7.1 ch pre as good as a 2 ch pre?

Pwrmx24
Pwrmx24 Posts: 26
edited December 2007 in Electronics
Well here's another newbie post from Pwrmx24......geez.

Ok. Thanks for all the help here on the posts.
Hopefully I can be as helpful someday....

If you had the $$ would you buy a seperate 2 CH preamp to listen to stereo separately from HT or just buy the one 7.1 pre-amp for both HT and stereo?
I listen to music 95%, HT 5%

example: Is the rotel 1070 just as good for listening to 2 ch as the Rotel 1069?


My Setup:
1x Polk Lsi-15 (left) :cool: the other one arrives tomorrow!
1x Onik TX-80 from 1989 (sad, I Know)
2x Bose 301 (Series II) Boy am I looking forward to hooking the LSi-15's up to something.....anything...
Post edited by Pwrmx24 on
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Comments

  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited December 2007
    While there are exceptions, generally a good 2 ch pre will do better on music than the HT pre/pro in an AVR. The HT AVR pre section is usually compromised on 2 ch stereo and the focus is put on multi-channel. Like I said, there are exceptions such as B&K, some of the Outlaw pre/pro's, Anthem AVR's, and of course once you move up to the Lexicon, Meridian level then it probably becomes less of an issue (I for one wouldn't know :( ).

    With that said many HT AVR's do offer a 2 ch direct mode which can sound really good. Myself, I prefer to keep my 2 ch system separate from my HT system. That's what I prefer, YMMV.
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited December 2007
    Like any good question, the answer usually is "it depends."
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  • Pwrmx24
    Pwrmx24 Posts: 26
    edited December 2007
    OK good point.....it depends.
    Here is part of my dilemma. I would think that a 2 ch pre would sound better doing 2 ch than a 7.1 doing 2 ch listening to music because you would think the Rotel guys would design say the RC 1070 better at it than the 7.1 pre.

    Well part of my problem is about 90% of my CD's were stolen so I am building my collection back up while buying separates....talk about strapped for $$!

    Anyway I did encode all my stuff on the computer using a decent bit rate. I would think that connecting my computer to the pre-amp using a digital connection and letting the pre do the decoding would sound better that just running it through the RCA inputs......yet the RC-1070 doesn’t have digital inputs.....but the 7.1 surround 1098 does! And I think it might work. go figure....
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited December 2007
    In your scenario I would either buy the PS Audio DAC that has a USB connection to your PC, or use the 1098 connected to your PC.
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited December 2007
    I had the Digital Link III. It's excellent for streaming audio from your PC. Others will recommend the Benchmark 1 DAC over the DLIII, but it costs a little bit more with USB support.
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  • JoshParsons84
    JoshParsons84 Posts: 565
    edited December 2007
    You know what I'm not putting anybody down or anything, but I read these posts where people's getting ripped off and they're stuff getting stolen. May I ask where does everbody live that gets ripped off? Here where I live I got my Meth heads running around stealing for their next fix but I've NEVER gotten stole off of.

    Sorry to hijack the thread but I just wanted to add that in there.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited December 2007
    If you've never had your car broken into and your entire CD collection stolen then you drive a crappier car than me my friend. I'm not sure I can think of anyone who has never had something stolen.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,671
    edited December 2007
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    If you've never had your car broken into and your entire CD collection stolen then you drive a crappier car than me my friend. I'm not sure I can think of anyone who has never had something stolen.

    Never leave your entire collection of cds in a wallet in the car.
    Burn copies for your own use, at least. Time consuming, but a lot cheaper in the long run.
    If there's an accident, and the car gets towed, kiss them goodbye too. Things happen.
    There's a Best Buy off I35 that's rip off city.
    I found that out the hard way. I don't go there any more. They randomly
    hit 20 or 30 cars in a night in the cluster of stores in that area.
    BB, CC, Guitar Center, are in that same area of strips.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,804
    edited December 2007
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    If you've never had your car broken into and your entire CD collection stolen then you drive a crappier car than me my friend. I'm not sure I can think of anyone who has never had something stolen.

    I've never had my car broken into, has nothing to do with how nice your car is. It has everything to do with where you live, and of course where you park your car.

    Why would anyone carry their entire collection in the car?
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  • venomclan
    venomclan Posts: 2,467
    edited December 2007
    A stand alone 2 channel preamp will perform better most of the time, but as others have mentioned, there are exceptions. I have gone with both 2 channel preamps and pre/pros. It will depend on how well your gear synergizes with each other and what flavor of sound you like. Check out this thread for some ideas:
    http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=707173&highlight=butler

    It is a long thread but the first 3 pages hold some interisting observations.
    Venom
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