Après le CES 2015, un point sur le contexte spécifique des Marantz 7702 et 8802 + futur DTS:X .
sur AVS, SteveH a écrit:I just got back from CES and was able to fondle the 8802 as it was a static display. At one point, I thought it purred back at me. :kiss:I need to write up a lot of 8802 stuff for my prepro and home theater database customers no later than tomorrow and email it off. If anybody wants that 8802 info, just PM me your email address. In summary, I would have called this 8802 a 9902. They really re-worked this thing top to bottom. Adding a sequence number (01 to 02) didn't do it justice. I have high hopes because on paper, it is impressive. So what does it mean to the ear? I hope to be find out soon.
I also asked about the DTS:X and they could not give me an inkle or definitive answer. One reason is they are under an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreements) with DTS and D&M that prevent them from talking with me or anybody else. So if there is some sort of hardware that is needed (or not needed) they could not tell me if they wanted to. That's because they would have just told me something about DTS that they cannot legally comment on. Everything I say is my opinion from here on out. I personally don't think there is a needed DTS hardware chip from what other vendors on other lines said during CES.
I know they wanted to give me an answer. But that wasn't their department and their plate was full with many tasks. I do know that they have had their engineering efforts focused on the traditional releases of the 2015 receiver line and specifically the 8802. They have publicly said they will support DTS:X on products (no specific models or timelines).
Stressing again these are only my words and I do not speak for D&M nor did they say these words: DTS:X just came out. There is no software possibly for months. The standards were just formalized. If DTS:X was standardized 3 or 6 months ago, DTS would have released it 3 or 6 months ago. Needless to say, the final DTS product was still being changed until their release last week. So while it could have looked like a no-brainer 6 months ago now could be more of an effort. Again, I am talking out loud. But early adopters want an answer in a day or week after it's release even though it is possibly months away from the 1st movie. I could only imagine there are technical decisions that have not been answered. Like are the speakers going to match-up? Will it overlay Auro 3D? Is there enough DSP headroom? Are they going to charge for it? Will the effort be worth it on this series or releases? Where is it in the priority in comparison of other pressing engineering efforts when there are zero movies out for many months? D&M has headphones projects, turntables, HEOS (that kicks butt by the way), stereo products in the queue etc. I quickly figured out that they are not going to get an answer in a week nor three. They are not trying to hide anything, they really don't know because their plate is full. I did hear that Auro3D was a massive effort to pull off? If I was them, I'd look at the number of downloads and figure out how many people really "need it". I personally view that as a good sign of them not saying no right now: if it was not able to be done they could have told us without telling me why.
In conclusion on the DTS:X thing. They don't know so I don't know. No tech that you call on a D&M can know so you should not read a word into what they say at this moment in time. I predict no one in D&M knows. So surely no one on this forum can possibly have any working knowledge shy of a smoking gun that a piece of hardware is needed which is just guessing.
With that said, even if DTS:X does not happen for any reason, I am going to stand by my customer. They will be delighted that I took extremely good care of them if DTS:X is important to them and it turns out that it doesn't happen. I've had to do that before and I will do it again. They won't be going backwards and I will leave it at that.
Re: the 8802. Again while they gave me no indication if it was going to be updated with DTS:X, I am going to put my butt on the line with my customers and figure out a way to guarantee that it will happen or swap them into something that does. As you might guess, I'm feeling extremely comfortable that the 8802 will have DTS:X. That's because it my opinion, there is more gross margin on a higher priced product so they can offer up the resources to make it happen. That 8802 customer expects it and I think they should expect it. I hope that it is determined or publicly released that DTS:X will be supported before a product ships.
Now let's put this all in perspective. I sold 6 8801's this month. They all knew about HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. I told them about Auro 3D, DTS:X, and Atmos. They did not care nor did they take my recommendation. They wanted a 8801. They didn't want to wait and they felt comfortable with that decision. Today dealers around the country will sell brand new Anthem's, Krell's, Bryston's, and other extremely expensive products. Many people don't care about these new formats. Of course D&M knows this and if I am a betting man, they understand that a guy might want to wait. But they just don't have an infinite amount of resources to get an answer as quick as we want. If people want to wait and that makes the most sense for them, then they should. But for others to preach that people who are enjoying ATMOS today were too quick to jump I think is wasted bandwidth. Some have postulated in this thread that without this feature, somehow it is going to depreciate quickly and D&M is going to discount the item because of it. Nonsense! If that was the case would they sell one $10,000 Anthem today? If I was worried about DTS:X, I surely would not be taking delivery on a batch of 12, 7702's next week. They will all sell because people realize that the following generation will have stuff that their current generation doesn't.
Hugo
More on that later.
