boa12

zdoug, if he's saying that logic 7 will take a 5.1 speaker system & make it sound like EX w/ 7.1 speakers, i'd say that's bs. the best way to do that is w/ 6.1 or 7.1 speakers & an EX decoder in your processor, & ideally w/ material encoded in EX. iow, Dolby EX is an encoding. EX & logic 7 are decoders so which do you think does EX best? THX basically means Dolby EX w/ a few of their proprietary post-processing EQ type function thrown on top. i think w/ the Ultra 2 its some "steering something" thing that's added to their prior re-eq, adaptive decorrelation & timbre matching post-processing gizmos. but, the lexicons are excellent in their own right, & I believe they have dolby EX decoders anyway. that's what you really want. thx EQ functions aren't a lot to make a dif imho. but as MrM said, logic 7, like DPL II & dts neo, are a decoding process more for 2.0 material.

"joy", actually bach "jesu: joy of man's desiring", but as redone by apollo 100. also check out http://www.digitalaudioguide.com/reviews/1812Tchaikovsky.htm especially if you have a powerful sub.

ken, the gain from the preamp is controlled w/ the volume control. preamps of course also have preset level adjustment for speaker balance, as well as some, like my b&k, have db adjustments to balance the input levels from different sources. i turn the levels on my amp all the way up. no need for them anywhere else unless something is really out of whack that can't be cured in the pre/pro.

tom, same here in KC. must be because his concerts take we parrot-heads to the tropics vicariously.

kpq, welcome & good to hear you dig that klipsch sound. the rc-3 is THE or automatic timbre/voice matched center speak. if you get it from an unauthorized online dealer it won't have a direct warranty from klipsch though. ubid may have some rc-3 pop up there as klipsch has the new rc-3 II out now, & use ubid as their only authorized online dealer for discontinueds' clearance. iow, there you have the direct klipsch factory warranty. as for surrounds, the rs-3 is the automatic lower priced matching choice. rb-3 would also work fine. but whether you want to use wdst (wide dispersion) speaks or direct radiating speaks like rb-3, rb-5, rf-3 or even another pair of rp is up to your own ear tastes & budget. you may also want to check w/ some of the authorized klipsch dealers. they may give you a big discount if they have those like the rc-3 & rs-3 since the newer II series are out.

"I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz Fifty-seven and French fried potatoes. Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer. Well, good God Almighty, which way do I steer For my cheeseburger in paradise." JB

jh, when i took the old 2000 into the tw store they gave me a brand new 2100. it had just come out then. the challenge w/ them here is they have like 8 different outlets. i got all the store phone numbers (another challenge in itself) & called around 1st to find the closest one that had the new 2100.

bbb, wow a 3000. you're way up there. i need to check w/ time warner & see what they now have. does sound like a transmission quirk from adelphia, hbo, or both. though i had a similar problem when i had the analog connections (2.0) from the tv & the digital connection from the box on the same input in the pre/pro. its suppose to sense the signal type & give priority to the digital, but found the analog signal was still conflicting w/ the digital signals where available. so i connected the digital coax to another digital input & all is fine. just have to switch over to tv when i want analog through the system for the analog-only channels. but if you have analog & digital connected to the same input & your processor is having a problem w/ it, then it should affect the ac-3 2.0 digital broadcasts as well. was for me. & maybe trying another dig coax cable wouldn't hurt. maybe you have already. but these things would more isolate the problem to upstream from your system.

v, that's a dilemma. cd are a 2-channel pcm bitstream, so you're only going to get sub output w/ the dsp modes like afd, live house, etc. (i also have a sony de935 in the bedroom). when you use your cd inputs & analog direct mode, you get no sub output because you're not using the dsp in your sony & that's what's needed to create the sub output. & if you use direct inputs you won't get sub output there either because there's no .1 channel on cds & no sub out on the cd player. take it you don't prefer the sound on your dsp music modes like afd (?). but to get pure analog direct (bypassing the dsp) from 2-channel cds, you will always have just the LF & RF stereo channels playing. you have to use a dsp to get sub output, or center/surround output, from 2-channel material on a 2-channel cd player. myself, i'd just use the optical digital connection & the receiver's dacs & dsp. only direct analog connections for dvd-audio/sacd players, or if the dacs in the cd player are that much better than the sony & you only want 2 speaker stereo listening w/ no sub.

v, how is your cd player connected, to the direct inputs? & do you want to use a sub w/ it or just the rf-3 in stereo? & beware i think those 7.1 (8 jacks) are outputs, not inputs. or can you switch them to either (that'd be a new one on me).

v, yeah, you can connect the cd player to the dvd-audio L & R jacks. they're just direct/bypass jacks. then when you select cd & have it set to dvd-audio mode (direct input jacks) it'll always play direct from those jacks. does your sony have direct inputs? & take it your cd player has only stereo L & R analog outputs & you don't use a sub there. also the ref 30 can do 40 different presets. so you could even use splitters & run two different devices through the direct inputs, such as a cd player & a dvd-audio player.

