Dandoyen Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hey all, Went all out for my HT. Currently deployed, but when I get home will be employing full heritage 7.1 setup (using every speaker in the heritage line). Only piece missing is a good pre/pro. Would like one w/ a good phono section as I do enjoy vinyl, but i also will be doing a lot of multi-channel music listening (SACD, DVD-A...etc...) I just ordered cambridge audio's 751bd to take care of that. Will also be using extensively for blu-ray use. Good luck getting me out of my theater room while i'm on leave. I know arcam and anthem make a good one, but I'd like to avoid that price range if possible. If not, c'est la vie. Just wondering what a good match for the heritage line will be? Would preferably want something w/ the HDMI goodies and lossless audio formats. Good DACs a MUST. My room is also very good w/ the corners so placement shouldn't be a problem, but would also prefer quality EQ software. Anyone here have experience w/ the Marantz av7005? Anyone know how that compares w/ integra products? Do any of these blend well w/ khorns and heritage products? Are there any others out there that i've just missed that you think might be a good fit? This pre/pro research has gotten me bogged down, so I'm turning to the experts! This forum has never steered me wrong, coming to you guys first. Any help is greatly appreciated. System info below. Thanks y'all! Any and all recommendations/opinions welcome. I'm here to learn! Dan --------------------------------------------------------------------- Mains: 2011 Khorns (Cherry) Center: 2011 LaScala 2 (Cherry) Surrounds: In the market for Cornwalls (WTB in CA – will pursue when I return) Rears: 2010 Heresy III (Cherry) Sub: Danley DTS – 10 Amps: Mark Levinson No 433 (Mains/Center), Outlaw 7500 (surrounds/rears), Behringer EP2500 (sub) BDP: Cambridge Audio 751BD Epson 8700UB w/ 106” Elite screen DirecTV HD/DVR (gotta have my Sunday Ticket!) Pre-pro: ? TBD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornfedksboy Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Dan, I think you've earned that fantastic set-up! Thanks for your service! I wish I could be of more help to you on this, but you are a little out of my expertise range. I might also suggest that you repost this question in the 2-Channel forum as most of the heritage guys (even those running HT) hang out there. They are likely to have some great recommendations. Just make sure you let them know that you want new (if that is what you want). They tend to recommend alot of great vintage gear. I do like the processing capabilities of the Integra line, and I am a fan of the Marantz brand, but I don't have any experience with their pre/pros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 In my research, the best pre-pro out there right now is the Integra DHC 80.3 and the DTA 70.1. I like the HDMI 1.4a's and the 192KHz/32bit dacs all around. The pre is very expensive, but the amp is reasonable. I am going to buy them, and match them with an Oppo BDP-93 for DVD-A, BluRay, and SACD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Unless you want 3D, there's no need in getting anything more than HDMI 1.1, you're not missing out on the new sound formats. As long as your player can do the decoding, you're good to go. Don't forget to look at offerings from NAD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted September 20, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 20, 2011 Unless you want 3D, there's no need in getting anything more than HDMI 1.1 It depends on whether you want to have one cable or 8 cables. 1.1 cannot carry the HD audio. You'll have to use the 7.1 multi-channel inputs. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Unless you want 3D, there's no need in getting anything more than HDMI 1.1 It depends on whether you want to have one cable or 8 cables. 1.1 cannot carry the HD audio. You'll have to use the 7.1 multi-channel inputs. I don't think so. The player decodes and send it as a PCM stream over HDMI 1.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted September 20, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 20, 2011 My bad, I was thinking about my PS3. It cannot send bitstream. Sorry, I was mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Whatever you decide, DO NOT spend a bunch of money, unless you got plenty.The last really good prepro I had before my current was a Rotel, very nice for music and movies, few "new" models from 1 to 2k have that really nice musical sound, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Unless you want 3D, there's no need in getting anything more than HDMI 1.1, you're not missing out on the new sound formats. As long as your player can do the decoding, you're good to go. Don't forget to look at offerings from NAD. Not true. Revision 1.4-1.4a adds: Ethernet ChannelAudio Return Channel4K video supportandAdditional Color Spaces The thing of particular interest to me personally is the Audio Return Channel. Revision 1.1 doesn't even support SACD! By the way, the BD player he bought is a $1,200 player, and it is 3D. Lastly, the DAC's in this preamp are even better than the ones in his Cambridge. They are also better than the Marantz preamp. I ordered my Integra pre-pro today. It ships end of next week. $2,400 pre, $1,500 amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted September 20, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 20, 2011 few "new" models from 1 to 2k have that really nice musical sound, imo. That's sad. You would think 2k should be able to deliver that. Boy this hobby is expensive. