# Preamp recommendations



## cguff78 (Oct 30, 2008)

Looking to replace my older Inegra 9.8 preamp with a more upto date model, I'm running out of HDMI inputs and it feels like a good time to upgrade. I can retire the integra to the living room in the mean time.

So far my research has revolved around the new Marantz 8801, seems to have plenty of inputs, most of the newer features and compatibilities like 4k, etc. It will be the brains for my Paradigm signature setup.

Does anyone have any additional suggestions or recommendations? Any other info or questions and I'll fill in the blanks.


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## cguff78 (Oct 30, 2008)

Looked at a few other options, the McIntosh MX151 and the Denon AVP-A1HDCI. The McIntosh may be a bit of a silly choice for the price, the way codecs and standards have been changing so rapidly it probably doesn't make since to pay that much and be outdated in 3-5 years or less. The Denon looks nice and is a close feature set with the upgraded options now available but it is still an older model already?

Any other thoughts, lots of looks but no posts so far?


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

I suggest the Marantz 8801 as the all-around best choice under $5k.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Have you thought about just getting the Denon 4520 and using it as a preamp, especially since things get outdated so fast nowadays. If you ever have a problem with your power amps you would have amps sitting there... Or you could always use them for a 2nd or 3rd zone.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Yamaha just announced they were getting back into the separates market. Could be worth a look.


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## cguff78 (Oct 30, 2008)

I think I will just go with the Marantz 8801, I was qouted a pretty good deal buying that unit and a McIntosh 8207 together as a package.


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

rab-byte said:


> Yamaha just announced they were getting back into the separates market. Could be worth a look.


Interesting... any details?


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

It's basically the z9 or z11 cut in half (preamp/amp) with balanced and unbalanced output and updated HDMI spec.


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## admranger (Jul 12, 2013)

I just added a Marantz AV8801 to my setup.

So far I'm reserving judgement as so much changed between my AVR/amp setup to this. 

Musically, I *think* it is better, but I haven't dedicated a lot of critical listening time to it. I have run the Audessey XT32 and while making things sound better, it was not a stunning change like I have experienced in using Audessey in my car audio (very dramatic changes). Video processing is nice, as I have noticed the upconverting to 1080p. The Audessey indicated that one of my surrounds

Set up is pretty simple, though I'm having difficulty with my Wadia ipod transport digital connection. Could just be something simple as I haven't really messed with it much after just plugging thing in.

Anyway, not the phenomenal change I was hoping for, but things are early...


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## Audiofan1 (Aug 16, 2013)

admranger said:


> I just added a Marantz AV8801 to my setup.
> 
> So far I'm reserving judgement as so much changed between my AVR/amp setup to this.
> 
> ...


Hi admranger, glad to see you got the 8801 in and it will get better. Did you use a boom mic stand or at minimum a tripod for Audyssey and did you run all 8 positions?


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## admranger (Jul 12, 2013)

Audiofan1 said:


> Hi admranger, glad to see you got the 8801 in and it will get better. Did you use a boom mic stand or at minimum a tripod for Audyssey and did you run all 8 positions?


I used a tripod and did all 8 positions.

I watched a few tv shows last night and noticed a bit more detail in the imaging than I was used to. Still haven't taken the time to do any extensive critical listening though. 

I have some new to me xlr cables coming in to run from the BDP95 to the 8801 for 2 channel listening (SILNOTE AUDIO Morpheus Reference Series II). Demo pair from the manufacturer so I'll be able to compare to my JW Audio Cryo Nebula RCA cables I'm using now.


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## Audiofan1 (Aug 16, 2013)

admranger said:


> I used a tripod and did all 8 positions.
> 
> I watched a few tv shows last night and noticed a bit more detail in the imaging than I was used to. Still haven't taken the time to do any extensive critical listening though.
> 
> I have some new to me xlr cables coming in to run from the BDP95 to the 8801 for 2 channel listening (SILNOTE AUDIO Morpheus Reference Series II). Demo pair from the manufacturer so I'll be able to compare to my JW Audio Cryo Nebula RCA cables I'm using now.


