a/v preamp or receiver recommendation? (1 Viewer)

[Walter Scott]

Could someone give me a recommendation for an A/V preamp in the $1,000 range? Also, does anyone know of any A/V receivers that have preamp outputs?


Thanks in advance

 

[MarkusP]

Most receivers today have preamp outputs (over the $500 mark) such as Yamaha, Marantz, Sony, Harman Kardon, NAD, Rotel, Pioneer Elite, Denon and so on.

If you are looking for a preamp itself for a thousand dollars, your choices become far more limited. You can but an Outlaw Audio 950 or maybe a used Rotel RSP-1066 or Audio Refinement Pre2. You could probably buy an older Acurus Act III etc. but you would give up video switching etc. No matter what preamp / prepro you buy for $1000, you will give up some functionality in comparison to a newer receiver but if you want better sound quality, I personally think that a preamp / prepro is the way to go.

 

[Walter Scott]

Thanks for the info. I did not realize preamps were so expensive. What should I budget for a decent preamp?

 

[ChrisHeflen]

Walter,

There are a few options that are around the $1500.00 mark
These would be;
Rotel 1068
Sherwood Newcastle P965
Adcom 860II
The Audio Refinment piece aforementioned
and the new Emotiva UL from www.av123.com (these won't be available til March of 2005) this peice could be very good and at only $700.00, a steal. Here is a link to some info on this piece.. http://forum.av123.com/showthread.php?threadid=5132

Good luck in your search!

 

[Walter Scott]

thank you, this is very good information!

 

[Dave Moritz]

You might also look at the Denon AVR-3805 if you are considering a receiver. You can allways use it as a preamp/tuner later on if you want to add power amps to it. I beleive it retails for $1200

 

[Walter Scott]

Great, thank you. I have been having some trouble finding recervers with pre amps out and other features I would like to have.

 

[John-Tompkins]

If your main priority is HT and your budget is 1000.00 then I suggest that you get a reciever and add external amps as funds become available.

These new mid-level recievers have just aout every feature that you could possible want and there sound quality for the price is amazing ( when used as a pre-pro for HT)..

Ive just went through some expensive older pre-pros and have been comparing them to these new mid-level recievers ( FOR HT ONLY )..and imo the recievers sounded better in HT ! ..newer chips, newer processors etc, newer eq systems...I look at it like computers..
Just because you paid 3000.00 5 years ago for that 486 computer doesnt make it better then a new 500.00 pentium

Now if you concerned about music (especially two channel ) then thats a whole different story..A good analog section is basically the same now , as it was 10 years ago..not much has changed and I found the older more expensive pre-pros shined in their analog sections as compared to todays recievers (and most pre-pros for that matter)

 

[WayneLVS]

Right now i have an adcom gtp-750 with an adcom gfa-7500.

The 750 (preamp) doesn't have half the functions of most recievers, and if i did it again, i would get a reciever and use the preouts to the gfa7500.

I just like the idea of having a seperate amp in it's own case, usally get higher quality amplification that way, and also don't have amps electronics heating up the rest of the circuitry within the same unit.

 

[Walter Scott]

I have more clearly defined what I am trying to accomplish in a new thread, "upgrading advice, please." Thanks!