# Can I Get a AV Pre-amp/Processor for Under £600?



## Sononeo (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi all!

I'm currently in the market to get a AV pre-amp/processor. I've looked around and there are a lot of AV processors that are full up to the brim with features, but have a price tag of around £1000+.

I was wondering if anyone knew of any processors that I get brand new or used/refurbished for less than £600. I don't need features like it being network ready, airplay, ipod stuff, dlna etc. Just something that is able to process video and audio to the best that it can. I would of course like a decent number of HDMI ports (3 or more), Audysee if possible and no need for XLR I/O.

If anyone can point me to some possible products would be greatly appreciated. Also if anyone knows any UK AV retailers that aren't richer sounds that have a good product range and reasonable prices I would be happy to just be pointed to it and look for myself.

Thanks in advance!

P.S, I'm planning on using a pre-amp with my current Onkyo 606 reciever as the amp until I have the cash to upgrade that as well.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Sononeo said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I'm currently in the market to get a AV pre-amp/processor. I've looked around and there are a lot of AV processors that are full up to the brim with features, but have a price tag of around £1000+.
> 
> ...


Hello,
The problem is your Onkyo does not have Preamp/Main In Connections. That is the 606 cannot be used solely as a Power Amplifier and as it lacks Preamp Outputs it cannot be used as an SSP either.

You should be able to get an Onkyo SSP for 1000 Pounds without much if any difficulty. I am not that familiar with the pricing in the UK, but worst case I am sure you could find last years model within your budget. However, you are still going to also need an Outboard Power Amplifier. It will be quite difficult to get 5 Channels of Amplification and an SSP for your budget. Selling your Onkyo AVR will help offset the upgrades and it will be a rather huge upgrade.
Cheers,
JJ


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## Sononeo (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi, thanks for your reply!

Well my 606 has multi-channel analog inputs (for older DVD players) which I was planning on connecting to the outputs of a AV processor in order to use purely the amp section of the receiver.

Though I will take a look at some older model Onkyo SSP's. I wouldn't get much for my 606 I'm afraid as the HDMI board is faulty. Which is why I'm looking for a AV processor. I want to start moving to separates for processing and amplification.


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## phreak (Aug 16, 2010)

Sell the 606 and buy a 709 or higher. That should fit your current budget. Use it as an AVR until you have the funds for seperate amps, then you can use the new AVR as a Pre-Pro.


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## phreak (Aug 16, 2010)

To clarify my last post, the 700 series is the lowest cost option for use as a preamp, as anything cheaper wont have the required preamp outputs. If you couldn't get suitable value selling your 606 because of the busted HDMI board, you could use the 709 (or higher) to power only the front 3 and use the 606 via multichannel input to power the surrounds.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Sononeo said:


> Hi, thanks for your reply!
> 
> Well my 606 has multi-channel analog inputs (for older DVD players) which I was planning on connecting to the outputs of a AV processor in order to use purely the amp section of the receiver.
> 
> Though I will take a look at some older model Onkyo SSP's. I wouldn't get much for my 606 I'm afraid as the HDMI board is faulty. Which is why I'm looking for a AV processor. I want to start moving to separates for processing and amplification.


Hello,
That is just it, I do not know of too many SSP's with line level Mutichannel Outputs. Preamp Outputs, yes but not MCH Analog Outputs. Only some very expensive and primarily older AVR's had Main In's that allowed to solely use the Amplifier Stage solely of the AVR. 

I am afraid your only real choice will be to do as advised above, or use the MCH Input for the BDP and connect the rest of your sources via Optical/Coaxial Digital Cable for sound and then use your TV for HDMI Switching.
Cheers,
JJ


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

Jungle Jack said:


> That is just it, I do not know of too many SSP's with line level Mutichannel Outputs. Preamp Outputs, yes but not MCH Analog Outputs.


Are you making a distinction between line level MCH outputs and MCH analog outputs? I do not see one.


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## Sononeo (Jan 7, 2009)

phreak said:


> To clarify my last post, the 700 series is the lowest cost option for use as a preamp, as anything cheaper wont have the required preamp outputs. If you couldn't get suitable value selling your 606 because of the busted HDMI board, you could use the 709 (or higher) to power only the front 3 and use the 606 via multichannel input to power the surrounds.


Thanks, I was about to ask if that was the lowest priced receiver with multi-ch pre-outs. As most I've seen with that are over my budget by quite a margin. Though the 709 is still just a bit over, it will be ok if I can off-set the cost by selling the 606. I'll look into the option in using the two receivers to power front and rear speakers. I may prefer to minimize the damage of £799 for the 709.


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## ansat (Apr 22, 2011)

Emotiva umc1. Just add in the cost of a tape measure and a splendid meter. I don't trust its auto calibration.


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## Sononeo (Jan 7, 2009)

ansat said:


> Emotiva umc1. Just add in the cost of a tape measure and a splendid meter. I don't trust its auto calibration.


