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Quite honestly, I don't want to spend a ton of money on a preamp, because I'm at the end of my budget. I thought I saw that Parasound makes a $700 model thats pretty sweet, but I can't remember if they are the particular maker of the steller value product I read about. The AVA SL preamp is probably not out of reach and if I saved up a little more I could get his EC one at 1099.So if I understand this, you hook up the cd player to the preamp, which then passes through to the HT processor, which finally goes to the amps. If the preamp is used, the feed will go to the amps. If not, it will pass through to the HT processor, and the surround format will be decoded and output to the amps.
If it's any help, I emailed with Frank recently about HT bypass and he made it clear that his preamps and integrated could do HT bypass using the tape input and output.
Isn't the tape output always fixed level? If so, this doesn't provide a HT bypass function. A HT by-pass provides a clean pass-through for a HT processor to the amps, which works for tape in/out, but only if the amps are connected to the tape out. One would not normally connect amps to a tape out because that would provide no volume control for any pre-amp inputs (i.e. when in two-channel mode, you'd be blasting the tunes at max volume).
I bought the PS 2100. Lots of features, open box pricing. Brand new, not a scratch dent or ding, full warranty. 50% off retail, $417 to my door. I'm excited!
Logically, a HT-bypass is simply a switch that switches the connection going to the amp from the HT processor outputs to the pre-amp outputs. If you don't mind the extra cables/jacks, you can implement one on any preamp as an external switch box. The advantage of HT bypasses on a preamp like the 2100 is it automatically flips the switch for you when you turn off the preamp. (I'm pretty sure this is true of the 2100)
Quote from: topher2411 on 24 Apr 2009, 08:45 pmIf it's any help, I emailed with Frank recently about HT bypass and he made it clear that his preamps and integrated could do HT bypass using the tape input and output. I guess maybe I am confused about this. First of all, I was under the understanding that the Left & Right main channel outputs of your home theater reciever or processor should pass though the preamp unaltered on the way to the Left & Right main channels of your amplifier, in an HT bypass set up? The preamp signal is not back fed from the preamp to the HT receiver or processor and then to the amp. The classic reasoning is that the stereo preamp will have the better fidelity for classic 2 channel operation than the HT receiver or Processor, or you need more analog inputs that the HT receiver or Processor has.As far as using the record input & output for HT pass through, that may work for psuedo HT pass through, assuming the tape in jack receives from from the HT receiver or processor and the tape output feeds the main left & right amp channels, but under this scheme you will also have to run a second set of cables to your same left right amp channels for the variable volume output of sources connected to your preamp.My thinking was that a true HT bypass input simply routed the signal from the HT receiver or processor directly to the preamp outputs when selected and by cable on the the main left & right channels of your amp, without any alteration or preamp volume control affect. (In other words preamp volume control is bypassed). But signals from all input sources connected to the preamp, (HT reciever or processor, turntable, CD player, DAC, transporter, etc), left the preamp by the same output jacks going to the amp.If I am confused about this, somebody enlighten me.