I would like to add one Caveat to the mix here pertaining to this topic, and that's the issue of flexibility (which offers some advantages sonically) that AV pre/pro's offer, that 2 ch pre's don't...
...I have noticed however that there are at least a couple of major advantages that using a high end digital AV pre/pro can offer a music listner. And even though most of us, including myself, conceed that even though we mostly like the sonic purity of a 2 channel pre from a good source, there are some drawbacks there. The main deal being that I find most home audiophile systems are rather dynamically challenged! Using the bass management in a high end AV pre/pro(considering digital connnetion) can let you configure your speakers as "small" Or "smaller", thus allowing you to get an ACTive subwoofer(s) into the mix! If you can dial in and properly integrate subs to do the "dirty work", you will extend the dynamic range/ability of most any home audio sytem!
Basically, most passive audiphile rigs suffer from dynamic transparancy. Using powerd bass woofer helps put dynamics into the system, and lets your amp simply drive the upper bass and above...effectively "actively bi-amping" your system(almost).
What eI've noticed over my 20 years around high end audio, is just that...most audiophile rigs can't kick out the goods like a good active system or pro audio system offers(with exceptions being the likes of ATC's, Avantgarde's, Powered speaker systems, etc). In that case, if your music listening preffernce is techo, hip-hop, hard rock, heavy dynamic stuff and similar, then the AV pre/pro offeres some advantages! But for the average audiophile(and this is the truth), who only listens to occasional Steely Dan, Miles Davis, Dianna Krall(ick!) or smooth jazz and light classical, the 2 channel is the most pure. If you like to rock, then with most passive speaker systems, doing bass managment from an AV pre/pro offeres some tremendous advantages!...if you can use a well integrated woofer set up.
The deal there is however that, in ultimate terms of coherency, integration, and proper set up(but then most can't even set up their speakers optimally anyway), many can't get subwoofers set up so well as to give a turely audiophile experience!...thus many auidophiles dislike, even hate subwoofers! But, if you can setn it up right, there's tremendous potential there, to the skilled/experienced person.
Anyway, I just thought I'd add that, incase you were like some who do more heavy dynamic music listening!
For those of you who do, the absolute worst option is a passive sysetm!..dynamics are heavily challenged there!
Hope this helps
...I have noticed however that there are at least a couple of major advantages that using a high end digital AV pre/pro can offer a music listner. And even though most of us, including myself, conceed that even though we mostly like the sonic purity of a 2 channel pre from a good source, there are some drawbacks there. The main deal being that I find most home audiophile systems are rather dynamically challenged! Using the bass management in a high end AV pre/pro(considering digital connnetion) can let you configure your speakers as "small" Or "smaller", thus allowing you to get an ACTive subwoofer(s) into the mix! If you can dial in and properly integrate subs to do the "dirty work", you will extend the dynamic range/ability of most any home audio sytem!
Basically, most passive audiphile rigs suffer from dynamic transparancy. Using powerd bass woofer helps put dynamics into the system, and lets your amp simply drive the upper bass and above...effectively "actively bi-amping" your system(almost).
What eI've noticed over my 20 years around high end audio, is just that...most audiophile rigs can't kick out the goods like a good active system or pro audio system offers(with exceptions being the likes of ATC's, Avantgarde's, Powered speaker systems, etc). In that case, if your music listening preffernce is techo, hip-hop, hard rock, heavy dynamic stuff and similar, then the AV pre/pro offeres some advantages! But for the average audiophile(and this is the truth), who only listens to occasional Steely Dan, Miles Davis, Dianna Krall(ick!) or smooth jazz and light classical, the 2 channel is the most pure. If you like to rock, then with most passive speaker systems, doing bass managment from an AV pre/pro offeres some tremendous advantages!...if you can use a well integrated woofer set up.
The deal there is however that, in ultimate terms of coherency, integration, and proper set up(but then most can't even set up their speakers optimally anyway), many can't get subwoofers set up so well as to give a turely audiophile experience!...thus many auidophiles dislike, even hate subwoofers! But, if you can setn it up right, there's tremendous potential there, to the skilled/experienced person.
Anyway, I just thought I'd add that, incase you were like some who do more heavy dynamic music listening!
For those of you who do, the absolute worst option is a passive sysetm!..dynamics are heavily challenged there!
Hope this helps