Do you have one? I've read reviews for it and it seems great for what I'm after in terms of price, connections and sound quality. It's just a matter of being able to get one in the UK.


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## ansat (Apr 22, 2011)

I do use a umc 1.

My issues with it are
Hdmi- the unit needs to see picture to activate sound. Computer going to sleep can be troublesome. Also sending audio only over Hdmi can be a pain. 

Room correction it did not set the gains properly or the distances correctly. The equaliser was good though.

Other then above I am quite happy with this. I enjoy it over my Denton 3808ci


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Kal Rubinson said:


> Are you making a distinction between line level MCH outputs and MCH analog outputs? I do not see one.


I did not state it as I should have. My point is that without Preout/Main In where you can use the AVR solely as an Amplifier, I do not see how an SSP can be used in tandem with an AVR without it.


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## erwinbel (Mar 23, 2010)

Sononeo said:


> Do you have one? I've read reviews for it and it seems great for what I'm after in terms of price, connections and sound quality. It's just a matter of being able to get one in the UK.


Just mail [email protected] for a quote of the freight. Pay (they even accept Paypal now) and you have it within a week.

Don't forget to add duties and VAT to the total which you pay afterwards. That's 30%ish for BE... Should still be no more than your budget. And I can't imagine anything better for that money either.

I have XPA-1 / XDA-1 / ERC-1 / XPR-5 / airmotiv 5. All good!


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## ansat (Apr 22, 2011)

Just don't forget a spl meter.


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## Sononeo (Jan 7, 2009)

erwinbel said:


> Just mail [email protected] for a quote of the freight. Pay (they even accept Paypal now) and you have it within a week.
> 
> Don't forget to add duties and VAT to the total which you pay afterwards. That's 30%ish for BE... Should still be no more than your budget. And I can't imagine anything better for that money either.
> 
> I have XPA-1 / XDA-1 / ERC-1 / XPR-5 / airmotiv 5. All good!


Great thanks I shall ask them for a quote and see how it goes. I'll probably get a RadioShack SPL meter as well if the price is good and I go through with it. I have been looking at the Denon AVR-2313CI as well which I've seen being sold at the same price as the Onkyo 709 (in the UK) and the company does part exchanges so I may be able to get that for a decent price. 

But I shall get a quote for the UMC-1 first. Btw, does the UMC-1 make use of HDMI-CEC btw? So you can control it with your TV via your TV remote for example.


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## ansat (Apr 22, 2011)

No cec


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## cdguy (Sep 5, 2012)

X2 on the UMC-1, they are on sale rite now, but Im not sure for how long, I think when they are gone, they are gone {the XDA1 was on sale for 199 , but they took it down yesterday...} 
he UMC1 is 499, with a 40% coupon, I just seen someone sell the coupon on Ebay for $200, since you save $600 on their new preamp with it... This preamp was a good deal at the original 700+...


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## ansat (Apr 22, 2011)

New umc is due by Xmas. It is s a superiod unit but will cost more


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I am hopeful the forthcoming UMC is going to be a solid SSP. I prefer a solid AVR like a Denon AVR-3312CI, Onkyo TX-NR809/818, Marantz SR7005, and others to the UMC-1. As the Marantz SR/AV 7005 are in the process of being replaced, I am guessing there are some really good deals to be found on AV7005's.
Cheers,
JJ


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## erwinbel (Mar 23, 2010)

Here are some quotes from Emofest about the successors (yes two!) of the UMC-1:

_The UMC-1 is being discontinued, with the last shipment arriving mid-September, but it will be essentially replaced by the UMC-200!

Ultra will have a UMC-200 ($699, Timing ~end of year) and UMC-500 ($999, Shipping ~January 2013). Neither had legacy video support or video processing, and each use the HDMI switching that is essentially the same as on the XMC-1 but built onto another board in the unit instead of on its own board. UMC-200 has RCA outputs, UMC-500 has available XLR's. Fronts include microphone and headphone inputs, and various other buttons for controlling the unit. The UMC-200's volume control was via buttons (not a knob). The UMC-200 was demo'd and working, but the OSD details were not yet final. The UMC-500 was in the lab.

The UMC-200 has Bluetooth connectivity, EmoQ Gen 2, all the standard decoding formats from the UMC-1 + Dolby PLIIz, 4 HDMI v 1.4 w/ARC & CEC, a balanced sub out, 3 zones, a standby video mode that allows the unit to be off but pass info on to a TV while off, and a new slim plastic remote (that includes a programmable hot key). FW updates will be more like the UMC-1 than the XMC-1. The HDMI switching was very quick in the demo. Also, it includes a parametric EQ that includes 11 filters/channel AND you can adjust which range each filter controls via the menu._


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## Sononeo (Jan 7, 2009)

Hmm sounds like I should await the UMC-200 it sounds pretty nice for the price over the UMC-1. I'll have a bigger budget by the end of the year though and I have been looking at the Denon 2312/2313 line. Thinking if those would be good as well, since I've been hearing a lot of good things about those AVR's.


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