It must be me...

[Resident Loser]

...but just I don't understand it...

Now I'm a dyed-in-the-wool stereophile, consequently I'm always on the lookout for reasonably priced, stereo gear...particularly integrated amps, which if given the proper switching capabilites, are really(IMHO) THE way to go.

Great from a building-block approach...use it as an integrated now...add a higher powered amp later...use the internal amp for subs, or rear channels, or another "zone", or...whatever audio-related purpose you can devise.

My requirements are not that extreme, in fact not all that long ago(before the days of cheap HTIBs and HT in general) they were fairly commonplace...A real phono input...True "tape mon" function...deck-to-deck dubbing capabilities..."pre-out/pwr in" jacks...

I was spoiled by my circa-1975 Pioneer SA-9100 integrated, all the above and so much, much more...four-band tone controls centered@50Hz, 100Hz, 10K and 20K w/defeat, hi and low filters, facilities for two TTs, and two tape machines, level controls for some inputs and outputs...SIGH...switching up the wazoo!!!

Anywho...I thought the Marantz PM-7200 was an answer, but it was not to be...After a coupla' less-than-with-it inquiries, the call-back from Marantz engineering informed me the processor loop is just that, and further that market research didn't support access to the signal path in a pre/pwr manner...Who were they talkin' to? Cheez'n'crackers no body with a brain I'd wager...Then more recently the Yamaha AX-497...the last being a bit more promising than the former...also Phono in!...tape in with the ability to dub! variable loudness contour...but double-dog-dadgummit, NO "pre out/pwr in"...yeah, yeah, yeah...there is the "zone 2" but it's not the same...

You can get the function on some rec's but other switching functions are a no-go...why on a reciever and not on an integrated...maybe I don't want a tuner with forty pre-sets...or maybe I want a really good tuner like a vintage Sequerra or Marantz...

Maybe this belongs in the Steam Vent...I dunno'...well, maybe next year someone out there might pity the fool who only wants a flexible, functional integrated...

jimHJJ(...but I'm not countin' on it...)

 

[Tomorrow]

Oh, I think you can find what you want out there, but you are gonna pay dearly for it...especially the tubes.

Nevertheless, check this dude out.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/duevel2/shuttle.html

 

[Resident Loser]

Bare bones, minimalist...

...nearly $4k and still no pre-out/pwr-in???

jimHJJ(...and not much of anything else for that matter...)

 

[Doug917]

I agree with you. All the old Yamahas used to have this as well with the pre out/main in. The old Marantz SR-96 sitting in my bedroom collecting dust has pre out/main in jacks for all channels as well. I have never gotten rid of it because I can't see letting it go for $100 on ebay. If I ever need an amp for something else, I have a decent 5-channel one because of the Marantz's pre out/main in jacks. I wonder if this is a move to get people away from doing just that. The Marantz SR-96 was a $1500 (mid-level) receiver back when I bought it. None of today's mid-level receivers have these jacks. And it's not like this is terribly hard for a manufacturer to do, they simply add another RCA connection and insert a jumper. So add $20 to the price. I don't get it either.