Sunfire IV or V.
Sherbourne is the same as the Sunfire for a little less money.
Both of these will crush the rest of your list!
Sherbourne is the same as the Sunfire for a little less money.
Both of these will crush the rest of your list!
surround processor with a decent phono stage?
I would choose the best pre/pro ignoring whether it has a phono section. If the one you buy happens to have a phono section try it in your own room/rig. If you're satisfied, great, but expect to buy an outboard phono pre or use your RQ for it. The sonics, user interface, and features of pre/pros are too complicated to compromise on. As for the Sherwood AVP 9080 - I have one, and while it's a great buy at under $300, its user interface is clumsy for HT. The phone stage is flexible (MM/MC)but not very good sounding. I use it as a stereo preamp in my workshop system - it's great sounding for stereo and is remote controlled. |
Tiger, I think your idea of a muti-channel pre-amp may just be the ticket. I googled the Sony, and came across this artice from Soundstage: http://www.soundstage.com/surrounded/surrounded200206.htm. This approach would simplify things. Sadly, the Sony unit has no phono stage, but I could keep my Rotel 970BX phono pre and have a decent, simple 4-box solution. |
I am seriously considering a change of plans by forgoing a surround processor completely and using a multi-channel pre-amp instead. I almost pulled the trigger on a Mccormack MAP-1 last night. But I thought too long, and it sold. I would have had to install a phono card, but it would be a one box solution. The surrround processing would come from the DVD player itself, then 5.1 analog out to the pre-amp. I could get a Sony TA-P900ES and a stereo pre-amp, or maybe a Linn Exotik or Kontrol. The Linn units have some additional digital processing as well. At this point I think I will go Sony TA-P9000ES and a Rotel RC-1070. Should set me back only $1K combined. Simple solution, a few more interconnects, but quality audio. |