neutral sound, ease of use, upgradeability

Digitizes all inputs. No analog path for turntable or open reel use. BIG Bummer.

Yes it costs a bundle, hangs like a PC does once in a while and has an upgrade which isn't "FREE" by a long long shot, but da*n it sure sounds and looks good. I use my system for music (2 channel CD and SACD) ninety percent of the time and had my realestate, spousal and checkbook situation allowed I would have opted for separate music and HT systems. I chose the AVP over the Theta Casablanca and the Krell HTS not only because it was cheaper but because I believe its DACS were just as good (emphasis on the analog stage) although sacrificing a little bit in the power supply department. It has allowed me to enjoy the music despite having to compromise. I've never bit into the expensive transport hype so I chose a product with exceptional reclocking so I could use just any old digital source from MDs, DAWs off a MAC, CDs,DATs and even a PS2. Stays out of the way of the music. Clear and clean sound if a bit bass shy, then again I'll take less bass to lousy bass any time. How could it be even better? Improve resolution and functionality.Hmmm...32 Bit SHARC DACs, upsampling to make use of different filters, ES, Prologic 2, EX. I guess that means I'm getting the upgrade! So why only 4 stars? 5 is reserved for the No. 40. System Sony DVD/SACD player forget which model AVP (scheduled for upgrade) Levinson 23.5 Proceed BPA 3 Revel F30 Revel C30 1 pr Musical Fidelity X-50(for 7.1) Sonance in ceiling(for 7.1) Energy HTS dipoles and Sub MIT cables throughout

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Onkyo Integra, Lexicon, Anthem, Denon, Citation

The AVP is not obsolete anymore! Still the best sounding preamp around.

Still only one toslink digital in and no outs. You can get component inputs and outputs, but at the cost of $1500 for an outboard rig.

This review is on the AVP2 upgrade. The first thing I noticed was more bass. I had been using an equilizer to get more bass from my Psb Golds. Now I don't need it. I also have better detail, imaging, and a better soundstage. Instruments that were hidden before are now more present than before. Vocals seem to have a wider stage in the mix and there is wider stereo seperation. Things just sound better. The upgrade includes a crossover upgrade; the ability to play a DVD source in your main room and then also send that 5.1 signal to your remote zone; there is only one dts (not dts music or dts film); pro logic 2 for movie and music has been added; if your cd player detects an HDCD disc, the AVP will detect it and display it on the display; you can now setup your sub to do "extra bass" if you set your speakers to "full range". There are other little things that I'm sure someone will be happy about. What I was happy about is the crossover upgrade. Before the crossover setting was set for the entire unit. Now you can set the crossover for each group of speakers (front, center, rear). Plus you can crossover down to 30hz where as before it went down to 50hz. The upgrade is not cheap ($2500!), but it is worth it. To really hear the difference, you must a/b the original AVP against the new AVP2. YOU WILL HEAR A DIFFERENCE! I didn't think an expensive upgrade like that was necessary until I heard it.

Equally as good at handling cd's and dvd's Super fine and clear.

Unit kept locking up on me, it has since stopped doing it, could have been another remote? No complaints from me.

After feeling like I had a failry decent sound for the buck with my Adcom equipment, sure enough, a few months later came digital sound and it rendered my system obsolete. Wanting the digital performance as well as DTS capability, I also auditioned a few other...Acurus, and even had installed a Lexicion unit. To my dissapointment, I was wishing I had my old Adcom unit back...see, I became a 5 speaker stereo matrix junky. This is where all 5 speakers are given full level sound. AFter a day I yanked out the LExicon for a full refund, funny how salesman was not nearly as nice as before.... Went to my usual haunt and took reccomendation of my salesman and haven't looked back! I read where another reviewer was complaining his CD's were not playing first tune and then the DTS yadda yadda,I found the set up simple and straightforward. I have set up SEPERATE buttons for Digital material and Analogue material so I don;t have to fool around with anything else. For analogue I am utilyzing a mix of the Proceed D/A and the my new Sony...just fine! Hard to find a unit that does CD source justice and does DVD the same...NO MORE! Zoro...opening scene....when the blades shing shing cut the Z before opening crowd scene (you'll need crowd control)...I had to check my own shirt to see if I was cut! Gladiators...scene which begins with flaming arrow being shot and they whizzz overhead to intended targets....unfrickin' believable. (I have bipolar difinitve's mounted 6 ft up on side walls!) You miss NOTHING. Even Tarzan was beautifully imaged around room with the rustling and jungle noises coming from everywhere. Won't bore you with the rest of gadgets except to say BUY a Velodyne SUB and use MTI cables. The Proceed is able to image the most intrcate and delicate of sounds. Like most of you, when you have upgraded your player, speakers, or Pre-amp...I was pulling out and dusting off CD's I haven;t heard in awhile and one's that were my favorites....and discovering nuances and details I hadn't heard before. Not cheap, but not Mark Levinson price....above all the rest for half the price. D