bbb, that's odd no problem like that here w/ time warner cable & a scientific atlanta explorer 2100 box connected to the digital input of the pre/pro. only problem here is that we need ppv movies broadcast in 5.1 & those channels/shows w/ 5.1 to use dts over dolby. sounds like a bitstream detection thang. but i'm not up on it enough to say. may want to get a newer dig box from the cableco anyway - that may fix it. i'm going to trade for the sci atlanta 2200 just to stay updated in the tech.

welcome back JH. sorry about the F-ball. maybe next year. Yeah & ask hbo when they'll start broadcasting in dts? bbb, is it dropping the sound all together, the volume level, or you mean dropping from 5.1 down to 2.0?

v, oh yeah, no problem there. b&k have many controls & settings. when you attach the cd player to the dvd-audio (direct, analog) input jacks & set up the cd input to dvd-audio mode, it'll remember that always, or you can change on the fly. this bypasses the dsp though so you won't get any bass mgmt or anything from the b&k's dsp. or if you attach the cd player to the cd analog jacks (& don't also attach a digital connection for that input), it'll sense analog input everytime & then use the a/d & d/a convertors, dsp i use the dvd/cd player also for cds. but use the digital connection. the processor auto-detects the bitstream so if i play a 2-channel CD it plays in stereo mode, but if i put on a dts or dolby 5.1 dvd it goes auto to surround mode.

iD, yeah they are the same - dolby & thx jointly developed EX. thx uses dolby tech for the EX encoding & decoding so that's really dolby. thx extras like timbre matching, eq & such are done post-processing. so they can be done on top of stereo or dts formats besides the various dolby formats including prologic.

v, in essence balanced use 3 pin connections that are suposedly less noisy than the standard rca jacks. also called xlr & what many of the pro equipment use like w/ mixers. shouldn't make any dif for real short runs like between a pre/pro & amp though. & my 7270 doesn't have them so to use them i'd have to get a new amp w/ them also, or just use it for my sub connection which has xlr input. yes the reference 30 does have a bit of a noise floor, but that's because it doesn't use filters or mute circuits. iow, very discrete circuitry & real low crosstalk. when something's playing any hiss is inaudible, & only audible right near the speaker otherwise. . iow, what matters is the sound when its cranking. i wouldn't put a lot on specs either. the ideal is to spend some real quality time w/ it at your place & w/ your other equipment & your various material. my set-up w/ it will easily push toward 120db at the listening position 12 ft away & still sounds great, though scary at times.

saw they also have a new pre/pro - the reference 50 - out. so the 507 should be that pre/pro combined w/ a good amp in the same chassis. check out/do a search on www.hometheaterforum.com

v, did they mention the new b&k reference 50 is out or coming soon? just saw that last pm. its msrp is less than the 30, but w/ new dacs, balanced connectors, formats, etc. thanks for mentioning this. i should have an upgrade available soon now (or maybe i'll upgrade to the 50), that's why they have that 30 so low priced now. new one out - natural obsolecence. agree. best to demo in your own place w/ your stuff though. maybe they didn't let you crank it up as much too. my b&k set-up - the more i turn it up the better it sounds. never any strain - not even so much on my ears as its loud but doesn't sound loud. but your own tastes are key.

scott, thanks. that was what i was trying to get at by following troubleshooting rule #1 - before you go switching around connections & hardware, verify that source material, source devices, or software settings aren't the problem.

& best price on the 7270 here is the unauthorized legacy for $2500. one thing though, the ref 30 i think/hope is about to be upgraded so it may be a lil obsolete. but have you heard this pre/pro & amp set-up w/ your klipsch yet? pure beauty in sound & all the great features. just needs some of the newer formats like dte es discrete, DPL II, etc. but you may not even need them. its already a thx ultra that'll drive 7.1 in dolby/thx ex or dts.

v, that's a great price on the ref 30 (unless sales taxes are 30% ). all the low price unauthorized net dealers are over that by hundreds. also check out the amp price at this site - yahoo (good price scanner). http://search.shopping.yahoo.com/search/all/__yltc=s:22708228,d:14489115,p:s,l:search?is=1&p=b%26k+reference+30&did=

hey v, that's just what i have. i got both from legacy audio-video which really is a part of Uncle's in NY, for around $4400 including shipping. & they're unauthorized but buy from an authorized dealer in CA. but that was about a year ago now. but i'd say that's a heck of a good deal from a local authorized dealer. you don't want to mess around shipping a 75 lb amp back for repairs. i paid $2200 for the ref 30 about a year ago & that was a great price then.

ric, ok now we're talkin! congrats again (w/ more certainty & assuming it was a good price).

moon, i probably wouldn't have, but you did call stephen steph.

tank, i'd lean toward using a rc-3 for the reasons i've stated numerous times before, but when it comes down to it the only way you'll know for sure for your ears is to demo each at your place.