Best Pre/Pro for 2 channel

I like what Sbank said! Aragon Soundstage, Classe SSP25 used, Krell HTS used(only digital domain for you here really, but pretty musical that way for CD's and such...but not beatten soniclaly for DD/DTS dubties!), and similar. I think the Classe and Aragon are the great values with their "dirrect analog inputs" for 2 chanel, with 5 channel input with the Aragon! Both units for like $1300-1500 range used. Can't miss there....and all sonically pure and neutral sounding with DD/dTS!

OK, go for an Anthem AVM-2. Under $1000 used

A great pre-amp with a pass through function can be found in Adcom's top of the line pre-amp. Dont let the name fool you this pre-amp has been rated up with some of the great levinson pre-amps. It was designed by Nelson Pass and has a great passive function.

The PS Audio PCA-2 has the theater pass through.
I was also looking for a pre-pro, but decided on this piece, because 2 CH is more important to me. For movies, I use a receiver as a pre-pro and run it through the PCA. For music, CD, SACD, and DVD concerts in PCM, I run straight into the PCA. Hope this helps, Sonny

You can do a search here on the 'Gon for "HT bypass or Theater bypass," and probably come up with quite a bit of reading on 2 channel preamps with bypass. To name few off the top of my head...Audio research, Adcom, and Parasound.

But.....it isnt a must to have theater bypass. You can use any input on your preamp. The bypass is just convenient. Using a "non-bypassed" preamp will mean you have to adjust both volume controls.

You can even keep your Creek. For example, without touching the wiring on your current setup, using a HT Receiver with preouts---connect the front L/R preouts from the Receiver to an input of your Creek---connect the center and surrounds normally to the Receivers internal amplifier---connect your DVD to receiver.

During HT playback your Creek will only perform the duties of front left and right amplifier. The Receiver does all the rest. Decoding and passing the HT signal and amplifying the center and surrounds. You simply adjust the volume on the Creek to obtain "unity gain." Usually this means turing it up to approximately "half way." Once the Creek's volume is in "unity" you use the volume on the receiver.