Best AV Processor for 2 channel

Forget trying to find the perfect "ultra expensive" pre/pro for music/movies, and use a good 2 channel pre, and "loop in" a pre/pro for movies!(otherwise receiver, questionable.)

I'm trying to figure out your explanation of how you hook things up in order to use an analog preamp for home theater. How many outputs does your Cal Audio cd player have? I have a Cal Audio Icon that I would like to use.

Thanks.

David

You take your 2 channel preamp, and hook your L/R speaker set up as usually. Then, using an "auxilary input" or "bypass/monitor/tape input", you connect the L/R "amp out's" from your AV pre/pro to the 2 channel preamp, using one of those inputs. You connect all the other C/LS/RS, etc, output's from your AV pre/pro to the other amp channels. So, when you listen to 2 channel, you simply have your CD player, Tuner, whatever, connected to your 2 channel pre, as usually, and no need for the AV pre/pro to be on or switched in. Then, when you do want movies/multichannel, you simply switch the pre/pro in from whatever "auxilary input" you have it connected to on your 2 channel preamp, engaging the front L/R channels. And of course, the other channels are running through the other amp channels you connect. Simple really

This only works well, however, if your preamp volume control can be set to the same point every time you use your HT system. Otherwise the levels for the LF / RF speakers may not match the others. Ideally you'd have a preamp with either a HT bypass input, or a precise, repeatable detented or digital volume control.

The Majority of Power amps have both RCA and XLR inputs , with a toggle switch depending upon which you want to use. So you could easily have an anlog pre using the XLR, and a processor or reciever feeding the RCA's . Just have to flip the switch.