I Need a Receiver with Analog Inputs

[Kal Rubinson]

So, don't know if you're personally using an AVR in your system Kal, or have separates; but you know this gear I would think. If you were buying a new AVR this year that had analog inputs and all the latest HDMI and other specs, which one would "YOU" buy?

Hard to say since I have never owned an AVR and would probably never think of using one as my system core. My CT system uses a Marantz AV8805 prepro at its core. My NYC system has neither an AVR or a prepro. I don't pay much attention to AVRs.

 

[DuncanS]

i notice many A/V reveivers as well as Pre-Pro's have a zone 2 output. So in that case you could choose phono as input & send to zone 2 and select MCH in for zone 1, main listening area.

That's a very good point! I've never tried that Zone 2 on my SCLX86K looks like it would do it!

.......... I just wish I'd thought of that. I blew around £200 on the phono preamp

 

[par4ken]

I've never been one for the use of a receiver. Separates all the way! I'm not one to want all my components to be matching from the same manufacturer either (I can't believe that so many people are concerned about that). A great system includes components from many different manufactures.
What is needed is a good surround preamplifier, one that includes multiple analog inputs. That's why I like to custom build much of my equipment, you can't always find something to suit your needs commercially. Any suggestions for a great multi-channel pre-amp are welcome here, sorry I haven't any suggestions myself.
Anyway when it comes to amplifiers I would suggest looking at professional units. I own a Crown CTS 4200 four channel amplifier. As well as a CTS 8200 eight channel amplifier. Both were obtained used at a very reasonable cost. They are robust, sound good and have balanced inputs (but you can run still run them single ended). The CTS 8200 that I have came from some commercial use and thus has a digital add on board to enable control via Ethernet, as I don't know how to remove it I just have to let the amp boot up twice, the first time it sees no control signal and so then reboots, defaulting to the analog inputs. I consider that a small price to pay for a great amp at a great price, I'm bi-amping quad with the 8200 but it would be just as useful for 7.1 surround or 5.1 surround possibly with the front channels bridged for higher power.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

What is needed is a good surround preamplifier, one that includes multiple analog inputs. That's why I like to custom build much of my equipment, you can't always find something to suit your needs commercially. Any suggestions for a great multi-channel pre-amp are welcome here, sorry I haven't any suggestions myself.

I have used almost all of them and was most happy with my Audio Research MP1. However, I have recently removed it and inserted a Coleman 8 channel, 4 input balanced audio switch. All controls are in the streamers/servers/DACs. For single-ended, I'd use my Zektor MAS7.1.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I have used almost all of them and was most happy with my Audio Research MP1. However, I have recently removed it and inserted a Coleman 8 channel, 4 input balanced audio switch. All controls are in the streamers/servers/DACs. For single-ended, I'd use my Zektor MAS7.1.

You lucky dog you, those have gotten rare as hen's teeth, I've been looking for awhile now, last one I bid on got beat by a few bucks, guess the guy needed it more than me.

 

[jaybird100]

The Marantz do have MM Phono inputs, as does my current Pioneer. But it would be convenient if they just allowed for a stereo source to be output and a multi-channel to be input. So to use my SM2: I have a very nice Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra feeding it (via a switch so between TT & Oppo stereo o/p), and the analogue from the SM2 into the Pioneer. Still a bit of a pain.

That's similar to what I do. I have a switchbox that can select between three inputs to one output, and to that, I have the output of my phono preamp, output from my CD recorder, and have one channel open for yet another source. The output of the box goes directly to the SM, the output of which goes into my receiver's MC analog inputs. The receiver (a Marantz, by the way) does not have a phono input. My older Denon, on another system, does have one, plus it has the MC input. The set-up with the SM is a tad awkward, but it works, and that's what counts.

 

[scottm18]

I have used almost all of them and was most happy with my Audio Research MP1. However, I have recently removed it...

Talk about rare as hen's teeth (maybe rarer)....Kal do you still have that MP1 you recently removed? Not sure that beast would even fit my rack but if so would you sell? I think my CJ MET1 has 2 analogs in but that one I believe has a whopping 3 full analog ins! Technically that's what i need as I have an analog-connected Cambridge 751BD ISO player (strictly for DVD audio rips), Oppo 205 and Exasound E28 DAC.

Then I could sell Pupster the MAS7.1 I also have

 

[DuncanS]

I was in a browsing mood and came across these Rotel AV Amps with multi-channel analogue inputs, not cheap, but look good both visually and from specs.

RAP-1580MKII | Rotel with built in amps and height line-outs

RSP-1576MKII | Rotel Surround Processor needs multi-channel amps

 

[fizzywiggs41]

Duncan ..., those AV Receivers by Rotel look like Monsters !

 

[ar surround]

I was in a browsing mood and came across these Rotel AV Amps with multi-channel analogue inputs, not cheap, but look good both visually and from specs.
View attachment 68195
RAP-1580MKII | Rotel with built in amps and height line-outs
View attachment 68196
RSP-1576MKII | Rotel Surround Processor needs multi-channel amps
View attachment 68197

I was just looking at the same units last night. I would have expected the preamp/processor to have balanced outputs at that price. (Not that I'm claiming to be able to hear a difference.)

 

[neil wilkes]

In general multichannel analogue in amps are bloody expensive, but you can get bargains if you hunt around in the refurb lists of stores such as Richer Sounds.
These are all ex showroom kit, and can be snapped up at a fraction of the original MSP - when my beloved old Cambridge Audio amp died on me (it lost it's brain as the built-in DAC went tired on me and naturally these days it was unrepairable so my better half went online and 45 minutes later she had tracked down a lovely 2 zone Marantz with multiple HDMI/Optical/analogue inputs at just under £600 instead of the £2000 it was retailing at - because it was a factory refurb.
There are bargains to be had - you just have to hunt around for them.

 

[gene_stl]

I lucked into a Rotel PreAmp and Power Amp combo at a price that made me snatch them. During a move two of the speaker output binding posts , got knocked off. So I had to open the power amp to replace them.

I can report that it is a thing of beauty. Very nicely laid out and constructed. I was not terribly surprised because they make a lot of other complex electronically driven things. A power amp should probably be a no brainer for them. But it really was elegant.
I would not hesitate for a bananosecond to buy something Rotel.

 

[DuncanS]

I was just looking at the same units last night. I would have expected the preamp/processor to have balanced outputs at that price. (Not that I'm claiming to be able to hear a difference.)

Balanced differential input/outputs don't give better signals per se, just help reduce noise pick-up in the cable runs, which is usually only a problem with long runs as you often get in studios or in electrically noisy environments. What I found curious was at that price they don't do even stereo streaming, nor handle DSD, only PCM & all the DTS/DD formats.