Integrated Amp with HT Passthru 1-2k

Slappy,

Glad to see you making progress on your system. Here are the ones I know of in that price range. Sim Audio I-3 and the I-5. The Rougue can have the HT pass through added. Creek 5350 SE w/ phono stage (actually just under 1k on the Gon), Musical Fidelity A5 is new for $2500 but 250 wpc, haven't seen one used yet, Musical Fidelity A308, Ayre AX-7, and Blue Circle CS. These are the ones I have put on my short list. I am leaning heavily toward the Sim I-3 and I-5. Good luck!

Sorry for butting in and for the potentialy amateurish question but I want to verify my understanding of home theater pass through:

Does an integrated amp with home theater pass-through basically act like a stand alone 2-ch amp when in pass-through mode? In other words, when using a 7.1 processor with the integrated (via processor pre-outs and integrated HT inputs of course), I'm basically able to control volume level with the processor and the integrated is simplay acting as a 2ch amplifier? Or does the integrated simply pass the signal through a set of pre-outs requiring another external amplifier? I would assume the former but am getting confused because the same terminology is used for 2ch pre-amps with 'home theater pass through'.

Dmtremblay,

"Does an integrated amp with home theater pass-through basically act like a stand alone 2-ch amp when in pass-through mode?"

The answer is yes. Therefore the A/V Processor controls the volume of the front two channels.

Slappy,

I would vote for the MF A308 integrated. It doesn't have an LFE out but has PRE outs you can use for a sub.

Michael