Remember to assign the XLRs to the CD input and rename it if you want, and use the Pure direct mode. I look forward to your impressions once you get the cables and a little time to put it through its paces. and don't settle for just one Audyssey run, do it till it sounds right :T


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## admranger (Jul 12, 2013)

Audiofan1 said:


> Remember to assign the XLRs to the CD input and rename it if you want, and use the Pure direct mode. I look forward to your impressions once you get the cables and a little time to put it through its paces. and don't settle for just one Audyssey run, do it till it sounds right :T


If I understand you correctly, I can have multiple items on the 8801 play the CD player from different inputs? Hadn't investigated that part of the ridiculously huge manual yet...

In other words, have CD use the rca inputs and some other function use the xlr inputs? Interesting...

I'm going to redo my xt32 w/different microphone positions and see if I get different results. Likely a tighter grouping of the microphone.


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## cguff78 (Oct 30, 2008)

I've gotten mine setup as well, but haven't had a whole lot of time to play with it. Watched a couple of movies and that was about it. For movie playback it seemed to give a more clarity in the playback for the surround channels than I had noticed on my old integra. I know the audyssey had my subs level turned way down compared to before. Had to turn down the amplifier as well as the dB level, little too low for my liking. Wasn't sure if I went in and tweaked the audyssey setting to turn up the bass a bit if it would turn off any other filters from running the test patterns or not.


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## admranger (Jul 12, 2013)

cguff78 said:


> I've gotten mine setup as well, but haven't had a whole lot of time to play with it. Watched a couple of movies and that was about it. For movie playback it seemed to give a more clarity in the playback for the surround channels than I had noticed on my old integra. I know the audyssey had my subs level turned way down compared to before. Had to turn down the amplifier as well as the dB level, little too low for my liking. Wasn't sure if I went in and tweaked the audyssey setting to turn up the bass a bit if it would turn off any other filters from running the test patterns or not.


While not movies, I noticed more clarity in the dialogue on the tv shows I was watching last night.

Can you turn the gain up on your subs themselves or just bass boost via the tone controls in the av8801? My subs have a volume knob that I used to set the db levels with during the initial testing (75 db).


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## cguff78 (Oct 30, 2008)

Yeah, the clarity was the first thing that popped out at me, although I wasn't for certain what was responsible b/c I also added a McIntoch 8207 to replace my AVI amplifier at the same time. That's what I tried to do initially was just turning the amplifier back up and that gained a little bit, have to go back and play with it. Before I had it setup perfectly for the volume and settings I had so it wouldn't clip. I've been lazy and not got a filter to avoid the issue (wasn't sure where to get one) as my subs are a DIY pair of JL audio W7-13s with a crown amplifier.



admranger said:


> While not movies, I noticed more clarity in the dialogue on the tv shows I was watching last night.
> 
> Can you turn the gain up on your subs themselves or just bass boost via the tone controls in the av8801? My subs have a volume knob that I used to set the db levels with during the initial testing (75 db).


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## Audiofan1 (Aug 16, 2013)

admranger said:


> If I understand you correctly, I can have multiple items on the 8801 play the CD player from different inputs? Hadn't investigated that part of the ridiculously huge manual yet...
> 
> In other words, have CD use the rca inputs and some other function use the xlr inputs? Interesting...
> 
> I'm going to redo my xt32 w/different microphone positions and see if I get different results. Likely a tighter grouping of the microphone.


Almost got it, 

1.) set the Oppo 95 to bitstream for hdmi audio and use the Bluray input on the 8801

2.) use the XLr's (when they come in ) from the 95 to the 8801 , then assign those to the CD input.

