First pre/pro and hopefully last


I am about to get my first pre/pro and hopefully it will last a long time. It will also serve as a 2 channel preamp. Looking at:
1. CLASSE SSP75, but I think it has been discontinued. why?
2. INTEGRA RESEARCH RDC-7
3. ARCAM AV8
Any opinions on these or others? Speakers will be Heron i's, and amps are yet to be decided, see thread under amps for that question, Bel Canto vs. Classe. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.
saint2
I heard the sunfire Theater Grand III got the reviewers choice award from Home & Theater in 2003. I will have to look into Sunfire. I listened to the Arcam AV8, and it sounded very nice in 2 channel. Classe on there web page discontinued the ssp75, so I don't know if I will persue Classe in the pre/pro area. Ken have you heard anything about that? Ead is suppose to have a nice sound, but someone told me if you lose the remote you are unable to control the machine using the face plate. Is that true??? Anyway how often do you lose a remote. I search is on!!!!
Having heard a many of the pre/pros mentioned above, i just wanted to state that they don't all sound the same. The higher priced models tend to have far fewer features, and MUCH better sound quality.

The best sound coming from the Theta, Krell, Classe, and Meridian models. I've found that none of these pre/pro's sound as good as a real high quality two channel pre-amp. I run my Meridian pre/pro through my two channel pre-amp.

With any pre/pro, be sure to understand how the analog inputs are handled. Some high end pre/pro's do not provide an analog pass thru.
Good points, Cy. With that in mind, my criteria include analog pass through, and balanced outputs for at least the L/R, and preferably L/C/R channels. I don't have any local Meridian dealers, but I do have access to Krell, Theta and Moon Audio (as well as Bryston and Classe).

Tom.