I'm currently looking for a new processor for HT & also one that takes two channel listening seriously. I know Outlaw is coming out with a new flagship piece towards the end of the year. I haven't heard any info on it yet though.

I'm sure others are also coming out with there new models shortly also. My budget is around $2K, any other processors I should be taking a look at that are up to the task of producing quality two channel along with stellar HT performance.

I'm really curious as to the Outlaw piece though!!!

Not sure if the Outlaw forums are the best place to inquire about competitive products.

You could look at AVSforum. They have a thread dedicated to all the new processors on the market. However, there only seems to be a handful of products that'll meet your requirements and most haven't been out long enough for a thorough review.

It's a sector of the market that's been turned a bit upside-down right now. For the sub-$2,000 price range, there's the Onkyo 885/Integra 9.8. Aside from those two (which are different names for the same core platform), I think it's mostly a waiting game. Outlaw has been quiet so far about specific features and specs for their new product, except to indicate that it will be a replacement for the Model 990. I expect that silence to remain until they are very close to shipping hardware, although I could be wrong (I'm basing that on the Model 990's launch and the low profile maintained so far).

What features are you interested in? If you don't need v1.3 bitstream support, room correction, or video processing, the Anthem AVM40 could be an option, although even used I doubt it would fit in your budget.

Important features to me so far would be it's ability to perform stellar two channel playback. I don't need it to decode the latest audio for HT, I'll let the BlueRay player do that. Two or three HDMI connections would fit the bill. And from what I've been reading the Audyssey MultiEQ XT is a real winner. I don't really need the video upconversion either, my display will take care of that.

I realize that it's akin to buying a car...you only want one or two features but they only come as a package. The same goes with some of the processors, to get what I'm looking for I'll probably get more than I really want.

I can't wait to get more info on the Outlaw's new flagship processor. Hopefully that'll fit the bill nicely. But as of right now the NAD T175 comes the closest. No video upscaling, it doesn't decode trueDolby HT or dtsHD, but it does have the Audyssey MultiEQ XT package. And knowing NAD I'm sure it does a stellar job on two channel playback. I'm not in any hurry so I'll just wait & see what's offered come the late fall.

Marantz also has released their new processor and it looks like a good one, although it is $2600 and thus a bit above your budget.

http://us.marantz.com/Products/2290.asp

But it has an Anchor Bay video processor in it which, if the Oppo 983 is any indication, will be much better than what you have in your TV.

No idea how it performs for 2 channel.

Hmmm...

I've owned a Marantz pre/pro/tuner before (in fact just before I bought my Outlaw Model 950) and I absolutely loved it. Built like a rock. Problem free. Extremely clean sound. I went to the 950 to get an expanded feature set / connections.

This new Marantz seems to have everything I'd be looking in making a move away from the 950.

If Outlaw does not come out with the 990 replacement (or word about thereof) by the Fall, I just might start looking for street pricing for the Marantz.

Jeff Mackwood

Does the rotel rsp-1069 fit this bill? no room correction -though....
Not sure of the price - but should be in your ball park...

be careful of the hype of EQ's.... it is still the speakers and the room that plays the biggest roll.

HTMAN,

I'm in the same situation (meaning I desire excellent two channel listening), although I’m currently satisfied with my 990. Two-channel audio (music) mode remains a weakness of all these processors. I've researched, seemingly without end, until I came to the conclusion that right now is not a good time to be purchasing a pre/pro. Apparently a number of manufacturers will be revealing their new machines, this fall. The Japanese are now also beginning to chip away at the market (see the need); Marantz and Denon ($7,500), for example. The good in this is that via the competition, pressure is increasing to build towards that ideal machine, for reasonable money. The down side, I think, is that current flagship models, such as the Anthem D2, will quickly become dinosaurs (meaning it’s likely not wise to overspend on a current processor).

In direct answer to your question: I couldn't find a single pre/pro that is said to have fantastic two channel (music) mode, not without spending a lot of money (which is ironic, given you can spend a lot less, on a two channel preamp that will outperform it).

Speaking for myself, I'm keeping my 990, probably for a couple of more years, with the hope that by then, a processor will exist which will also play well in two channel mode. If not, then, I’ll split the systems in two, one for HT and another for music.

Good luck!

John

I was looking into a separate 2 channel tube intergrate amp when a local dealer suggested a separate tube pre-amp such as the Rogue Audio Perseus ($1675) with a bypass HT button. In my case, the front channel interconnects output from the 990 into the pre-amp, then from the pre-amp into the 7500. All my analog outputs would connect to the pre-amp. If I'm listening to 5 channel music or a movie, I would simply press the bypass on the pre-amp which allow the 990 to handle all the processing. You can also retain the pre-amp for the front channels during for 5 channel instead of the 990.

I also considered connecting a pre-amp to the 7500 along with the 990 and use the toggle switch on the 7500 to change inputs. But I noticed there is leakage between the balanced and unbalanced inputs on the 7500. I would have to disconnect one when using the other which I prefer not to do.

I'm hoping my dealer would allow me to try the Perseus at home and try either of the configuration I mentioned above..

Ron

Because of the complex switching required to implement it's signal path, no home theater preamp will ever equal a simple, dedicated two channel preamp on sonics.

After responding, last night, a thought came to me: I might bypass the two channel music mode, pre/pro problem by simply adding an analogue preamp. My amplifier has both balanced and unbalanced inputs (currently using XLR for the 990). I could run all my analogue sources through the analogue preamp, while running my sat box, Oppo 981 through the 990. This way, I might achieve the best of both worlds, possibly! lol

I've not heard of Audio Perseus. With my amp offering both input types, however, I could use any preamp I want, maybe! lol

Just a thought, another potential approach.

John

ronrags,
if you are looking into tube pre-amp ... sounds like you need to have 2 systems.

A much cheaper (or is "more affordable" the PC term of choice?) route which would give you a lot of the sonic benefits of a tube preamp, ronrags, is to put a tube buffer like the Yaqin or Musical Fidelity between the 990 and power amplifier stereo (i.e., left front and right front) channels. You get tube sound and complete transparency for HT, since the sonic treatment is for the output of the 990. The only downside is that you can't use balanced interconnects in those channels, which means accepting 3db less volume at the same control settings. Nothing I've read says that's a problem unless the pre and power amps are really far apart an/or there's a very high amount of electronic noise, in which cases balanced interconnects do have an advantage.

I got a Yaqin for Christmas and sure haven't regretted it, even with the stock tube, which some users say can be improved on for treble sweetness. Cost: $175 plus shipping. It's Chinese-made, which might dissuade some, but the UK-made Musical Fidelity starts at more than twice the price and isn't even as good, according to http://www.epinions.com/content_312424107652, which is what convinced me.

What can you lose?

John,

That's exactly what I stated, but there may leakage between the balanced and unbalanced terminals on your amp. On my Outlaw 7500, I use balance cables from the 990. When I throw the toggle switch on the back of the 7500 to unbalanced, I could hear hiss coming from that speaker which means there must be leakage between these 2 connections. I don't what amp you are using, but make sure there isn't any leakage before you invest in a pre-amp.

Just in case, you may need to make sure that the AV processor is off when using the stereo pre-amp and visa-versa.

Psyprof1,

The use of a tube buffer is an option, but I still think a dedicated stereo pre-amp is the way to go concerning sound quality as Altec stated.