I'll relay my experience regarding this. I have a Rotel 1066 pre/pro. My amps for my 5.1 system have varied,but the example I'll use involved a Krell KAV 3250. I used this amp to power my fronts and center. I have an Aragon 8008 powering my rears. My speakers are Martin Logan Ascents/Cinema/Depth(sub)and PSB Stratus Silvers for the rears. The Krell was exceptional in this setup-unlimited power-dynamic to a fault. One day I was bored an took the Krell 3250 upstairs and hooked it up to the pre outs of an expensive Marantz 5.1 reciever. I used quality Kimber interconnect for my connections. I played cd's/dvd's-listened to HD/sattelite and I couldn't even tell the Krell was powering the system. It didn't sound much different from the internal amps in the Marantz. It is my opinion you will improve your situation dramatically by adding a pre/pro. I can highly recommend the Rotel 1066. Used it goes for around 700 bucks-maybe cheaper. It has 7.1 capabilities and can accomodate 2 subs. It also has all of your analogue multi inputs for SACD and DVD Audio. I also think its fantastic as a 2 channel pre/amp.
Receiver with preouts vs pre/pro
If you already have a separate multichannel amp and want to get a pre/pro with the latest in video and audio capabilities for a budget of around $500, is the best option a good HT receiver with preouts? The dedicated preamp/processors that I've seen seem to start at around $900 with Outlaw's offerings.
For the money, in the $500-ish range, is the best bang for the buck a good HT receiver from Yamaha, Denon, or Onkyo? (And then bypass the internal amplification section.) It seems as though the receivers are less expensive and have more video features and support more of the new HD audio and video.
Are there better alternatives for this price range, or does using the receivers for their preamp + processor sections represent a good value?
Michael
For the money, in the $500-ish range, is the best bang for the buck a good HT receiver from Yamaha, Denon, or Onkyo? (And then bypass the internal amplification section.) It seems as though the receivers are less expensive and have more video features and support more of the new HD audio and video.
Are there better alternatives for this price range, or does using the receivers for their preamp + processor sections represent a good value?
Michael