2. amps-preamps
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Preamp w/ xlrs in the ht-bypass loop

Hello, I'm looking for a two channel preamplifier with a pair of balanced inputs that are included in the home theater bypass loop. I've done a little bit of research and there isn't that many that do this or they're a little over my budget. Mark Levinson has a few but I'd be looking at about $4000 used which is a little more than I was looking to spend and I'd rather buy new anyway. The one that would fit the bill perfectly is the Ayre K-5xe. However, I read the manual and I would need to pull the plug every time to engage the bypass. And the way my rack is set up, that's apples to apples as it would be the same, if I went back there to switch the cables myself. Anyway, if some of you guys could lists some models to check out, I'd appreciate it. The features that I need are simple, with the first three being mandatory, and I'll list them below.

1) Two balanced inputs included in the ht bypass loop- as mentioned above.

2) Has to be fully balanced- I'm not looking to sacrifice anything for the convenience of home theater bypass.

3) Has to be SS- I'm not running tube gear and I do not want to mix and match. I realize this limits the field.

4) I'd like to spend $3000, hopefully less- I'd like to buy new but I'm open to used

5) Less is more- I'm only running a CD player and the amplifiers for my fronts. So that's one pair of balanced outputs and two pairs of balanced inputs. I'll take another set of balanced inputs for a computer DAC, down the road, but it's not a priority. Staying with "less is more," I'd really prefer it to be completely analog. I'm trying to avoid anything that may introduce noise; even those big florescent displays are a concern.

6) Remote- a remote would be nice but not a must

I'm willing to audition anything that includes the first three features on this list; the rest is a bonus. I appreciate the help.
bostongeorge34
bostongeorge34 OP
7 posts
 
Hello Dave, wow...I could own that mountain for only 3K? The power supply is separated and two chassis for left and right outputs/inputs. Yeah, I'm interested. And that would be a perfect match for my amps. I'm surprised I had not seen the X0.2 because I did look at the X1 and the X2.5. I was also interested in the new XP-10 but it's a little out of my price range. I need read up on what changes or upgrades, if any, they made on the XP-10 and XP-20, coming from the previous models. If you could tell me about your experience with the X0.2, I'd appreciate it. Thanks
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,680 posts
 
IIRC, any of the inputs on recent Sim-Moon preamps can be programmed as by-passes. These are out of your range as new but, perhaps, a used one will pop up.

Kal
bostongeorge34 OP
7 posts
 
Hi Kal, yeah you are correct. It would be pretty tough to find a P7 used for less than three grand though. I could afford the older models but they would not work in my system. I do like Simaudio though, having heard them before.
avguy
106 posts
 
How about a Krell KCT? I have one that I connect to a Lexicon MC12B. The KCT goes for around $3,500 for a good unit on the used market these days. It is a class A, fully balanced solid state preamp.

The Krell KCT has two sets of balanced inputs and two sets of rca inputs. I use one set of balanced inputs to connect to the balanced outputs of my Lexicon MC12B, and the second set of the balanced inputs for my Krell KPS28c CD player.

Great thing about the KCT, other than the fact that it sounds fantastic, is that you can set home theater bypass by selecting which ever type of input you want. So, in the future, you want to change to a rca input for bypass, it can easily be reset to that.

I currently connect both the KCT to and MC12B to a pair of Krell Evolution 400 monoblocks and a Krell KAV3250 three channel amp. The integration is very seamless, and I'm quite happy with the results!!!

Hope that helps!
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
A used Classe CP-65 would fit the bill for less than $2,000 and usually closer to $1,500. It was $5,000 when new. It has a separate power supply and 3 balanced and 3 single ended inputs, and a balanced and single ended tape loop. It has 2 balanced and 2 single ended outputs per channel It does have a remote. It is a tradional, minimalist design, in contrast to the new Delta series with its touch screen feature. It has unity gain HT bypass mode that can be used on any input. Unfortunately, they only come up for sale occassional. The previous model CP-60 comes up more often and is pretty similar. I use my CP-65 with my HT receiver, although I use the engle ended inputs for that. This model got somewhat overshadowed when the Delta servies came out but it is a great pre-amp. If you are in the Boston area, I would be happy to show it to you.

What HT receiver are you using that has balanced pre-outs?
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