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandoyen Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 Thanks for the feedback thus far y'all! I can't see 3D being a big deal, but never know. My projector doesn't support 3D. May be nice to have in the future if I ever decide to go that route. Musicality is an absolute MUST! Sound is priority #1 (as I'm sure you can all relate []). Mustang, I'd be very interested in your review when you get your goodies, particularly in consideration to the phono section, still love my vinyl. congrats on that purchase by the way! At this point I would just need the pre. Power amps are already on-hand and I'm more than happy with my Levinson. I'm sure I'm showing my ignorance here, but does the single HDMI 1.4a cable compare (sound-wise) to using the 7.1 inputs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Let me help you spend more $. HT presentation and two channel audio are two SEPARATE beasts. Not long ago I had 7 Klipsch Belles in my man cave and tried using NAD, Onkyo, Denon and then McIntosh trying to establish a combo of 2 channel and HT. They both sounded...OK and the HT was superb. I have since transferred and lost the cave. Living with a living room HT and a converted dining room 2 channel the 2 channel never sounded better and the room SUCKS. HT is fairly forgiving---two channel ain't. Build around the two channel and live with the HT; as long as you have the front three (LCR) matched HT will work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Using HDMI as opposed to the RCA inputs all depends on which device has a better D/A converter. The player you bought has a rather good DAC, so for instance, if you get an AVR with a mediocre one, you should connect to it with analog. This is the main reason I wanted as much DAC as possible when buying a preamp. For instance, I am buying an Oppo bluray player that has a mediocre dac and saving $500 over the one that has the kick-butt dac. Otherwise, they are identical. Other devices I connect which are digital can also benefit from the preamp dac. Examples of devices are, Bluray players, SACD players, DVD players, mp3 players, computers, sat radio, sat tv, dvr, andCD changers. If you have a good dac in the system, any device which you can connect via digital will benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Let me help you spend more $. HT presentation and two channel audio are two SEPARATE beasts. [Y] I went through the same scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandoyen Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 CECAA, How do you like your Anthem? The Anthem D2V isn't out of the question. Would like to avoid it if i can get comparable quality for cheaper. I know it won't be as good. Still trying to figure out where my point of diminishing returns is in price v/ performance. Hoping to demo some units in-home, but I love the discussion here. Always good to hear oppinions. Keep 'em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 CECAA, How do you like your Anthem? The Anthem D2V isn't out of the question. Would like to avoid it if i can get comparable quality for cheaper. I know it won't be as good. Still trying to figure out where my point of diminishing returns is in price v/ performance. Hoping to demo some units in-home, but I love the discussion here. Always good to hear oppinions. Keep 'em coming! I went from the top of the line H/K to the D2 and never looked back. It's a phenomonal piece of equipment. It's never once in roughly 4 years ever done anything other than what it was supposed to. Is it that much better than an Integra or NAD, I'm the wrong person to ask. Before I'd give that opinion, I'd have to have had one at my house hooked up to the same gear as the D2. The ARC (Anthem Room Correction) is tremendous. My living room is a terrible place for sound reproduction due to the shape and the wall I've got to put my HT on. I've got bass traps and acoustic panels to help but nothing tamed the room like ARC. I don't do any 2 channel listening in that room but forum member MikeLindsey uses his D2 for HT and 2 channel I believe. You might PM him. I'll try to ping him in the heading. Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandoyen Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 The ARC is what keeps me coming back to that. Currently I've got a pioneer elite vsx-47tx (only using the pre-out on it). It drove my old HT just fine (anchored by KLF-30s), but the upgrade bug hit with a vengeance here, and after 10 months deployed i'm ready to spoil myself a little, so upgraded to levinson amp and entirely new, all-heritage system, which will be anchored by khorns and ls2 center (still being built according to order status). Placement and correction is everything with those speakers I'm well-aware of that. I've got ideal corners for 'em, but I've read time and again that the room is the biggest limiting factor in any system. If this can really take the biggest strides to remove that, I may just have to take the plunge. I can't wait to demo will move pioneer and klfs upstairs to crank my rock and roll during workouts. Mike Lindsey what say you?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Mike Lindsey what say you?! I'll text him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Nope, he's got his 2 channel and HT seperate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I can say however that Anthem works great in a 2 channel set up even though my D2 isn't set up that way. I've got an Anthem preamp in my 2 channel rig with my Lascalas and absolutely love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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