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Tube Preamp with "pass through" for HT option?

Can any of you suggest a tube preamp with a HT pass through so I can use a tube preamp for 2 channel listening and my Myryad MDP500 G6 for home theater and satellite (with the option for 2 channel too). I am just venturing and gaining knowledge into tube setups so ignore my naivity if it applies. My plan is to continue to use and Anthem MCA II Series 2 Solid State 2-channel amp to power my Dynaudio Contour 1.3 II speakers. The other amp is an Anthem MCA III series 2 which powers the center and 2 surrounds. If a tube amp like this is available without breaking the bank (again!) please suggest and how would be best to hook up? Thanks. Dave
canucks0
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artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,930 posts
 

Conrad Johnson has theater pass through.

rshad0000
269 posts
 

The Octave Audio tube pre amps have HT pass through.  Love my HP700 with me home theater system.

joshua43214
49 posts
 

I have not noticed any difference between unity gain and pass through with home theater. So I would not quibble over the difference, either is fine as far as I am concerned.

I had a BAT and a Cary. The Cary was decent, but actually sounded a bit better direct from DAC. Don't buy anything from Cary anyway, they have the worst customer service and will flat out lie in your face.

The BAT was just a bad fit in my system. I am probably one of the very few that actually had my soundstage shrink.

Both of the above had either pass through or unity gain.

 

I am currently using a Levinson 523 preamp, quite a bit more than the Cary was, not a tube pre, but it is exceptional if you have the budget for it.

Another possibility if you have a turntable is the Manley Steelhead with a Skipjack for source swapping. Or maybe just get the Skipjack

big_greg
6,627 posts
 

Budget would be helpful.  There are many options.  In addition to some of the ones mentioned, I would add Modwright and Audio Research.  

mike4597
90 posts
 

All Rogue Audio preamps are tube models and have home theater pass through.  I have the RP-7 and consider it to be an excellent preamp, a significant step up from my previous system.

harmonia_audio
8 posts
 
All Blue Circle preamps can be equiped with a HT processor loop. The HT loop is kept separate from the rest of the preamp. If you have any questions about it, drop me a message :-)

Kevin
aball
2,016 posts
 
McIntosh C2200
david_berry
211 posts
 
Sonic Frontier Line 1, 2, and 3. Perhaps the older models have this feature as well.
warnerwh
539 posts
 
The Audio Research LS 16 has home theater pass through and the toggle is on the front. Works like a charm. You don't have to have a home theater pass through input. You can also just feed the pre outs of your home theater unit to a line in on any tube preamp but that would mean you would have to find a place to set the volume on the tube pre but you could still adjust the volume with the remote of your home theater pre.
avalon65
20 posts
 
As Natnic mentioned Rogue has the option, but I believe the switch is toggle switch on the back of the unit. So to access it you must reach around the back of the pre to flip the switch. A 66 Magnum just sold the other day for $699.

Another option, staying in the Anthem family, is the Pre 2L. It will mate well with you MCA 2. I saw one go recently for around $600. Do a search here on the 'gon for more info on each. Good luck.
jose21
93 posts
 
VAC preamps have HT pass-thru.
http://www.vac-amps.com/
natnic
33 posts
 
I belive Rogue Offers HT Bypass as an option on thier Pre amps and Integrated. COntact them for details.
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
The BAT's unity gain feature only gives you a fixed gain setting for any input. That allows you to adjust volume level from the processor but it is not a HT pass through because signal still goes through all the preamp amplification circuits.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
I just received a BAT VK3i that has a unity gain function that allows for HT pass-thru. I haven't had the chance to utilize it thought because it is in a 2 channel only system.
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