Finally got me a processor

Mr_Sukebe

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Having ummed, ah'd and pondered over options for frankly far too long, I finally coughed up some dosh and bought a s/h Thule SP250 processor this week.
The bad news is that it clearly doesn't support HD audio from BD disks, not that I'm amazingly worried as my ratio of SD-DVD to BD disks is around 15:1.
The good news is that:
- because it's "old tech", it was dirt cheap when compared to it's original RRP, i.e. £265
- it will still happily deal with DD and DTS, thus happily deal with BD disks downsampled to max-rate DTS
- it sounds so good that even music DVDs are now worth listening to. My previous amps (Yamaha and Marantz), typically made music DVDs overblown, uncontrolled and a bit spitty.

Additionally, it supports balanced connections, which have the potential for improving sound even further on the front channels, and it has some genuine stereo only aspirations, so might even make a half decent stereo only pre-amp (turns off the video processing to reduce internal noise).

Am I happy, damn right I am...

BTW, my thanks to Onkyo et al, who somehow have convinced people that HD audio is the new nirvana and that kit that can't support it should now be virtually worthless, couldn't have done it without you.
 
BTW, my thanks to Onkyo et al, who somehow have convinced people that HD audio is the new nirvana and that kit that can't support it should now be virtually worthless, couldn't have done it without you.

Hehehe, spot on! :D

Taken similar approach myself, upgraded a big old Sherwood receiver to a nice Rotel pre-pro (976 and 985). Sure its DD DTS 5.1 only, but it sounds damned nice! Probably not as posh as your Thule, but the 976 was only £150.

That said, I still kinda hanker for HDMI support, if only for music 5.1 SACD and Blu-Rays off my PS3... :rolleyes: But then something like the upcoming Oppo universal player wired to the 5.1 direct inputs would probably be a better, cheaper plan.
 
I see from your posts elsewhere that you are also using a T-amp as power amplifier :rotfl: I am doing it also, combined with the Audiolab 8000ap I got a couple of weeks ago, until I receive the Rotel 1075 I bought this week :D

It sounds surprisingly good, too :smashin: Although I find the high end too aggressive, the overall quality is stunning for a 40 euro amp. Pity that I cannot play it loud, since it loses rapidly all good qualities and becomes even more aggressive, but at normal listening levels (75dBC), it sounds great.

You got a nice deal, then. Congratulations!
 
BTW, my thanks to Onkyo et al, who somehow have convinced people that HD audio is the new nirvana and that kit that can't support it should now be virtually worthless, couldn't have done it without you.


Couldn't agree more!
 
I see from your posts elsewhere that you are also using a T-amp as power amplifier :rotfl: I am doing it also, combined with the Audiolab 8000ap I got a couple of weeks ago, until I receive the Rotel 1075 I bought this week :D

It sounds surprisingly good, too :smashin: Although I find the high end too aggressive, the overall quality is stunning for a 40 euro amp. Pity that I cannot play it loud, since it loses rapidly all good qualities and becomes even more aggressive, but at normal listening levels (75dBC), it sounds great.

You got a nice deal, then. Congratulations!

I had planned to buy a Linn LK something or other for the rear channels, but then remembered having a sonic-T gathering dust in it's box upstairs. Thought I'd give it a try. Powering the Kef 3001s, it seems to do a fine job for rear effects. As you say, I know it hasn't got any outright grunt, but the filter prevents it having to deal with any genuine low bass, and I assume the 3001s are fairly benign in their load and reasonably efficient.
I was so impressed that I've put the "real" rear channel power amp purchase on semi-permanent hold.
 
Having ummed, ah'd and pondered over options for frankly far too long, I finally coughed up some dosh and bought a s/h Thule SP250 processor this week.
The bad news is that it clearly doesn't support HD audio from BD disks, not that I'm amazingly worried as my ratio of SD-DVD to BD disks is around 15:1.
The good news is that:
- because it's "old tech", it was dirt cheap when compared to it's original RRP, i.e. £265
- it will still happily deal with DD and DTS, thus happily deal with BD disks downsampled to max-rate DTS
- it sounds so good that even music DVDs are now worth listening to. My previous amps (Yamaha and Marantz), typically made music DVDs overblown, uncontrolled and a bit spitty.

Additionally, it supports balanced connections, which have the potential for improving sound even further on the front channels, and it has some genuine stereo only aspirations, so might even make a half decent stereo only pre-amp (turns off the video processing to reduce internal noise).

Am I happy, damn right I am...

BTW, my thanks to Onkyo et al, who somehow have convinced people that HD audio is the new nirvana and that kit that can't support it should now be virtually worthless, couldn't have done it without you.

hmm..every so often, I convince myself that I don't need a pre-pro as the difference is barely audible and along comes a post to convince me otherwise :p
 

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