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ADCOM Lexicon

Sound quality, build, upgrade path.

Upgrade is big $$$$

I have owned and auditioned nearly every pre-amp on the market over the last 5 years including the Anthem AVM 20, Classe SSP-25, SSP-30, B&K, etc. As well I have auditioned as many or more amplifiers to go with the various pre-amps. I had heard the Proceed in other peoples systems but did not really appreciate the sound until I could directly compare it to what I have been listening to on my system as a reference. I guess the best one to compare the Proceed to is the Anthem AVM-20. I owned this pre-amp for many months and thought that bang for the buck you could not touch it. It has excellent features and sounds great in music and surround, the reviews it receives are a testimony to the fact it is a great piece. I had actually been without a pre-amp and amp and had not planned to replace the anthem any time soon when I came across a deal to good to pass up for a Proceed AVP. I also got a great deal on a Proceed HPA-2 so into the rack they went. I instantly noticed a total lack of background noise, the Proceed is cleaner and the detail is outstanding. I have a few reference disks that I use to compare with and I am hearing sounds that were not there with all of my other systems. Music sounds more rhythmic and has a natural, neutral sound. The entire range is more detailed but not a hint of brightness, just pure sound! I have to say that the Proceed is a substantial step above the Anthem AVM-20 in music. I am very pleased with this unit and have piece of mind knowing that when I want to I can upgrade to the AVP 2 . I was equally impressed with movies! The same reference disks revealed better background clarity, the 5 speakers all seem to disappear and you are left with a totally realistic seamless surround. I could always tell what speaker the sound was coming from and now they all blend together to form a realistic sound that is all around you with endless depth. The Proceed is a real step above in all around performance and is something that has become future proof with the upgrade path available but even if it was not I would still own this piece for the sound!

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Anthem AVM-20, Classe ssp-25, ssp-30, B&K

Good sound, ease of use, nifty remote.

Upgrade ability. The unit is not future proof as your lead to believe. The future is expensive, and the sound quality gained for the upgrade is not worth the cost

I have been very happy with the AVP, especially the future proof architecture advertised in their brochure. But I find now that I have to upgrade for 2500. All I care to have is Dolby Pro Logic 2. I feel they mislead potential buyer's such as myself to believe any surround format was a software download away. I am tired of being deceived by false promises from Companies that should put customers first. I have purchased other components from Madrigal and have been pleased with there performance.

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None

Unbelievable sound from surround material! Crystal clear 2-channel (but, to the two-channel die-hards, come on, get with the program, 5 channel SACD and DVD-Audio is just SO much better, until you''ve heard it, you don''t know what ambience is). World-class video switching. And, believe it or not, you can operate this thing with a 9-button remote.

Believe it or not, for five thousand bucks, you get a 9-button plastic remote! I had the PAV/PDSD (I got rid of the combo because Proceed is NOT going to develop anymore for the PDSD, like they said they would, so that thing is never going to see 7.1, ever.) which had a more respectable remote with LCD readout.

