Best processor that is excellent for 2 Ch music


Or I should say, best surround preamp that has excellent 2 ch music capability. Basically I am 90% music / 10% HT, and I want to have a surround processor that is excellent for music listening (so as long as the processor has a 5.1 output I am fine, don't need too much features there).

What should I looked at if I want to spend <$1500? Would prefer a silver finish and gently used on A'gon is fine. What do you think? I heard about the Proceed AVP that should be great for 2 channel, another other recommendations?

Thanks.
kylechan

Showing 6 responses by flrnlamb

For the money, and best performance out of both for the money, I suggest the traditional audiophile approach. This is basically keeping a 2 channel setup/rig, while looping a good 5.1 processor into an auxilary or "pass through" input on your 2 channel preamp, as another "source input"!
What this will do is to allow you to have the purity of your 2 channel system intact, as usual. Then, you can simply switch to your input that has the 5.1 processor attached (where all your other channels/speakers are attached to your AV pre/pro), playing the left and right speakers out through your 2 channel setup at unitygain.
Again, you can have your 5.1 pre "off" while doing 2 channel sources, tuner, cd player (assuming quality CD source component,dac's, etc), turntable, etc). This is the best compromise for the money. You can get a superb sounding higher end 2 channel pre for $500-700 range used, often less, and a good Acurus Act 3 (superb for 5.1 movies,dd/DTS,etc) for around $400-500 range used. This is how I'd do a system for a budget, where 90% of your needs are 2 channel, yes!
Otherwise, you're looking at somewhat of a compromise most often in the 2 channel department, greatly leaning on the quality of the preamp section and DAC's in your AV processor! Often, you need to spend lots to try to get high fidelity 2 channel PCM from a pre/pro, as compared to a good 2 channel analog setup.
If you don't want to do this, you might look into used Anthem AVM20. Still, I bet you won't get the same 2 channel sound as what I recommend, with a good CD player/source.
Things are always a compromise one way or another...convenience vs perfomance
I don't doubt the Cary is better sounding as a processor than the pieces Rackon mentioned, indeed. Still, none of these porcessors are going to be as good in the preamp department as a standalone quality higher end preamp! (especially tube pre's, used, for the money!). While the higher end AV pre/pro is going to have good dac's, and good overall processing, the other portions of the preamp stages, analog out's, buffering, etc, isn't going usually be the "ultimate" 2 channel pre, In my experiences.
Still, it's always all usually a compromise. Even high end rigs have lots of compromises, whether their owners think so or not. However, some of these better av pre's have gotten good enough that most would easily (including myself for the time being, as I'm concentrating on HT) satisfy both 2 channel (digitally dirrect mostly) and HT needs! There's some good pieces out there yes.
Rekon, I think you just anwered your own question! I simply think it's a much much better deal to go with quality digital pre, and quality 2 channel preamp, looped together. Whould I spend $6k on a tube multi-channel pre?...no. The reality is that the Cary pre/pro (is it really a processor built into the unit,or just a multi-channel preamp?), isn't going to be any significantly better sounding, probably less, than a good quality used tube pre, in regards to 2 channel. With better tube compliments, the sound is going to be as good as one could expect in some of these used, sub $1k, tube pre's, from Audio Research(ok, a little tubby in the bass), Copeland, old used Cary even, and many others, for less money! Again, for $450 used, you can get a great sounding Acurus Act 3 digital pre/pro, and some used tube preamp (2 channel dubties), with the right tubes, all for a much better deal, maximizing both 2 channel and 5.1 channel. That's my choice anyway.
No, I've not heard the Cary piece in mention. But I've heard enough gear over the years to know what's what.
Reckon. Yes, you're right. You can save "1 box" in your setup, by paying another $5k for the Cary piece! I don't doubt that. However, why would you? Why spend 6x's more money for a pre-pro that's VERY LIKELY got sonic compromises on one portion or the other? Even if it didn't, and was the equal of both a proven out-board solid state pre/pro, plus a proven properly tubed 2 channel pre, again, why spend 5-6x more long green, just to save one box on your self space?? Ok, maybe if you like spending as much as possible, and like impressing your friends with price tags. Then, yes, maybe I can concure.
This IS HOWEVER a used audio trading site! How can you rightly recommend to anyone here to go out and spend retail at a chain store on a very expensive piece, who's results can be had much cheaper here?
When in Rome?...do as the Romans do. That's my 2 cents
In regards to what Sgower mentioned, you can forget that!
Processing from the digital out into an outboard processor is always much better for dd/dts! It's never processing in the DVD player.
Actually, I'm really refering MAINLY to DD/DTS decoded 5.1 material. As for pcm material output from the analog out's of a good dvd player, that's another story entirely!...to a point.
Yes, often using a good dvd player into a 2 channel preamp and such is going to yeild better results for that application. Infact, my old Panasonic DVDA310 has superb 2 channel pcm and 24/96 resolution output from it's analog out's! However, going from my 5.1 channel out's into just about any pre/pro or preamp setup I know of, for processing DVD movies (DD/DTS material), has NEVER YIELDED anything but flat dynamics and lackluster overall 2 dimmensional sound! I have found this to be the case with every dvd player setup! Probably has to do with a number of factors. Basically, my setup's are digital-in from the DVD player for DD/DTS and PCM some times, and analog in for 2 channel pcm, depending.
I say depending because many of my setup's require bass managment and or "EQ'ing" for best sound, which means running full range from analog inputs (without something like an Outlaw ICBM) often leaves me with compromises in bass management and/or (sometimes, depending) equalization!
There's always compromises one way or another.