New Pre/Pro for 2 ch guy? (+How easy to set up RC in top units like Lyngdorf, etc)?

I think you made a good decision and are gonna be very happy.  IME the excellent room correction goes a long way to overwhelming any other lingering sound quality concerns.  When you listen with and without RC I think you’ll see what I mean.  Be interested to hear your thoughts, and yeah, I’m jealous. 

Thanks soix.  Really appreciate all your input.  Your comments about your experience with RP made an impact.  I will definitely post my impressions.  

Went with the Lyngdorf MP40. Fingers crossed on the 2ch SQ

I think you made a good decision and are gonna be very happy.  IME the excellent room correction goes a long way to overwhelming any other lingering sound quality concerns.  When you listen with and without RC I think you’ll see what I mean.  Be interested to hear your thoughts, and yeah, I’m jealous. 

Went with the Lyngdorf MP40. Fingers crossed on the 2ch SQ, but really excited  about the surround sound.  May still get a good preamp with HT bypass, but hopefully the MP40 and room perfect will fill the bill.

I see you have an oppo 103 and a great 2 channel system. .  What additional "processing" do you feel you need? 

That is my overall concern, getting good 2 channel sound out of a processor or going to a 2 piece processor and preamp setup.

My advice, if 2-channel is important, is to buy a good, dedicated stereo preamp and feed the preamp outs of an AVP into the stereo pre. The performance of a good stereo pre will be much better than that of an AVP. If I’m you I get an Anthem AVP and a good stereo pre that meets your tastes in your system and you’ll be much better off. In this setup you can run your excellent Esoteric right into the stereo preamp and keep it completely separate from the HT processing in your system. So sorry I didn’t recommend this earlier — my bad.  If you still want room correction for 2-channel, go with the Lyngdorf — it’s what they do.  I wouldn’t buy a Lyngdorf amp, and I wouldn’t buy McIntosh room correction as each has their inherent strengths and capabilities.  Again, hope this helps in some way, and best of luck. 

I use a Classe Sigma SSP, and it has digital bypass so I don’t have to have an analog signal converted to digital. They are out of production now and can be found at very discounted prices. It does have manual PEQ. I also have McIntosh 611’s, and they do not sound mushy or syrupy. There is a huge McIntosh love/ hate thread in the amp section on Audiogon.

There are a few Bryston SP3 processors up for sale among the three main sites.  There's one on audiogon for $4200 that also has the latest 4K HDMI board.  I think that's about as good as you are going to get for a true pass-through processor with Class A discrete analog stages.  No EQ or room correction. lol.

Well, that would’ve been good to know up front.  I’ve wasted my time and I’m out.  Best of luck. 

soix, again, no need for the quick trigger.  I did state this in my original post.  That is my overall concern, getting good 2 channel sound out of a processor or going to a 2 piece processor and preamp setup.  Think that's been a pretty consistent theme throughout.

I do not have direct experience with either Lyngdorf or McIntosh.  I'm just going off a friend's opinion when he heard the McIntosh pre/pro. 

I tried using Dirac room correction once and did not like it at all, so my feelings on room control are somewhat colored.  In my opinion, it is better to use acoustic room treatments.

So my concern is that the MX Dac implementation/SQ will not be as good as my Esoteric K-03 CD/SACD, which is somewhat legendary. 

Well, that would’ve been good to know up front.  I’ve wasted my time and I’m out.  Best of luck. 

However, from what I understand, the McIntosh processors do not have this laid back / mushy sound.  Can you confirm this?

@auxinput No, but the house sound is consistent and clear.  Have you heard the McIntosh or Lyngdorf pre/pros.  I think you’d agree that if you want a more syrupy, warm sound go with the Mac.  If you want a more neutral, spatial type sound go with the Lyngdorf.  Like I said, the TacT made a $300k 2-channel system sound broken when the TacT RC wasn’t employed.  What’s your experience with either?

I have seen the McIntosh MX-160 go for $8k used.

Thanks.  My problem with the Mc MX pre/pros is that they all digitize the analog input (not well known, but true and confirmed by Mc).  So my concern is that the MX Dac implementation/SQ will not be as good as my Esoteric K-03 CD/SACD, which is somewhat legendary.  Of course, that is the same issue with the Lyngdorf I'm considering.  Wish I could get some input into the SQ of the MX or Lyngdorf 2ch SQ versus a high end CD/preamp combo

My apologies. Admittedly I’m not a McIntosh fan. 

