Receiver or pre/pro for $1050 - $1500?
bigsexy1
Posts: 557
As some of you may be aware, I recently traded a Denon 3802 for a older B&K 101 (202) receiver. The factory upgrade on the B&K to get PL2, DTS, DTS ES, DTS NEO6, DD EX, THX Ultra 2, etc. (but it still would not have any component video switching capabilities whatsoever, and it would still have only 5 powered amp channels thus requiring the use of another seperate 2 channel power amp to get full on 6.1/7.1 sound) will cost over $1000 including 2 way shipping charges.
For that kind of money (say at least $1050, maybe even up to $1500 price range), what would you all do? Could I do better for that same amount of money than the B&K upgrade? Or would that really be the best option after all. Worst case scenerio with the B&K, it's built in amps are good enough to serve as nothing else but a 5 X 105 watt per channel power amp if need be.
Other options I've thought of are the Rotel 1055 receiver, a Denon 3803 (which would primarily be used as a pre/pro for movies), and also, NAD has some great receivers in that price range (although I don't really know their model #s offhand) with even more new stuff coming out soon (including what I understand is supposed to be a killer pre/pro in the $1500 range). I also understand that Denon is supposed to be coming out with a new dedicated pre/pro. As well as the other usual suspects, such as Pioneer Elite, Yamaha, etc.
I have a couple of Adcom power amps a 5500 and a 5400 (rated at 200 and 125 watts per channel respectively) that are currently driving my main set of 150s biamped.
Also, I have a whole slew of new HK PA2000 power amps (7 total) which are rated as 100 watts X 2 each. I originally got them real cheap off of ubid.com earlier this year with the plan on getting a full set of LSis and biamping each and every single speaker in the set with it's own HK 2000, thus in effect making each of the 2000s a 200 watt monoblock for each LSi speaker, but that plan changed after I actually heard the LSis and decided that they just weren't for me. However, I do have the set of 7 HK 2000 amps which would be a great match for a dedicated pre/pro (or maybe a 3803 used as a pre/pro).
What to do? I'm open for suggestions. I want to make the best move I can here with so many options. BTW, there's no big hurry on this, and I'm willing to wait to see what the NAD and/or Denon pre/pros are like. Much thanks in advance.
For that kind of money (say at least $1050, maybe even up to $1500 price range), what would you all do? Could I do better for that same amount of money than the B&K upgrade? Or would that really be the best option after all. Worst case scenerio with the B&K, it's built in amps are good enough to serve as nothing else but a 5 X 105 watt per channel power amp if need be.
Other options I've thought of are the Rotel 1055 receiver, a Denon 3803 (which would primarily be used as a pre/pro for movies), and also, NAD has some great receivers in that price range (although I don't really know their model #s offhand) with even more new stuff coming out soon (including what I understand is supposed to be a killer pre/pro in the $1500 range). I also understand that Denon is supposed to be coming out with a new dedicated pre/pro. As well as the other usual suspects, such as Pioneer Elite, Yamaha, etc.
I have a couple of Adcom power amps a 5500 and a 5400 (rated at 200 and 125 watts per channel respectively) that are currently driving my main set of 150s biamped.
Also, I have a whole slew of new HK PA2000 power amps (7 total) which are rated as 100 watts X 2 each. I originally got them real cheap off of ubid.com earlier this year with the plan on getting a full set of LSis and biamping each and every single speaker in the set with it's own HK 2000, thus in effect making each of the 2000s a 200 watt monoblock for each LSi speaker, but that plan changed after I actually heard the LSis and decided that they just weren't for me. However, I do have the set of 7 HK 2000 amps which would be a great match for a dedicated pre/pro (or maybe a 3803 used as a pre/pro).
What to do? I'm open for suggestions. I want to make the best move I can here with so many options. BTW, there's no big hurry on this, and I'm willing to wait to see what the NAD and/or Denon pre/pros are like. Much thanks in advance.
Post edited by bigsexy1 on
Comments
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I got my ref 21 pre/pros back from B&K a few weeks ago. This unit is a ref10 upgraded to ref50 except for a few minor differences. The cost was a bit under $1000. This is now a wonderful unit. I don't think that there is anything out there for $1000 that sounds as good. I'd do the upgrade.
Phil -
Phil, that's kind of right along with my line of thinking. I just wanted to get some other opinions though, and explore all other possible options first to see if maybe there might be something even better.
NOW audio/video, a local "high end" shop near me is a B&K dealer, along with Yamaha, Denon, and NAD to name just a few. I talked to some of the guys there, each and every one of them agreed that the B&K upgrade would be the best option. They said they would do that even before buying a Denon 4802 or 5803.
BTW, what amps are you using? What speakers? -
Fronts 1.2s bi-amped with 2 PSE Studio 4s 190w/ch each
Rears 2.3s with Harmon Kardon 22 (I think) 200w/ch
Center 400ci with Mac 250 bridged to mono 100w
Sub Shure 12" with Mac 250 bridged to mono 100w
I am going to put a mac 2100 bridged to mono (200w) in for the sub as soon as I get arround to it.
This system is set of for music and sounds great.
Phil -
Phil Dawson
"This system is set of for music and sounds great."
Well, I guess so! (Dramatic understatement there)