THIS IS THE ONE! I am not kidding, there is just NOT a better A/V Preamp than the AVP for less than $10k! The only that comes close may be the EAD Theater Master, if you can live with the STUPID design of having one a power button on the unit which renders it completely useless when the remote is broken/accidentally erased/out of battery and can''t find some off hand/lost. I''ve heard them all, Chiro, Anthem AVM, EAD Encore, Lexicon DC1, Krell HTS, Meridian 561/565, Linn 5103. The Meridian and Linn are fine product, but you better buy all their other components. The Krell HTS just does not live up to Krell''s reputation. The Anthem is fine and great value, but not really in the same league. Chiro, well, that company is out of business, so that should tell you something. Lexicon''s, they sound great, but I just can''t in good conscience spend that kind of money for something that plain and ugly, unless you get into a MC12, which, in my humble opinion, ranks up there with Theta Casablanca as probably the bests in the world. Of course, then there''s the Mark Levinson No. 40 which I simply can''t afford. But, I feel comfortable with the knowledge that when I want to, I can have my AVP upgraded to the AVP2 which shall share the same DAC''s and a lot of design with the No. 40, the ULTIMATE. Until then, all I can say is, I listen to DVD-audio all day through my Toshiba SD9200, AVP and Martin Logan''s, and I am just HAPPY!!!

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Proceed PAV/PDSD Krell HTS Meridian 561 Ead TheaterMaster Encore Anthem AVM2 Lexicon DC1 etc...

Flexability of configuration. Easy to use remote and on screen setup. Upgradable.

Only 1 Toslink input (hopefully addressed in the upgrade)

For the last 7 months I have been evaluating the AVP. After having nothing but problems with 2 different Rotel units, I decided to examine the AVP. After a software upgrade to correct some display and signal locking issues, I have had no problems. ** These units can be power quality sensative, in other words don''t buy a unit of this quality, and but a $99.00 power bar ** This units sound quality thru my Rotel RMB-1095 has been nothing but flawless. No issues with loss of music while it locks on to the source, this was corrected in the software upgrade. Great ease of setup and I love the simple remote. Looking foreward to the upgrade that will soon be available. Love the clarity and depth of sound from the unit.

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Rotel Bryston Anthem

Build quality, sound in HT

Limited functionality, sound in 2 channel (with my equipment)

All in all, I have to say that the AVP is very mediocre. While I think it sounds better in two channel than some processors like the Simaudio Attraction, I do not think it sounds as good as the Anthem AVM20. Furthermore, the AVP does not offer the functionality found on many procesors. For instance, why does the AVP only have three balanced outputs for the speakers when the AMP5 has 5 balanced inputs????? I know the upgrade is coming, but the full upgrade is $2,500. In my case the total acquisition cost will be $6,000 for a processor that sounds alright, not great with my equipment. If you are think about buying one, make sure you get a good deal and, if possible, demo it before you buy it!

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Anthem AVM20, Krell HTS 2, Sunfire TG II, Simaudio Attraction 7.1

Build quality, sound in HT

Limited functionality, sound in 2 channel (with my equipment)

All in all, I have to say that the AVP is very mediocre. While I think it sounds better in two channel than some processors like the Simaudio Attraction, I do not think it sounds as good as the Anthem AVM20. Furthermore, the AVP does not offer the functionality found on many procesors. For instance, why does the AVP only have three balanced outputs for the speakers when the AMP5 has 5 balanced inputs????? I know the upgrade is coming, but the full upgrade is $2,500. In my case the total acquisition cost will be $6,000 for a processor that sounds alright, not great with my equipment. If you are think about buying one, make sure you get a good deal and, if possible, demo it before you buy it!

Similar Products Used:

Anthem AVM20, Krell HTS 2, Sunfire TG II, Simaudio Attraction 7.1

Not many, certainly not 2 channel audio.

Sound quality in two channel; outdated electronics; stupid remote; only three blanced outputs.

After reading all of the glowing reviews for the AVP, I could not wait to audition one in my home. I am sad to say that it was a complete letdown. In two channel, the unit lacks depth and any sense of warmth. In surround modes, this $5,000 unit does not come anywhere close to the performance of the Anthem AVM 20 (a $3,200 piece) or the Krell HTS 2. Also, the unit lacks some basic "high end" features like balanced outputs on all channels, not just the front three. I realize that Proceed is planning an AVP II and I hope for their sake that it is a huge improvement over the current version. System: B&W Nautilus 805s for front and surrounds. B&W HTM 2 Center Rel Storm III Bryston 9B THX Pioneer Pro-Elite 510 EAD Theatervision-P Sony SACD 333ES Nordost Red Dawn I/C Harmonic Tech Pro 9 Plus Bi-Wire

Similar Products Used:

Krell HTS 2; Anthem AVM 20; Simaudio Attraction; Sunfire TG II