No worries.  I realize this can be like politics lol.  Very much appreciate your replies.  I am not wedded to Mc, just read great reviews and my own listening experiences have been good.  Would definitely consider other good preamps in $4-6k used/discounted range.  For a long time I had my sights set on a Classe CP800, as it not only supposedly sounded great, but its SOA USB application was outstanding and apparently was agnostic to source quality.  If you have some good preamp ideas, please share!

Unfortunately the MX 180 is just way too much money, even used.  I'd like to keep it all under $10k

I have seen the McIntosh MX-160 go for $8k used.

I worked for Magnolia for a bit and when they had the KEF Blades hooked up to Macs they sounded mushy, compromised, and not performing at the level they were capable of.

Are you speaking about McIntosh amps?  If so, then I do agree that McIntosh amplifiers are too laid back and soft in the mids/highs. 

However, from what I understand, the McIntosh processors do not have this laid back / mushy sound.  Can you confirm this?

I'm basing this off another comparison.  I had a friend bring a Marantz AV8805 directly to my house for testing.  I was impressed with the fullness and power of the sound from Marantz, but when I hooked my S1200 back up, it was apparent that the Marantz had rolled off softened high frequencies.  From what my friend was saying, the McIntosh processors did not have this effect.

soix, why the snooty response to the consideration of a Mc preamp? You were very nice in your original response.

My apologies. Admittedly I’m not a McIntosh fan. I worked for Magnolia for a bit and when they had the KEF Blades hooked up to Macs they sounded mushy, compromised, and not performing at the level they were capable of. But, if you like the sound and it works in your system by all means go for it, but the Lyngdorf processing is pretty darn special. If you want more Mac flavor in your system that’s probably your boy, but if you think you could use a little more upper mid and treble detail and air I’d go with the Lyngdorf. Again, best of luck in whatever you end up choosing.

auxinput, thanks for the input, which actually depresses me more lol.  Unfortunately the MX 180 is just way too much money, even used.  I'd like to keep it all under $10k (and closer to 6-7k if possible).  Will need to consider used or combination new/used.

Just got bad news from Krell.  Processor is not repairable.  Needs new boards that are no longer in stock.  Ugh.

(soix, why the snooty response to the consideration of a Mc preamp? You were very nice in your original response.  I realize Mcintosh is a polarizing name, but I like what I've heard from them in past, and my mc452 amp is outstanding.  If you like other preamps more, please suggest some as I appreciate all opinions, even if I may not agree :)

It’s going to be really hard to beat the Krell S1200 because nobody uses discrete analog stages in processors anymore. Everything is op amp based (which can be good, but just doesn’t compare with the discrete Class A analog stages in the Krell). Also, the Krell has a very powerful high resolution sound.

You can go sideways and look for a Bryston SP3. It uses Class A discrete audio circuits both on the analog outputs as well as the fully balanced analog inputs with a "PURE PASS-THROUGH" mode where it does not convert analog to digital. Everything is converted to single-ended internally for volume control. It has probably the strongest bass I have heard out of a processor, but the rest of the sound is not as impactful as the Krell. Probably your best bet for a 2-channel solution. There is no EQ or room correction on this unit.

On everything else, I would look at units that have good linear power supplies. If you really want a Lyngdorf feature set, then look at a McIntosh MX-160/170/180. Those have the Lyngdorf digital/DSP section, but use all McIntosh power supplies and analog stages. Like others have said, if you want room correction, the processor is going to convert all analog input to digital for room correction DSP processing.

Yes, if you want a wet blanket thrown over your speakers definitely get the McIntsh gear. Good luck with that.

Also thinking maybe doing the Marantz or NAD and getting a Mcintosh C49 or C53 with HT bypass.  Gives me excellent 2 channel sq, but definitely a step down in room correction (and I’m in an untreated slab basement with drywall over 2/3 slab walls, so maybe RC might make a big improvement on everything)

However, been reading that something like a Lyngdorf sounds great, and room correction could make a big diff even in 2 channel.

My experience after hearing Lyngdorf’s technology in his previous TacT technology in a $300,000 stereo system, go for it.  I’m an audio purist and not at all a favor of adding extra equipment or connections, but the benefit or Lyngdorf’s older tech was so profound I wouldn’t live without it.  Without the TacT RC this otherwise excellent system sounded positively broken.  I’d have to think Lyngdorf has advanced his processing since then, and I’d say go for it.  It’s truly revelatory.  FWIW, and best of luck. 

Ha, sorry, had brain fart there.  Current system is 7.1 and not sure if i want to add atmos, etc. (that's what i get for typing this while working lol)