2. home-theater
  3. 1253498726

processor that could serve as a good preamp

HI everybody
I wonder after how many years does processor start having troubles, like lost of channel, stop working, etc.

What's your personnal experience: which processor and after how many years did they start giving you trouble, if any?
Or maybe you have your processor since many years and they have been flawlessly since then.

It could give me a guidelide about which used processor to look for.
should I look, or stay away from Classe ssp-60, moon attraction 7.1, krell hts...

I don't really need hdmi, I can still connect my dvd's hdmi to the tv set.
My Oppo dvd player does have an HDMI output, and my tv set too.
Right now, finance does not permit high price processor with HDMI and I don,t want to go back to low end component for the sake of HDMI input-output. I suppose I will eventually, maybe in a few years, buy a blue-ray player. Wharn this happen finance will permit to buy whatever processor I wish, brand new ( no more car payment or mortgage.
Application:
Watching lcd tv ( not a 1080) and dvd,
listening to cd ( sometime) and vinyl.

I don't need a phono preamp, I already have a lehmann phono preamp.
It's ok if there's also a tuner, but I don't really care if it's there or not.

Other components:

simaudio amp
B&K reference 20 preamp (defective, no surround, only stereo. This is the one that would be replace. So it must be an upgrade, not a side step).
Oracle delphi 4 turntable, claraudio cartridge.
oppo dvd player (also used as a cd player).
Martin logan Vantage loudspeaker.

I'm interested in any suggestion that you can provide.
Thank you
Dan
ph0361

Showing 1 response by pkubica

pkubica
134 posts
 
You probably won't like the answer, but I haven't found a processor that really sounds good in 2 channel audio and I have tried several of those listed above. My thoughts are to purchase a processor that you like for its features, codecs and ability with theater and has a pass through for a good 2 channel preamp.

I am currently using the Onkyo Integra 9.9 which does what I need in a theater processor. It also has a pair of balanced inputs on the rear that can be set as a simple pass through with no processing.

My Analog goes into an Audio Research tube preamp which again does what I need there. I then feed the output of the ARC preamp into the pass through of the Integra.

Everything even works with the Integra remote control. Push "Receiver" for theater and push "Phono" and you have the ARC preamp. Set the volume control about half way on the ARC and then the volume is controlled with the Integra remote as well.

I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but keeping the Analog and Theater separate but still in the same system makes for really great sound.

Paul
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