Suggestions on replacement AV processor...

I am primarily a ultra high end two channel guy and my experiences with high end processors has been disappointing. The difference between a Sony SDP-EP9ES and a ultra high end Fosgate or Lexicon is (in my opinion) not worth the expense.

For that reason, I would find a Sony SDP-EP9ES used and spend the remainder of your budget on a great used tube (two channel) preamp. You may be able to swing an Aesthetix Callisto which is my reference.

The Sony is discontinued, several sites pop up at Google with images and specs if you wish to research. These closed out at about $450.00 new in box three months ago, from an original price of about $1200.00 retail.

I think your system will reproduce much better sound everywhere with your budget split the way I suggest. The two channel will leap light years ahead and the surround will be equal or better than if the $4000.00 was dropped on a processor only.

With 4K you could almost afford a used Theta Casa Blanca I with superior dacs in the front. That would do the trick!!!

Separate the systems if possible. Spending money on an expensive highend processor is (sorry everyone)a waste of money. For HT, an inexpensive processor like the Sony Albert describes will suffice just as well as a 10K processor. To get the best sound for HT and stereo in one room with one processor will yield trade offs. Sound for 2ch music and movie soundtracks are dispearst differently. So right from the start there has to be a trade off (compramises). What is the sense spending the money on an expensive highend processor if music is of the highest priority. If willing to live with the tradeoffs than realise your not going to be getting the best of either surround sound or HT. For the best sound for music, one must build a seperate room matched and tuned for sound with the appropriate components made to deliver the proper dispersion of sound waves. Same applies for movie soundtracks. Just that they are different from one another. For example, one may need to reflect sound while the other will need to absorb sound for the best result and best sound. How can this end up giving the best sound from both. What happens is that one must come to a compramise. Why spend 10k on an expensive processor to only come to a compramise. Wasted many thousands to realise this. Me, i would buy a receiver for HT and in a seperate room spend the money on the best musical system i could afford. Sorry for bad spelling. No spell checker today!!!!!!!

Sorry, I'd have to strongly disagree with the last post "Spending money on an expensive highend processor is (sorry everyone)a waste of money". A decent HT processor is NOT a waste of money at all. You have to consider that most cable, offair and DBS sources are not Dolby 5.1 or DTS. A cheaper processor would be ok if it all was, but this is simply not the case, so further processing is required such as Lexicon's Logic-7, Fosgate/Citation 6-axis, Meridian's Prologic II, etc. These processing modes work wonders on non 5.1 or DTS programs. If you HT is just for listening to DVD's, I guess you could go with a cheaper processor, but if you wish to hear decent sound from other sources, a higher end processor is a MUST HAVE! I seldom, if ever, take my Lexicon out of Logic-7 mode, even with 5.1 and DTS encoded programming, as it sounds great without the horrible DSP modes that a Sony processor uses.

My thoughts anyway..
Mark

Speaking as someone who has had both setups (2 seperate system and now 1 system) I say you need to weigh your priorities. I 2ch music is what you really love, then you need two systems. You will be happy with nothing less. I do agree that the Bryston is a good compromise, but there better 2ch preamps out there. Not to mention that in a HT setup you have a projection tv and 4 or 5 other speakers radiating when you listen to 2ch. Myself, I had to consolodate (the upgrades for both systems were just getting too expensive). If you have the cash, two systems is really the way to go. From the brands you listed I like Proceed (mine), Meridian (if only I had the cash for their complete digital system), Bryston (excellent warranty), and B&K (excellent choice if you have 2 separate systems). Good luck.