Parasound 7100 A/V Controller

[GRB]

Evening folks. My Pioneer Elite A/V Receiver took a lightning hit a month ago and the repair shop just called today and said it is DOA. He apparently has a Pioneer "specialist" on staff and he can't get it fixed. So I apparently have a new boat anchor. I have been thinking about a new A/V controller for sometime anyway, so I just officially got in the market for real. I currently have a Parasound HCA 2205 power amp and am considering the matching 7100 controller. First question is, anybody own one of these or heard one of these? Next questions regard connectivity. The Pioneer is about 5 years old so many tech improvements have been made. As I look at pictures of the rear of the 7100 I see many connections I don't currently have. So help me out with a couple of questions: Does the heirarchy of improved picture go from S-video to composite video to component video? If you connect multiple ways to the same component (say the DVD player) which over-rides which? Similar question on audio inputs. What is heirarchy of audio connections? Digital coax to Optical to Analog 5.1? If you connect from SACD / CD player to controller via optical cable which DAC is being used, the CD player or the controller. I assume if you connect CD player to controller via 5.1 analog inputs then the DAC in the controller is being used. Thanks for the help and sorry for the long post.

[dougdrake]

Video hierarchy is composite - S Video - component - HDMI. Not sure why'd you connect the same component multiple ways - I'd always take the highest qualty one both pieces support.

Audio is less clear-cut. As you indicate, it's a function of the DACs in each device (whose are better), as well as what formats each device supports passing over the various connections. For example, most SACD players cannot pass the SACD stream over a digital connection unless the brands are the same and they explicitly support sending/receiving the SACD signal. Thus, you are usually left using the analog outputs allowing the player to decode the SACD stream. Setting SACD aside, I'm not sure I could tell the difference between an optical or elecrical digital connection - my choice is usually driven by what connectors are available to be used - in both cases the preamp is doing the processing. Analog connections mean audio processing is done in the player.

There are other considerations you haven't touched on - I mentioned HDMI earlier. Is that a connection type you'll need to support for audio or video? Depends on your plans in the DVD player arena. In my case, I wouldn't buy a preamp that did not support HDMI 1.3, as that is the current state of the art to support all audio formats a DVD player can throw at it.

[GRB]

Hey Doug, thanks for the reply. I thought I was right about the heirarchy of video connections, but was not sure. I wasn't clear as to the multilple input regarding video and as I read your note I realized your observation about multiple video connections not making sense is correct. As to audio, my player is a Pioneer Elite universal CD / SACD / DVD player and you are correct that the SACD signal will only pass via analog connections. However, CD and DVD signals will pass via the optical connection. So I can connect the audio portion via both and then select either optical or analog input via the preamp's menu. That would allow me to choose which DAC to use on a CD or DVD-A, no? Your point about HDMI is well taken. The player supports HDMI but my dead Pioneer preamp didn't and neither does the Parasound 7100...There is an expansion port on the rear of the Parasound that the company's web site says is for future HDMI possibilites. This makes me think I should consider another unit that does support the HDMI connectivity. Thanks for the points, appreciate it.

[dougdrake]

There aren't a lot of preamps to choose from right now with HDMI 1.3 - right now receivers have the widest selection. You COULD use one just as a preamp with outboard ampification. I'm just sitting back waiting for the new crop of preamps, myself.