Let's see if I can make this concise. Two years ago I bought a Panasonic XR-45 with the intention of having it modified by the Boulder Cable Company. Then a heart attack distracted me. Now, fully recovered I am glad to say, I still have the Panny and the need for mods. I should also mention that though I survived, my sole-proprietorship did not and, consequently, I am on a much tighter budget than was the case two years ago. Regardless, the $700ish mod(s) then offered by Boulder are something I can manage. However, I don't know if they are still available. I will write Wayne, the owner, and ask. The nest question is, do I still want them? The reason I ask is that I recall from the several long threads then on AudioCircle that as far as Multi-channel reproduction goes, the Panny was good for 5.1 reproduction of DVD soundtracks, but was ill suited for multi-channel SACD reproduction. (This was/is because the SACD output was then only available as an analog signal. The Panny’s strength lies in its abilities as a digital amplifier.) I find it "convenient" that the Panny allows for home theatre playback of DVDs, but audio quality -- within a budget -- is my first concern. I had thought that the Panny would allow me to have my cake and eat it too, meaning that with the Boulder mods I could enjoy quality stereo playback and get the HT capability as a fringe benefit. Now, though I am a little late to the party, the issue is that I have decided that I want the ability to have multi-channel SACD playback. I listen primarily to orchestral music and SACD multi-channel playback seems very well suited for this.
So, do I still want to continue with the XR-45, or go an entirely different route? I need to draw on the expertise of others to figure this out. I have only been "shopping" for the past week, and remember, I have been out of the loop for almost two years due to my "medical distractions." What I have so far considered, in terms of replacing the Panny but still staying in the realm of receivers so as to keep within my budget, are the Denon AVR 3805 ($1000) or the Arcam DiVA AVR 300 ($2000, or $1600 in B stock). Both these receivers take me back to analog amplification. I’d prefer not to go in this direction. I'd much prefer to keep the entire audio process in the digital realm, as is the case with the XR-45. Much as I appreciate the value of the Panny, and expect that with Wayne’s modifications I would be very pleased with digital stereo sources and HT playback, this receiver cannot be considered for SACD playback. Additionally, if Multi-channel SACD is a must, then I am assuming that analog amplification is largely a must as well. Still, let me ask, other than the two receivers I’ve mentioned, are there other routes available to me, preferably routes that would allow the signal path to remain fully digital, thus avoiding signal conversions both to and from analog? I would like to be proven wrong, but I suspect that the only way this could be accomplished would be to also replace my current Pioneer DV 578 with either an Arcam or a Denon universal player that would allow for a digital connection to the corresponding receiver. Even if this were in my budget, I still end up with analog amplification from these receievers. I think I am looking for a digital receiver that would accept a digital SACD signal, and this is not to be found! Am I accurate on this point? Of course, if $ were not an issue, I could always consider separates. I am impressed with the Nuforce Reference 8 monoblocs. It certainly seems to me that these would do the trick, but 5 of them @ $800 ea., not to mention a pre/pro, is not within my means.
My speakers are MTM configured two-ways using ScanSpeak 8545 drivers resulting in a 4 ohm load and a sensitivity of 86 dBs. These speakers require some power to perform.
Any input addressing Multi-channel SACD playback is welcome and invited. Of course, if you feel compelled to talk me out of it, that’s fine too.
