2. home-theater
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processor that could serve as a good preamp

HI everybody
I wonder after how many years does processor start having troubles, like lost of channel, stop working, etc.

What's your personnal experience: which processor and after how many years did they start giving you trouble, if any?
Or maybe you have your processor since many years and they have been flawlessly since then.

It could give me a guidelide about which used processor to look for.
should I look, or stay away from Classe ssp-60, moon attraction 7.1, krell hts...

I don't really need hdmi, I can still connect my dvd's hdmi to the tv set.
My Oppo dvd player does have an HDMI output, and my tv set too.
Right now, finance does not permit high price processor with HDMI and I don,t want to go back to low end component for the sake of HDMI input-output. I suppose I will eventually, maybe in a few years, buy a blue-ray player. Wharn this happen finance will permit to buy whatever processor I wish, brand new ( no more car payment or mortgage.
Application:
Watching lcd tv ( not a 1080) and dvd,
listening to cd ( sometime) and vinyl.

I don't need a phono preamp, I already have a lehmann phono preamp.
It's ok if there's also a tuner, but I don't really care if it's there or not.

Other components:

simaudio amp
B&K reference 20 preamp (defective, no surround, only stereo. This is the one that would be replace. So it must be an upgrade, not a side step).
Oracle delphi 4 turntable, claraudio cartridge.
oppo dvd player (also used as a cd player).
Martin logan Vantage loudspeaker.

I'm interested in any suggestion that you can provide.
Thank you
Dan
ph0361
pkubica
134 posts
 
You probably won't like the answer, but I haven't found a processor that really sounds good in 2 channel audio and I have tried several of those listed above. My thoughts are to purchase a processor that you like for its features, codecs and ability with theater and has a pass through for a good 2 channel preamp.

I am currently using the Onkyo Integra 9.9 which does what I need in a theater processor. It also has a pair of balanced inputs on the rear that can be set as a simple pass through with no processing.

My Analog goes into an Audio Research tube preamp which again does what I need there. I then feed the output of the ARC preamp into the pass through of the Integra.

Everything even works with the Integra remote control. Push "Receiver" for theater and push "Phono" and you have the ARC preamp. Set the volume control about half way on the ARC and then the volume is controlled with the Integra remote as well.

I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but keeping the Analog and Theater separate but still in the same system makes for really great sound.

Paul
tobaccoleafpie's avatar
tobaccoleafpie
36 posts
 
I have a Krell HTS2. It was at least 5 years old when I bought it in July of 2008 (eBay). It blew a fuse just this September. I sent it back to Krell and it took about 4 weeks to get it back. They are quite proprietary which is both good and bad. Good: they want to fix their own stuff. Good: they loaded more recent software into it. Bad: it takes forever to get back. Bad: I called their tech support for help in setting it up. Person was sort of impatient, didn't understand my question, and told me to RTFM (see Urban Dictionary). Bad: shipping from CA to CT is not cheap. Bad: $1 for the fuse, $120 for the labor, and about$60 for shipping.

Still I like it a lot and it is plenty for my needs. I would buy it again.

I use it with a 5.1 setup. As for your current needs, you won't need to upgrade the processor since it already has some great features that you may need to use in the future.

I have a blue ray and a HDMI which feeds directly into the tv. The audio is through a coax digital audio cable into one of the digital inputs. I don't have any HDMI going into the processor but am very happy nonetheless. I use my system very often just for CD, iTunes, and phono. For that, I most often use Music Mode which provides afaint reverb from the back speakers giving it a theatre stage feeling. If you want purity, you can choose stereo mode or preamp mode which is probably all you will need for now.

Oh, and well priced. It dropped since I bought it.
mds's avatar
mds
119 posts
 
I basically do the same thing as Pkubica does, run my system thru a Calypso Preamp. The meridian processor sounds better with the gain up and sent thru the calypso for 2 channel.
jnsluft
4 posts
 
I'd like to add a question to this forum. How many ANALOG multi-channel preamps are out there? I'd like to add 5.1 surround for DVD watching, but my main priority is playing records.
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
Not many, but the former head of Simm Audio has a newer line out and in that line there is an integrated six ch amp that is without digital processing... and all analog. It was well reviewed by Stereophile and one orther online mag. If I think of the name I'll post it here. 120wpc into 8o, I think.

Saw one here for sale a while back too.
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