do all the DAC decoding for the DTS-MA signalling (or TRUEHD) and use the RCA outputs on the Oppo to the Krell and then from there run the analog channels through a MiniDSP w/ dirac to handle all the room corrections then to the Krell amp.

Thoughts on this vs. the standard AVR w/ Audyssey? With the Oppo I wouldn't really need HDMI since all I would be using is the Oppo player and my sat box which could go to the Oppo using the 2nd input function.

I can pick up a Krell Showcase for 500-700 and the Minidsp nanoAVR DL costs 550 and then you have the Oppo at 1300 so I'm looking at around 2500 vs. just buying a dedicated processor like a marrantz AV8801 or something which can be had for 1500 but would still not have the oppo so in the end around the same price.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Krell makes excellent equipment and the price you are getting it for is a little over half the price i have seen them going for. Personally due to the extra pieces you will need to get it to work... I would just go for a new AVP, and have a warranty as High dollar equipment costs high dollars to repair.

You have the Denon... How does it sound to you compared to it?


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

From my 2 week trial with DIRAC in my PC using 5.1 analog through my soundcard I can say that I was very impressed with the DIRAC processing - Its the kind of sound I was expecting from my AVR room correction but didnt get - Im saving now for my DIRAC license fee so I can keep it going.. the sound improvement for me was dramatic and made a believer out of me... I think the DIRAC combo vs Audessy is a no brainer...
Its a very coherent type of sound and work very well with movies and was excellent with music :clap:


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

ellisr63 said:


> Krell makes excellent equipment and the price you are getting it for is a little over half the price i have seen them going for. Personally due to the extra pieces you will need to get it to work... I would just go for a new AVP, and have a warranty as High dollar equipment costs high dollars to repair.
> 
> You have the Denon... How does it sound to you compared to it?



well since the Krell is a class A type it does need to be recapped after so long... my uncle said typically about every 15-20 years depending on use. Price is $800 from Krell plus shipping costs. I think it'll be worth doing that once I get everything settled in.

I had just a brief back and forth test but this was with the tiny NHT speakers. Will let you know how it does w/ the Ultras. I'll try to compare this weekend.


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## class a (Oct 22, 2010)

I currently have a Krell Showcase in my rack. I have it hooked up to an Oppo 83SE in the 7.1 analog inputs. A very easy processor to set up. I'm using both outputs from my new Bryston 2.5 amp. The balanced to the Krell for movies and the RCA cables to my Audio Research SP16 for my Linn TT. I get the best of both worlds. I would suggest if your going to get the Oppo 105 for stereo take advantage of the balanced CD inputs. I used them for my McIntosh MVP-851 and got excellent results.:T


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

class a said:


> I currently have a Krell Showcase in my rack. I have it hooked up to an Oppo 83SE in the 7.1 analog inputs. A very easy processor to set up. I'm using both outputs from my new Bryston 2.5 amp. The balanced to the Krell for movies and the RCA cables to my Audio Research SP16 for my Linn TT. I get the best of both worlds. I would suggest if your going to get the Oppo 105 for stereo take advantage of the balanced CD inputs. I used them for my McIntosh MVP-851 and got excellent results.:T


Which was my idea exactly. the OPPO takes care of the current DTS-MA tracks and the Dirac takes care of the room correction.

I'm really looking forward to doing this however the expense will be $2800 (dirac, krell processor, oppo) 

We'll see.... Could be cheaper for me to move to a XPA-5/XMC-1 which already has the dirac. Thats a 3000k setup right there and selling my krell would get me 2k and I wouldn't have to buy the OPPO since my el cheapo could HDMI right to the XMC-1


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## |Tch0rT| (May 2, 2013)

Talley said:


