Oh, I'd dump J-Lo for my real wife in a Hollywood minute. I'd only want to be Ben to find out what it's like to be handsome, wealthy, influential, admired and powerful without the apparent benefit of actual talent.

See the latest one? I actually sent that in before the last one concerning Michael Fremer and analog vs digital sound quality.

Also, even before I got "educated" about tubes and even and odd order harmonics, having the Behringer tub eq in my system, etc. Wish I could take that part back...

Kevin:

Could you re-print your letter here in this forum? I would buy the Stereophile, but we're all stocked up on toilet paper.....

Ouch!

Gimme a day or two. Mostly about how I think they have the best speaker reviews out there (except that they never ever comment on anomalous freq response curves with really expensive speakers), and that I've seen a lot of readers complain that they only review super expensive equipment, but I actually bought a pair of $500 Acoustic Energy speakers based on a review of an even cheaper pair, and that I wish I had subscribed earlier. In truth, I think the good is worth the bad you have to wade through... They do perform the most comprehensive measurements of any publication now.

Has anyone considered or used a 2 channel pre with Theater loop, unity gain, HT bypass, etc.? I'm still looking for the right pre, but think its much more elegant that using the y adapter. If tried it, and it degraded the sound on both ends.

I've been using a 2-channel preamp (Parasound 1100D) for the last 5 years as the control center for my combined 2-channel/HT system with Dynaudio Contour speakers all around. I feed the L&R preouts of the HT prepro to an AUX-IN on the 2-channel preamp.

This way I can leave the prepro and DVD turned off when listening to 2-channel CD and TT.

The only issue with my setup is that I don't have an HT bypass on the 2-channel preamp, but the 12 o'clock volume position = unity gain.

[This message has been edited by bstan (edited June 03, 2003).]

Me too.

Scott 222c tube integrated amp & Sony SACD/CD player with Music Hall TT.

I connect the DVD player to the 1050 and the pre-amp out to the "extra" input on the Scott. 1:00 on the Scott volume.

I would love a HT Pass through to mate my 2-channel with my Outlaw HT gear.

HT Crazed,

It is amazing how many preamps and even some integrateds are offering the processor loops standard with a lot of their models and most others offer it as an option. Just name your poison and price, solid state or tube. I am using a tubed Anthem Pre 2L (no longer in production) and very seriously considering going the integrated route with a Plinius 8200 Mk II. If not I am going to step up to either Rogue, VTL, or find a used Sonic Frontier Line 1 or 2. Others I personally know about with loops available are Conrad Johnson, Quicksilver, and Cary in tubes. McCormack, Plinius, Audio Refinement, PS Audio, Belles, Bel Canto and I think Blue Circle in solid state. I think, don't hold me to it, that AMC even has a low priced model with a processor loop. A lot of these preamps are floating around in the used market, if you see a model and are unsure write the person selling it or go to the manufacturing website. It is just getting a lot more common than when I traded in my CJ-7 3 years back just to get the Anthem because it had the processor loop. The Anthem is good and with the right tube rolling it is very nice, especially for the price (and built like a tank). I just like to change around and I have had it for a few years. Ready to try something new.