Help please upgrading my old Pre/Pro..

First comments, based on your setup. Are you using a 3-channel 8008 for L/C/R and a 2-channel 8008 for surrounds? If so, I would switch them around and use the 2-channel 8008 for Left/Right and the 3-channel for surround-center-surround. The 2-channel 8008 has better power supply to drive your main speakers. The surround channels hardly get any demanding signals, so it won’t be as bad of a draw from your center channel audio.

That being said, on the preamp/processor options, if you want stuff such as internet streaming radio / Spotify and the new Dolby Atmos and DTS:X standards, then you have to choose between Marantz and Integra. If you’re not concerned about streaming internet radio options, then Emotiva XMC-1 is an option. Emotiva is working on an upgrade to support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. All three of these companies have multi-band eq (like a 9 or 10 band equalizer). All three have automatic room correction processes (usually disables the use of manual EQ).

I know Bob said you’d be happy with either Marantz model, but I believe there will be a difference in sound quality. The only reason I would buy the new AV7703 is if I wanted some of the new features Marantz is producing (such as HEOS wireless streaming, etc.). The AV7703 does have the HDAM discrete audio modules, but the AV8802 puts more into this area. Google for internal pics of the AV8802 and you see better power supply and audio module support. You will see that the AV8802 has 13 distinct modules inside from left-to-right to support 13 individual channels. The AV7703 has these all on a single main board and has less of a power supply. There’s more empty space inside the AV7703 chassis. I would even go with the assumption that the AV8802 is going to be better than the Emotiva (Emotiva uses op amp based audio sections and a switching power supply).

There are other options such as Bryston/Krell/Classe, but they may not support everything you want. These are good options for sound quality, but some features may be lacking. Bryston does not have bass/treble/eq/room correction AT ALL (they don’t believe in it). The new Bryston sound (SP3) is also a more laid-back sound that lacks mid/high frequency detail and impact (not my taste). Krell Foundation has automatic room correct (ARES), but no manual eq. Classe does have multi-band EQ, but does not support 4K/HDCP2.2 (if that matters to you). None of these 3 support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.

I don’t think you want to consider spending over $12,000 for something like McIntosh or Theta Digital. I have read that McIntosh is horribly buggy with their firmware and lack of support. Theta is just insanely expensive.

Sounds like you really want an EQ. If you don’t care about 4K, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, internet streaming, then the Classe SSP-800 might be a really good option if you’re looking for exotic level sound quality. Otherwise, I’d go with Marantz AV8802. It’s difficult to say which of these 2 might be better.

Some more comments:

1) hopefully a bit better sonic quality than the Acurus ACT-3

-- Googled for pics of the Acurus ACT-3:

http://img02.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/i2/55900217/T2CBurXHXaXXXXXXXX_!!55900217.jpg

The ACT-3 is somewhat sparse inside. You can see that it’s also using opamp based audio stages. The Emotiva XMC-1 might be somewhat of a lateral move. However, all the other options I listed are going to be superior sound quality (Marantz AV8802, Classe SSP-800, Krell Foundation). Even the Integra might be superior as well.

2) new surround sound decoding that HOPEFULLY a new pre/pro can down convert to my 5.0 system? Will this sound better or just about the same as my old pre/pro processing and at that point not worthwhile to upgrade?

-- All home theater processors will be able to downconvert to whatever number of channels you have. You can even have a 4.0 system (with just left/right/surround) or a 2.0 channel system (where everything is mixed down to left/right only), or whatever variation you need.  The newer products may decode the old 2-channel "Dolby Surround" a bit better, but this has always been a really bad format anyways (completely analog).  Theoretically, the new digital formats (DTS, DTS-MA, Dolby Digital, etc.) should be all the same because it's just spec'd software.  However, there might be some minute differences on how the equipment is actually dealing with this.  I would not spend time on this subject - the more important part is the sound quality of the audio stages.

4) not an absolute want but gaining wifi streaming to play music off my desktop PC and Spotify would be nice (without purchasing separate unit like SONOS connect etc. to do the streaming)

-- If you’re really worried about streaming, try picking up a used Oppo BDP-103 bluray player. I can attest that it is an excellent transport for audio/video quality through HDMI (totally blew my Sony bluray away). It streams from Netflix, VUDU, CinemaNow, Film Fresh, YouTube, Pandora, Rhapsody, Picasa. If you really want Spotify streaming, the Sony blu ray players will do that.

Please consider that I have not heard the Classe Sigma or SSP-800. I am just commenting on what I am seeing inside the product.

http://www.audioholics.com/av-preamp-processor-reviews/classe-sigma-ssp-and-sigma-amp5-review/over_sspsigma.jpg

Based on what is inside the Sigma (above), it looks like a trimmed down version of the SSP-800. It only has balanced outputs for left/right. The power supply sections are trimmed down. It seems to be marketed more towards the iphone/ipod consumer group. It will do everything you need, but I would rather put my money on a used SSP-800. There are a few models of the SSP-800:

Single DSP HDMI 1.3 (oldest)

Dual DSP HDMI 1.3

Dual DSP HDMI 1.4

There’s an HDMI 1.4 model on audiogon now for $4200. There’s also a Sigma SSP and an HDMI 1.3 SSP-800 used, each for $3500. Retail on the SSP-800 is $9500.

The SSP-800 might have an edge in sound quality over the Marantz stuff because, based on my reading, the audio stages in the SSP-800 are fully differential/balanced (although they still used LM4562 op amps, the power supply sections are excellent). It’s impossible to know for sure if the audio stages in the AV8802a are fully differential (even though the unit has XLR outputs).  There's definitely enough circuit on each AV8802a HDAM module to do fully differential:

https://www.marantz.co.uk/assets/images/products/av8802/av8802_hdam_board.jpg

Obviously, the Classe is going to be lacking in streaming and decoding/interface support of the new formats.

I think it’s going to be a big guessing game between Classe and Marantz as to which is better. Classe is a small boutique company that only sells so many units per year. Marantz is a giant company with a huge reseller market. The Marantz is going to give you more per dollar for return-on-investment. However, it’s difficult to say which is actually going to sound better.

You can get the Marantz 8802a NEW on ebay for about $3200 (if you don’t care about authorized reseller or warranty). There’s a used one on audiogon for $2600.