> Thinking of swapping out the X4000 to a Krell Showcase 7.1 processor which yes... is a bit dated but has the Krell build/sound. Now... for me to get this to work right I would have to buy the Oppo 105 so I can have the Oppo do all the DAC decoding for the DTS-MA signalling (or TRUEHD) and use the *RCA outputs on the Oppo to the Krell and then from there run the analog channels through a MiniDSP w/ dirac* to handle all the room corrections then to the Krell amp.
> 
> Thoughts on this vs. the standard AVR w/ Audyssey? With the Oppo I wouldn't really need HDMI since all I would be using is the Oppo player and my sat box which could go to the Oppo using the 2nd input function.
> 
> I can pick up a Krell Showcase for 500-700 and the *Minidsp nanoAVR DL* costs 550 and then you have the Oppo at 1300 so I'm looking at around 2500 vs. just buying a dedicated processor like a marrantz AV8801 or something which can be had for 1500 but would still not have the oppo so in the end around the same price.


Your proposed setup would not work if I'm looking up the correct Krell processor which has no HDMI inputs as the miniDSP nanoAVR DL is an HDMI only device. The miniDSP DDRC-88A would work with the Krell Showcase however the DDRC-88A is $999. Oppo analog out to Krell analog in, Krell pre-out to DDRC-88A input, DDRC-88A output to amps. Regarding the XMC-1 you should check to see if they've updated the version of Dirac in it because last I knew users were unable to edit the target curve but they had planned on updating it to let users do that.


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## jb5200 (Aug 20, 2010)

FWIW, the price of the 8801 used has dropped to around $1000 (which uses XT32 like your X4000) and you could get an emotiva XPA5 for around $600 used of course and an Oppo 103 using HDMI to the 8801 for $400 used again and you would be around $2000 give or take a few hundred and that would be an impressive system!

My brother has an X4000 and uses a UPA 2 just for music and it is an impressive system for what he paid for it!


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

|Tch0rT| said:


> Your proposed setup would not work if I'm looking up the correct Krell processor which has no HDMI inputs as the miniDSP nanoAVR DL is an HDMI only device. The miniDSP DDRC-88A would work with the Krell Showcase however the DDRC-88A is $999. Oppo analog out to Krell analog in, Krell pre-out to DDRC-88A input, DDRC-88A output to amps. Regarding the XMC-1 you should check to see if they've updated the version of Dirac in it because last I knew users were unable to edit the target curve but they had planned on updating it to let users do that.


Thanks for the input... the 88A is exactly what I would use.

88A - 929
Oppo 105- 1300
Krell Showcase 7 - 650
Morrow Cables - 280 

Total: $3160

Quite the expense now isn't it. However I would then have the dedicated stereo output of the OPPO going into a dedicated line into the Krell processor and then that would feed to the mains via the Krell amp.


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

jb5200 said:


> FWIW, the price of the 8801 used has dropped to around $1000 (which uses XT32 like your X4000) and you could get an emotiva XPA5 for around $600 used of course and an Oppo 103 using HDMI to the 8801 for $400 used again and you would be around $2000 give or take a few hundred and that would be an impressive system!
> 
> My brother has an X4000 and uses a UPA 2 just for music and it is an impressive system for what he paid for it!



Ya i hear ya. I'm currently using the X4000 for the pre/pro needs fed to a 7 channel Krell amp. The krell was about the price of what your talking about alone which is definitely an expense that could fund exactly what your talking about.


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

RTS100x5 said:


> From my 2 week trial with DIRAC in my PC using 5.1 analog through my soundcard I can say that I was very impressed with the DIRAC processing - Its the kind of sound I was expecting from my AVR room correction but didnt get - Im saving now for my DIRAC license fee so I can keep it going.. the sound improvement for me was dramatic and made a believer out of me... I think the DIRAC combo vs Audessy is a no brainer...
> Its a very coherent type of sound and work very well with movies and was excellent with music :clap:


+1 with an exception or two. This isn't apples-to-apples, but my Emotiva XMC-1 AVR has the Dirac Live LE (Light Edition). It's the same except won't let you adjust the house curve. I've run multiple setups with variable mic positions, and generally prefer the results over what I'm getting with that AVR's REW capability. I'd like to upgrade my firmware to the full Dirac version when it Emotiva makes it available, because the top end is bright for my taste. I hear a big improvement using Dirac over REW, but the gap might narrow in the hands of a seasoned REW user.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Talley said:


> Thanks for the input... the 88A is exactly what I would use.
> 
> 88A - 929
> Oppo 105- 1300
> ...


