SQ - AV processor preouts vs. stereo linestage preamp

If you want good music go w/a stereo preamp. I've been criticized on other forums for this view, but in my experience AVR's are a poor choice for music. I have separate setups for music and movies. My HT processor is a Krell Showcase. Does a fine job for movies. But for music it can't hold a candle to my Luxman CL38U SE tube preamp. What do you consider a High End AVR??

There is no such thing as a High end AVR. The AVR is the worst component in all of audio. The AVR is so bad even running something through it in pure bypass mode is enough to make it sound worse. I worry some may think I am kidding, or exaggerating for effect. I am not. I am dead serious. Took more than a full year out of my life looking for audiophile quality surround. There is no such thing. Finally gave up when the best one I tried sounded worse then my 30 year old Kenwood integrated amp. Not a little bit worse either. So much worse my wife said, "NO!"

Now granted in your case using a network player and a DAC you are already talking such low level quality it may not be so glaringly obvious. But, still. Don’t take my word for it. Go out and get the bestest AVR your reviews and pals can recommend. Hook it up with the finest cable and power cord you can get your hands on, and listen. Then go find the crappiest beat up stereo integrated. Hook it up with whatever lamp cord you can find. Use the freebie rubber power cord. Be freaking astonished when it walks all over your dream AVR. Because it will.

Yeah I get criticized too. Sticks and stones. Generally speaking they only really start throwing when you are over the target.

Not if you connect the AVP’s preouts to a good stereo preamp.  The only way to go IMO. 

How do u use avr preouts.

i am using a nad m17 v2i.  Maybe a stereo pre would be better?

I would go with a stereo preamp for music, even though you have a decent processor. They never seem to sound as good as a decent 2 channel preamp.

Amazing they cant seem to design an avr that can achieve sq of a stereo pre,  it would sell extremely well and change the planet.

wish i never learned about stereo pre’s - ignorance is bliss.

wish i never learned about stereo pre’s - ignorance is bliss.

But crappy sound isn’t. 

How do u use avr preouts.

Just run a pair of interconnects from the front L/R preouts of the NAD to an unused input (or HT Bypass if there is one) on the stereo preamp.  You can continue to use the NAD for HT duties, but it’ll be completely out of the signal path for 2-channel, which is what you want.  Best of both worlds in one system. 

Thanks
i have run the processor preouts into a preamp and found i need to turn up the preamp sound all the way to get sound to come thru from the processor.

which means if i forget to turn it way down when i switch inputs i will blow my brain up. It is dangerous if i make a mistake. So your approach can be risky unless i get a pre with ht bypass.

i guess true ht bypass will handle switching without extreme sound risk.

i wish there was a quality AB switch with a remote, but seems not many use this approach to switch between ht and stereo.

i have run the processor preouts into a preamp and found i need to turn up the preamp sound all the way to get sound to come thru from the processor.

You can control that by increasing the level of the L/R channels in the prepro’s level balance that would allow you to not have to turn the stereo preamp’s volume level up high.  Or, as you say, if you get a preamp with a HT bypass it becomes a non issue. 

wish i never learned about stereo pre’s - ignorance is bliss.

But crappy sound isn’t.

+1

What is the logic to go:

Network player-->DAC-->AVR-->Pre-amp?

The AVR is completely redundant in this situation.

U Dont need avr if using a preamp.

u missing the point,  use of nice av processor pre out vs a stereo preamp.

Use a stereo preamp.