New Pre-Pro or Pre with HT by-pass

You can really use ANY preamp, and simply use the tape input or auxilary input, etc. I've used the Audio Research 15 and 16 (with bypass) and, with the right tube compliments, these preamps are about in the same ball park. The 16 getting the edge with it's more pure inputs.
still, i'd get the best preamp you can get your hands on for 2 channel use, and simply accept connecting the AV pre/pro through any good (or best, whatever) input on the 2 channnel pre. HT will still sound great, and the 2 channel will be excellent. This is not that big of a deal. I've used my 5.1 pre's into several higher end 2 channel analog preamp's, and never a problem!

After alot of listening of both less and more expensive components ($5K-$18K), I came to find the Classe SSP-600 pre/proc to be a great (IMHO) HT as well as 2-ch and multi-channel analog bypass-capable pre/proc.

It's got much more to offer than its price would convey...I've owned Arcam, Sherbourn, others and listened to McIntosh (fantastic analog), Anthem, Lexicon, Theta, Meridian, Parasound, Krell; my final choice (could have spent more) was the SSP-600...

Thanks for all the input, I've decided to buy the VTL 5.5 pre
amp and keep my EAD for movies.
Regards,
JT

I was going through the tube pre-am section here and
found for sale a Conrad Johnson Premier 17ls. At about the same cost how does Conrad Johnson stack up against VTL.
Regards
JT