Now you go me looking to get rid of my 4520, and getting a Krell processor.


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

ellisr63 said:


> No you go me looking ting rid of my 4520, and getting a Krell processor.


I'm going this route but need to hold off for now until I can get back to investing money into the AV system. I dropped $7k in 3 months and my system is running. Time to wait about 6 months before thinking about investing the 3k needed to move to the 88A and the krell processor/Oppo combo.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Well I just won a Krell Showcase 7.1 on eBay. :T 
Now i need to get a HDMI switcher with a 7.1 analog breakout, and the Dirac.


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

> Now i need to get a HDMI switcher with a 7.1 analog breakout, and the Dirac.



Just run the HDMI video straight through to your display .... put the DIRAC DDRC-88a between your Krell processor and your amps.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

RTS100x5 said:


> Just run the HDMI video straight through to your display .... put the DIRAC DDRC-88a between your Krell processor and your amps.


I I use Coax or fiber for my digital will I still be able to use all the codecs or do i need HDMI for some of them?


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

I always prefer HDMI over coax or fiber given a choice ... but in your case fiber would be best ....

Were you more interested in the DIRAC LIVE or the Mini DSP room mangement plugins....?


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

RTS100x5 said:


> I always prefer HDMI over coax or fiber given a choice ... but in your case fiber would be best ....
> 
> Were you more interested in the DIRAC LIVE or the Mini DSP room mangement plugins....?


I have been looking at the DDRC-88... I wish there was a less expensive way to go though. The software version would be nice but I have 4 sources (2 i3NUCs, a PS3, and XBOX360).


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

ellisr63 said:


> I have been looking at the DDRC-88... I wish there was a less expensive way to go though. The software version would be nice but I have 4 sources (2 i3NUCs, a PS3, and XBOX360).


I agree I wish it were more reasonably priced ...that being said the full dirac software version comes with 2 licences so you could split the cost with someone seeking the same solution.... 

I do disagree with those who dont hear the differences between Dirac vs Audessy .... I cant wait for the day I add the DDRC 88A to my system 

Have you tried the free trial version of the software ?

Also MINI DSP does offer many other room calibration / management plugins that are less expensive ...


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

RTS100x5 said:


> I do disagree with those who dont hear the differences between Dirac vs Audessy


In "real life," with target curve options, mic placement flexibility, easier to get a successful calibration, no doubt about it.

I add my vote for a Dirac Live implementation - full capability with target curve editing is a must. Just spent part of the day wading through some of their online deep background info, and am more convinced than ever that they have the technology to beat right now, and its implementation is SO easy to get good results with.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

I ordered one today along with the Oppo 105D.


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## TomFord (Jul 15, 2014)

You always need HDMI for the best quality in my experience.


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

Congrats on the Krell win. 

I've decided to bypass the krell preamp for now and will be purchasing a Oppo 105D and run straight from the Oppo to the 88A to the Krell amp.

For my needs the Oppo with it's dual HDMI inputs can handle everything I need. I will still have the Denon X4000 for additional hookups and run it's output into the Oppo. I need the Denon for airplay/zone2 since it will be running the TV outside and then the kids can still hook the xbox up through the Denon.

I have a HDMI switcher that I am going to hookup to the Oppo to get me to 6 HDMI inputs... no need for a HDMI preamp at this time as the Oppo might be all I need.


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

ellisr63 said:


> I ordered one today along with the Oppo 105D.


you really need to match that Krell to the amp too.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Talley said:


> you really need to match that Krell to the amp too.


I'm not going to buy any Krell amps... I am sticking with my Yamaha pro, and Crown amps. If I don't like the sound of the Krell, then it goes for sale, and i try direct to the amps.


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