I'm looking for the slow road to upgrading my HT system. I'm using a dedicated HT room (under construction now) with CRT FP. I have PSB Image 5'Ts for main, with matching center and surround. This setup will be used for 80-90% HT. I currently own a Yamaha RX-V496 which must go (terrible sounding). I really want to take a step toward separates, but am on a tight buget - less than $1000.00. I've thought of buying an entry level pre/pro (used Rotel 976, Marantz AV560, Sherwood/Newcastle) for $600.00 or so and scraping together whatever amplification I can until I can afford better. I've also considered dropping $1000-1200 on a newer entry level pre/pro. (DTS and DD are all that are really important to me feature-wise) Now, I see used NAD HT receivers going for $350.00 or so with pre-outs. So I was thinking about buying the NAD and spending the rest on 3 channels of amplification ($650 leaves me lots of options, but I was thinking 3 MA-700 blocks, Acurus 6 channel bridged, Rotel 6 channel bridged, or maybe I can stretch for used Bryston). I'd use the NAD for the rear 2 channels until i could afford add'l amplification. Any thoughts or suggestions??
I have been in the past in a similar situation. I was on a tight budget, and got into seperates for $1000, and will never look back. If you are willing to buy used equipment, you can put together a system that no receiver other than the very, very best flagships can match. I started with a Sherwood Newcastle AVP-9080- $400, mated with a Carver AV-806X THX certified 6 channel amp- $600. That was an awesome bang for buck combination, but I wanted a little more so I sold the Newcastle and bought and Adcom GTP-760 pre/pro. Cost twice as much as the Newcastle and was a complete piece of crap. Then I replaced the Adcom with an NAD T751 receiver as a pre/pro. Big mistake. I am sure this is an excellent performer at its price point using its own amplification, but sounded very poor as a pre/pro. Small soundstage, poor seperation and detail, muddy bass in AC-3 mode, no bass at all in DTS mode. Currently I am using a Rotel RSP-976 pre/pro, and am quite satisfied with it. It is a bit too bright, though, for my taste, and has a slight hum in all channels that I cannot remedy. Overall, though, it sounds very nice, and currently my setup sounds better than ever. If you are still in the market this summer, I will be selling the 976 to make way for the Outlaw 950. Cheers Andrew B.
