possibly getting new preamp?

[jamison]

I currently have an Onkyo TX-SR800 i use as a preamp. im running an Adcom GFA-7807 amp. I am looking at Getting an Adcom GTP 880 AV controller. it looks pretty sweet but will i get a noticeable difference in sound quality by using a straight preamp?
the Adcom Preamp is about $2500 dollars. the link here says 2600 but i saw it at another site with free shipping for $2500. http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=ADCGTP880

[Mr Peabody]

I believe you will definitely notice a difference when using a dedicated preamp over a receiver for preamp. I haven't heard the Adcom piece but if you are willing to spend $2,500.00 I'd look around at other options like the new Arcam unit that sells around $2,500.00, Rotel probably has one as good as the Adcom for much less, the Anthem preamp/processors sound good and they are just slightly higher, if you look carefully on the used market you might find a use Classe', B&K and Roksan have units in your price but i don't know much about them either. If it was my money I'd go the used Classe, then either the Arcam or Anthem. I haven't heard this new Arcam but I haven't ever been disappointed by their stuff. I've heard the Anthem AVM-20 and was impressed at how well it did for the price and features it gave, looked like a good deal.

[jamison]

thanks for the info, ill check those other preamps out. what i like about the adcom is it has 2 multichannel inputs for sacd and dvdaudio as well as the analog bass management switch. I also like the fact you can run different crossover settings for each set of speakers, for example you could cut off the fronts at say 50 hz and the Center at 80 hz and the surrounds at 100 hz if you wanted to. I researched the adcom online quite a bit, it has good reviews. I may go into the local high end shop in toledo and see if i can demo it. when i bought my Klipsch speakers the salesman seemed to push B & W speakers over the Klipsch and They ran a lot of macintosh equipment. overall i got the Klipsch because they seemed more alive to me the B & W looked good but just sounded dead to me. I cant remember the models its been a couple of years. the store is http://www.jamiesonsaudiovideo.com/
the preamp im looking at must be black to match the other equipment. I run an alesis eq for 2 channel cd playback.( I like to tweak the bass a bit as i run 2 channel without the sub and i have the fronts set at large for 2 chanel sources) it has Coax digital inputs and outputs and works great but it sticks out like a sore thumb. i did paint the cover and side panels a satin black to help hide it a bit more.
my budget is $2500 give or take a few hundred bucks. and I prefer new equipment over used. I recently inherited some money from my fathers estate and although i am not being frugal with my money i dont want to waste it either.
My usage for my soundsetup is mostly home theater but i do listen to 2 channel cd sources and dvd audio and sacd. i listen to a lot of classical rock, some jazz, some classical, a bit of pop and pretty much anything but hardcore rap.

[Mr Peabody]

At the link you gave Adcom would be your best bet except for Mac and neither of us can afford one of their HT processors. It could have been the particular set up but when I heard the Anthem it actually sounded better than the Mac. The store had both brands and they were using their own brand of power amp but again who knows what the settings were.

Most of the features you like are available on other processors.

[jamison]

I looked at the Rotel RSP 1068 preamp.... I liked the looks of it considering it is silver, it looks good, my adcom amp has some silver in it and the Alesis EQ is silver too. performance is more important to me than looks but i do want the units to blend well aesthetically.

I found several good reviews for the Adcom, and one bad one saying it colored the sound too much. however no one on this forum or any others seem to have any experience with it.
im sure the Macs are pretty good but i hate the looks of them. they look like they are stuck in the early 70's
your right about all the settings, When i demoed my Klipsch RF-7 there he did change all kinds of settings. I insisted on listening in 2 channel stereo, the sales rep did let me spend several hours doing critical listening. however im sure that the room is acousticall perfect and designed for such purposes. my living room isnt i have to deal with standing waves because of my woodburning stove in the middle of my room as well as placing the subwoofer along the side wall rather than on the same plane with the front speakers. when I listen to 2 channel sources without the sub the bass is strong near the speakers but when i move back to the back of the room you can hardly hear the bass. I also know that my sectional couch prob causes problems.. but I just dont have the space for a dedicated listening room. ah the days of going back to when i just had a turntable, 2 pairs of realistic mach 1 speakers and a 110 watt per channel Pioneer amp. somehow i think the more money you have to burn on this hobby the less you enjoy it.