The Best New HT Processor

Since my previous post, I added a Cary Cinema 12 to the loop, so now the Oppo 105 connects via HDMI and 7.1 analog to the Cary. Surround from the Cary connects directly to the amps, SW to a Velodyne SMS-1 that provides acoustic room correction for a pair of HGS-15s, and the LR fronts from the Cary pass through a Parasound JC 2 BP. The reason for adding the Cary was to enable surround DSD via HDMI from a Sony XA5400ES, but the Cary does a superb job with surround and bass management. The Cary shares the JC 2 BP with an Ayre C-5xeMP and JC 3 phono stage that are used for stereo.

I've always been into the movie thing..and thus "AV", for my high end systems, needed to be a reality -as opposed to JUST a high end 2 ch system for music. That said though, when it came down to AV Prepro selection for myself, I've always focused on the following priorities when choosing (I like good sound) , and that's whether it can, first and foremost, offer GREAT DYNAMICS (must for movies) offers superb clarity and resolution/detail, has a ROOM EQ of some success built in (yes, must be effective tool, cause rooms typically need lots of acoustics help), must at least pass 1080p video -with no hitches for switching capabilities- and must be reasonably priced -prefer used! ..cause, as an audiophile relative kinda tool, I KNOW If it's not likely gunna be the very last word in refined mid-range, top end air, super deep sound-staging, and other audiophile niceties and comparisons to a very very good high end 2 channel analog preamp, or whatever,anyways ..so I'm not too worried about it. ..cause I can always just loop in some..um...other very good, high end 2 ch analog preamp or whatever instead!! Problem solved, basically. Yup, yup.

That said, of old, I always liked budget "over performers", like the old Acurus Act 3, Yamaha budget AV receivers (as PREPRO'S ONLY), but never more pricey than the otherwise acceptably dynamic -yet delightfully more refined and detailed - Krell AV pre's!!! (don't care so much, though, for the non-audiophile more custom oriented video first processors, like the Lexicons though) Never really wanted to spend a whole lot more, really... used, of course.
Besides all of that, for newer current AV pre's, with all the latest features and processing offerings, may I suggest you consider my check points and requirements, as well as my position on "hiend 2 channel options" for your music needs with the system!
Sure, you could spend a bazillion dollars on some stage 9 Theta Casa-something-er-other..., er a Meridian digital front end contraption, er an otherwise nice Macintosh's, Anthem, Classe, or other top end AV piece, ..and so on. But face it. No matter what you spend on some soon to be obsolete, RAPIDLY DEPRECIATING AV pre anyway...and, an "audiophile aspired" piece, it will never offer the return for your money when it comes to 2 channel, basically, compared to a multitude of used hiend 2 ch preamp offerings you could have chosen instead?!!

So, as with most "trade-able", soon to be relatively obsolete anyway AV gear, ..I say...be prudent, and spend wisely! Then you can trade the stuff a year or two later and get your monies back... WINNING!

..so seeing that I didn't apparently REALLY read through your full post, and thus understanding your needs (my bad), I guess you can basically disregard all of my jibber jabber! -lol!
My recommendation is you go ahead and try audition some of the more expensive pre's out there, and decide, ..apparently paying full price, or close to it, for new?? (eeiiyyikes!!?). If you don't want to stay with used, and can't get dealer demo's at your home/system before buying, I suggest you can still try getting hi end pieces you were considering on the used market, tying them out first, then selling them off for , hopefully, what you paid for them. Then, simply hunt down a new one at a good deal(?), and live with the depreciating new piece- which will end up costing you a couple thousand in downed value in a couple of years (innevitable..cost of doing business?).
Either way, you can still actually buy from whatever dealers are closer to you, and they can prob ship them if you're too far away to drive to a physical location/dealer?
So sad...no used option!!!? WOW.. WHAT AN AWFUL THOUGHT -LOL!!! ..Sacrilege, I say! ..good luck on that though.