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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