AV Pre/Pro as 2-channel preamp

Sorry Kal, but I didn't find one from Onkyo. The only Denon I'm aware of is the just released model at $7K. I've seen an Integra Research model at around $5.5K. I'll look up the other Integra options. Thanks.

Thanks Kal. I found the Integra DTC 9.8. It looks quite promising. I was searching onkyousa.com (seemed like a reasonable place for Onkyo products), but did not find a pre/pro only receivers. I was not aware of the onkyopro.com site.

Thanks Kal and Strateahed. I wouldn't expect many AVRs or pre/pros to match my Bryston BP-26 preamp in transparency. But, if I could get close and get bass management, auto calibration of level and timing and some room correction, I think it'd be a good trade-off. Balanced I/O would be a plus.

Kal, I recall you liked the Bryston SP-2. But, I don't think it has any sort of parameteric EQ.

Denon has announced a separate pre/pro (with balanced connections, I think), but way beyond what I'm willing to pay ($8K, I think).

Has anyone heard the little NAD T175 pre/pro with Audyssey? What is it missing?

DSD decoding is of no interest to me. However, at this point in time decoding HD audio is a must.

Are there currently any pre/pros that support the HD audio codecs?

What are the trade-offs of the HD audio decoding being done in a Blu-Ray player versus a pre/pro?

My speaker system does bass management, level & timing calibration and limited room correction. If there's no serious drawback to the player doing the decoding, then I can skip the pre/pro.

Kal,

Your listing of Denon and Onkyo, is that AV receivers being used as a pre/pro?

What's the thinking that a "good" receiver is maybe $1200, but a pre/pro is easily 3X that price?

Well, all things asside, a 2 channel system doesn't really need distance parameter settings, and auto sound leveling, and such, IMO. I mean, it's irrelevent if the system knows how far you sit from your speakers, as the sound gets there when it gets there, so to speak. And you can EASILY balance the sound between 2 measly speakers, and tell where the balance is set between there (Pick any recording you know, where the vocals are dead center, and adjust your balance levels accordingly!)

Yes, I can definitely ensure that the distance from the listening seat to the left and right speakers match using a tape measure and adjusting the speakers accordingly. The system does not need to know.

However, level matching between left and right channels is rare because balance controls are rare. I'm not one to fiddle with controls based on how a particular recording sounds. I prefer to set things once with test tones and then forget it. The automatic features using a mic in AV pre/pros eases this task and is likely more accurate than I could do manually with an SPL meter assuming a balance control was available. My preamp happens to have a balance control, but I do level matching in my M&K LFE-4 bass management controller.

In general I agree with the rest of your comments, though I think the sonic purity ideal has distracted us from the speakers and room for way too long.

As I said, my active JBL speakers do auto delay and level matching, including the subwoofer. They also have a limited form of single point room correction. So for me it's going to be a matter of HD audio sources and where that decoding will take place.