surround processor?

Millercarbon is a 2 channel purist but don’t hold that against him. He gets it right 100% of the time otherwise :)

I can say this with 100% assurety.
Find a lightly used Classe SSP-800 on EBay or elsewhere. There is one listed now on EBay for $1200! And you could make an offer for $1,000 and he might accept. There is 1 on U.S. Audio Mart for $2100 CAD or $1600 U.S. I’ve seen them awhile back for $2600-3400....I paid $8,000. The only risk is no returns on the EBay one.... So investigation is warranted. But, if it is like mine, it is a tank.

I have 1 and have had it since it near first came out in 2009. 12 years without so much as a hiccup. The SSP has excellent surround and excellent 2 channel. I mean excellent. There is an unadulterated analog pass through/digital bypass and I will soon hook up a Rogue Audio Ares Magnum tube phono preamp to it.......The only thing it doesn’t have is Dolby Atmos and another 1 but you can upgrade the SSP with an upgraded DSP card for $999 and get them.

It also has a great DAC. I stream an upgraded Node 2i to it and it sounds fantastic. The 5.1 surround is excellent as well.

You can have the best of both worlds. 2 channel and surround. At $1000-$1200 or $1600 you cannot touch it with any other processor in the world.

There are several stellar reviews online. One being Robert Harley from TAS who absolutely loved it.
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/tas-194-classe-audio-ssp-800-multichannel-controller-1

And this review:
https://www.audioholics.com/av-preamp-processor-reviews/classe-ssp-800-review/arrival-unpacking-design-overview-features
And I’d be happy to help you out in any way I can should you have any questions.
Good luck!

you might rethink that 100% grade, do some research on what he thinks of digital. Square that up, if you can….

Yeah. He’s a true analog guy. Nothing wrong with that. I like digital when I’m home from work or cleaning the house etc where I don't want to fuss with albums.....Digital can sound very good. But for true immersive music, I love vinyl better.

But the OP is talkin’ ’bout AV processors.

I have a 5.1 channel MC-12 I no longer use. I’ve been meaning to post and sell it. I loved it for surround sound, nothing close to it, very flexible, an amazing pre-amp for that use. Matches well with any high quality amp. 2-channel was good, but still no where near the quality of a dedicated 2-channel. Just depends on what’s most important to you.

Imho, 'surround' can work....but it has to be approached with the care that MC has towards 2chan....but, again, mho