i don't understand how the mentioned different modes require "different bass management".

bass management is applied according to your speaker system, not what 'mode' you're in. four full range speakers are not gonna cut it for dvd-a/sacd formats, at least not the ML/paradigm system mentioned above (BTW, this speaker combo will sound very good...what sub system?).

the 950's bass management is a 'set it and leave it' system for both analog bypass modes and digital modes. it lacks some tweakability, but, to be honest, most folks i have talked to who have lexicon or meridian types of tweakability end up damaging their soundfields more than helping them, as these are extremely complex tweaks. they require a very high-end speaker system and very intimate user knowledge of their reactions to the different settings.

i spent a good part of today at my local tweeter shop with a very cool salesperson. he let me drag the mirage omni 260, sonus faber and vienna acoustic speakers into the martin logan room.

i was basically looking to upgrade my speaker system. i took along diana krall (thanx, Will), james taylor and spyro gyra, all multi-channel sacd. i also took my wife, who has perfect pitch and flawless hearing.

the hardware included a b&k ref 50, b&k multi amp (i also tried the denon 5803 for a short while) and a sony triple 9 ES player and monster power.

the mirage omnis are good speakers for the money, the VA and sonus are great speakers but very pricey and the ML clarity speakers, i must say, are very, very good speakers and priced reasonably for the quality.

both the omni sub and the ML descent sub are...well...crap (sorry if that offends anyone).

my wife then shocked me by saying that i should keep what i have or buy the ML setup, though she didn't think they were enough better than our current system to justify 6 grand.

when we got home, i sat her down with the same disc we last listened to at tweeter. i was all set to chide her as i was sure she was dead wrong. she wasn't.

so...how could it be that this cacophony of speakers/amps sounds so good?

a. i have a vastly superior LF system.
b. placement and calibration are shockingly pathetic at tweeter...my system is anally placed and calibrated (and i now see the absolute importance of this aspect of multi-channel listening enjoyment).
c. the 950 is a very, very good multi-channel preamp at a price that simply puts a smile on my face, backed by a very, very cool bunch of guys for 5 years. if the anthem, or any other $3K preamp sounds 3 times better than the 950 (and i positively know this isn't true), then knock over the mailman running to buy it.

whatever you end up with, read the manual, understand it's capabilities and weaknesses, place and calibrate your speakers (and then do it again), research and buy as good a player as you can afford and research and buy the best produced software available in each format....then, and only then...listen.

if it don't float your boat at that point, you have 30 days to say, 'no thanks'.