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Surround Processor better than a Proceed AVP?

Looking for a $500-900 Surround Processor Recommendation to replace a Proceed AVP-S:

1.Must have multi-room (2 zone) preout for 2-ch (so no Meridian?)
2.2-ch and 5-ch music quality on-par with or better than the Proceed AVP-S (so no Japanese AVRs?)
3.DD/DTS a must
4.Reliable – no pops or hiss. I’m getting some little pops and hangs with my AVP.
5.DD TrueHD or 5.1 analog input (AVP lacks this, AVP2 too expensive?)

Amps will be Rotel, speakers from North Creek (front/sub) and NHT (rear in-ceiling). I will not need any video switching.
ericsphillips
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dbphd
1,628 posts
 
Eric,

I don't see an advantage of replacing your AVP with any of the units you have listed. The Cary 11a was selling for around $2K in the past, and it does have two HDMI 1.3 inputs and can process the new codecs, but early versions of the firmware were buggy -- that's why they were being sold for $2K by disgusted owners. I haven't seen any for sale at that price recently, perhaps the latest firmware fixed most of the bugs.

db
ericsphillips OP
5 posts
 
db - looks like we both might be waiting for that magic $2k Cary 11a.
ballan
184 posts
 
There is a Linn 5103 for sale here on Audiogon. That is one great sounding processor for both stereo and surround. Highly recommended.
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dbphd
1,628 posts
 
Eric,

I passed on a number of them. Now I'm having second thoughts. The scariest bug reported by a couple of posters on AVS was the attenuator setting itself to zero. One poster claimed it blew a speaker, and that Cary accepted no liability.

db
kennyt's avatar
kennyt
1,226 posts
 
Ballan,

I had a Linn AV5013 in a fully active Linn system with four 5140's, 5120 and the 5150 sub, sweet system for my condo, didn't handle the larger room my current system lives in in the house, but it doesn't have 5.1 analog inputs, only DD (and DTS in later model over I think after SN 3000)
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