What Pre/Pro do you recommend?

The Cary Cinema 11a combined fine sound quality with some digital bugs, namely noisy HDMI link-ups and an automated setup that gave spurious results -- the manual recommended a tape measure and SPL meter. It permits setting crossovers for speakers individually and the bass management seems a bit superior to that of the Oppo 105. The owners' panel at AVS was very vociferous about its foibles, so I'd check there to see if there's Cary Cinema 12 owners' thread.

FWIW, I sold my original 11a and recently bought another.

db

I still think your best option is a pre with pass through so you can get the best of both worlds. Just a thought.

Ctsooner.....I appreciate the response....can you give me a couple examples of the preamps your talking about?

Thanks

Your in luck to be looking for a pre/pro with the release of the Marantz 8802 and seeing its right in your budget , I would hesitate to get one. I have had it in my setup for a week , it replaced an oppo 105 and Marantz 8801 and the sound is extremely pure ,dynamic and it has an incredibly low noise floor, its only been a week but this thing is beginning to sound great and not many will like what I'm about to say here but Marantz tweaked the inputs for digital and jitter is a non issue and the sound is better than my Oppo 105 direct to my Halo A21 for 2/ch!