Best next step to upgrade sound?

Your pre-amp section is still being used w/an external amp. I've only used analog rca's so I cannot comment from experience. My passion is 2-ch stereo and I've never had a rec. sound as good as seperates or an int. amp/tuner. I listen to quite a bit of FM radio and the tuner section in most rec's is just so-so. The Marantz has a surprising good FM section BUT if you connect a good seperate tuner the difference is obvious. Your/my rec. is a compromise and geared towards HT. I'd first get a good CDP. It will make a difference and you'll need one anyway. See how things sound to you. If you want to upgrade upgrade further, get an external 2/3/5-ch. amp.(Which one? I'd ask dedicated HT members this question.) Your final question if I understand correctly is can you connet both rec's and external amp to your bi-wire spk. binding posts? No. Just the extenal amp would get connected to your spks. You would not use the Marantz's binding posts. Good Luck. Bill

Re-read your post and my response. Yes, you could bi-amp your spks. using your rec's amp section and the external amp. I'm assuming you are thinking of a 2 ch. amp and using it on the low freq. of the front spks. amd the Marantz on the high freq.? I'd make sure the ext. amp has gain adjustment controls. Hope things work out for the better. Bill

Braudio7

Some thoughts here which are simply my considered opinion, is the thinking which goes on before buying a receiver in the first place... simplicity. One gizmo to do all or most all, of the work. Not a bunch of boxes to connect up and provide shelf space for, and once learned, an easy to use device for music and movies. A lower cost option than an all separates configuration to be sure.

having a receiver can be a great starting point for many people. it is also the last poit for some, as what a receiver provides is often quite good enough. those are the same ones I think.

A receiver is a compromise however. To buy separately, ALL of the devices contained within an HT rec the investment increases dramatically. Arguably the greatest compromise within an HT rec is the amplifier section.

If you pay attention to the various tiers of any receiver line of a given maker, what improves as price goes up is the power section and the processor sections. Mostly.

With that premise, addressing those two items initially always seemed the best path IMHO. Adding either an amp, 2 ch or more ch's, or a better source will help. Adding an amp reduces the working temp of the reciever, and adds greater fidelity to the presentation, regardless the event… music or movies.

Adding a better 2ch source provides a more narrow benefit, yet indeed a positive one.

Simple plans are often the best plans. With the addition of a dedicated amp, the need to bi amp using the rec + the ?? amp, is problematical at the very least, and unecessary. Gain is not the only issue at hand when bi amping. Tonality can as well be troublesome.

If chosen wisely, the power of this dedicated amp will exceed that of the receiver, the fidelity will be well improved. That’s the idea right? Improve? There are tons of info here on biamping... vertically, and horizontally. With Tubes & SS. I'd leave the biamping thoughts alone for a goodly while personally, if not completely.

About the only reason I can see that one would want to use the digital inputs (coaxial, or optical) on a receiver is because:
1 they either don't believe wires make a diff
2 Don't want to or can't pay for good wire presently
3 the receiver's DAC processor is better than that of the source unit being used.

A CDP, in the 1K range, preowned or new, is going to have a better DAC usually, than a reciever which costs roughly the same amount. That makes sense, right? Therefore going with wires (analog) out of the CDP and then into the Receivers analog CDP input, is considered the best path. Following that is the use of coaxial interconnects, over that of optical ones.

Given you have made a choice to have your own personal HT rig, thinking along the lines of a multi format player over that of a 2ch unit, might also provide a better overall impact and save money too. Take a look at what Oppo digital is up too lately. You could do far worse here than one of their offerings… and they are being modded left and right by many very good people if the need for more performance is desired later on.

Also, take a look at Stereovox XV2 digital coaxial link. I’ve tried coaxial links upwards of $700+ and not found them to be better overall than the $129-149, XV2.

Defeating the EQ and/or tone controls in the rec is also a better path by many accounts. Research signal purity, or signal degredation.

Either way the hook up happens, digital, or analog inputs, the preamp in the receiver is being used. That is what gives you gain... or in essence, volume, tone controls, and balance.

Good luck in your quest.

For me, I will keep my audio and video systems separate, so I would say you should get different equipment entirely for two channel listening. The stuff made for video won't sound anywhere near as good as you can do in an audio only system, even for CD's. I can highly recommend the Rega Apollo, having just bought one myself. It certainly sounds better than any kind of hybrid video player. Audio only pres and power amps (or you could save money as I did and get an integrated) also sound far better than even the very best receivers. I had a top level Harmon Kardon receiver, and my new 2 channel integrated blows it away.

Blindjim, as to your recommendation of adding an external amp:

Will I be able to hear a difference at moderate volume levels? (Obviously this depends on amp quality) If it's a question of more power, I don't think I need that -- my AVR is 100W -- but if a quality external amp can offer increased sound benefit in most listening situations, that is something I will consider.

One thought I had is that I could use an external amp to power the front L + R channels, and use the AVR to power the center and surrounds. That way I would have the benefit of the amp for 2-channel listening, and I could purchase a 2 channel amp instead of a multi-channel. Thoughts?