Thanks for your ideas and recommendations. Based in part on them, I'm considering buying either
a used Anthem D2V or a refurbished Arcam AV888 or,
a used AVR; an Arcam 600 or Anthem 510/710 and using it as my pre/pro
Avgoround, nice way to hijack a thread! Just kidding. I'd love to pursue your suggestion to buy a 2-ch dedicated preamp and pair it with a used high-end pre/pro. But, current demands of work, travel and family, don't allow me the time for the experimentation and research required for good system matching with 2 new components, possibly made by 2 new, and/or different manufacturers. Which probably means that I don't have the time to work with and learn the Audyssey feature of the Anthem pieces mentioned in my first paragraph.
As I've thought about this while considering all of your comments, I'm led to consider another piece of newer Arcam gear; my old AV8 has played well with my Bel Canto amp and my Ohms. Is it wrong to assume that a newer Arcam piece will have the same characteristics/sonic signature and, will play as well as my soon-to-be-retired Arcam AV8 with the rest of my system?
a used Anthem D2V or a refurbished Arcam AV888 or,
a used AVR; an Arcam 600 or Anthem 510/710 and using it as my pre/pro
Avgoround, nice way to hijack a thread! Just kidding. I'd love to pursue your suggestion to buy a 2-ch dedicated preamp and pair it with a used high-end pre/pro. But, current demands of work, travel and family, don't allow me the time for the experimentation and research required for good system matching with 2 new components, possibly made by 2 new, and/or different manufacturers. Which probably means that I don't have the time to work with and learn the Audyssey feature of the Anthem pieces mentioned in my first paragraph.
As I've thought about this while considering all of your comments, I'm led to consider another piece of newer Arcam gear; my old AV8 has played well with my Bel Canto amp and my Ohms. Is it wrong to assume that a newer Arcam piece will have the same characteristics/sonic signature and, will play as well as my soon-to-be-retired Arcam AV8 with the rest of my system?