new, but not new....

[nimda]

Hey,

My name it tom, I am a commercial AV installer so most concepts are not out of my grasp, yet, I do have a question that is burning a hole in my mind. It relates to product.

So, my plan "as is" so far, involves an array across the front of my room. I am thinking about using a Biamp audi flex to do all my tweeking.... problem is, finding a relatively affordable preamp.

It completely escapes me.... we have top notch consumer grade ( and I suppose that is subjective) HT receivers with amplification built in for under a grand.... yet, but what I have found,.... to get into a nice consumer grade receiver/preamp is like 1800$ and up....

So, is there cheaper alternatives I am not seeing? PLEASE point me in a direction.... because I am sickened, thinking that a receiver that has all your basic features built in WITH and amp costs half as much as that same basic unit with any type of balanced or unbalanced outputs.

Thanks Guys / Gals

Tom

 

[ReUpRo]

No receiver will give you balanced 7.1 pre-outs. There is no audible performance difference in the receiver pre-pro when compared with the matching dedicated pre-pro. The difference in cost can be attributed to economies of numbers (dedicated pre-pros sell in much smaller quantities) and a premium associated to them being audiophile products. Your best bet is to get the cheapest receiver with all the features you intend to use and forget the amp section even exists.

You could use the receiver amp section to drive the side and surround speakers with a 3ch amp for LCR speakers.

 

[j_garcia]

Cheapest receiver WITH PREAMP OUTPUTS with the features you want

I agree that they do the same thing, so a pre/pro wouldn't be a requirement in my book. Having said that I moved from a top tier AVR to a pre/pro and do have to say I prefer the pre/pro since it takes up 1/3 the space. Soundwise, more similar than not.

Check out www.emotiva.com You can get into separates for a less than $1800 easily

 

[nimda]

emotiva... nice... that is exactly what I am talking about. Any other brands I should be looking at?

As well, it got's me wondering.... what it would take to get into an older 5.1 I have lying around and catching the signal before it goes to the output stage... aka, hack the amp out of an old receiver.....may be a cheap experiment...

Cheapest receiver WITH PREAMP OUTPUTS with the features you want

I agree that they do the same thing, so a pre/pro wouldn't be a requirement in my book. Having said that I moved from a top tier AVR to a pre/pro and do have to say I prefer the pre/pro since it takes up 1/3 the space. Soundwise, more similar than not.

Check out www.emotiva.com You can get into separates for a less than $1800 easily

 

[j_garcia]

If you are handy with electronics I don't see why not. If the AVR already has pre-outs, then you're already set though.

 

[lsiberian]

What are we trying to accomplish? We are an audio forum so we are all very intrigued and we can also be properly critical.

 

[nimda]

What are we trying to accomplish? We are an audio forum so we are all very intrigued and we can also be properly critical.

I want to have what I would typically consider a "receiver" I wan that device to do simple chores. Decoding, audio and video switching, and maybe basic audio adjustments. AM/FM tuner would be nice, but not needed.

The whole system,
some source, PC, BRay, VCR what ever.
some "receiver" to sort our the A/V signals
fronts that consist of Biamped mains (4 channels)
front subs that uses same sub signal but independently controlled (one channel)
front center (1 channel)
rears, typical passive crossover speaker set (2 channels)
Primary sub, Rear, (one channel)

I want to take all the signals from the "receiver" 5.1 and lead them into a biamp flex audio processor. That way I can tweek the sound anyway i see fit, and create presets to control different "response curves and EQing) of the system. The Biamp will have 9 out, 6 in front and 3 in the rear.

from there, crown
CTs 4 channel for fronts,
4 channel for rear 2 front center and front low Fq drivers,
CTs 2 channel, ran bridged, for main sub.

I want complete control of system through Biamp