Processor question

I play a lot of chess online. I see a lot of people saying things like "I prefer to play with my rooks" which is a bit goofy. One plays with all their pieces, and moves the one that will improve the position best at the time. In music reproduction, those that ask what sound characteristics others look for are just as misguided. What are you asking....am I searching for a bump in the upper midrange? Am I looking for rolled off frequencies in the treble? If I was I would invest in a graphic equalizer. Here is what I am looking for.....a good sounding (at all audible frequencies) home theater processor that I can use with both music , multi channel, as well as two channel, and movies This is not as complicated as you pseudo experts make it seem..And yes, your question was answered despite your protestations. I will now ask politely....please stop being concerned with my system, that is something I've done for 46 years now. You may continue to parse music into "sound characteristics" and take that idea which is common in these forums to others, but it doesn't hunt with me. And my guess is, unless you work for, or were a part of the design team of either of these processors, you would not have an accurate answer anyway. Your "sound characteristics" question was just designed to make you seem like you have knowledge others do not have. My response to your last sentence is an invitation for you to do as you have written. And as an aside....a" thoughtful recommendation" between the two would need to be based on personal experience with one or both (which you have not claimed), or a general explanation of some possible differences, which a few members here have done and I have acknowledged and thanked them for.
   Steven

moag, if you’re happy with you current stereo preamp does it have a by-pass mode? In my setup analog goes directly from an Ayre DX-5 DSD to KX-5 Twenty preamp for stereo. For surround, HDMI goes to a Bryston SP3 processor that returns analog stereo (the front LR) to a by-pass input of the preamp.

@dbphd - have you ever tried using your SP3 as the preamp?  I would say that the analog input/output sections on the SP3 are at the same level as a high end 2-channel preamp.  I would give it a try.  At that point, the KX-5 would only be used if you prefer the "sound" of the KX-5.

dbphd.....Thanks for the suggestion. If I am unhappy with the musical performance of the processor, I will connect it through the home theater bypass of my Wavelet preamplifier to see if there is improvement.
    I appreciate the response.
         Steven

Here is what I am looking for.....a good sounding (at all audible frequencies) home theater processor

Ah, that narrows it down. I’ve heard both at different dealerships but with the same stereo and HT demo tracks and they’re both good sounding at all frequencies so you can just take your pick, and I’ll avoid over complicating it by going into sound characteristics. Hope this helps, and enjoy whichever you end up choosing.