i am wondering what people's impression of the VMAx feature is that HK prvides with some if its recievers. i own the 3480. i thought the concept was pretty cool so i bought it thinking it would really work. its been a little disappointing so i am wondering what other people's experiences have been with this feature. how does it work by the way, it just seems like the reciever is altering the signal to make it seem more "airy", wider stage, i guess is the right word.
I have the 3480 and don't particularly like the feature either. It seems like a gimick to me.
edster922
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Chris & Bleustar,
Other than your disappointment with vMax have you been happy with the 3480?
I am playing with the idea of exchanging my Onkyo 601 for the 3480, just wondering how much I'd really miss the surround sound for music---it has a nice immersion-like effect. And I have to say, 120 wpc makes me drool.
I have Vmax on my Hk and I greatly dislike the effect. While it is supposed to give a 360 degree simulated surround field, and it does to some extent, the effect is odd, noticable, peculiar.
I don't know that I can describe the sensation but it is... odd, like listening to a badly set up bose system... the sound is coming from the wrong place or is out of phase or something.
It is not in any way comparable to a 5.1 surround.
Edster, if you want to hear what this might sound like, your 601 has this effect. It is in the dsp's as "Theater Dimentional" and tries the same trick in 2 channel. You can vary the angle or field width 20, 40 or 60 degrees. Try it, you will see that it is inferior to using prologicII, neo6 or the 5 channel stereo setting. While the 120wpc is nice, I have enough trouble with the neighbours complaining when my kids turn the dial on my 601 past -10db! But it would be nice.
like shan tao said, the 120wpc is a lot and i hardly have it above -25 db. i like the reciever but i would rather have gone for the 3380 instead. i paid the extra money for the VMAx thinking it would go to good use but was wrong. 75 wpc is still alot.