Nice Preamp/tuner on Budget

Clay19
Clay19 Posts: 27
edited March 2002 in Technical/Setup
I have a set of Rt55i's and i am going to power them with a 75WPC amp. So i need a Preamp. I was thinking about gettting a Harman Kardon HK3470 2 channel reciever and hooking it's preamps up to the amp. Im almost sure this would sound pretty bad, am I right? I really want to get a preamp/tuner but all of them seem to be quite expensive, is there a nice Preamp/tuner out there for $400-500 all i need is 2 channel capability, i tried 5.1 channel for a while, but i found that i did not use it.

Any help finding a preamp/tuner in this $ range would be appreciated.

~Clay
-Adcom GTP-502 Preamp
-Musical Designs D-75 Amp
-Polk Ebony LSi9's
-Sony NS500V SACD/CD/DVD
-Velodyne CHT-10
Post edited by Clay19 on
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  • Aaron
    Aaron Posts: 1,853
    edited March 2002
    I saw Audio Advisor was having a sale on an Adcom preamp for $500 (reguarly $600, I think). It looked pretty nice.

    www.audioadvisor.com

    Aaron
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited March 2002
    You might be able to get a better used one. With all the talk of tubes? It'd depend alot on the # of inputs you need and if you're a remote controlaholic. I doubt it.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited March 2002
    Why not just buy oh let say maybe like a Yamaha RX-V800 DTS DD off ebay for around $400.00 and use it like a pre-amp, tuner and if you decide down the road you want 5.1 you have it? ;)
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited March 2002
    I am using a Yamaha HTR-5250 receiver as a preamp with an Adcom GFA-555 Mk II power amp. It sounds great.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • Clay19
    Clay19 Posts: 27
    edited March 2002
    Will I get the same sound quality with a receiver/amp as with a preamp/amp?
    -Adcom GTP-502 Preamp
    -Musical Designs D-75 Amp
    -Polk Ebony LSi9's
    -Sony NS500V SACD/CD/DVD
    -Velodyne CHT-10
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  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited March 2002
    I am using a Yamaha HTR-5250 receiver as a preamp with an Adcom GFA-555 Mk II power amp. It sounds great.

    raife1, yah I'm using the RX-V800 for my pre-amp tuner with 2 Yamaha amp and for me it works well. Looking to ad one more amp for the center channel so the 5 channel stereo will have the same power. Clay you would have more than enough inputs and output going this way. But many would say this is crazy, but I never said I wasn't :D
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited March 2002
    That all depends. IMO if you spend $500 on a pre-amp and $5oo on a DTS receiver you would think that because the maker of the pre-amp didn't have to spend money on thing like big powers supplys and decoder boards and such, the pre-amp would have a better sound. Could you really tell? Maybe or maybe not. But would you have a 5.1 capability down the road if and WHEN you decide to do it without a lot of investment? Please remember this is only MO and, well lets just leave it at that :confused:
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited March 2002
    Will I get the same sound quality with a receiver/amp as with a preamp/amp?

    Clay,

    It depends on the quality of the receiver and the amp.
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • Clay19
    Clay19 Posts: 27
    edited March 2002
    The Receiver that I was looking at was a Harman Kardon HK3470 and the Amp is a Musical Design D-75 (75WPC).

    ~Clay


    Just on a side note, have you guys seen the Krell equipment, i think those are some of the best looking components i have seen.
    www.krellonline.com

    Also the Bob Carver theater grand at Sunfire.com
    -Adcom GTP-502 Preamp
    -Musical Designs D-75 Amp
    -Polk Ebony LSi9's
    -Sony NS500V SACD/CD/DVD
    -Velodyne CHT-10
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  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited March 2002
    Just on a side note, have you guys seen the Krell equipment, i think those are some of the best looking components i have seen.

    Yes they are nice looking and "sound great". But, I do not have the pocket book for them:eek:
    The Receiver that I was looking at was a Harman Kardon HK3470 and the Amp is a Musical Design D-75 (75WPC).

    HK is good equipment. Is this a DTS receiver? I myself have a thing for Yamaha. The Musical Desigh "I no nothing":D
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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  • Clay19
    Clay19 Posts: 27
    edited March 2002
    No, the receiver is a 2 channel, i have a cheap sony 5.1 channel receiver right now, but it is stuggling to drive the 55's. I also had a CS245i and 2 rt25i's for a while, but i found that i only used the surround about once a month, so i returned them, and i will stay with 2 channel for now.

    ~Clay:) :D
    -Adcom GTP-502 Preamp
    -Musical Designs D-75 Amp
    -Polk Ebony LSi9's
    -Sony NS500V SACD/CD/DVD
    -Velodyne CHT-10
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited March 2002
    saturdayaudio.com has a nice, new AMC pre, with remote for $199....and definately check ebay and audiogon, I've seen GAS pre's and the like go for under a franklin.....

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited March 2002
    Believe it or not......
    most amps work better with the preamp that is designed to mate with that amp.But you can mix and match,it depends on what yu are looking for.
    Seperates are better then receiver's and even more so if you want to do 2 channel.You don't need to waste all those features on a video receiver.
    Adcom,B&K make great preamps for under 600.00 new or used.Look at a local Tweeter ,you should be able to get a good deal on a B&K PT3B.iT'S ALL ANALOG.Nice piece.
    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • dean/klipschead
    dean/klipschead Posts: 295
    edited March 2002
    Don't waste your money.

    Buy used.

    It's unbelievable what you can pick up used.

    For example: I am currently selling an Anthem Amp1 40 wpc tube amp for $525 -- the amp listed for $1400.

    Go to www.audiogon.com and browse -- it will blow your mind what people will sell their stuff for to get their next upgrade.

    I personally think you should say to hell with tuner and just get a nice preamp.

    You can probably get an Anthem Pre1L for $450. It's a tube preamp and has a gorgeous sound. I used one for 4 years until I upgraded to a Sonic Frontiers Line 1 last month.
    Dean
    Quicksilver M-60 monoblocks - JM 200 Peach Linestage - Sony DVP-S9000ES - '03 modified Klipschorns

    "I'm sure it's better than it sounds."-- Mark Twain, when asked what he thought about Wagner's music
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