Well, as things turned out, I didn't buy the Sonic Frontiers SFL1 Preamp; see:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/what-new-stuff-have-you-bought-if-you-care-to-share-thead.86935/page-139#post-1101564
I've put the preamp upgrade on the back burner for a while; essentially I've concluded that particular move is going to have to be a "last preamp ever" move, and the SFL1 was a little too sideways to earn that award. Now, a Sonic Frontiers Line 2, on the other hand ... but they are scarce. So it's a waiting game. Plus I'm also considering an ANK 2 or 3 (Audio Note Kit), plus I want to hear a 300B-based Pre before I buy anything, as well.
As luck would have it, on the other hand, I came across a unique component that just might free up a bunch of Audio/Video cash. This one I did buy, at a great price (under $100 to my door; MSRP CIRCA 2005 about $800).
It's a Magnum-Dynalab MD-10 "Surround Decoder". What it does is grab the Dolby-encoded tracks from DVDs, Blu-Rays, Digital Video files, and TV broadcasts where available, and processes them to a 2-channel system to create a virtual L-C-R (or 3.1, if you will) sound field.
Contemporary reviews were encouraging (strong centre image, and a sound field that extended beyond the physical boundaries of the L-R speakers, and even some apparent rear, left-rear and right rear localizations).
I'll post some photos when it arrives; trust me when I say you need 1-percentile search skills to find out info on this unit via "the interwebs".
People who know me understand I'm a 2-channel, "stereo music-first / movies when I have to" kind of guy. If this works as well as some say it does, that means I can abandon my "Home Cinema Dilemma", which was driving me a little crazy trying to keep the fidelity up there and the costs down.
If anyone's interested, the plan was a used [Onkyo] Integra 9.8 or 9.9, a mono tube amp of maybe 20~40 watts, a used centre channel speaker (if you are careful, under $US 100 on eBay, or something new from Axiom), and a stereo amp, again used, for the rear pair. I have a decent sub already. So, about $US 1,500 to build it all out, using my existing 2-ch gear to flesh out the L-R fronts.
But maybe I can put that money into a BD-105 (I have an older, but decent OPPO DVD / DVD-a / SACD / CD player now). Will drop in a review of the MD-10.
Also got started on my REGA upgrades, with a rubber/cork mat, about $US 40 to my door via eBay and Australia.
