Which surround processor to use with the 7500?

Hello,

I am planning on getting the 7500 amp. I'm just not sure which surround sound processor to get. I will do about 50/50 music/movies. I have a pair of Vienna Acoustics Beethoven concert grand speakers up front. I was planning on getting the Cambridge Audio 751BD blu-ray player.

Any suggestions on the surround sound processor?

I am also wondering how the Auudioaccess speakers are since I need speakers for 6 zones in the house including the back two surround speakers. Has anyone heard these? They seem kind of cheap to be any good.

Thanks.

Stephen

The Audioaccess in-wall / in-ceiling speakers are priced EXTREMELY well right now. I suspect that in comparison to other in-wall technologies that are now a little more in vogue you give up whole lot of "sleath factor" and that is really the main reason for the close out pricing. Build quality of even "top name brand" in-wall speakers will not rival the Audioaccess stuff, which is one reason why it was a favorite of custom installers. Sound quality is certainly FAR better than the "ok for background music" variety of in-wall speakers that too often got spec'd for "custom home theater" but to get in-walls thatt really give even any moderatly priced bookshelf monitors a run for their money you could easily spend 10x before you really heard any major differences. Of course the "gotchas" with any in-wall installation are that the whole wall cavity becomes an "enclosure" and the relative effficiency and sound quality can suffer terrribly from a hasty installation.

Even with the most careful in-wall installation I would strongly recommend the best "room correctiong" surround processor you can afford both monetarily and "waiting period" -- the 978 ought to do a great job with MultiXT32 or you could jump on the Marantz offerring from our hosts. The list of "rivals" is well documented in those threads...

I prefer to get something right now instead of waiting 6+ months. Have you heard the audioaccess speakers? I probably will give them a try.

Thanks.

S

I have heard the Audioaccess in-wall speakers in several "real world" home theatre setups with mid level electronics (Denon/Pioneer/Yamaha) and they are at least as nice as the similar level of in-wall technology from "name brand" speaker offerings, probably better build quality. I think the reason they are being priced so low has more to do with the fact that they are not as "stealthy" nor as "high tech" as some the more current offerings. If you are OK with having plainish looking in-wall speakers and want to take the time to install them correctly and then try to get the EQ right they should be a terrific value.

If you can wait, then go for the Outlaw 978 when it comes out. If you need to go now then Marantz' 7005 would be an awesome choice.

Any idea when the 978 is coming out?

I don't really care what the inwall/ceiling speakers look like. They all look the same once they are in the wall As long as they sound good that's all that matters.

Nobody has ANY idea when this thing will come out if at all in 2012. Plenty of discussion in the 978 threads on this.

Has anyone listened to speakers from inwall store. Com? I have recently been considering going that route..

Check audioholics or AVS forum