7.1 HT Preamp w/HDMI recommendations needed

[mapmustang]

I currently have a B&K Ref 50 S2 7.1 pre that I have been enjoying for about 3 years now. I have been very much satisfied with its performance but I am really needing something with HDMI and decoders for Dolby TruHD and DTS-HD, preferably with about 4 HDMI inputs. I have a Sunfire Cinema 7 amp driving Ascent i fronts, Motif center, Fresco rears, and Montage surrounds. Does anyone have a recommendation for something of comprable quality/price to the B&K that fits the bill. I'm open to used products, but wouldn't want to spend more than ~$2500. Thanks for the help.

 

[Cherian]

Why not look at the Sunfire TGP-401? You can get one on audiogon for $2400.00 If this is too much you can get a TGP-5 NEW on Audiogon for $1275.00.

http://www.sunfire.com/productdetail.asp?id=2

 

[mapmustang]

Neither of those have Dolby TruHD or DTS-HD. I know not many higher end manufacturers have added support for those, but I would like to have them or its really not worth the upgrade as right now I watch more movies than music.

 

[Bono]

Marantz AV-8003

Check out Marantz AV-8003 excellent for surround sound. You could get a used one for around $1800.

Mike

 

[Audiophiliac]

For the money, the new Integra DHC-40.1 would fit the bill nicely. I think I will likely end up with one if I go the surround sound route.

http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DHC-40.1&class=Separates&p=i

 

[cstory]

A second vote for the Marantz AV-8003. I've had mine for a year and a half, with no desire to change. It sounds great.

 

[Ron]

a third vote for the Marantz av 8003

 

[daniel]

Contrary to the Intregra the Maranz doesn't look like a teen's pimpled face.:ROFL:

 

[mapmustang]

I would have to agree that all the uncovered buttons on the Integra are quite an eyesore. I don't know anything about their gear, but it's not as asthetically pleasing as the Marantz.

 

[daniel]

I would have to agree that all the uncovered buttons on the Integra are quite an eyesore. I don't know anything about their gear, but it's not as asthetically pleasing as the Marantz.

And of course, nobody cares about aesthetic. :ROFL:

 

[Rvega003]

And if you want to get nasty Contrary to the marantz with its no-name third rate proprietary video scaler (I've read plenty of reports that confirm its issues with Hidef vid.), the Integra features one of the best video chips on the market (HQV). Oh and if you really don't like the exposed buttons, buy the Onkyo professional version, it too has a flap door. Now I know this information is probably of little use to you mapmustang, from what I can gather maintaining overall fidelity in both two and five channel playback is your primary goal, but with limited time (I am currently prepping for a cruise I'm leaving on tomorrow) I'll I can do is lash back at the Onkyo/ Inegra haters (of which I used to be a member if you read some of my older post; although I still think there amps are useless dribble). If you haven't made up you mind by Monday (when I get back), I'd be glad to offer legit insight into my preamps performance (pros, and cons as I can point out both).

P.S. : The Integra has a built in phono stage, although I'll be the first to admit it sucks.

 

[mapmustang]

I'm willing to listen to any recommendations you might have. I might go out tonight and look at both the Integra and the Marantz. The 80.1 might be more to my liking though as it also has XLR outputs.

Do any of you Marantz owners have a picture of the remote? It's not on their website.

 

[daniel]

If you're an analog fan, you should also check whether or not the pre-pro is digitizing the analog signal. I know the first Simaudio pre-pro did, not the latter.

@Rvega003 maybe your an integra lover, but don't take it too seriously. You like pimpled face? What am I to argue about this.

 

[Rvega003]

For the last time I own the Onkyo pro version, which like the Marantz has 80% of the controls hidden behind a flap door; although if it didn't exist I would have bought the Integra still, because it was the best unit for the price. Read my post fully next time. Furthermore I'm not really an Integra lover because if I had the bloody 8 grand in disposable income it would take to purchase an Anthem statement D2v I'd have that instead. The Onkyo offered me a cheap escape from my dated receiver, I took it, and have been satisfied with the return on investment. Stop acting like the Marantz is the Mona Lisa of audio too. I much preferred the retro style of there old mid-line flagship (the SR9600, look up image on Google), than the random out of place curves on the 8003. Now if we want to objectively compare the two products I'm always up for that.

 

[DrJRapp]

Furthermore I'm not really an Integra lover because if I had the bloody 8 grand in disposable income it would take to purchase an Anthem statement D2v I'd have that instead.

I wasn't an Integra lover either. I owned an Anthem Statement D2 and found it not worthy of it's cost and way too problematical, so, three years ago I dumped it (at a good price) and bought an Integra DTC 9.8 (earlier version of the current 40.1) AND a BAT VK31SE for what I got. The Integra gives me flawlwss video and associated digital audio, and I find it worthy of a $25K surround sound setup.

