Hi group,

Would it be best to get a cheap universal player (ie. pioneer) and the ICBM or a good player (ie. denon 2200) with half decent bass mgt?

Would a good player benefit from the icbm?

Thanks

Even the better universal players currently on the market (such as the Denon 2200 and its pricier siblings) offer less flexible bass management than the ICBM provides. Does this matter? It depends - someone running a full set of THX-certified speakers that are all designed to work with an 80Hz crossover (the only crossover point offered on the mid-range universal players I've researched) might not benefit from the more flexible bass management offered by the ICBM. In a system where the ability to select different crossover points for mains, center, and surrounds allows for better integration with a subwoofer (such as systems that use full range or nearly full range towers as mains), an ICBM could yield better subwoofer integration than a player's built-in 80Hz crossover. All of this is of course independent of the actual sound quality produced by the player - how much better a more expensive player (such as the Denon 2200) might sound when compared to a less expensive player (such as the Pioneer 563).

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The replacement for the 563a is supposed to have addressed the bass management issue(578a), but I cannot speak first hand. My 563a would definitely benefit from an ICBM! If your pre-pro/receiver has analog bass management that could work also.