3.) While I don't use the RCA's from my 105, I do have a pair connected on the dedicated stereo outs and I set the Oppo to FR/FL from its stereo downmix default position, I know in the 95 this will stack the ESS dac's( not on the 105). you can assign the 7.1( even if only using FR/FL channels and not the full 7.1 outs from the 95) input where you want say the DVD input and and assign them there.

The above will give you three connection methods for audio from the 95 all available at the touch of a button and the 8801 will remember the settings for each!

So they look like this in the end when you press the button of choice. And some examples of their respective listening modes 

1.) Bluray = HDMI/ 2/CH Multi Ch movies & SACD & DVD Audio

2.) CD = XlR stereo only in Pure Direct

3.) DVD = analog 7.1 outs from the 95 (even if only the stereo outs) the 8801 will not do any processing here and the bass mngt and all distance settings must be done in the Oppo 95.)


Even if you added an Coax or an optical from the 95 to the 8801 and assigned them to various unused inputs on the 8801 you would have even more selections as all the outputs on the 95 are active at all times and switching on the fly via the 8801's remote lets you get the connection method of choice which really cool.


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## Audiofan1 (Aug 16, 2013)

^^^
Adjust all levels via the 8801 after your Audyssey calibration sub included and never set crossovers below what its determined , you can raise them but not lower the crossovers. And be to check and see if Audyssey bottomed out at -12 db, this can happen if you can't adjust the gain on an amp and its too high ! if it happens, use rca instead of xlr's which can add 6db of gain .


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## admranger (Jul 12, 2013)

Audiofan1 said:


> Almost got it,
> 
> 1.) set the Oppo 95 to bitstream for hdmi audio and use the Bluray input on the 8801
> 
> ...



Ok, I'll give that a try. Right now I use blu ray for the HDMI from 95 to 8801. I'll have to check the settings to see about the bitstream.

CD is using the RCA outs, but not set to pure direct (yet).

The xlr cables should be here in a few days (priority mail from Florida), so this weekend I'll fool with them.


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## admranger (Jul 12, 2013)

Audiofan1 said:


> Almost got it,
> 
> 1.) set the Oppo 95 to bitstream for hdmi audio and use the Bluray input on the 8801


Done

What should I set for 2 channel? LPCM or bitstream?



Audiofan1 said:


> 2.) use the XLr's (when they come in ) from the 95 to the 8801 , then assign those to the CD input.


Ok.



Audiofan1 said:


> 3.) While I don't use the RCA's from my 105, I do have a pair connected on the dedicated stereo outs and I set the Oppo to FR/FL from its stereo downmix default position, I know in the 95 this will stack the ESS dac's( not on the 105). you can assign the 7.1( even if only using FR/FL channels and not the full 7.1 outs from the 95) input where you want say the DVD input and and assign them there.


Do you set it to stereo down mix or LT/RT?



Audiofan1 said:


> The above will give you three connection methods for audio from the 95 all available at the touch of a button and the 8801 will remember the settings for each!
> 
> So they look like this in the end when you press the button of choice. And some examples of their respective listening modes
> 
> ...


Blueray is strictly HDMI video and HDMI audio, no matter what I put in the 95. Ok.

For the CD selection, can I preprogram the 8801 to automatically switch to Pure Direct or do I have to do it myself w/the remote every time (oh what a burden...lol)? If I can have it automatically go to Pure Direct, I couldn't figure out how to do that.



Audiofan1 said:


> 3.) DVD = analog 7.1 outs from the 95 (even if only the stereo outs) the 8801 will not do any processing here and the bass mngt and all distance settings must be done in the Oppo 95.)
> 
> During the auto setup, I plugged the RCAs into the CD in jacks and the 8801 says those are analog input 5. I moved those to 7.1 but I can't for the life of me figure out how to assign the 7.1 inputs to any one assigned input. I go to Input Select and I can pick 7.1, but I can't assign it to a named input. Very frustrating... :help:
> 
> ...


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## Audiofan1 (Aug 16, 2013)

admranger said:


> Done
> 
> What should I set for 2 channel? LPCM or bitstream?
> 
> ...


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