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John: I am kicking around the idea of getting a high end pre-processor to replace my current passive (2ch) preamp. I was wondering if something like an Aragon pre/processor would be any good with music. Don't tell me to get a Meridian, too much money ;-(
Follow Ups:
I tried to make an all-in-one theater/music system a few years ago, and essentially found out it can't be done, at least nowhere near a budget I could live with. A few hundred dollar 2 channel preamp sounds much better with music than any HT proc I've heard- Lexicon, Proceed, Yamaha, Denon, Marantz.I now have completely separate music & theater systems, and I'm much better off for it. But when I did integrate them, I ended up with either an Anthem or a CJ preamp (at different times) between the HT proc and amps. That was the most acceptable solution, although bass management was a problem.
If I were you, I'd keep the 2 channel pre and loop your HT proc's L/R channels through it. Or you could look for a stereo pre with surround processor loop, like the Anthem Pre-2L- much easier to use (no volume control changes required when switching between 2 ch. and multichannel).
Regards,
Kevin
This is such a good way to go if you're picky about your stereo music sources. Even though the front HT channels go through a tiny bit of extra cabling/circuitry, this movie sound is no great shakes to start with, though plenty fine for its purpose. IMO better not to degrade the good music and feed it straight into the good stereo pre.BM is not a problem if all your speakers are full range and you have a sub fed from the stereo pre, then you don't need any when the processor is set up properly...
... I agree with cfraser & would not ditch your preamp for a couple of reasons -1. It gives you greater flexibility for minimal extra outlay (used items are doing well to achieve half the initial cost so keeping the pre is not an expensive proposition)
2. It gives you more analog inputs.
Your preamp can then feed the processor or be switched to go direct as I suggested to wctug below.
Processors are improving but, living in remote Tasmania, I have had little experience with other makes besides Theta and Meridian (+ a brief but awful flirtation with a cheap Panasonic). As I've posted before, even Meridian, in 861 version 2 guise, made a mess of the soundstage etc in their artificial surround from 2CH modes. Version 3 is much much better due to upsampling in all channels & probably improved software.
However, upsampling by itself is no guarantee of a good result and I suspect the software, rarely spoken of, is as important as any factor and its effectiveness can only be ascertained by listening.
So, tread carefully. I'm sure there are acceptable processors around which will do what you want but, in your situation, I'd certainly hang on to the present preamp. One final thing I would expect with any processor is the ability to feed in at least two digital sources (e.g. CD player & DVD player) so I guess we are talking about a pre-processor as you describe.
Good luck in your hunt and please let us know if you find something which does what you want.
John
and feed the front outputs of your new pre-pro into it. i.e. multi-channel sources go into the pre-pro, 2 channel sources go into your current pre.The Anthem AVM20 is a reasonably priced (as they go) half-decent pre-pro, lists for ~Cdn$4800, it is sufficeintly popular and in demand that discounts around TO are minor.
If you want to listen to 2ch source with 2 speakers, then you don't need the proprietary music surround techniques of Meridian. In that case, decent ones with good DAC and decent analog stage, and maybe some bass management would do fine. B&K, Anthem, Aragon, Bryston, Theta.But if you want to get the most out of those 2 ch source, you would want to go with one that has music surround algorithms that not just sound nice and enveloping, but is based on proven psychoacoustic studies which shows that you are hearing something more accurate than the original 2ch source. And in that case, the Meridian is the only game in town with its Trifield processing for 2ch source and Ambisonic encode/decode format.
Hi lwang: Reread your post. Basically what I want is the best 2ch sound with a surround processor thrown in. However, my impression from reading the magazines is that there are few if any pre/processors that do 2 channel at the same level as my current setup. Merdian & Naim are the only two that seem to keep 2ch intact that are sort of in my price range.
IIRC, Meridian digitizes all analog inputs with a 1 x stereo 24bit Delta-Sigma ADC, at least on the 568.2 moidel.This can mean your turntable's output would get digitized before being output, probably not what you were looking for.
Think you missed the point.It wasn't the soundfields he was worried about, but the raw capability of the 2-channel quality of a pre/processor to replace his current 2-channel pre.
Additional soundfields could be a benefit, but still the old staple of quality 2-channel is paramount.
Hi: Yes that is the point: the raw ability of a pre-processor to reproduce 2ch. I was hoping to get rid of a couple of boxes (ie simplify my system) by getting a high quality pre-pro, so that my 2 ch analogue recordings would sound as good as my current system. My current system is:FT Audio Passive Pre
Roksan AtraXeres phono
Teac VRDS T1
Aragon Dac
Oracle Alexandria Mk III
Technics Processor SH-AC500
Various power amps
Linn Helix (main) & Energy speakers (surrounds)So if I replace the FT Audio & the Technics will I get the same sound quality from an Anthem or Aragon (etc.) pre-processor??
Listening to 2ch via 2ch or multichannel.The point of using the CD player's DAC is debatable, since you are going to run it into another analog gain, attenuation and analog buffer again. You have to see if all that will be better than doing the D/A conversion in the processor, which sometimes has attenuation in the digital domain, resulting in just as many analog stages as in the CD player only.
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