Opinions Please?

IMO, the Proceed AVP2+6 is a great home theatre pre/pro
that doesn't scrimp on two channel sound. Mark Levinson
has announced that it will be folding Proceed into Levinson, but they will continue to serve the AVP.

For your amps, if you can, I recommend avoiding the 5
channel theatre amps. If possible, split your amps.
Use a high quality two channel amp for your front left
and right and a three channel amp for your front and
surrounds. This, again, will preserve the quality of
your two channel sound. Several companies make two and
three channel amps that you could mix and match to fit
your budget.

IMO, the Proceed AVP2+6 is a great home theatre pre/pro
that doesn't scrimp on two channel sound. Mark Levinson
has announced that it will be folding Proceed into Levinson, but they will continue to serve the AVP.

For your amps, if you can, I recommend avoiding the 5
channel theatre amps. If possible, split your amps.
Use a high quality two channel amp for your front left
and right and a three channel amp for your center and surrounds. This, again, will preserve the quality of
your two channel sound. Several companies make two and
three channel amps that you could mix and match to fit
your budget.

Sorry about that duplication -- I thought I had only
posted the second one. Argh!

Sbachman -

Recently, I had a chance to audition the Plinius. Really
nice amp. I can't claim to know the effects of matching
the Plinius with Proceed. But, if you are primarily concerned with your two channel sound, maybe you
should start with the two channel amp and then try to
find a three channel amp that will match up. Levinson
also makes two and three channel amps. Even if you
buy a two and three channel Proceed amp, I believe you'll get better two channel sound that way than buying a 5 channel amp. I believe Bryston also makes two
and three channel amps. So, if you are concerned
with matching -- staying with the same manufacturer
or "family" [Levinson and Proceed] might simplify the process. Or, how about a Plinius SA-250 for your
front left and right, a SA-102 for the surrounds and
another SA-102, bridged, for the Center? That'd be
a nice Plinius system.

I believe they will continue to sell Proceed for awhile,
but I would expect that you will continue to see Proceed
gear sold here on Audiogon. And, Levinson says they
will continue to offer successful Proceed products like
the AVP2 and the HPA2 and 3 under the Levinson brand. In any case, you can go to WWW.Madrigal.Com
and read the press release to get the news directly.