Integra DTR 30.2 - Opinions anyone? (1 Viewer)

[Alex Papas]

This unit was suggested by a local dealer as an alternative to the Pioneer Elite VSX 32. He carries both.

It's about the same price and has the pre outs I want in order to use my external amps already in the system.


Any comments generally, ease of setup, etc


Thanks in advance

 

[Alex Papas]

Well I guess no-one has any salient info. Regardless, I checked out online reviews and got the unit this morning.


It took a couple of hours to install it into the current system. I cleaned up a lot of stuff that was in he rack but useless anymore, like a super VHS deck and removed a lot of obsolete wiring.


The Integra acts as a preamp with all of the speakers currently connected to their own amps. Adcoms and a Rotel 6 channel for the surrounds.


It took a while to set the specific volume levels of each speaker and to configure the system based on speaker placement and distance but within a couple of hours it was operating just perfectly.


The home has a totally dedicated theater room without any multi room setup and the whole system is operated via a Philips Pronto touchscreen. Old tech, but it's so simple. One button switches it all on, which is important for the kids in house. I simply reprogrammed the Pronto to use the integra commands instead of the Lexicon and it worked perfectly.



This is a terrific preamp and sound processor and I bought the lowest priced Integra that had Pre outs. I'm sure the internal amps are just fine but I have no need for them. It's nice to have HDMI capability if I want to add any video sources but right now the Bluray and the Sat box video are directly connected to the projector.

 

[gene c]

I think the 30.1 is close to the Onkyo 608, which is hugely popular, with a few things added to it that were saved for the 708 in the Onkyo linup. The Integra also comes with a three year warranty which is real nice and it's much better looking than it's Onkyo cousins IMO.


I might have chosen the Pioneer Elite 32 myself, mostly because I have other Elite equipment, but I'm glad you're happy with the Integra.

 

[Phil A]

I actually recently got a used Integra DTC 9.8 (at a really good deal the guy just wanted HDMI 1.4) pre/pro for the main system as I'm going to a 2 channel preamp with HT Bypass. I was impressed for home theater to the point that I bought a refurb. Onkyp 1000 for the secondary basement system. I am doing 8.1 down there. I had a Pioneer 1120 that was not that old (and I've moved it to a 4.1 computer system) and I think the Onkyo sounds worlds better than the 1120 as a receiver for movies and music. it's got a bit more power and the digital amps did not sound all that good in a very large room in my set-up. I think the Pioneer was great at the price point I got it for. I have a PS3 I used for Blu-Ray down there and had an old Marantz SR7300 OSE and with the exception of the lack of HDMI, I would have been happy to still use that (I'll find use for it somewhere) and just wanted something newer. I got the Marantz in a trade for stuff that literally cost me next to nothing and used it for about 7 years.

 

[gene c]

I agree the Onkyo would have a stronger amp section but I've had several Onkyo's and Pioneers over the last few years and while I will say there is a difference in the sound between receivers I found it to be very, very subtle rather than worlds apart. How Audyssey and MCACC affect the sound after running them is a whole different thing. But these auto setup and eq things have never worked very well for me, except for H/K's EZSetEQ on an old 435 and then only one time. I will concede that Audyssey is probably more effective than MCACC but the 30.2 uses 2EQ (5 band of eq) and not MultiEQ while the 32/1120 uses a more advanced version of MCACC with 9 bands of EQ so I'm guessing the difference between the two wouldn't be so great. Oh, and the 1120/32 don't have Digital ICE amps. Only the SC series uses them.


Anyway, I have a Pioneer Elite 94txh/BDP-05/DV58av combo in my family room and it's a wonderful system. The biggest draw-back to Pioneers is they only allow one crossover setting for all speaker groups. This really puzzles me .

 

[Phil A]

Gene I snagged an Onkyo tx-nr1008 refurb for the secondary basement system. I'm doing 8.1 down there and I still might get a source component or two down the road. I recently sold an old Micromega DAC I had down there. I have a (Modwright) modded BDP-83 in the main system and a plain old BDP-93 in the bedroom system for now. I also have an old Oppo DV-980H which for now is the hi-rez source going into the Onkyo receiver. I don't use the basement much for serious listening so an upgrade is not a rush or a big priority. I have a PS3 and a Samsung 2500 Blu-Ray player down there now to watch movies. The Pioneer 1120 is fine on the computer 4.1 system where I don't have a huge room and a 25.5 inch monitor and I picked up the bottom of the line Sony with a Costco coupon for Blu-Ray and it also passes DSD.