Anthem D2 or Arcam AV9?

[graniterocks]

I know that this is not a good answer and only complicates the decission, but what about a Halcro SSP-100 or 80?

If audio is your number one priority, then this is the unit to audition.

I have not had a chance to compare the Arcam vs the Anthem. I do know from friends that have auditioned the Anthem vs Halcro, the Halcro was the winner for audio.

[John Paul Ahn]

Okay, let me throw more fuel onto the fire...

what about the Lexicon MC-12 v4 and the Krell HTS 7.1?

I know neither one has the video processing level of the D2, nor do they accept HDMI, but I can always buy an external scaler for that.

[style]

I like Arcam very much really.

buth the D2 Anthem is in this moment one of the best pre available.
(with much possibilty to update bios soft, and I think with new dd+&CO.!!)

For great system i go with Pre D2 anthem and ampli allways Anthem too or better with bryston.

greetings from Switzerland
Omar

[Hogback]

I cannot say enough good things about my AVM20 and I look forward to upgrading it directly (through their great upgrade roll outs of both firmware and hardware when needed) or else trading up to an AVM 50 or D2.

The Anthems pretty much win every price/performance review/award that they are considered for from what I have seen and based on my own experiences with the AVM20 I have no reason to doubt it.

Cheers,

Richard

PS. Couple items of note on the Anthems. For HD-DVD and Blu-Ray you can take the analogue True-HD signal and still process it to all 7.1 speakers. IE. Apply a form of Prologic IIx to not only the Dolby Digital signal, but also to the 5.1 analogue inputs which I have not seen elsewhere. Realizing that many would feel that processing the analogue signal would defeat the purpose of using analogue, I just have to say that it would take much more discerning ears than mine (and many reviewers) to notice any degradation in the resulting audio delivered.

It's just nice to be able to get TrueHD and 7.1 now.

Source selectable bass and treble adjustments also help with things like the lower bass on many HD-DVD's/outputs so I can tweak it up by the 7-10db needed without effecting any other inputs or requiring master control setting and removal each time I select a source.

I am sure these things are available on other processors, but they have stood out as convenient for me in the last year.

[JerryDelColliano]

I got my broker into a D2 for his house in West Palm. The HDMI switching might be the best-most-realible in the industry at any price. Not perfect but the best so far.

[mitch57]

I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on a D2. But I'm a bit put off by the fact that I can't seem to find an authorized dealer that's willing to give me a decent discount. The best I've been able to come up with so far is 5% off suggested retail. Man O Man $6700.00 is a lot of money and I was hoping to get at least a 10% discount. Maybe I'm just dreaming!

What kind of pricing do some of you see else where around the country (US)? I live in the Pacific Northwest and I've yet to see a dealer offer much of anything in the way of discounts.