My ARC Ref3 has balanced HT passthrough. It is unity gain but I think it sounds better going thruogh the Ref3 than a direct connection from my Meridian G68AXV.
Preamp w/ xlrs in the ht-bypass loop
Hello, I'm looking for a two channel preamplifier with a pair of balanced inputs that are included in the home theater bypass loop. I've done a little bit of research and there isn't that many that do this or they're a little over my budget. Mark Levinson has a few but I'd be looking at about $4000 used which is a little more than I was looking to spend and I'd rather buy new anyway. The one that would fit the bill perfectly is the Ayre K-5xe. However, I read the manual and I would need to pull the plug every time to engage the bypass. And the way my rack is set up, that's apples to apples as it would be the same, if I went back there to switch the cables myself. Anyway, if some of you guys could lists some models to check out, I'd appreciate it. The features that I need are simple, with the first three being mandatory, and I'll list them below.
1) Two balanced inputs included in the ht bypass loop- as mentioned above.
2) Has to be fully balanced- I'm not looking to sacrifice anything for the convenience of home theater bypass.
3) Has to be SS- I'm not running tube gear and I do not want to mix and match. I realize this limits the field.
4) I'd like to spend $3000, hopefully less- I'd like to buy new but I'm open to used
5) Less is more- I'm only running a CD player and the amplifiers for my fronts. So that's one pair of balanced outputs and two pairs of balanced inputs. I'll take another set of balanced inputs for a computer DAC, down the road, but it's not a priority. Staying with "less is more," I'd really prefer it to be completely analog. I'm trying to avoid anything that may introduce noise; even those big florescent displays are a concern.
6) Remote- a remote would be nice but not a must
I'm willing to audition anything that includes the first three features on this list; the rest is a bonus. I appreciate the help.
1) Two balanced inputs included in the ht bypass loop- as mentioned above.
2) Has to be fully balanced- I'm not looking to sacrifice anything for the convenience of home theater bypass.
3) Has to be SS- I'm not running tube gear and I do not want to mix and match. I realize this limits the field.
4) I'd like to spend $3000, hopefully less- I'd like to buy new but I'm open to used
5) Less is more- I'm only running a CD player and the amplifiers for my fronts. So that's one pair of balanced outputs and two pairs of balanced inputs. I'll take another set of balanced inputs for a computer DAC, down the road, but it's not a priority. Staying with "less is more," I'd really prefer it to be completely analog. I'm trying to avoid anything that may introduce noise; even those big florescent displays are a concern.
6) Remote- a remote would be nice but not a must
I'm willing to audition anything that includes the first three features on this list; the rest is a bonus. I appreciate the help.