What's good used 5.1pre/pro for $1500 or less

Hmm, it would be a tough call. I like the Classe products The Anthem sounds good as well. EAD stuff is always a solid performer.

I dont want get you too far off your initial topic but, since 70% of your listening is music. Do you listen to 2 channel or multi channel? Some Processors are better at one and not the other.

Secondarily, the Sony Changer as a source may not reveal weakness. Just an idea, but upgrading the changer to an inexpensive single play CDP might give surprising results and set you up for more prescient future upgrades.

As far as DACs. The PCM1702 (EAD Encore) and the PCM1732 (EAD Ovation) arent that different. I believe (not 100%) taht the 1732 adds HDCD over the 1702. Anywho, the 1732 is a very common DAC, found in literally dozens of CDPs. I have them in a Rotel and they do sound good. The performance gap in these DACs is close and better yet, you can attain the DACs in a sub $300.00 player.

The bottom line is, the surrounding parts play a bigger role than the DACs themselves.

Since I am on the topic of DACs. I had chance to listen to the fairly new Cirrus (crystal) 43122 DACs in a Bryston Preamp and they were stunning. I know Harry will probably get a smile out of this one, the EAD TM8800pro uses this very DAC. Bryston does return over 40% percent of them because they have a very tight tolerance for performance. So it is cream-of-the-crop DACs, however, I suspect EAD has a similarly tough tolerance regime.

Thanks for everyone's input. Distortion, your input on DAC's is particularly interesting.

I will hold off on the multi-channel for now as it's relatively new.

I use the Sony as an transport only so I will completely rely on the pre-pro's DACs. From your thoughtful inputs, it seems that ead Encore is a worthy consideration. At around $900 in Audiogon, I think it looks increasingly more attracitve. However, Anyone knows if that will be a worthy step up from my current Act-3?

Classe SSP-50, better sounding than SSP-25/30, very close to SSP-75, also a great preamp, you may find used for under $1500.

I am looking to upgrade my pre/processor from a B&K Ref 30. I need a processor that supports multichannel sacd/dvd audio BUT I listen to a lot of music in two channel which is very important to me. My budget can go a little higher than $1500.00. What pre/processor combines great two channel sound along with good multichannel capabilities?

Disortion:

I believe the EAD Encore used the Crystal Semi CS4226 20-bid delta sigma. Hence, the sound was quite a bit different from the Burr Brown in the ovation.

Harry