The buttons don't look so bad in the dark, which is the condition most times I am in my theater room.

 

[asindc]

I wasn't an Integra lover either. I owned an Anthem Statement D2 and found it not worthy of it's cost and way too problematical, so, three years ago I dumped it (at a good price) and bought an Integra DTC 9.8 (earlier version of the current 40.1) AND a BAT VK31SE for what I got. The Integra gives me flawlwss video and associated digital audio, and I find it worthy of a $25K surround sound setup.

The buttons don't look so bad in the dark, which is the condition most times I am in my theater room.

I also have the DTC 9.8, and I consider the biggest bang for the buck in my whole system without question. My Integra dealer told me that the Onkyo folks realized almost right away after the first orders started flooding in that they priced it too low.

 

[timm]

I currently have a B&K Ref 50 S2 7.1 pre that I have been enjoying for about 3 years now. I have been very much satisfied with its performance but I am really needing something with HDMI and decoders for Dolby TruHD and DTS-HD, preferably with about 4 HDMI inputs. I have a Sunfire Cinema 7 amp driving Ascent i fronts, Motif center, Fresco rears, and Montage surrounds. Does anyone have a recommendation for something of comprable quality/price to the B&K that fits the bill. I'm open to used products, but wouldn't want to spend more than ~$2500. Thanks for the help.

I am curious - guessing the B&K has 7.1 analog inputs? why not go that way - and let your blu-ray player do the decoding? I know you miss out on the room equalization etc...(some players do it - but probably not as well).. and I have always sent my video direictly to my tv/monitor. To me, it just seems cleaner... I can not figure out why someone would want to send the video thru a pre/or receiver (which manipulates the signal)- to then have it go to the tv (which manipulates the signal as well), I get the 'ease of use/less wires' factor... but can somebody tell me it actually looks better going thru the processor? If it doesn't -- why do it? Secondly, for audio...my system sounds better thru the analog input than the digital inputs... the age of the components is about equal (sunfire pre / denon 5900 universal).... when i purchased my blu ray player - i made sure it had 7.1 analog outs and also transferred the new codecs thru the analog outs .... just a thought here...

 

[zaphod]

i'm with Timm on keeping the video out of the audio chain. i have a separate chain for video consisting of mainly extron broadcast quality gear.

keeping the video chain seperate has also allowed me to maintian the audio side while upgrading video to incorporate HDMI as it came into the pic over the last few years.

but the one thing that really bugs me about AV processeser is that they route the video signal but do not translate it to different formats. so if you have an HDMI input (blue-ray), a component input (sat or digital TV), a laptop (RGB) and perhaps an old VCR or laserdisc (S-video) you end up with 3 video cables to the display.

pretty much all of the installs i've done for people end up with multiple video cables to the display and switching on the display. thank goodness for Harmony remotes.


the scalers in my video chain take my multiple source types and resolve them into one RGBHY cable to the projector.

video is a whole second world of gear and tweaks - so i get twice the fun as i would with just one AV box!

 

[mapmustang]

Well for one, I think I'm missing out on some of the low end out of my blu rays by using the analog ins. All the players I've seen that do have analog outs seem to lose 5 to 10 db on the sub out where it sould be fine with HDMI. Several of my movies sound great, but I had them on DVD and the LFE was much more noticeable on the DVD so that is leaving me wanting more bass from the descent. I was also wanting to pick up a standalone HD-DVD player to replace my xbox 360 add-on since I own several movies and now you can pick up titles for dirt cheap. I wouldn't be able to run analog outs on both to my pre with the current setup. With that I'm getting to the point of having too many pieces of equipment to fit on my stand. Its pretty much just brainstorming right now, but thats what I have been thinking about.

 

[JonFo]

...

pretty much all of the installs i've done for people end up with multiple video cables to the display and switching on the display. thank goodness for Harmony remotes.


the scalers in my video chain take my multiple source types and resolve them into one RGBHY cable to the projector.

video is a whole second world of gear and tweaks - so i get twice the fun as i would with just one AV box!

Zaph, as a fellow CRT'er, I understand your desire to have great scaling. But after doing much of what you outline, I finally switched to a processor that could do it all and have been extremely happy.

The AVP-A1HD gives me all the scaling I need to feed the CRT and some 1080p panels as well.
It upsamples and upconverts all analog sources (now only my LD player).

Even my HTPC is now outputting audio and video over HDMI, so even though I have a bazillion analog inputs on the AVP, I actually only have two (IIRC) connected.

My system got complex enough that i decided to reverse course and now have a, ahem, simpler solution

The AVP is not cheap, but considering all it does, I find it a tremendous value.