Good preamp for LSi's + B&K 7270

[cokewithvanilla]

I've had the LSi's in the closest for a long time now. I currently have Lsi25's, LSic, and LSiFX. I just bought an amp last night. The B&K 7270. 200watt x 7 at 8 ohms. I now need a preamp so i can at least test the amp to see how it sounds. The problem I have been having is finding a preamp with HDMI. I dont know why but it seems that no one (B&K, Sherbourn, Sunfire) has updated their preamps in years. I want something that will perform well with this system, but I do not want to spend a whole lot of money.

Any suggestions?

[dkg999]

Look for one of the new HTR's from Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, Yamaha, etc. I think Onkyo has a pre/pro with HDMI.

[MADGSF]

Well B&K has a new Pre, the Ref 70, that supports HDMI but it does not show on their web site. I think it's HDMI 1.3a, I would love to have one but will have to wait until they show up used before I can consider.

[Face]

Check out Integra or Onkyo Pro.

[wout]

Onkyo Pro 885, Matti (Mwaarna) has one and I have not yet heard how he likes it. It has the HDMI 1.3 as well as the 1080p and sound codecs. I am in the market as well for a pre pro to go with the LSi speakers and the Cinenova Grande that just came in. I think I might get a cheapy with pre outs until Outlaw comes out with their new preamp (I do not know yet if they will have HDMI etc.. I hope so.

[hockeyboy]

I suspect this would fit the bill, although technically not a pre.

http://us.marantz.com/Products/2204.asp

[reeltrouble1]

After you get your receiver needs squared away, your system would sound excellent on music with a 2 channel Dodd, BAT, Manley, Cary, or other such pre, get one with a HT bypass. Although that not a lot of money thing, well we can get you over that....

FWIW, I have paired some of these with my 7270 and love that B&K amp.

RT1

[malikarshad]

I have a Integra 9.8 pre/pro for my LSi setup.
I have posted the review here.
My initial impressions was not very good about this preamp but as I learned to set it up correctly with Audyssey i like it now. But they are very hard to find as its only available from Integra/Onkyo dealers.

[cokewithvanilla]

I would like to test out this amp, but I have not decided on a preamp. Would the sound be utterly horrible if I bought a Harman Kardon AVR-247 to hook this up to until I choose my preamp?

[tonyb]

As long as it has pre outs,knock your socks off.........

[Face]

My 245 has pre-outs, the 247 should also. And yes it'll be fine in the meantime. I'm using a HK245 with $2000+ worth of amps.

What are you using for interconnects?

[AndyGwis]

I've had the LSi's in the closest for a long time now.

Glad they finally came out of the closet.

I would look for a new B&K pre-pro as others have mentioned. Or, for slightly less, a used Ref 50 off Agon.

[cokewithvanilla]

well, some disappointing news guys. My Amp arrived today and does not work. I plug it in, press the power switch, and all it does it make a funny noise and then silence. The red power light it off. I cant imagine that you have to have your speakers plugged in for the amp to turn on. Do you?

[AndyGwis]

There may be a button on the back for remote or something that is pressed and shouldn't be or vice versus.

If that doesn't work, try to return it or work with the seller to get repaired.

[ND13]

Would the sound be utterly horrible if I bought a Harman Kardon AVR-247 to hook this up to until I choose my preamp?


Not at all.

[cokewithvanilla]

There may be a button on the back for remote or something that is pressed and shouldn't be or vice versus.

If that doesn't work, try to return it or work with the seller to get repaired.

Alright. Im a fool. I tried everything except pressing that button.

Thanks :)

[AndyGwis]

When I first got the 1430, something similar happened. It would make the start up sound, but no light to the power button or anything.

Pressed the button, and everything worked fine. Try it out.

[cokewithvanilla]

now the amp is powering on. ii think i will pick up a AVR-247 to test this out.

Oh, you connect an amp to a preamp using digital coax cable, right?

[MADGSF]

No, you use analog cables or interconnects from each pre-speaker out on the back of the receiver to the input for each channel. Remember to set the gain for each channel at maximum and do the channel leveling with the receiver. You may want to use that remote on if you receiver has an output for it. I have my amp hooked up that way so it just comes on with the receiver. Have fun!

[AndyGwis]

I leave my B&K amp on 24X7.

Just make sure it's off when you connect the speaker wire and interconnects so you don't really blow it.

Glad the button thing seemed to work. It will sound great with the 247, and even better once you get a pre-pro.

Enjoy!

[cokewithvanilla]

ok so would it be bad if I used coax to connect the amp to the preamp? what are "interconnects" i cannot seem to find them anywhere. Can you post a link to the proper cable?

[Face]

http://signalcable.com/analoght.html

[cokewithvanilla]

ok, it looks like that is just standard RCA cable. As far as I remember analog rca and digital coax were interchangable.

The only reason I ask is that I had someone going to get me 7 of these coax cables from best buy. If i used coax would I be screwing something up?

[Face]

Regular RCA's are 50ohms(I believe), Digital Coax is 75ohm. They are different.

[AndyGwis]

7 of anything from Best Buy is a bad deal, even if they are on super-duper clearance.

Get some ICs from signal cable or bluejeanscable.com. Either will get you a better product for probably less than best buy.

Stick around here. You've got some great gear now, and we'll help you fine tune it. . . put it to good use.

[cokewithvanilla]

I know I have been jumping around, I said that I was going to get a HK AVR-247. After looking at prices of higher quality preamps that will do the same things, I have decided to spend a bit more money and get something that will last a bit longer.

I am looking at the top end B&K, Sherbourn, Outlaw, Emotiva processors. It seems like they are all on sale like mad. Every one of them being around 800-900, some even less.

I am assuming these models are being replaced by new ones, and that is the reason for them being so low in price. However, their sound quality is still very good, especially compared to the HK. It seems like I would have to go with either Sherbourn or Emotiva to get HDMI (which i need, and correct me if im wrong). I understand that new formats are coming out and what not, but I have put a lot of money into this lately, and I still have to finish the room that it will all go in! So after I get the whole set up (i still need preamp, sub, and 2 more lsifx's) I am going to have to give it a break for a while. I probably wont buy a HD player for a year. So, this being said, I probably do not need the latest HD audio formats.

What will I lose by going with an older processor? Will HDMI still carry audio w/ an external switch? In your opinion is this a good decision?

I will also add this, if it helps, I am honestly not impressed by the Lsi's and the 7270 that I am listening to right now. If i compare the price paid (MSRP on my old setup just counting the fronts and the amp = maybe 700, new setup =5500 or so) to the difference in sound quality, it simply doesnt add up. So, i Hoped that by buying a nice processor, instead of a cheapo one, I would gain sound quality which will make me feel better about my equipment, and will probably make me keep the preamp a bit longer

If you have actually read this far, what do you think? :)

[Sami]

If you have actually read this far, what do you think? :)

Whatever processor you get, I would at least make sure it has inputs for external decoder. That way you are able to get all the latest codecs in from the source regardless of what is built in to the processor.

As for the disappointment in sound, it could be several issues (placement and room being the biggest I can think of). I'm afraid if you're disappointed now and tweaking won't help, a new prepro isn't going to solve it.

Edit: Sorry, didn't realize this was an older post. So, what prepro did you end up with and are you happy? :)