AV Pre/Processor vs 2 Channel Pre-Amp - Sound Quality

I don't think it's a matter of money, but I'm not sure what you are asking. 

Are you saying you'd use the 2 channel pre for music? 

And, depends. Some AV pro's I've heard (Onkyo/Emotiva) sound really thin, so I really wouldn't listen to them as music or HT sources.  There are probably much better units. I think generally listeners like Marantz a great deal in that space. 

I've had many recommend the Classe Sigma series to me as an all in one processor that does great with 2 channel. The total price would be under $3k so that may be a great value compared to your suggestion. 

Best,

E

Unless you really care a lot about higher quality surround processing and have very good/expensive surround and center speakers, I'd use a decent AVR for processing and driving those channels.  Buying a prepro that significantly betters a decent AVR for processing along with the added amplification you'd need to buy would be a huge added expense.  But if surround music/movies are that important to you and you have the speakers that can benefit from it, it can be a perfectly justifiable purchase. 

Thanks Eric and Soix.

Soix you were helping me on my other similar thread, but then I got curious how much of a sound difference there would be.

As you know, for my basement theater I just bought a current model Marantz processor and Anthem 7 channel amp. 

For the upstairs TV where I have just a 2.1 system but with my nice Monitor Golds I want to listen to music too. As you may recall I have a Pioneer Elite receiver and am thinking about buying an atoll 2 channel amp. I had gone back and forth between a 2 and 5 channel to biamp remember?

So this thread picks up where the other left off. Do I upgrade my pioneer receiver to another Marantz Processor, or do I keep the pioneer and buy a preamp to o between the Pioneer Elite and 2 channel amp. 

Again, for anybody else reading this, I DO NOT want an integrated amp because I have not found an Integrated Amp with HT Bypass that also has bass control. If I buy a preamp with ht Bypass like the Atoll, I could connect that to my Pioneer Receiver. Then I connect the atoll preamp to my subwoofer and use the dial on it for bass management. Why do I need bass management you may be asking? Because I run a 2.1 system and I don’t want the full signal going to my bookshelves because thy distort. Then I would connect my amp to my subwoofer high level outs, and finall to my bookshelf. 

If the Atoll preamp is not going to sound any better than buying another Marantz AV Processor, then I will simply replace the Pioneer Elite with another Marantz 7704 l.