Preamp out...

[hershnut]

I am in the middle of changing my current setup to go 3-way (from 2-way) to help me increase my clarity in dialouge.

The plan is to get a 3 channel amp (200 wpc) and a center speaker that will work well with my current speaker setup...

My question is the preamp...

My thought was to pickup a Emotiva UMC-1, but not sure if I will see one during my lifetime, but I would like to stick to this price point ($700-$800)...

It was suggested that I get a Denon 2809. It has all the Denon bells and whistles and is the lowest model they carry with the "preamp out"...

I also noticed that even less expensive H/K (AVR 354) has a lot of good features, a full preamp out, and closer to my price point...

All thoughts will be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
Tom

 

[jostenmeat]

If it was me, the Denon if only for Audyssey MultEQ XT. Is that alone worth the price difference? For me, yes, but I've found that tech for less elsewhere.

 

[poutanen]

Have you looked at prices on Yamaha's? They tend to come with full pre-outs lower in the lineup.

RX-V663
HTR-6160

Both of those are $500 range AVRs, they come with YPAO, etc... my buddy picked up a 6160 a few months back and loves it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If it was me, the Denon if only for Audyssey MultEQ XT. Is that alone worth the price difference? For me, yes, but I've found that tech for less elsewhere.

Audyssey didn't do much for me.

I guess it depends on your room acoustic.

So I take it Audyssey has significantly improved your sound?


If it were me, I would wait for the Emotiva pre-pro.

 

[davidtwotrees]

I saw a Denon 2807 a while ago and was impressed with its heft and build quality. I purchased a Yamaha 663 and thought it was a cheesy plastic receiver, half of which was loaded with XM radio and bluetooth junk that I had no intention of using.
But then again I think all the new receivers are loaded with, ahem, way too much stuff.
I had a simple pre pro in my Audio Refinement Pre2Dsp and let it go.

 

[jostenmeat]

Audyssey didn't do much for me.

I guess it depends on your room acoustic.

So I take it Audyssey has significantly improved your sound?

Yessir. So much so, I immediately looked towards two channel solutions as well. You HT people are lucky in that you get to benefit so much from economies of scale. Well, I'm lucky too, but I wish I was lucky as well for my stereo. Outside of using an HT receiver/pre as 2ch pre, my only recourse is the $2000 SEQ, if I stuck with the same brand. bandphan was saying that midlevel RC standalones were on their way. I can only hope.

I have 9 acoustic panels in the HT, including 2x RT HF Mondos, 2x RT HF Minis, 2x GIK 244s, 3x GIK 242s, and still figuring out which, how many, where on the ceiling I want to treat. Two large Ikea rugs on top of carpet, heavy burgundy curtains hiding about half the treatments. Plenty of space from rear boundary, in general from most boundaries, though rear row's head is closer to ceiling.

the XT was serious icing on the cake, IMO. Everything is "tighter" so to speak. The biggest surprise was how much clearer the dialogue was at the extremes of my seating (2 rows of 4). I figured that the compromises of horiz MTM lobing and low placement of center speaker were insurmountable. Perhaps that is still true, but I would've never guessed that my perceived issue could be ameliorated anywhere close to how much it has been.

I'm such a big fan, I now slightly regret not spending more to have Audyssey Pro capability.

Amazing that a $600 receiver like my 805 comes with XT technology. IMO, the XT is worth every penny of that $600, and nevermind the amp, preamp, processor, hdmi, decoders, etc.

If it were me, I would wait for the Emotiva pre-pro.

Fair enough.