The Best New HT Processor

I realize that this is well below your specified budget, but you should probably take a good look at the Emotiva XMC-1 for $1999. It is a whale of a good processor with state of the art room correction capability using Dirac RCS.

The 5 year warranty and 30 days in-home trial are very nice, too...

https://emotiva.com/products/pres-and-pros/xmc-1

-RW-

The problem I have with expensive processors is that, unlike preamps, they tend to become obsolete as new processing technology is developed. So I use an Oppo 105 for processing, and pass through its front LR stereo to the preamp. Surround channels can be taking directly to the amps. If your preamp does not have a by-pass mode, you can mark the point at the volume control where it achieves unity gain using an SPL meter.

The single-ended output of the Oppo is as good as its balanced output, leaving the balanced inputs of the AR preamp available for the Esoteric and Accuphase. I think DTS HD MA is worth having.

db

You can’t go wrong with the Bryston sp3, outstanding movie track and 2 channel listening, if you have good amplifiers. I was going for a Classe ssp 800 and after research and talking with dealers how carry bot brand I went with the SP3, no regrets. Never herd Krell produck.

When you highlight "best" in an AV preamp/processor and you then further highlight a select triumvirate of KRELL vs BRYSTON vs CARY in a potential shoot-out, I'm driven to conclude that
- your "best" is primarily kit build quality and resulting performance, but
- independent of of "best" in the context of "bang-fer-yer-buck"

The hurdle is that the ever-changing new CODECS introducing advanced early obsolescence and also the HDMI handshake problems (Google the failures of many brands) and other AV board failures are big.

(1) Your three choices are arguably the three leaders of the precious few exempt from the high levels of catastrophic failures BECAUSE of their exceptional build quality. Build-wise....IMO ... just a "pick 'em" choice governed only by that illusory and variable synergy with the rest of your system

Performance wise - a "pick 'em" best of class ...each and every one. However they still can suffer from early CODEC obsolescence and changing technology adoptions. All three are, simply put, the very top superb performers now and best-in-class leaders.

BUT...they too can become obsolete and depreciate all-to-quickly as a herd mentality persists chasing the latest-and-greatest CODECS and "gizmos". The tension is now about whether the premium build quality and $$ spent on an unavoidable existing fast-depreciating kit is still worth it to the average hobbyist in an rapidly changing CODEC and illusory "whistles-and-bells & flashing lights gizmos" environment

Firmware updates on all consumer AV processor gear is transitory, brief, and iffy at best. Example: ARCAM has stopped all firmware updates for my FMJ BD100 BluRay player, so some BluRays can trigger a questionable and rickety startup now. At least it has a 5 year warranty on the rest of the kit.

(2) "Bang-fer-yer-buck Best" is arguably in the next tier down ..... a distant drop in enduring build quality for sure, but still with all the latest and greatest features ("the gizmos?") and CODECS....but less than $2000 initial outlay so the obsolescence depreciation loss factor is softened.

These can be now be arguably planned as the HT "disposables" portion of your HT gear, and you retain the power amps going forward.

One more example of a standalone "2nd tier disposable" choice that I picked up -- based on reviews and personal experience mirrors the favourable reviews -- is the NU-FORCE AVP-18. Google the reviews - highly recommended

(1) This anecdotal suggestion and its classmates are NOT in the same build quality strata as your initial Big Three..... BUT.....
(2) its capital outlay savings differential permits it to be a "disposable" that ameliorates it against the build quality of its high-end Big Three alternatives.

FWIW....

I own the Classe SSP-800, as a matter of fact I have owned it for quite awhile. Guess what, it's not obsolete! It still sounds great on 2 channel or multi channel. No handshake issues at all. I sold my Audio Research LS25 MKII and have no regrets at all. If I were in the market to buy a processor I would buy either a Bryston or the Classe units.